ah.thefinaldiagnosis-第52部分

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s　which　Coleman　had　approved。
　Alexander　had　returned　to　work　the　day　after　his　wife　had　been　brought　to　the　hospital；　despite　a　gruff　but　kindly　suggestion　from　Pearson　that　he　could　take　time　off　if　he　wished。　Coleman　had　heard　Alexander　tell　the　old　pathologist；　〃Thank　you　all　the　same；　Doctor；　but　if　I　don't　work　I'll　think　too　much；　and　it　wouldn't　help。〃　Pearson　had　nodded　and　said　that　Alexander　could　do　as　he　pleased　and　leave　the　lab　to　go　upstairs　and　see　his　wife　and　baby　whenever　he　wished。
　Now　David　Coleman　opened　the　door　of　the　serology　lab　and　went　in。
　He　found　John　Alexander　at　the　center　lab　bench；　looking　up　from　a　microscope；　and；　facing　him；　a　white…coated　woman　with　extremely　large　breasts　whom　Coleman　recalled　vaguely　having　seen　around　the　hospital　several　times　since　his　own　arrival。
　As　he　entered　Alexander　was　saying；　〃I　think　perhaps　you　should　ask　Dr。　Pearson　or　Dr。　Coleman。　I'll　be　making　my　report　to　them。〃
　〃What　report　is　that？〃　As　Coleman　asked　casually；　the　heads　of　the　other　two　turned　toward　him。
　The　woman　spoke　first。　〃Oh；　Doctor！〃　She　looked　at　him　inquiringly。　〃You　are　Dr。　Coleman？〃
　〃That's　right。〃
　〃I'm　Hilda　Straughan。〃　She　offered　him　her　hand　and　added；　〃Chief　dietitian。〃
　〃How　do　you　do。〃　As　she　shook　his　hand　he　noticed；　fascinated；　that　her　magnificent　breasts　moved　with　her　arm…an　undulant；　whalelike　rolling　motion。　Checking　his　thoughts；　he　asked；　〃Is　there　some　sort　of　problem　we　can　help　you　with？〃　He　knew　from　his　own　experience　that　pathologists　and　dietitians　usually　worked　closely　in　matters　of　food　hygiene。
　〃There's　been　a　lot　of　intestinal　flu　these　past　few　weeks；〃　the　dietitian　said。　She　added；　〃Mostly　among　the　hospital　staff。〃
　Coleman　laughed。　〃Tell　me　a　hospital　where　it　doesn't　happen　now　and　again。〃
　〃Oh；　I　know。〃　Mrs。　Straughan　gave　the　faintest　hint　of　disapproval　at　the　flippancy。　〃But　if　food　is　the　reason…and　it　usually　is…I　like　to　pin　down　the　cause　if　it's　possible。　Then　one　can　try　to　prevent　the　same　thing　occurring　again。〃
　There　was　an　earnestness　about　this　woman　which　David　Coleman　found　himself　respecting。　He　asked　politely；　〃Do　you　have　any　ideas？〃
　〃Very　definitely。　I　suspect　my　dishwashing　machines；　Dr。　C。〃
　For　a　moment　Coleman　was　startled　at　the　form　of　address。　Then；　recovering；　he　asked；　〃Oh；　why？〃　Out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye　he　saw　Bannister　enter　the　room。　Now　both　lab　technicians　were　listening　to　the　conversation。
　The　dietitian　said；　〃My　hot…water　booster　system　is　quite　inadequate。〃
　The　phraseology　tempted　him　to　smile；　but　he　resisted　it　and　asked　instead；　〃Has　anyone　ever　pointed　that　out？〃
　〃I　certainly　have；　Dr。　C。〃　Obviously　this　was　a　subject　on　which　Mrs。　Straughan　had　strong　feelings。　She　went　on；　〃I've　talked　to　the　administrator；　Mr。　Tomaselli；　on　several　occasions。　It　was　my　last　talk　with　Mr。　T。；　in　fact；　which　caused　him　to　ask　Dr。　Pearson　for　new　lab　tests　on　the　dishwashers。〃
　〃I　see。〃　Coleman　turned　to　John　Alexander。　〃Did　you　run　some　tests？〃
　〃Yes；　Doctor。〃
　〃What　did　you　find？〃
　〃The　water　temperature　isn't　high　enough。〃　Alexander　consulted　a　clip　board　holding　several　pages　of　notes。　〃I　did　three　tests　on　each　dishwasher；　each　at　a　different　time　of　day；　and　the　temperature　range　was　110　to　130　degrees。〃
　〃You　see？〃　The　dietitian　held　up　her　hands　expressively。
　〃Oh　yes。〃　Coleman　nodded。　〃That's　much　too　low。〃
　〃That　isn't　all；　Doctor。〃　John　Alexander　had　put　the　clip　board　down　and　taken　a　slide　from　the　lab　bench。　〃I'm　afraid　I've　found　gas　formers　of　the　fecal　group。　On　the　plates…after　they've　been　through　the　dishwashers。〃
　〃Let　me　see。〃　Coleman　took　the　slide　and　moved　to　the　microscope。　When　he　had　adjusted　the　eyepiece　the　characteristic　worm…like　bacteria　were　visible　at　once。　He　straightened　up。
　Mrs。　Straughan　asked；　〃What　is　it？　What　does　it　mean？〃
　Coleman　said　thoughtfully；　〃The　slide　shows　gas…forming　bacteria。　Normally　the　hot　water　should　destroy　them；　but　as　it　is　they're　getting　through　the　dishwashers　onto　your　clean　plates。〃
　〃Is　that　serious？〃
　He　considered　carefully　before　answering。　〃Yes　and　no。　It　probably　accounts　for　some　of　the　intestinal　flu　you　spoke　of；　but　that's　not　too　serious　in　itself。　The　way　in　which　it　might　bee　dangerous　is　if　we　happened　to　get　a　disease　carrier　in　the　hospital。〃
　〃A　disease　carrier？〃
　Coleman　went　on　to　explain。　〃It's　someone　who　carries　disease　germs　in　their　body　without　having　the　clinical　disease　themselves。　A　carrier　can　be　an　apparently　normal；　healthy　person。　It　happens　more　frequently　than　you'd　think。〃
　〃Yes；　I　see　what　you　mean；〃　Mrs。　Straughan　said　thoughtfully。
　Coleman　had　turned　to　the　two　technicians。　He　asked；　〃I　suppose　we　are　doing　regular　lab　checks　on　all　food　handlers　in　the　hospital？〃
　Bannister　answered；　self…importantly；　〃Oh　yes。　Dr。　Pearson's　very　fussy　about　that。〃
　〃Are　we　right　up　to　date？〃
　〃Yeah。〃　The　senior　technician　thought；　then　added；　〃Don't　think　we've　had　any　for　quite　a　while。〃
　〃When　was　the　last？〃　Coleman　asked　the　question　casually；　as　a　matter　of　routine。
　〃Just　a　minute。　I'll　look　at　the　book。〃　Bannister　crossed　to　the　opposite　side　of　the　lab。
　In　his　mind　David　Coleman　was　weighing　the　factors　involved。　If　the　dishwashers　were　inefficient…and　they　appeared　to　be…something　needed　to　be　done　promptly；　there　was　no　question　about　that。　On　the　other　hand；　as　long　as　a　careful　check　was　being　kept　on　food　handlers…and；　according　to　Bannister；　it　was…there　was　no　real　reason　for　alarm。　Indifference；　though；　was　something　else　again。　He　told　John　Alexander；　〃You'd　better　get　your　report　to　Dr。　Pearson　as　soon　as　you　can。〃
　〃Yes；　Doctor。〃　Alexander　went　back　to　his　clip　board　of　notes。
　Across　the　room　Bannister　looked　up　from　a　ruled　ledger　he　had　spread　open　on　a　file　cabinet。　He　called　out；　〃February　the　twenty…fourth。〃
　Surprised；　Coleman　asked；　〃Did　you　say　February？〃
　〃That's　right。〃
　〃That's　almost　six　months　ago。〃　To　the　dietitian　he　observed；　〃You　don't　appear　to　have　much　of　a　turnover　in　kitchen　staff。〃
　〃Oh　yes；　we　do…unfortunately。〃　Mrs。　Straughan　shook　her　head　emphatically。　〃We've　taken　on　a　lot　of　new　people　since　February；　Dr。　C。〃
　Still　not　understanding；　Coleman　asked　Bannister；　〃Are　you　sure　about　that　date？〃
　〃That's　the　last　one。〃　Bannister　was　cockily　sure　of　himself。　It　was　a　pleasing　change　to　be　able　to　tell　something　to　this　know…all　young　doctor。　He　added；　〃See　for　yourself　if　you　like。〃
　Ignoring　the　suggestion；　Coleman　said；　〃But　what　about　the　new　employees…those　who've　been　taken　on　since　then？〃
　〃There's　nothing　else　here。〃　Bannister　shrugged。　〃If　the　health　office　doesn't　send　us　specimens　for　test；　we've　no　way　of　knowing　about　new　food　handlers。〃　His　attitude　was　one　of　plete　indifference；　almost　contempt。
　A　slow　burn　was　rising　in　Coleman。　Controlling　it；　he　said　evenly　to　the　dietitian；　〃I　think　this　is　a　matter　you　should　look　into。〃　For　the　first　time　he　had　begun　to　realize　that　something；　somewhere；　was　seriously　wrong。
　Mrs。　Straughan　appeared　to　have　had　the　same　thought。　She　said；　〃I　will…immediately。　Thank　you；　Dr。　C。〃　Her　breasts　bouncing　with　each　step；　she　went　out　of　the　lab。
　There　was　a　moment's　silence。　For　the　first　time　Coleman　sensed　a　feeling　of　unease　in　Bannister。　As　their　eyes　met　he　asked　the　technician　icily；　〃Had　it　occurred　to　you　to　wonder　why　no　tests　for　food　handlers　were　ing　in？〃
　〃Well　。　。　。〃　Bannister　fidgeted；　his　earlier　confidence　evaporated。　〃I　guess　I　would　have…sooner　or　later。〃
　Coleman　surveyed　the　other　with　disgust。　He　said　angrily；　〃I'd　say　later；　wouldn't　you？…especially　if　it　meant　that　you　would　have　had　to　do　some　thinking。〃　At　the　door　he　turned。　〃I'll　be　with　Dr。　Pearson。〃
　The　color　drained　from　his　face；　the　older　technician　still　stood；　looking　at　the　door　through　which　Coleman　had　gone。　His　lips　framed　words…bitter　and　defeated。　〃He　knows　it　all；　don't　he？　Everything　in　the　book。　Every　perishing　thing。〃
　At　this　moment　around　Bannister　was　an　aura　of　failure　and　downfall。　His　own　familiar　world…the　world　he　had　believed　inviolate　and　therefore　had　done　nothing　to　protect…was　crumbling。　A　new　order　was　emerging；　and　in　the　new　order；　through　his　own　shorting；　there　was　no　room　for　himself。　Crestfallen；　out　of　place；　he　appeared　only　a　weak；　pathetic　figure　whom　time　was　passing　by。
　
　Joe　Pearson　looked　up　from　his　desk　as　Coleman　came　in。
　Without　preliminary　the　younger　pathologist　announced；　〃John　Alexander　has　found　gas…forming　bacteria…on　clean　plates　which　have　been　through　the　dishwasher。〃
　Pearson　seemed　unsurprised。　He　said　dourly；　〃It's　the　hot…water　system。〃
　〃I　know。〃　David　Coleman　tried；　but　failed；　to　keep　sarcasm　from　his　voice。　〃Has　anyone　ever　tried　to　do　something　about　it？〃
　The　old　man　was　looking　at　him　quizzically。　He　said；　with　surprising　quietness；　〃I　suppose　you　think　things　are　run　pretty　poorly　around　here。〃
　〃Since　you　ask　me…yes。〃　Coleman's　own　lips　were　tight。　He　wondered　how　long　the　two　of　them　could　continue　working　together　in　this　kind　of　atmosphere。
　Pearson　had　flung　open　a　lower　drawer　of　his　desk；　fumbling　among　files　and　papers；　talking　as　he　searched。　He　seemed　to　be　speaking　with　a　strange　mixture　of　anger　and　sorrow。　〃You're　so　young　and　green　and　full　of　lofty　ideas。　You　e　here；　and　it　happens　to　be　a　time　when　there's　a　new　administration；　when　money　is　freer　than　it　has　been　in　years。　So　you　figure　that　whatever's　wrong　is　because　nobody　has　thought　of　changing　it。　Nobody's　tried！〃　He　had　found　what　he　wanted　and　flung　a　bulging　file　of　papers　on　the　desk。
　〃I　didn't　say　that。〃　The　words　were　snapped　out；　almost　defensively。
　Pearson　pushed　the　file　toward　him。　〃This　is　a　record　of　correspondence　about　the　kitchen　hot…water　supply。　If　you'll　take　the　trouble　to　read　it；　you'll　find　I've　been　pleading　for　a　new　system　for　years。〃　Pearson's　voice　rose。　He　said　challengingly；　〃Go　ahead…take　a　look！〃
　Opening　the　file；　Coleman　read　the　top　memo。　He　turned　a　page；　then　another；　then　skimmed　the　other　pages　beneath。　At　once　he　realized　how　much　in　error　he　had　been。　The　memos　contained　a　damning　condemnation　by　Pearson　of　hospital　kitchen　hygiene；　couched　in　even　st