ah.thefinaldiagnosis-第59节

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　Tomaselli　said；　〃So　there　have　been　no　tests　now　for…how　long？〃
　〃Approximately　six　and　a　half　months。〃
　Coleman　noticed　Carl　Bannister　standing　dourly　away　from　the　group；　apparently　occupied；　but　he　sensed　the　senior　technician　was　missing　nothing　of　what　was　going　on。
　The　administrator　asked　Pearson；　〃What　do　you　suggest？〃
　〃There　should　be　a　checkup　first　on　all　the　new　employees…as　quickly　as　possible。〃　This　time　the　elder　pathologist　was　incisive　and　brisk。　〃After　that　there　will　have　to　be　re…examination　of　all　the　others。　That　means　stool　culture；　chest　X…ray；　and　a　physical。　And　it　should　include　all　the　kitchen　workers　and　anyone　else　who　has　anything　to　do　with　food　at　all。〃
　〃Will　you　arrange　that；　Mrs。　Straughan？〃　Tomaselli　said。　〃Work　with　the　health　office；　they'll　handle　most　of　the　detail。〃
　〃Yes；　Mr。　T。　I'll　get　onto　it　right　away。〃　She　undulated　out　of　the　lab。
　〃Is　there　anything　else？〃　Tomaselli　had　returned　his　attention　to　Pearson。
　〃We　need　a　new　steam　booster　system　for　those　dishwashers…either　that　or　rip　them　right　out　and　put　new　ones　in。〃　Pearson's　voice　rose　heatedly。　〃I've　been　telling　everybody　that　for　years。〃
　〃I　know。〃　Tomaselli　nodded。　〃I　inherited　the　file；　and　it's　on　our　list。　The　trouble　is；　we've　had　so　many　capital　expenditures。〃　He　mused。　〃I　wonder　what　the　parative　cost　would　be。〃
　Unreasonably；　irritably；　Pearson　said；　〃How　should　I　know？　I'm　not　the　plumber。〃
　〃I　know　a　little　about　plumbing；　perhaps　I　can　help。〃　At　the　softly　spoken　words　the　others　turned　their　heads。　It　was　Dr。　Dornberger；　his　hands；　inevitably；　busy　with　his　pipe。　He　had　e　into　the　lab　quietly　and　unnoticed。　Seeing　Harry　Tomaselli；　he　asked；　〃Am　I　interrupting　something？〃
　Pearson　said　gruffly；　〃No。　It's　all　right。〃
　Dornberger　saw　John　Alexander　watching　him。　He　said；　〃I　was　with　your　baby　awhile　ago；　son。　I'm　afraid　he's　not　doing　too　well。〃
　〃Is　there　any　hope；　Doctor？〃　Alexander　asked　the　question　quietly。　The　others　had　turned；　their　expressions　softening。　Bannister　put　down　a　glass　pipette　and　moved　closer。
　〃Not　very　much；　I'm　afraid；〃　Dornberger　said　slowly。　There　was　a　silence；　then；　as　if　remembering　something；　he　turned　to　Pearson。　〃I　suppose；　Joe；　there　couldn't　be　any　doubt　about　that　blood…sensitization　test　on　Mrs。　Alexander？〃
　〃Doubt？〃
　〃I　mean；　that　it　could　be　wrong。〃
　Pearson　shook　his　head。　〃No　doubt　at　all；　Charlie。　Matter　of　fact；　I　did　it　myself…very　carefully。〃　He　added　curiously；　〃Why　did　you　ask？〃
　〃Just　checking。〃　Dornberger　puffed　at　his　pipe。　〃For　a　while　this　morning　I　suspected　the　child　might　have　had　erythroblastosis。　It　was　only　a　long　shot　though。〃
　〃Be　highly　unlikely。〃　Pearson　was　emphatic。
　Dornberger　said；　〃Yes；　that's　what　I　thought。〃
　Again　the　silence；　their　eyes　turning　to　Alexander。　David　Coleman　felt　he　wanted　to　say　something…anything　to　divert　attention；　to　make　things　easier　for　the　young　technologist。　He　told　Dornberger；　almost　without　thinking；　〃There　used　to　be　some　doubt　about　sensitization　tests…when　labs　were　using　just　the　saline　and　high…protein　methods。　Sometimes　then　a　few　positive　cases　would　get　recorded　as　negative。　Nowadays；　though；　with　an　indirect　Coombs　test　as　well；　it's　pretty　well　foolproof。〃　As　he　finished　speaking；　he　realized　that　this　lab　had　only　made　the　change　since　his　own　arrival。　He　had　not　meant　to　take　a　dig　at　Pearson；　at　this　moment　he　found　himself　hoping　the　old　man　would　not　notice。　There　had　been　enough　quarreling　between　them　without　adding　to　it　needlessly。
　〃But；　Dr。　Coleman　。　。　。〃　Alexander's　mouth　was　gaping；　his　eyes　alarmed。
　〃Yes？　What　is　it？〃　Coleman　was　puzzled。　Nothing　he　had　said　was　enough　to　produce　this　reaction。
　〃We　didn't　do　an　indirect　Coombs　test。〃
　Despite　his　concern　for　Alexander；　Coleman　found　himself　being　annoyed。　Because　of　Pearson　he　had　wanted　to　avoid　pursuing　this　subject。　Now　he　was　being　given　no　choice。　〃Oh　yes；　you　did；〃　he　said　offhandedly。　〃I　remember　signing　the　requisition　for　Coombs　serum。〃
　Alexander　was　looking　at　him　despairingly；　his　eyes　pleading。　He　said；　〃But　Dr。　Pearson　said　it　wasn't　necessary。　The　test　was　done　just　in　saline　and　high　protein。〃
　It　took　Coleman　several　seconds　to　absorb　what　had　been　said。　He　saw　that　Harry　Tomaselli；　not　understanding；　was　watching　the　scene　curiously。　Dornberger's　attention　had　suddenly　perked　up。
　Pearson　appeared　unfortable。　He　said　to　Coleman；　with　a　trace　of　unease；　〃I　meant　to　tell　you　at　the　time。　It　slipped　my　mind。〃
　David　Coleman's　brain　was　now　ice…clear。　But　before　going　further　he　wanted　to　establish　one　fact。　〃Do　I　understand　correctly；〃　he　asked　Alexander；　〃that　there　was　no　indirect　Coombs　test　whatever？〃
　As　Alexander　nodded　Dr。　Dornberger　cut　in　abruptly。　〃Wait　a　minute！　Let　me　get　this　straight。　You　mean　the　mother…Mrs。　Alexander…may　have　sensitized　blood　after　all？〃
　〃Of　course　she　may！〃　Not　caring；　Coleman　lashed　out；　his　voice　rising　in　pitch。　〃The　saline　and　high…protein　tests　are　good　in　a　lot　of　cases　but　not　in　all。　Anybody　who's　kept　reasonably　up　to　date　in　hematology　should　be　aware　of　that。〃　He　glanced　sideways　at　Pearson；　who　appeared　not　to　have　stirred。　To　Dornberger　he　went　on；　〃That's　why　I　ordered　an　indirect　Coombs。〃
　The　administrator　was　still　trying　to　grasp　the　medical　significance。　〃This　test　you're　talking　about；　if　you　ordered　it；　why　wasn't　it　done？〃
　Coleman　wheeled　on　Bannister。　His　eyes　merciless；　he　asked；　〃What　happened　to　the　requisition　I　signed…the　requisition　for　Coombs　serum？〃　As　the　technician　hesitated；　〃Well？〃
　Bannister　was　shaking。　Barely　audible；　he　mumbled；　〃I　tore　it　up。〃
　Dornberger　said　incredulously；　〃You　tore　up　a　doctor's　requisition…and　without　telling　him？〃
　Relentlessly　Coleman　said；　〃On　whose　instructions　did　you　tear　it　up？〃
　Bannister　was　looking　at　the　floor。　He　said　reluctantly；　〃On　Dr。　Pearson's　instructions。〃
　Dornberger　was　thinking　quickly　now。　To　Coleman　he　said；　〃This　means　the　child　may　have　erythroblastosis；　everything　points　to　it；　in　fact。〃
　〃Then　you'll　do　an　exchange　transfusion？〃
　Dornberger　said　bitterly；　〃If　it　was　necessary　at　all；　it　should　have　been　done　at　birth。　But　there　may　be　a　chance；　even　this　late。〃　He　looked　at　the　young　pathologist　as　if；　by　implication；　only　Coleman's　opinion　could　be　trusted。　〃But　I　want　to　be　sure。　The　child　hasn't　any　strength　to　spare。〃
　〃We　need　a　direct　Coombs　test　of　the　baby's　blood。〃　Coleman's　reaction　was　fast　and　petent。　This　scene　was　between　himself　and　Dornberger　now；　Pearson　was　standing　still；　as　if　dazed　by　the　swiftness　of　what　had　happened。　To　Bannister；　Coleman　rapped　out；　〃Is　there　any　Coombs　serum　in　the　hospital？〃
　The　technician　swallowed。　〃No。〃
　This　was　something　within　the　administrator's　orbit。　He　asked　tersely；　〃Where　do　we　get　it　then？〃
　〃There　isn't　time。〃　Coleman　shook　his　head。　〃We'll　have　to　get　the　test　done　somewhere　else…where　they've　facilities。〃
　〃University　will　do　it；　they've　a　bigger　lab　than　ours　anyway。〃　Harry　Tomaselli　had　crossed　to　the　telephone。　He　told　the　operator；　〃Get　me　University　Hospital；　please。〃　To　the　others　he　said；　〃Who's　in　charge　of　pathology　there？〃
　Dornberger　said；　〃Dr。　Franz。〃
　〃Dr。　Franz；　please。〃　Tomaselli　asked；　〃Who'll　talk　with　him？〃
　〃I　will。〃　Coleman　took　the　phone。　The　others　heard　him　say；　〃Dr。　Franz？　This　is　Dr。　Coleman…assistant　pathologist　at　Three　Counties。　Could　you　handle　an　emergency　Coombs　test　for　us？〃　There　was　a　pause；　Coleman　listening。　Then　he　said；　〃Yes；　we'll　send　the　sample　immediately。　Thank　you；　Doctor。　Good…by。〃　He　turned　back　to　the　room。　〃We'll　need　the　blood　sample　quickly。〃
　〃I'll　help　you；　Doctor。〃　It　was　Bannister；　a　tray　of　equipment　in　his　hands。
　About　to　reject　the　offer；　Coleman　saw　the　mute　appeal　in　the　other　man's　eyes。　He　hesitated；　then　said；　〃Very　well。　e　with　me。〃
　As　they　left　the　administrator　called　after　them。　〃I'll　get　a　police　cruiser。　They'll　get　the　sample　over　there　faster。〃
　〃Please！　I'd　like　to　take　it…to　go　with　them。〃　It　was　John　Alexander。
　〃All　right。〃　The　administrator　had　the　telephone　to　his　ear。　Into　it　he　snapped；　〃Get　me　the　City　Police。〃　To　Alexander　he　said；　〃Go　with　the　others；　then　bring　the　blood　sample　to　the　emergency　entrance。　I'll　have　the　cruiser　waiting　there。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃　Alexander　went　out　quickly。
　〃This　is　the　administrator；　Three　Counties　Hospital。〃　Tomaselli　was　talking　into　the　phone　again。　〃We'd　like　a　police　car　to　deliver　an　urgent　blood　sample。〃　He　listened　briefly。　〃Yes；　our　people　will　be　waiting　at　the　emergency　entrance。　Right。〃　Hanging　up　the　phone；　he　said；　〃I'd　better　make　sure　they　all　get　together。〃　He　went　out；　leaving　Pearson　and　Dornberger　alone。
　Within　the　past　few　moments　a　ferment　of　thoughts　had　been　seething　in　the　elderly　obstetrician's　mind。　Inevitably；　in　his　long　years　of　medical　practice；　Charles　Dornberger　had　had　patients　die。　Sometimes　about　their　deaths　there　had　seemed　almost　a　predestination。　But　always　he　had　fought　for　their　lives；　at　times　savagely；　and　never　giving　up　until　the　end。　And　in　all　occasions…successes　as　well　as　failures…he　could　tell　himself　truthfully　that　he　had　behaved　with　honor；　his　standards　high；　nothing　left　to　cha