ah.thefinaldiagnosis-第30部分

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bone　that　has　been　forced　outward。〃
　Lucy　switched　on　the　saw　and　applied　it　twice。　There　was　a　soft　crunching　sound　each　time　it　bit　into　bone。　Then　she　switched　off　and　passed　the　saw　back。　〃There；　I　think　that　will　do。　Tweezers！〃
　Gingerly　she　extracted　the　bone　sample；　dropping　it　into　a　small　jar　of　Zenker's　solution　which　the　circulating　nurse　was　holding　out。　Now　the　specimen…identified　and　acpanied　by　a　surgical　work　requisition…would　go　to　Pathology。
　The　anesthetist　asked　Vivian；　〃Still　feel　all　right？〃
　She　nodded。
　He　told　her；　〃They　won't　be　long　now。　The　bone　sample　is　out。　All　they　have　to　do　is　zip　up　your　knee。〃
　At　the　table　Lucy　was　already　sewing　the　periosteum；　using　a　running　suture。　She　was　thinking：　If　only　this　were　all；　how　simple　everything　would　be。　But　this　was　merely　exploratory。　The　next　move　would　depend　on　Joe　Pearson's　verdict　about　the　bone　sample　she　was　sending　to　him。
　The　thought　of　Joe　Pearson　reminded　Lucy　of　what　she　had　learned　earlier　from　Kent　O'Donnell：　that　this　was　the　day　on　which　the　hospital's　new　assistant　pathologist　was　due　to　arrive　in　Burlington。　She　hoped　that　things　would　go　smoothly　with　the　new　man…for　O'Donnell's　sake　as　much　as　any　other　reason。
　Lucy　respected　the　chief　of　surgery's　efforts　to　achieve　improvement　within　the　hospital　without　major　upheavals；　though　she　knew　from　observation　that　O'Donnell　would　never　shun　an　issue　if　it　really　became　necessary　to　meet　it　head　on。　There　she　went　again；　she　reflected：　thinking　about　Kent　O'Donnell。　It　was　strange　how；　just　recently；　her　thoughts　had　kept　returning　to　him。　Perhaps　it　was　the　proximity　in　which　they　worked；　there　were　few　days　when　the　two　of　them　failed　to　meet　sometime　during　their　stint　in　surgery。　Now　Lucy　found　herself　wondering　how　soon　it　would　be　before　he　invited　her　to　dinner　once　more。　Or　perhaps　she　could　arrange　a　small　dinner　party　at　her　own　apartment。　There　were　a　few　people　she　had　been　planning　to　invite　for　some　time；　and　Kent　O'Donnell　could　be　among　them。
　Lucy　let　the　intern　move　in　to　sew　the　subcutaneous　tissue。　She　told　him；　〃Use　interrupted　sutures；　three　should　be　sufficient。〃　She　watched　closely。　He　was　being　slow　but　careful。　She　knew　some　of　the　surgeons　at　Three　Counties　gave　interns　very　little　to　do　when　they　were　assisting。　But　Lucy　remembered　how　many　times　she　herself　had　stood　by　an　operating　table；　hoping　for　at　least　a　little　practice　in　tying　knots。
　That　had　been　in　Montreal…all　of　thirteen　years　ago　since　she　had　begun　her　internship　at　Montreal　General；　then　stayed　on　to　specialize　in　orthopedic　surgery。　She　had　often　thought　how　much　chance　there　was　in　the　specialty　which　anyone　in　medicine　decided　to　enter。　Often　so　much　depended　on　the　kind　of　cases　you　became　involved　in　as　an　intern。　In　her　own　case；　in　pre…med　school　at　McGill；　and　later　at　Toronto　University　School　of　Medicine；　her　interest　had　switched　first　to　one　field；　then　to　another。　Even　on　return　to　Montreal　she　had　been　undecided　whether　to　specialize　at　all　or　enter　general　practice。　But　then　chance　had　caused　her　to　work　for　a　while　under　the　tutelage　of　a　surgeon　known　to　the　hospital　generally　as　〃Old　Bones；〃　because　of　his　concern　with　orthopedics。
　When　Lucy　first　knew　him；　Old　Bones　had　been　in　his　mid…sixties。　In　terms　of　behavior　and　personality；　he　was　one　of　the　most　objectionable　people　she　had　ever　met。　Most　teaching　centers　have　their　prima　donnas；　in　Old　Bones　the　worst　habits　of　them　all　had　appeared　to　be　bined。　He　regularly　insulted　everyone　in　the　hospital…interns；　residents；　his　own　colleagues；　patients…with　equal　impartiality。　In　the　operating　room；　if　crossed　at　all；　he　had　shouted　abuse　at　nurses　and　assistants　in　language　borrowed　from　the　barroom　and　the　water　front。　If　handed　a　wrong　instrument；　on　his　normal　days　he　would　throw　it　back　at　the　offender；　in　a　more　tolerant　mood　he　would　merely　hurl　it　at　the　wall。
　Yet；　for　all　the　performance；　Old　Bones　had　been　a　master　surgeon。　He　had　worked　mostly　on　correcting　bone　deformities　in　crippled　children。　His　spectacular　successes　had　made　his　fame　world…wide。　He　never　modified　his　manner；　and　even　the　children　he　dealt　with　got　the　same　rough　treatment　as　their　elders。　But；　somehow；　children　seldom　seemed　to　fear　him。　Lucy　had　often　wondered　if　childish　instinct　were　not　a　better　barometer　than　adult　reasoning。
　But　it　was　the　influence　of　Old　Bones　that　really　decided　Lucy's　future。　When　she　had　seen　at　first　hand　what　orthopedic　surgery　could　acplish；　she　had　wanted　to　share　the　acplishment　herself。　She　had　stayed　at　Montreal　General　as　a　three…year　intern；　assisting　Old　Bones　whenever　it　was　possible。　She　had　copied　everything　from　him　except　his　manner。　Even　toward　Lucy　that　had　never　changed；　though　near　the　end　of　her　senior　internship　she　took　pride　in　the　fact　that　he　had　shouted　at　her　a　good　deal　less　than　at　other　people。
　Since　then；　in　the　time　she　had　been　in　practice；　Lucy　had　had　successes　of　her　own。　And　in　Burlington　her　referrals　from　other　physicians　nowadays　made　her　one　of　the　busiest　people　on　Three　Counties'　staff。　She　had　gone　back　to　Montreal　only　once…on　an　occasion　two　years　earlier；　to　attend　Old　Bones'　funeral。　People　said　it　was　one　of　the　biggest　funerals　of　a　medical　man　the　city　had　ever　seen。　Practically　everyone　the　old　man　had　ever　insulted　had　been　present　in　the　church。
　Her　mind　switched　back　to　the　present。　The　biopsy　was　almost　plete。　At　a　nod　from　Lucy　the　intern　had　gone　on　to　sew　up　the　skin；　again　using　interrupted　sutures。　Now　he　was　putting　in　the　final　one。　Lucy　glanced　at　the　wall　clock　above　her。　The　whole　procedure　had　taken　half　an　hour。　It　was　3　P。M。
　
　At　seven　minutes　to　five　a　sixteen…year…old　hospital　messenger　sashayed；　whistling；　hips　swaying；　into　the　serology　lab。　Usually　he　came　in　this　way　because　he　knew　it　infuriated　Bannister；　with　whom　he　maintained　a　state　of　perpetual　running　warfare。　As　usual；　the　senior　lab　technician　looked　up　and　snarled　at　him。　〃I'm　telling　you　for　the　last　time　to　stop　making　that　infernal　racket　every　time　you　e　in　here。〃
　〃I'm　glad　it's　the　last　time。〃　The　youth　was　unperturbed。　〃Tell　you　the　truth；　all　that　plainin'　o'　yours　was　get'n　on　my　nerves　a　bit。〃　He　went　on　whistling　and　held　up　the　tray　of　blood　samples　he　had　collected　from　the　outpatients'　lab。　〃Where　you　want　this　blood；　Mr。　Dracula？〃
　John　Alexander　grinned。　Bannister；　however；　was　not　amused。　〃You　know　where　it　goes；　wise　guy。〃　He　indicated　a　space　on　one　of　the　lab　benches。　〃Put　it　over　there。〃
　〃Yessir；　captain；　sir。〃　Elaborately　the　youth　put　down　the　tray　and　gave　a　mock　salute。　Then　he　essayed　a　pelvic　gyration　and　moved　toward　the　door　singing：
　
　〃Oh；　give　me　a　home　where　the　viruses　roam；
　Where　the　bugs　and　the　microbes　all　play；
　When　often　is　heard　an　old　bloodsucker's　word；
　And　the　test　tubes　stand　stinkin'　all　day。〃
　
　The　door　swung　closed　and　his　voice　faded　down　the　corridor。
　Alexander　laughed。　Bannister　said；　〃Don't　laugh　at　him。　It　just　makes　him　worse。〃　He　crossed　to　the　bench　and　picked　up　the　blood　specimens；　glancing　casually　at　the　work　sheet　with　them。　Halfway　across　the　lab　he　stopped。
　〃Hey；　there's　a　blood　sample　here　from　a　Mrs。　Alexander。　Is　that　your　wife？〃
　Alexander　put　down　the　pipette　he　had　been　using　and　moved　across。　〃It　probably　is。　Dr。　Dornberger　sent　her　in　for　a　sensitivity　test。〃　He　took　the　work　sheet　and　looked　down　it。　〃Yes；　it's　Elizabeth　all　right。〃
　〃It　says　typing　and　sensitivity　both；〃　Bannister　said。
　〃I　expect　Dr。　Dornberger　wanted　to　be　sure。　Actually　Elizabeth　is　Rh　negative。〃　As　an　afterthought　he　added；　〃I'm　Rh　positive。〃
　Expansively；　and　with　a　fatherly　air　of　great　knowledge；　Bannister　said；　〃Oh　well；　most　of　the　time　that　doesn't　cause　any　trouble。〃
　〃Yes；　I　know。　All　the　same；　you　like　to　be　sure。〃
　〃Well；　here's　the　specimen。〃　Bannister　picked　out　the　test　tube　labeled　〃Alexander；　Mrs。　E。〃　and　held　it　up。　〃Do　you　want　to　do　the　test　yourself？〃
　〃Yes；　I　would。　If　you　don't　mind。〃
　Bannister　never　objected　to　someone　else　doing　work　which　might　otherwise　fall　to　himself。　He　said；　〃It's　all　right　with　me。〃　Then；　glancing　at　the　clock；　he　added；　〃You　can't　do　it　tonight　though。　It's　quitting　time。〃　He　replaced　the　test　tube　and　handed　the　tray　to　Alexander。　〃Better　put　this　lot　away　until　the　morning。〃
　Alexander　took　the　blood　samples　and　put　them　in　the　lab　refrigerator。　Then；　closing　the　refrigerator　door；　he　paused　thoughtfully。
　〃Carl；　there's　something　I've　been　meaning　to　ask　you。〃
　Bannister　was　busily　clearing　up。　He　always　liked　to　leave　right　on　the　dot　of　five。　Without　turning　his　head　he　asked；　〃What　is　it？〃
　〃The　blood…sensitization　tests　we're　doing　here…I've　been　wondering　about　them。〃
　〃Wondering　what？〃
　Alexander　chose　his　words　carefully。　Right　from　the　beginning；　because　of　his　own　college　training；　he　had　realized　the　possibility　of　arousing　resentment　in　people　like　Bannister。　He　tried　now；　as　he　had　before；　to　avoid　giving　offense。　〃I　noticed　we're　only　doing　two　sensitization　tests…one　in　saline；　the　other　in　high　protein。〃
　〃So？〃
　〃Well；〃　Alexander　said　diffidently；　〃isn't　just　doing　the　two　tests　alone　。　。　。　a　bit　out　of　date？〃
　Bannister　had　finished　clearing　up。　He　came　around　the　center　table；　wiping　his　hands　on　a　paper　towel。　He　said　sharply；　〃Suppose　you　tell　me　why。〃
　Alexander　ignored　the　sharpness。　This　was　important。　He　said；　〃Most　labs　nowadays　are　doing　a　third　test…an　indirect　Coombs…after　the　test　in　saline。〃
　〃A　'what'　test？〃
　〃An　indirect　Coombs。〃
　〃What's　that？〃
　〃Are　you　kidding？〃　The　moment　the　words　were　out　Alexander　knew　he　had　made　a　tactical　mistake。　But　he　had　spoken　impulsively；　reasoning　that　no　serology　technician　could　fail　to　know　of　an　indirect　Coombs　test。
　The　senior　technician　bridled。　〃You　don't　have　to　get　smart。〃
　Hastily　trying　to　repair　the　damage；　Alexander　replied；　〃I'm　sorry；　Carl。　I　didn't　mean　it　to　sound　like　that。〃
　Bannister　crumpled　the　paper　towel　and　threw　it　into　a　waste　bin。　〃Well；　that's　the　way　it　did　sound。〃　He　leaned　forward　aggressively；　his　bald　head　reflecting　a　light　bulb　above。　〃Look；　fella；　I'll　tell　you　something　for　your　own