The Final Diagnosis

Twelve

Outside the main entrance to Three Counties Hospital Dr. David Coleman paused to look around him. It was a few minutes after eight on a warm, mid-August morning, with promise already of a hot and sultry day ahead. At this moment there was little activity outside the hospital. Beside himself, the only other people in sight were a janitor, hosing some of yesterday’s dust from a section of the forecourt, and a middle-aged nurse who had just alighted from a bus on the opposite side of the street. The main stream of hospital business, he supposed, would not begin to flow for another hour or so.

David Coleman surveyed the block of buildings which comprised Three Counties. Certainly, he decided, the hospital’s builders could never be accused of having wasted money on aesthetic frills. The architecture was strictly utilitarian, the facings of plain brick unadorned by any other masonry. The effect was a succession of conventional rectangles: walls, doors, and windows. Only near the main doorway did the pattern vary, and here a single foundation stone a

Carl Ba

“Good morning.”

Surprised, the senior lab technician looked up. It was unusual to have visitors this early. Most people around the hospital knew that Joe Pearson seldom arrived before ten o’clock, sometimes later.

“Good morning.” He returned the greeting, not too affably. Ba

“In a way, yes. I’m starting work here today.” Seeing the other start, he added, “I’m Dr. Coleman.”

The effect, Coleman thought, was somewhat like letting off firecrackers under a hen. Ba

Coleman said calmly, “Dr. Pearson is expecting me. Is he in, by the way?”

Ba

“I see.”

As Coleman glanced around him Ba

“Yes, I expect we will.” Coleman was not sure how much the idea appealed to him. But he shook hands with Ba

“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 Ba

“This way, please.” Ba

“Doctor, this is John Alexander. He just started work here.” Carl Ba

“If you say so.” Alexander answered uncomfortably, 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.

Ba

“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 Ba

“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 Ba

As they had been speaking he had become 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, a

Coleman asked curiously, “What was it you were talking about last night?”

Ignoring the question, Ba

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 Ba

“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.”