ah.thefinaldiagnosis-第17部分

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rtrooms　long　before　he　ever　thought　of　finding　his　destiny　behind　a　hospital　desk。
　He　had　entered　law　school　from　college　and　bad　begun　to　lay　the　foundations　of　a　good　practice　when　war　intervened。　Anticipating　the　draft；　he　had　enlisted　in　the　U。S。　Navy　where　he　had　received　a　mission　and　a　job　in　medical　administration。　Later；　as　the　navy　hospitals　filled　with　wounded；　Lieutenant　Tomaselli　had　proven　himself　an　able　administrator　with　an　instinct　for　sensing　the　invisible　border　line　between　the　practice　of　medicine　and　the　business　of　hospital　management。
　After　the　war；　faced　with　the　choice　of　returning　to　law　or　remaining　in　hospital　work；　he　had　chosen　the　latter　and　enrolled　in　the　School　of　Hospital　Administration　at　Columbia　University。　He　had　graduated　from　Columbia　at　a　time　when　there　was　growing　recognition　of　hospital　administration　as　a　specialized　field　of　endeavor　in　which　a　medical　degree　was　neither　necessary　nor　particularly　useful。　This　had　opened　up　a　brisk　demand　for　good　administrators；　and　after　two　years　as　an　assistant　he　had　accepted　Orden　Brown's　offer　of　the　top　post　at　Three　Counties。
　Now　Harry　Tomaselli　was　in　love　with　his　work。　He　shared　Kent　O'Donnell's　views　about　the　standards　of　good　medicine　and　respected　the　business　acumen　and　caginess　of　the　board　chairman；　Orden　Brown。　As　administrator；　it　was　Tomaselli's　business　to　see　that　all　hospital　services…nursing；　housekeeping；　engineering；　building；　accounting；　and　their　subsidiaries…measured　up　to　the　standards　the　other　two　men　required。
　He　did　this　by　delegation…he　had　a　happy　faculty　of　appointing　good　department　heads…and　also　by　an　intense　personal　interest　in　everything　that　went　on　within　the　hospital。　Almost　nothing　of　importance　escaped　Harry　Tomaselli。　Each　day　his　short；　stocky　figure　could　be　seen　bustling　along　the　corridors　but　pausing　frequently　while　he　talked　with　nurses；　patients；　janitors；　clerks；　cooks…anyone　who　could　tell　him　something　about　the　hospital　or　make　a　suggestion　on　how　to　run　it　better。　New　ideas　excited　him；　his　own　enthusiasm　engendered　more　in　others。　Sometimes；　head　thrust　forward；　eyes　gleaming　behind　his　big　black…rimmed　glasses；　he　would　talk　volubly；　his　thoughts　moving　at　a　gallop；　his　hands　underscoring　points　as　he　made　them。
　In　all　his　peregrinations　Harry　Tomaselli　seldom　made　a　written　note。　His　lawyer's　training　enabled　him　to　carry　assorted　facts　readily　in　his　head。　But　after　each　inspection　tour　he　fired　off　a　barrage　of　staccato　memoranda　on　all　points；　big　and　little；　where　he　felt　the　administration　of　Three　Counties　could　be　improved。
　Yet；　for　all　this；　he　had　a　diplomat's　sense　of　tone　and　language　that　seldom　gave　offense。　Verbally　he　would　hand　out　a　reprimand；　then　talk　cheerfully　of　something　else。　And　though　he　never　wasted　words；　his　written　memos　were　always　gracious。　He　hated　to　fire　a　hospital　employee　unless　the　provocation　were　really　strong。　He　frequently　told　his　department　heads；　〃If　anyone　has　worked　here　more　than　a　month；　we　have　an　investment　in　their　experience。　It's　to　our　advantage　to　mold　them　if　we　can；　rather　than　try　for　someone　new　who　may　have　other　faults　we　haven't　thought　of。〃　Because　this　policy　was　known　and　respected；　employee　morale　was　high。
　There　were　still　things　about　the　organization　that　worried　him。　Some　departments；　he　knew；　could　be　made　more　efficient。　There　were　areas　where　service　to　patients　could　be　improved。　A　good　deal　of　old　equipment　needed　junking　and　replacement。　There　was　newly　developed　equipment…the　cine…radiography　unit　was　an　example…which；　under　ideal　conditions；　the　hospital　should　have。　The　new　building　program　would　make　good　some　of　these　deficiencies　but　not　all。　Like　O'Donnell；　he　knew　there　were　years　of　work　ahead　and　that　some　objectives　perhaps　would　remain　beyond　reach。　But；　after　all；　that　was　the　road　to　achievement；　you　always　tried　for　a　little　more　than　you　knew　you　could　acplish。
　His　thoughts　were　brought　back　to　the　present　by　Orden　Brown。　The　chairman　was　telling　O'Donnell；　〃There'll　be　a　good　deal　of　social　activity；　of　course；　once　the　campaign　gets　going。　Oh；　and　something　else。　I　believe　it　would　be　a　good　thing；　Kent；　if　we　put　you　in　as　a　speaker　at　the　Rotary　Club。　You　could　tell　them　what　the　new　building　will　do；　our　plans　for　the　future；　and　so　on。〃
　O'Donnell；　who　disliked　public　meetings；　especially　the　regimented　bonhomie　of　service　clubs；　had　been　about　to　grimace　but　checked　himself。　Instead　he　said；　〃If　you　think　it　will　help。〃
　〃One　of　my　people　is　on　Rotary　executive；〃　Orden　Brown　said。　〃I'll　have　him　fix　it　up。　That　had　better　be　the　opening　week　of　the　campaign。　Then　the　following　week　we　might　do　the　same　thing　with　Kiwanis。〃
　O'Donnell　considered　suggesting　that　the　chairman　leave　him　some　time　for　surgery；　otherwise　he　might　have　trouble　meeting　his　own　quota。　But　he　thought　better　of　it。
　〃By　the　way；〃　Orden　Brown　was　saying；　〃are　you　free　for　dinner　the　day　after　tomorrow？〃
　〃Yes；　I　am；〃　O'Donnell　answered　promptly。　He　always　enjoyed　the　quiet；　formal　dignity　of　dinner　at　the　house　on　the　hill。
　〃I'd　like　you　to　e　with　me　to　Eustace　Swayne's。〃　Seeing　O'Donnell's　surprise；　the　chairman　added；　〃It's　all　right…you're　invited。　He　asked　me　if　I'd　tell　you。〃
　〃Yes；　I'll　be　glad　to　e。〃　All　the　same；　the　invitation　to　the　home　of　the　board　of　directors'　most　die…hard　member　was　unexpected。　Naturally　O'Donnell　had　met　Swayne　a　few　times　but　had　not　e　to　know　him　well。
　〃As　a　matter　of　fact；　it's　my　suggestion；〃　Brown　said。　〃I'd　like　you　to　talk　with　him　about　the　hospital　generally。　Let　him　absorb　some　of　your　ideas　if　you　can。　Frankly；　at　times　he's　a　problem　on　the　board；　but　you　know　that；　of　course。〃
　〃I'll　do　what　I　can。〃　Now　that　he　knew　what　was　involved；　O'Donnell　did　not　relish　the　thought　of　getting　close　to　board　politics。　So　far　he　had　managed　to　steer　clear　of　them。　But　he　could　not　say　no　to　Orden　Brown。
　The　chairman　picked　up　his　brief　case　and　prepared　to　leave。　Tomaselli　and　O'Donnell　rose　with　him。
　〃It　will　be　just　a　small　party；〃　Orden　Brown　said。　〃Probably　half　a　dozen　people。　Why　don't　we　pick　you　up　on　the　way　across　town？　I'll　phone　before　we　leave。〃
　O'Donnell　murmured　his　thanks　as；　nodding　pleasantly；　the　chairman　went　out。
　The　door　had　scarcely　closed　on　Orden　Brown　when　tall；　slim　Kathy　Cohen；　Tomaselli's　secretary；　came　in。　〃I'm　sorry　to　interrupt；〃　she　said。
　〃What　is　it；　Kathy？〃
　She　told　the　administrator；　〃There's　a　man　on　the　phone　who　insists　on　talking　to　you。　A　Mr。　Bryan。〃
　〃I'm　busy　with　Dr。　O'Donnell　now。　I'll　call　him　back。〃　Tomaselli　sounded　surprised。　Normally　he　would　not　have　to　tell　Kathy　anything　so　elementary。
　〃I　told　him　that；　Mr。　Tomaselli。〃　She　sounded　doubtful。　〃But　he's　very　insistent。　He　says　he's　the　husband　of　a　patient。　I　thought　you　ought　to　know。〃
　〃Maybe　you　should　talk　with　him；　Harry。〃　O'Donnell　smiled　at　the　girl。　〃Take　him　off　Kathy's　mind。　I　don't　mind　waiting。〃
　〃All　right。〃　The　administrator　reached　for　one　of　his　two　telephones。
　〃It's　line　four。〃　The　girl　waited　until　the　connection　was　made；　then　went　back　to　the　outer　office。
　〃Administrator　speaking。〃　Tomaselli's　tone　was　friendly。　Then　he　frowned　slightly；　listening　to　what　was　ing　from　the　other　end　of　the　line。
　O'Donnell　could　hear　the　receiver　diaphragm　rattling　sharply。　He　caught　the　words；　〃Disgraceful　situation　。　。　。　imposition　on　a　family　。　。　。　should　be　an　inquiry。〃
　Tomaselli　put　his　hand　over　the　phone's　mouthpiece。　He　told　O'Donnell；　〃He's　really　boiling。　Something　about　his　wife。　I　can't　quite　make　put　。　。　。〃　He　listened　for　a　moment　more；　then　said；　〃Now；　Mr。　Bryan；　supposing　you　start　at　the　beginning。　Tell　me　what　this　is　all　about。〃　He　reached　for　a　pad　and　pencil；　then　said；　〃Yes；　sir。〃　A　pause。　〃Now　tell　me；　please；　when　was　your　wife　admitted　to　hospital？〃　The　phone　rattled　again　and　the　administrator　made　a　swift　note。　〃And　who　was　your　physician？〃　Again　a　note。　〃And　the　date　of　discharge？〃　A　pause。　〃Yes；　I　see。〃
　O'Donnell　heard　the　words；　〃Can't　get　any　satisfaction；〃　then　Tomaselli　was　talking　again。
　〃No；　Mr。　Bryan；　I　don't　remember　the　particular　case。　But　I　will　make　some　i