jurassic.park-第6部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


es　of　yellow　fever；　malaria；　and　cholera。　But　medical　successes…and　research　laboratories　in　Nairobi　and　S？o　Paulo…had　left　the　TDL　a　much　less　important　place　than　it　once　was。　Now　a　fraction　of　its　former　size；　it　employed　only　two　full…time　technicians；　and　they　were　primarily　concerned　with　diagnosing　illnesses　of　New　Yorkers　who　had　traveled　abroad。　The　lab's　fortable　routine　was　unprepared　for　what　it　received　that　morning。
　　　　〃Oh；　very　nice；〃　the　technician　in　the　Tropical　Diseases　Laboratory　said；　as　she　read　the　customs　label。　〃Partially　masticated　fragment　of　unidentified　Costa　Rican　lizard。〃　She　wrinkled　her　nose。　〃This　one's　all　yours；　Dr。　Stone。〃
　　　　Richard　Stone　crossed　the　lab　to　inspect　the　new　arrival。　〃Is　this　the　material　from　Ed　Simpson's　lab？〃
　　　　〃Yes；〃　she　said。　〃But　I　don't　know　why　they'd　send　a　lizard　to　us。
　　　　〃His　secretary　called；〃　Stone　said。　〃Simpson's　on　a　field　trip　in　Borneo　for　the　summer；　and　because　there's　a　question　of　municable　disease　with　this　lizard；　she　asked　our　lab　to　take　a　took　at　it。　Let's　see　what　we've　got。〃
　　　　The　white　plastic　cylinder　was　the　size　of　a　half…gallon　milk　container；　it　had　locking　metal　latches　and　a　screw　top。　It　was　labeled　〃International　Biological　Specimen　Container〃　and　plastered　with　stickers　and　warnings　in　four　languages。　The　warnings　were　intended　to　keep　the　cylinder　from　being　opened　by　suspicious　customs　officials。
　　　　Apparently　the　warnings　had　worked；　as　Richard　Stone　swung　the　big　light　over；　he　could　see　the　seals　were　still　intact。　Stone　turned　on　the　air　handlers　and　pulled　on　plastic　gloves　and　a　face　mask。　After　all；　the　lab　had　recently　identified　specimens　contaminated　with　Venezuelan　equine　fever；　Japanese　B　encephalitis；　Kyasanur　Forest　virus；　Langat　virus；　and　Mayaro。　Then　he　unscrewed　the　top。
　　　　There　was　the　hiss　of　escaping　gas；　and　white　smoke　boiled　out。　The　cylinder　turned　frosty　cold。　Inside　he　found　a　plastic　zip…lock　sandwich　bag；　containing　something　green。　Stone　spread　a　surgical　drape　on　the　table　and　shook　out　the　contents　of　the　bag。　A　piece　of　frozen　flesh　struck　the　table　with　a　dull　thud。
　　　　〃Huh；〃　the　technician　said。　〃Looks　eaten。〃
　　　　〃Yes；　it　does；〃　Stone　said。　〃What　do　they　want　with　us？〃
　　　　The　technician　consulted　the　enclosed　documents。　〃Lizard　is　biting　local　children。　They　have　a　question　about　identification　of　the　species；　and　a　concern　about　diseases　transmitted　from　the　bite。〃　She　produced　a　child's　picture　of　a　lizard；　signed　TINA　at　the　top。　〃One　of　the　kids　drew　a　picture　of　the　lizard。〃
　　　　Stone　glanced　at　the　picture。　〃Obviously　we　can't　verify　the　species；〃　Stone　said。　〃But　we　can　check　diseases　easily　enough；　if　we　can　get　any　blood　out　of　this　fragment。　What　are　they　calling　this　animal？〃
　　　　〃　'Basiliscus　amoratus　with　three…toed　genetic　anomaly；'　〃　she　said；　reading。
　　　　〃Okay；〃　Stone　said。　〃Let's　get　started。　While　you're　waiting　for　it　to　thaw；　do　an　X…ray　and　take　Polaroids　for　the　record。　Once　we　have　blood；　start　running　antibody　sets　until　we　get　some　matches。　Let　me　know　if　there's　a　problem。〃

Before　lunchtime；　the　lab　had　its　answer：　the　lizard　blood　showed　no　significant　reactivity　to　any　viral　or　bacterial　antigen。　They　had　run　toxicity　profiles　as　well；　and　they　had　found　only　one　positive　match：　the　blood　was　mildly　reactive　to　the　venom　of　the　Indian　king　cobra。　But　such　cross…reactivity　was　mon　among　reptile　species；　and　Dr。　Stone　did　not　think　it　noteworthy　to　include　in　the　fax　his　technician　sent　to　Dr。　Martin　Guitierrez　that　same　evening。
　　　　There　was　never　any　question　about　identifying　the　lizard；　that　would　await　the　return　of　Dr。　Simpson。　He　was　not　due　back　for　several　weeks；　and　his　secretary　asked　if　the　TDL　would　please　store　the　lizard　fragment　in　the　meantime。　Dr。　Stone　put　it　back　in　the　zip…lock　bag　and　stuck　it　in　the　freezer。

Martin　Guitierrez　read　the　fax　from　the　Columbia　Medical　Center/Tropical　Diseases　Laboratory。　It　was　brief：　…

SUBJECT：Basiliscus　amoratus　with　genetic　anomaly
　　（forwarded　from　Dr。　Simpson's　office）
MATERIALS：　 posterior　segment；　？　partially　eaten　animal

PROCEDURES　PERFORMED。　X…ray；　Microscopic；　immunological　RTX　for　viral；　parasitic；　bacterial　disease。
　　　　
FINDINGS：　No　histologic　or　immunologic　evidence　for　any　municable　disease　in　man　in　this　Basiliscus　amoratus　sample。

（signed）
Richard　A。　Stone；　M。D。；　director

　　　　Guitierrez　made　two　assumptions　based　on　the　memo。　First；　that　his　identification　of　the　lizard　as　a　basilisk　had　been　confirmed　by　scientists　at　Columbia　University。　And　second；　that　the　absence　of　municable　disease　meant　the　recent　episodes　of　sporadic　lizard　bites　implied　no　serious　health　hazards　for　Costa　Rica。　On　the　contrary；　he　felt　his　original　views　were　correct：　that　a　lizard　species　had　been　driven　from　the　forest　into　a　new　habitat；　and　was　ing　into　contact　with　village　people。　Guitierrez　was　certain　that　in　a　few　more　weeks　the　lizards　would　settle　down　and　the　biting　episodes　won　end。

The　tropical　rain　fell　in　great　drenching　sheets；　hammering　the　corrugated　roof　of　the　clinic　in　Bahía　Anasco。　It　was　nearly　midnight；　power　had　been　lost　in　the　storm；　and　the　midwife　Elena　Morales　was　working　by　flashlight　when　she　heard　a　squeaking；　chirping　sound。　Thinking　that　it　was　a　rat；　she　quickly　put　a　press　on　the　forehead　of　the　mother　and　went　into　the　next　room　to　check　on　the　newborn　baby。　As　her　hand　touched　the　doorknob；　she　heard　the　chirping　again；　and　she　relaxed。　Evidently　it　was　just　a　bird；　flying　in　the　window　to　get　out　of　the　rain。　Costa　Ricans　said　that　when　a　bird　came　to　visit　a　newborn　child；　it　brought　good　luck。
　　　　Elena　opened　the　door。　The　infant　lay　in　a　wicker　bassinet；　swaddled　in　a　light　blanket；　only　its　face　exposed。　Around　the　rim　of　the　bassinet；　three　dark…green　lizards　crouched　like　gargoyles。　When　they　saw　Elena；　they　cocked　their　heads　and　stared　curiously　at　her；　but　did　not　flee。　In　the　light　of　her　flashlight　Elena　saw　the　blood　dripping　from　their　snouts。　Softly　chirping；　one　lizard　bent　down　and；　with　a　quick　shake　of　its　head；　tore　a　ragged　chunk　of　flesh　from　the　baby。
　　　　Elena　rushed　forward；　screaming；　and　the　lizards　fled　into　the　darkness。　But　long　before　she　reached　the　bassinet；　she　could　see　what　had　happened　to　the　infant's　face；　and　she　knew　the　child　must　be　dead。　The　lizards　scattered　into　the　rainy　night；　chirping　and　squealing；　leaving　behind　only　bloody　three…toed　tracks；　like　birds。

The　Shape　of　the　Data

Later；　when　she　was　calmer；　Elena　Morales　decided　not　to　report　the　lizard　attack。　Despite　the　horror　she　had　seen；　she　began　to　worry　that　she　might　be　criticized　for　leaving　the　baby　unguarded。　So　she　told　the　mother　that　the　baby　had　asphyxiated；　and　she　reported　the　death　on　the　forms　she　sent　to　San　José　as　SIDS：　sudden　infant　death　syndrome。　This　was　a　syndrome　of　unexplained　death　among　very　young　children；　it　was　unremarkable；　and　her　report　went　unchallenged。
　　　　The　university　lab　in　San　José　that　analyzed　the　saliva　sample　from　Tina　Bowman's　arm　made　several　remarkable　discoveries。　There　was；　as　expected；　a　great　deal　of　serotonin。　But　among　the　salivary　proteins　was　a　real　monster： molecular　mass　of　1；980；　one　of　the　largest　proteins　known。　Biological　activity　was　still　under　study；　but　it　seemed　to　be　a　neurotoxic　poison　related　to　cobra　venom；　although　more　primitive　in　structure。
　　　　The　lab　also　detected　trace　quantities　of　the　gamma…amino　metbionine　hydrolase。　Because　this　enzyme　was　a　marker　for　genetic　engineering；　and　not　found　in　wild　animals；　technicians　assumed　it　was　a　lab　contaminant　and　did　not　report　it　when　they　called　Dr；　Cruz；　the　referring　physician　in　Puntarenas。
　　　　The　lizard　fragment　rested　in　the　freezer　at　Columbia　University；　awaiting　the　return　of　Dr。　Simpson；　who　was　not　expected　for　at　least　a　month。　And　so　things　might　have　remained；　had　not　a　technician　named　Alice　Levin　walked　into　the　Tropical　Diseases　Laboratory；　seen　Tina　Bowman's　picture；　and　said；　〃Oh；　whose　kid　drew　the　dinosaur？〃
　　　　〃What？〃　Richard　Stone　said；　turning　slowly　toward　her。
　　　　〃The　dinosaur。　Isn't　that　what　it　is？　My　kid　draws　them　all　the　time。〃
　　　　〃This　is　a　lizard；〃　Stone　said。　〃From　Costa　Rica。　Some　girl　down　there　drew　a　picture　of　it。〃
　　　　〃No；〃　Alice　Levin　said；　shaking　her　head。　〃Look　at　it。　It's　very　clear。　Big　head；　long　neck；　stands　on　its　hind　legs；　thick　tail。　It's　a　dinosaur。〃
　　　　〃It　can't　be。　It　was　only　a　foot　tall。〃
　　　　〃So？　There　were　little　dinosaurs　back　then；〃　Alice　said。　〃Believe　me；　I　know。　I　have　two　boys；　I'm　an　expert。　The　smallest　dinosaurs　were　under　a　foot。　Teenysaurus　or　something；　I　don't　know。　Those　names　are　impossible。　You'll　never　learn　those　names　if　you're　over　the　age　of　ten。〃
　　　　〃You　don't　understand；〃　Richard　Stone　said。　〃This　is　a　picture　of　a　contemporary　animal。　They　sent　us　a　fragment　of　the　animal。　It's　in　the　freezer　now。〃　Stone　went　and　got　it；　and　shook　it　out　of　the　baggie。
　　　　Alice　Levin　looked　at　the　frozen　piece　of　leg　and　tail；　and　shrugged。　She　didn't　touch　it。　〃I　don't　know；〃　she　said。　〃But　that　looks　like　a　dinosaur　to　me。〃
　　　　Stone　shook　his　head。　〃Impossible。〃
　　　　〃Why？〃　Alice　Levin　said。　〃It　could　be　a　leftover　or　a　remnant