ah.thefinaldiagnosis-第40部分

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oubt　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　for　Bannister　to　turn　his　back。　His　face　red　with　anger　and　frustration；　he　crossed　to　the　wall　phone　to　answer　it。　After　listening　briefly　he　gave　a　curt　answer　and　replaced　the　instrument。　〃Gotta　go　down　to　Outpatients。〃　The　words；　almost　mumbled；　were　addressed　to　Coleman。
　He　answered　icily；　〃You　can　go　ahead。〃
　With　the　incident　closed　Coleman　found　himself　more　angry　than　he　had　realized。　What　kind　of　discipline　existed　which　allowed　insolence　like　this　from　a　lab　technician？　The　inadequate　procedure　was　serious　enough。　But　having　to　correct　it　over　the　objections　of　someone　like　this　man　Bannister　was　intolerable。　If　this　were　the　general　order　of　things；　it　seemed　probable　that　the　entire　pathology　department　was　even　more　run…down　than　he　had　believed　at　first。
　With　Bannister　gone　he　began　to　take　a　more　careful　look　at　the　rest　of　the　lab。　The　worn　equipment；　some　of　it　inadequate；　had　already　been　evident。　Now　he　saw　how　deplorably　sloppy　and　disorganized　the　whole　place　was。　The　tables　and　benches　were　cluttered　untidily　with　an　assortment　of　apparatus　and　supplies。　He　noticed　a　heap　of　dirty　glassware；　a　pile　of　yellowed　papers。　Moving　across　the　lab；　he　observed　a　section　of　a　worktable　with　fungus　growing　from　it。　From　the　other　side　of　the　room　Alexander　was　unfortably　watching　the　inspection。
　〃Is　this　the　way　the　lab　is　usually　kept？〃　Coleman　asked。
　〃It　isn't　very　tidy；　is　it？〃　Alexander　felt　a　surge　of　shame　that　anyone　should　see　this　place　the　way　it　was。　What　he　could　not　say　was　that　he　had　already　offered　to　reorganize　it　but　Bannister　had　emphatically　told　him　to　leave　things　the　way　they　were。
　〃I'd　put　it　a　little　stronger　than　that。〃　Coleman　ran　one　of　his　fingers　over　a　shelf。　It　came　away　grimed　with　dust。　He　thought　disgustedly：　All　this　is　something　to　be　changed。　On　second　thought；　though；　it　might　have　to　wait　awhile。　He　knew　he　was　going　to　have　to　be　cautious　in　his　dealings　with　people　here；　and　his　own　experience　had　already　taught　him　that　there　were　limits　to　what　you　could　acplish　quickly。　All　the　same；　he　knew　it　would　be　hard　to　curb　his　own　natural　impatience；　especially　with　this　sort　of　mess　visible　right　under　his　nose。
　For　the　past　few　moments　John　Alexander　had　been　watching　Coleman　closely。　Ever　since　this　new　doctor　had　first　e　in　with　Bannister　there　had　been　something　vaguely　familiar　about　him。　He　was　young…probably　not　much　older　than　Alexander　himself。　But　it　was　not　that　alone。　Now　Alexander　said；　〃Doctor；　excuse　my　mentioning　it；　but　I　have　a　feeling　we've　met　somewhere　before。〃
　〃It's　possible。〃　Coleman　was　elaborately　casual。　Because　he　had　supported　this　man　in　one　incident；　he　did　not　want　him　to　get　any　impression　there　was　some　sort　of　alliance　between　them。　Then　it　occurred　to　him　that　perhaps　he　had　been　a　little　too　curt。　He　added；　〃I　interned　at　Bellevue；　then　I　was　at　Walter　Reed　and　Massachusetts　General。〃
　〃No。〃　Alexander　shook　his　head。　〃It　must　have　been　before　then。　Have　you　ever　been　in　Indiana？　New　Richmond？〃
　〃Yes；〃　Coleman　said；　startled；　〃I　was　born　there。〃
　John　Alexander　beamed。　〃I　should　have　remembered　the　name；　of　course。　Your　father　would　be　。　。　。　Dr。　Byron　Coleman？〃
　〃How　do　you　know　that？〃　It　had　been　a　long　time　since　someone　other　than　himself　had　recalled　his　father's　name。
　〃I'm　from　New　Richmond　too；〃　Alexander　said。　〃So　is　my　wife。〃
　〃Really？〃　Coleman　asked。　〃Did　I　know　you　there？〃
　〃I　don't　think　so；　though　I　remember　seeing　you　a　couple　of　times。〃　In　the　social　life　of　New　Richmond；　John　Alexander　had　been　several　stages　removed　from　the　orbit　of　the　doctor's　son。　As　the　thought　occurred　to　him；　there　was　a　〃ping〃　from　the　centrifuge　timer。　He　paused　to　remove　the　blood　sample　which　had　been　spun　down；　then　went　on；　〃My　father　was　a　truck　farmer。　We　lived　a　few　miles　outside　town。　You　may　remember　my　wife　though。　Her　family　had　the　hardware　store。　She　was　Elizabeth　Johnson。〃
　Coleman　said　thoughtfully；　〃Yes；　I　believe　I　do。〃　Memory　stirred。　〃Wasn't　there　something　about　her　。　。　。　she　was　in　an　accident　of　some　sort？〃
　〃That's　right；　she　was；〃　John　Alexander　said。　〃Her　father　was　killed　in　his　car　at　the　rail　crossing。　Elizabeth　was　with　him。〃
　〃I　remember　hearing　about　it。〃　David　Coleman's　mind　flew　back　over　the　years…to　the　country　doctor's　office　in　which　his　father　had　healed　so　many　bodies　until　in　the　end　his　own　had　failed　him。　He　said；　〃I　was　away　at　college　at　the　time；　but　my　father　told　me　afterward。〃
　〃Elizabeth　almost　died。　But　they　gave　her　blood　transfusions　and　she　made　it。　I　think　that　was　the　first　time　I　was　ever　in　a　hospital。　I　almost　lived　there　for　a　week。〃　Alexander　paused。　Then；　still　pleased　at　his　discovery；　〃If　you　happen　to　be　free　one　evening；　Dr。　Coleman；　I'm　sure　my　wife　would　enjoy　meeting　you。　We　have　a　small　apartment　。　。　。〃　He　hesitated；　sensing　the　truth：　though　both　had　moved　on　from　New　Richmond；　there　was　still　a　social　gulf　between　them。
　Coleman　was　aware　of　it　too。　His　brain　clicked　out　a　warning：　be　cautious　of　alliances　with　subordinates…even　one