ah.thefinaldiagnosis-第35部分

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o　chances　with　anybody　senior　to　himself。
　〃Yes；　I　expect　we　will。〃　Coleman　was　not　sure　how　much　the　idea　appealed　to　him。　But　he　shook　hands　with　Bannister；　then　looked　around　for　a　place　to　hang　the　light　raincoat　he　had　brought；　the　morning　forecast　predicted　thunder　showers　later　in　the　day。　Once　again　Bannister　was　alert　to　serve　and　please。
　〃Let　me　take　your　coat。〃　He　found　a　wire　hanger　and　carefully　put　coat　and　hanger　on　a　rack　near　the　door。
　〃Thank　you；〃　Coleman　said。
　〃That's　perfectly　all　right；　Doctor。　Now；　would　you　like　me　to　show　you　around　the　labs？〃
　Coleman　hesitated。　Perhaps　he　ought　to　wait　for　Dr。　Pearson。　On　the　other　hand；　two　hours　was　a　long　time　to　sit　around　and　he　might　as　well　be　doing　something　in　the　meantime。　The　labs　would　be　his　domain　anyway。　What　was　the　difference？　He　said；　〃I　saw　part　of　the　labs　with　Dr。　Pearson　when　I　was　here　a　few　weeks　ago。　But　I'll　take　another　look　if　you're　not　too　busy。〃
　〃Well；　of　course；　we're　always　busy　around　here；　Doctor。　But　I'll　be　glad　to　take　the　time　for　you。　In　fact；　it'll　be　a　pleasure。〃　The　working　of　Bannister's　mind　was　incredibly　transparent。
　〃This　way；　please。〃　Bannister　had　opened　the　door　of　the　serology　lab　and　stood　back　for　Coleman　to　enter。　John　Alexander；　who　had　not　seen　Bannister　since　their　argument　the　night　before；　looked　up　from　the　centrifuge　in　which　he　had　just　placed　a　blood　sample。
　〃Doctor；　this　is　John　Alexander。　He　just　started　work　here。〃　Carl　Bannister　was　warming　to　his　role　of　showman。　He　added　facetiously；　〃Still　wet　behind　the　ears　from　technology　school；　eh；　John？〃
　〃If　you　say　so。〃　Alexander　answered　unfortably；　resenting　the　condescension　but　not　wanting　to　be　rude。
　Coleman　moved　forward；　offering　his　hand。　〃I'm　Dr。　Coleman。〃
　As　they　shook　hands　Alexander　said　interestedly；　〃You　mean　you're　the　new　pathologist；　Doctor？〃
　〃That's　right。〃　Coleman　glanced　around　him。　As　he　had　on　the　previous　visit；　he　could　see　that　a　lot　of　changes　would　need　to　be　made　in　here。
　Bannister　said　expansively；　〃You　just　look　around；　Doctor…at　anything　you　want。〃
　〃Thank　you。〃　Turning　back　to　Alexander；　Coleman　asked；　〃What　are　you　working　on　now？〃
　〃It's　a　blood　sensitization。〃　He　indicated　the　centrifuge。　〃This　specimen　happens　to　be　from　my　wife。〃
　〃Really。〃　Coleman　found　himself　thinking　this　young　lab　assistant　was　a　good　deal　more　impressive　than　Bannister。　In　appearance　anyway。　〃When　is　your　wife　having　her　child？〃　he　asked。
　〃In　just　over　four　months；　Doctor。〃　Alexander　balanced　the　centrifuge　and　switched　it　on；　then　reached　over　to　set　a　timing　dial。　Coleman　noticed　that　all　the　movements　were　economical　and　quick。　There　was　a　sense　of　fluidity　in　the　way　this　man　used　his　hands。　Politely　Alexander　asked；　〃Are　you　married；　Doctor？〃
　〃No。〃　Coleman　shook　his　head。
　Alexander　seemed　on　the　point　of　asking　another　question；　then　appeared　to　change　his　mind。
　〃Did　you　want　to　ask　me　something？〃
　For　a　moment　there　was　a　pause。　Then　John　Alexander　made　up　his　mind。　〃Yes；　Doctor；〃　he　said。　〃I　do。〃
　Whether　this　meant　trouble　or　not；　Alexander　thought；　at　least　he　would　bring　his　doubts　out　into　the　open。　Last　night；　after　the　dispute　with　Bannister；　he　had　been　tempted　to　drop　the　whole　subject　of　the　extra　test　on　blood　samples　ing　to　the　lab。　He　remembered　only　too　clearly　the　dressing　down　he　had　received　from　Dr。　Pearson　on　the　last　occasion　he　had　chosen　to　make　a　suggestion。　This　new　doctor；　though；　certainly　seemed　easier　to　deal　with。　And　even　if　he　considered　Alexander　wrong；　it　didn't　seem　likely　there　would　be　any　big　scene。　He　took　the　plunge。　〃It's　about　the　blood　tests　we're　doing…for　sensitization。〃
　As　they　had　been　speaking　he　had　bee　aware　of　Banister　in　the　background；　the　older　technician　moving　his　bald　head　from　side　to　side；　intent　on　missing　nothing　that　was　said。　Now　he　moved　forward；　annoyed　and　aggressive；　to　put　Alexander　in　his　place。　〃Now　listen！　If　that's　what　you　were　talking　about　last　night；　you　leave　it　alone！〃
　Coleman　asked　curiously；　〃What　was　it　you　were　talking　about　last　night？〃
　Ignoring　the　question；　Bannister　continued　to　lecture　Alexander。　〃I　don't　want　Dr。　Coleman　bothered　with　stuff　like　that　five　minutes　after　he　gets　here。　Forget　it！　Understand？〃　He　turned　to　Coleman；　the　automatic　smile　switched　on。　〃It's　just　some　bee　he's　got　in　his　bonnet；　Doctor。　Now；　if　you'll　e　with　me；　I'll　show　you　our　histology　setup。〃　He　put　a　hand　on　Coleman's　arm　to　steer　him　away。
　For　the　space　of　several　seconds　Coleman　did　nothing。　Then；　deliberately；　he　reached　down　and　removed　the　hand　from　his　sleeve。　〃Just　a　moment；〃　he　said　quietly。　Then　to　Alexander；　〃Is　this　something　medical？　To　do　with　the　laboratory？〃
　Deliberately　avoiding　Bannister's　scowl；　Alexander　answered；　〃Yes；　it　is。〃
　〃All　right；　let's　hear　it。〃
　〃It　came　up；　really；　because　of　this　blood…sensitization　test…the　one　for　my　wife；〃　Alexander　said。　〃She's　Rh　negative；　I'm　Rh　positive。〃
　Coleman　smiled。　〃Well；　that　applies　to　plenty　of　people。　There's　no　problem…that　is；　as　long　as　the　sensitization　test　shows　a　negative　result。〃
　〃But　that's　the　point；　Doctor…the　test。〃
　〃What　about　it？〃　Coleman　was　puzzled。　He　was　not　at　all　clear　about　what　this　young　lab　assistant　was　getting　at。
　Alexander　said；　〃I　think　we　should　be　doing　an　indirect　Coombs　test　on　all　these　samples；　after　the　tests　in　saline　and　high　protein。〃
　〃Of　course。〃
　There　was　a　silence　which　Alexander　broke。　〃Would　you　mind　saying　that　again；　Doctor？〃
　〃I　said　'of　course。'　Naturally　there　should　be　an　indirect　Coombs。〃　Coleman　still　could　see　no　point　in　this　discussion。　For　a　serology　lab　this　sort　of　thing　was　elementary；　basic。
　〃But　we're　not　doing　an　indirect　Coombs。〃　Alexander　shot　a　triumphal　glance　at　Bannister。　〃Doctor；　the　Rh…sensitivity　tests　here　are　all　being　done　just　in　a　saline　solution　and　in　high　protein。　There's　no　Coombs　serum　being　used　at　all。〃
　At　first　Coleman　was　sure　Alexander　must　be　wrong。　Apparently　the　young　technologist　had　been　working　here　only　a　short　time；　no　doubt　he　had　bee　confused。　Then　Coleman　remembered　the　tone　of　conviction　in　which　the　statement　had　been　made。　He　asked　Bannister；　〃Is　this　true？〃
　〃The　way　we　do　all　our　tests　are　according　to　Dr。　Pearson's　instructions。〃　The　elderly　technician　made　it　plain　that　in　his　opinion　the　entire　discussion　was　a　waste　of　time。
　〃Perhaps　Dr。　Pearson　doesn't　know　you're　doing　the　Rh　tests　that　way。〃
　〃He　knows　all　right。〃　This　time　Bannister　let　his　surliness　e　through。　It　was　always　the　same　with　new　people。　They　weren't　inside　a　place　five　minutes　before　they　started　making　trouble。　He　had　tried　to　be　pleasant　with　this　new　doctor；　and　look　what　you　got　for　it。　Well；　one　thing　was　for　sure…Joe　Pearson　would　soon　put　this　fellow　in　his　place。　Bannister　just　hoped　he　was　around　to　see　it　happen。
　Coleman　decided　to　ignore　the　senior　technician's　tone。　Whether　he　liked　it　or　not　he　was　going　to　have　to　work　with　this　man　for　a　while。　All　the　same；　this　thing　had　to　be　cleared　up　now。　He　said；　〃I'm　afraid　I　don't　quite　understand。　Surely　you　know　that　some　antibodies　in　the　blood　of　pregnant　women　will　get　past　a　saline　test　and　a　high…protein　test；　whereas　they　won't　if　you　go　on　and　do　a　further　test　in　Coombs　serum。〃
　Alexander　interjected；　〃That's　what　I've　been　saying。〃
　Bannister　made　no　answer。　Coleman　went　on；　〃Anyway；　I'll　mention　it　to　Dr。　Pearson　sometime。　I'm　sure　he　wasn't　aware　of　it。〃
　〃What　shall　we　do　about　this　test？〃　Alexander　asked。　〃And　the　others　from　here　on？〃
　Coleman　answered；　〃Do　them　in　all　three　mediums；　of　course…saline；　high　protein；　and　Coombs　serum。〃
　〃We　haven't　any　Coombs　serum　in　the　lab；　Doctor。〃　Alexander　was　very　glad　now　that　he　had　brought　this　up。　He　liked　the　look　of　this　new　pathologist。　Maybe　he'd　change　some　other　things　around　the　place。　Goodness　knows；　he　thought；　there's　plenty　that　can　stand　it。
　〃Then　let's　get　some。〃　Coleman　was　deliberately　brisk。　〃There's　no　shortage　anywhere。〃
　〃We　can't　just　go　out　and　get　lab　supplies；〃　Bannister　said。　〃There　has　to　be　a　purchase　requisition。〃　He　wore　a　superior　smile。　There　were　some　things；　after　all；　these　Johnny…e…latelys　didn't　know。
　Coleman　carefully　kept　his　feelings　in　check。　Sometime　soon　it　might　be　necessary　to　have　a　showdown　with　this　man　Bannister；　he　certainly　had　no　intention　of　taking　this　kind　of　behavior　permanently。　But　the　first　day　of　arrival　was　obviously　not　the　time。　He　said　pleasantly　enough；　but　firmly；　〃Let　me　have　the　form　then。　I　imagine　I　can　sign　it。　That's　one　of　the　reasons　I'm　here。〃
　Briefly　the　older　technician　hesitated。　Then　he　opened　a　drawer　and　produced　a　pad　of　forms　which　he　handed　to　Coleman。
　〃A　pencil；　please？〃
　With　the　same　reluctance　Bannister　produced　one。　Handing　it　over；　he　said　pettishly；　〃Dr。　Pearson　likes　to　order　all　lab　supplies　himself。〃
　Coleman　scribbled　the　order　and　signed　it。　With　a　tight；　cool　smile；　〃I　expect　to　have　a　good　deal　more　responsibility　here　than　just　ordering　fifteen　dollars'　worth　of　rabbit　serum；〃　he　said。　〃There　you　are。〃　As　he　handed　back　the　pad　and　pencil　the　phone　rang　on　the　other　side　of　the　lab。
　It　was　an　excuse　f