ah.thefinaldiagnosis-第71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！


read　outside。　It's　that　we're　thinking　of。〃
　Harry　Tomaselli　put　in；　〃We're　serving　the　evening　meal；　Joe；　and　that　will　be　the　last。　We're　sending　home　all　the　patients　we　can　and　transferring　most　of　the　others。〃
　There　was　silence。　Pearson's　face　muscles　were　working。　His　deep…set；　red…rimmed　eyes　seemed　close　to　tears。　His　voice　near　a　whisper；　he　said；　〃I　never　thought　I'd　see　the　day　。　。　。〃
　As　the　group　turned　away　O'Donnell　added　quietly；　〃To　tell　the　truth；　Joe；　neither　did　I。〃
　They　had　reached　the　door　when　John　Alexander　announced；　〃I　have　it。〃
　As　a　unit　the　group　turned。　Pearson　asked　sharply；　〃You　have　what？〃
　〃A　definite　typhoid。〃　Alexander　pointed　to　the　row　of　sugar　tubes　on　which　he　had　been　working。
　〃Let　me　see！〃　Almost　at　a　run；　Pearson　crossed　the　lab。　The　others　had　turned　back　into　the　room。
　Pearson　looked　at　the　row　of　tubes。　Nervously　his　tongue　touched　his　lips。　If　Alexander　were　right；　this　was　the　moment　they　had　worked　for。　〃Call　off　the　list；〃　he　said。
　John　Alexander　picked　up　a　textbook　open　at　a　double　page。　It　was　a　tabulated　chart　of　biochemical　reactions　of　bacteria　in　sugar　tubes。　Putting　a　finger　on　the　column　headed　〃Salmonella　typhi；〃　he　prepared　to　read　down。
　Pearson　picked　up　the　first　of　the　ten　tubes。　He　called　out；　〃Glucose。〃
　Checking　the　list；　Alexander　answered；　〃Acid　formation；　but　no　gas。〃
　Pearson　nodded。　He　replaced　the　tube　and　selected　a　second。　〃Lactose。〃
　〃No　acid；　no　gas；〃　Alexander　read。
　〃Right。〃　A　pause。　〃Dulcitol。〃
　Again　Alexander　read；　〃No　acid；　no　gas。〃
　〃Sucrose。〃
　〃No　acid；　no　gas。〃　Once　more　the　correct　reaction　for　typhoid　bacilli。　The　tension　in　the　room　was　mounting。
　Pearson　took　another　tube。　〃Mannitol。〃
　〃Acid　formation；　but　no　gas。〃
　〃Correct。〃　Another。　〃Maltose。〃
　〃Acid；　but　no　gas。〃
　Pearson　nodded。　Six　down；　four　to　go。　Now　he　said；　〃Xylose。〃
　Once　more　Alexander　read；　〃Acid；　but　no　gas。〃
　Seven。
　〃Arabinose。〃
　John　Alexander　said；　〃Either　acid　but　no　gas　or　no　reaction　at　all。〃
　Pearson　announced；　〃No　reaction。〃
　Eight。　Two　more。
　〃Rhamnose？〃
　〃No　reaction。〃
　Pearson　looked　at　the　tube。　He　said　softly；　〃No　reaction。〃
　One　to　go。
　From　the　last　tube　Pearson　read；　〃Indole　production。〃
　〃Negative；〃　Alexander　said；　and　replaced　the　book。
　Pearson　turned　to　the　others。　He　said；　〃There's　no　question。　This　is　the　typhoid　carrier。〃
　〃Who　is　it？〃　The　administrator　was　first　to　ask。
　Pearson　turned　over　a　petri　dish。　He　read　off；　Number　seventy…two。〃
　David　Coleman　had　already　reached　for　a　ledger。　There　was　a　list　with　entries　in　his　own　handwriting。　He　announced；　〃Charlotte　Burgess。〃
　〃I　know　her！〃　Mrs。　Straughan　said　quickly。　〃She　works　on　the　serving　counter。〃
　As　if　by　instinct；　all　eyes　swung　to　the　clock。　It　was　seven　minutes　after　five。
　Mrs。　Straughan　said　urgently；　〃The　dinner！　They're　beginning　to　serve　the　evening　meal！〃
　〃Let's　get　to　the　dining　room　fast！〃　As　he　spoke；　Harry　Tomaselli　was　already　at　the　door。
　
　On　the　hospital's　second　floor　the　nursing　supervisor　entered　Vivian's　room　with　a　harassed　air；　glancing　at　the　door　number　as　she　came　in。
　〃Oh　yes；　you're　Miss　Loburton。〃　She　consulted　a　clip　board　and　made　a　penciled　notation。　〃You'll　be　transferred　to　the　West　Burlington　Clinic。〃
　Vivian　asked；　〃When　will　it　be；　please？〃　She　had　already　learned；　earlier　in　the　afternoon；　of　the　impending　move　and　the　reason　for　it。
　〃The　ambulances　are　very　busy　now；〃　the　supervisor　said。　〃I　expect　it　will　be　several　hours…probably　about　nine　o'clock　tonight。　Your　own　nurse　will　be　in　to　help　you　with　your　things　in　plenty　of　time。〃
　〃Thank　you；〃　Vivian　said。
　Her　mind　back　with　the　clip　board；　the　supervisor　nodded　and　went　out。
　This　was　the　time；　Vivian　decided；　to　call　Mike。　Their　five　days　of　separation　were　not　due　to　end　until　tomorrow；　but　neither　of　them　had　contemplated　anything　like　this。　Besides；　she　had　already　e　to　regret　the　whole　idea　of　having　a　period　of　time　apart；　she　saw　it　now　as　a　stupid　and　unnecessary　notion　which　she　wished　had　never　occurred　to　her。
　Her　hand　went　out　for　the　bedside　telephone；　and　this　time　there　was　no　hesitation。　When　the　operator　answered　Vivian　said；　〃Dr。　Michael　Seddons；　please。〃
　〃One　moment。〃
　There　was　a　wait　of　several　minutes；　then　the　operator　came　on　the　line。　〃Dr。　Seddons　is　away　from　the　hospital　with　one　of　the　transfer　ambulances。　Can　someone　else　help？〃
　〃No；　thank　you；〃　Vivian　said。　〃I'd　like　to　leave　a　message　though。〃
　The　operator　asked；　〃Is　this　a　medical　matter？〃
　She　hesitated。　〃Well；　not　really。〃
　〃We　can　only　take　urgent　medical　messages　now。　Will　you　make　your　call　later；　please。〃　There　was　a　click　as　the　line　went　dead。　Slowly　Vivian　replaced　the　telephone。
　Outside　in　the　hallway　she　could　hear　motion　and　raised　voices。　She　sensed　an　undercurrent　of　excitement；　there　was　a　sharp　order　given；　then　a　clatter　as　an　object　fell　to　the　floor；　and　someone　laughed。　It　all　sounded　monplace；　and　yet　at　this　moment　her　mind　clamored　to　share　in　it；　to　be　a　part　of　whatever　was　going　on。　Then　her　eyes　fell　to　the　bedclothes；　to　where　the　coverlet　went　flat　at　the　point　where　her　left　leg　ended。　Suddenly；　for　the　first　time；　Vivian　felt　fearfully　and　desperately　alone。
　〃Oh；　Mike！〃　she　whispered。　〃Mike　darling…wherever　you　are；　please　e　to　me　soon！〃
　
　Nurse　Penfield　was　about　to　enter　the　cafeteria　when　she　saw　the　group　bearing　down　toward　her。　She　recognized　the　administrator　and　the　chief　of　surgery。　Behind　them；　her　big　breasts　bouncing　with　the　effort　of　keeping　up；　was　Mrs。　Straughan；　the　chief　dietitian。
　Passing　through　the　cafeteria　entrance；　Harry　Tomaselli　slowed　his　pace。　He　told　Mrs。　Straughan；　〃I　want　this　done　quickly　and　quietly。〃
　The　dietitian　nodded；　and　together　they　entered　the　kitchens　through　a　service　doorway。
　O'Donnell　beckoned　Nurse　Penfield。　〃e　with　me；　please。　I'd　like　you　to　help　us。〃
　What　happened　next　was　done　with　swiftness　and　precision。　One　moment　a　middle…aged　woman　was　serving　at　the　cafeteria　counter。　The　next；　Mrs。　Straughan　had　taken　her　arm　and　had　steered　her　into　the　diet　office　at　the　rear。　O'Donnell　told　the　bewildered　woman；　〃One　moment；　please；〃　and　motioned　Nurse　Penfield　to　remain　with　her。
　〃Take　the　food　she　was　serving　and　incinerate　it；〃　he　instructed　Mrs。　Straughan。　〃Get　back　any　you　can　that's　already　been　served。　Remove　any　dishes　she　may　have　touched　and　boil　them。〃
　The　chief　dietitian　went　out　to　the　serving　counter。　In　a　few　minutes　O'Donnell's　instructions　had　been　followed　and　the　cafeteria　line　was　moving　once　more。　Only　a　few　individuals　closest　to　the　scene　were　aware　of　what　had　occurred。
　In　the　office　at　the　rear　O'Donnell　told　the　woman　kitchen　worker；　〃Mrs。　Burgess；　I　must　ask　you　to　regard　yourself　as　a　patient　in　the　hospital。〃　He　added　kindly；　〃Try　not　to　be　alarmed；　everything　will　be　explained　to　you。〃
　To　Nurse　Penfield　he　said；　〃Take　this　patient　to　the　isolation　ward。　She's　to　have　contact　with　no　one。　I'll　call　Dr。　Chandler　and　he'll　issue　instructions。〃
　Gently　Elaine　Penfield　led　the　frightened　woman　away。
　Afterward　Mrs。　Straughan　asked　curiously；　〃What　happens　to　her　now；　Dr。　O。？〃
　〃She'll　be　well　looked　after；〃　O'Donnell　said。　〃She'll　stay　in　isolation；　and　the　internists　will　study　her　for　a　while。　Sometimes；　you　know；　a　typhoid　carrier　may　have　an　infected　gall　bladder；　and　if　that's　the　case　she'll　probably　be　operated　on。〃　He　added；　〃There'll　be　follow…up　checks；　of　course；　on　all　the　other　people　who　have　been　affected。　Harvey　Chandler　will　see　to　that。〃
　On　the　diet…office　telephone　Harry　Tomaselli　was　telling　an　assistant；　〃That's　what　I　said：　cancel　everything…transfers；　discharges　other　than　normal；　catered　meals；　the　whole　works。　And　when　you've　done　that　you　can　call　the　admitting　office。〃　The　administrator　grinned　across　the　desk　at　O'Donnell。　〃Tell　them　that　Three　Counties　Hospital　is　back　in　business。〃
　Tomaselli　hung　up　the　phone　and　accepted　the　cup　of　coffee　which　the　chief　dietitian　had　poured　him　from　her　private　percolator。
　〃By　the　way；　Mrs。　Straughan；〃　he　said；　〃there　hasn't　been　time　to　tell　you　before；　but　you're　getting　your　new　dishwashers。　The　board　has　approved　the　expenditure　and　the　contract　has　been　let。　I　expect　the　work　will　begin　next　week。〃
　The　dietitian　nodded；　obviously　the　information　was　something　she　had　anticipated。　Now　her　mind　had　moved　ahead　to　other　things。　〃There's　something　else　I'd　like　to　show　you　while　you're　here；　Mr。　T。　I　need　my　refrigerator　enlarged。〃　She　eyed　the　administrator　sternly。　〃I　hope　this　time　it　won't　require　an　epidemic　to　prove　my　point。〃
　The　administrator　sighed　and　rose　to　his　feet。　He　asked　O'Donnell；　〃Do　you　have　any　more　problems　today？〃
　〃Not　today；〃　O'Donnell　answered。　〃Tomorrow；　though；　there's　one　item　of　business　I　intend　to　deal　with　personally。〃
　He　was　thinking　of　Eustace　Swayne。
　
　Twenty…four
　
　David　Coleman　had　not　slept　well。　Through　the　night　his　thoughts　had　kept　returning　to　Three　Counties　Hospital；　its　pathology　department；　and　Dr。　Joseph　Pearson。
　None　of　the　events　of　the　past　few　days　had　changed　in　the　slightest　degree　Dr。　Pearson's　culpability　in　the　de