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〃I see。〃 Coleman turned to John Alexander。 〃Did you run some tests？〃
〃Yes； Doctor。〃
〃What did you find？〃
〃The water temperature isn't high enough。〃 Alexander consulted a clip board holding several pages of notes。 〃I did three tests on each dishwasher； each at a different time of day； and the temperature range was 110 to 130 degrees。〃
〃You see？〃 The dietitian held up her hands expressively。
〃Oh yes。〃 Coleman nodded。 〃That's much too low。〃
〃That isn't all； Doctor。〃 John Alexander had put the clip board down and taken a slide from the lab bench。 〃I'm afraid I've found gas formers of the fecal group。 On the plates…after they've been through the dishwashers。〃
〃Let me see。〃 Coleman took the slide and moved to the microscope。 When he had adjusted the eyepiece the characteristic worm…like bacteria were visible at once。 He straightened up。
Mrs。 Straughan asked； 〃What is it？ What does it mean？〃
Coleman said thoughtfully； 〃The slide shows gas…forming bacteria。 Normally the hot water should destroy them； but as it is they're getting through the dishwashers onto your clean plates。〃
〃Is that serious？〃
He considered carefully before answering。 〃Yes and no。 It probably accounts for some of the intestinal flu you spoke of； but that's not too serious in itself。 The way in which it might bee dangerous is if we happened to get a disease carrier in the hospital。〃
〃A disease carrier？〃
Coleman went on to explain。 〃It's someone who carries disease germs in their body without having the clinical disease themselves。 A carrier can be an apparently normal； healthy person。 It happens more frequently than you'd think。〃
〃Yes； I see what you mean；〃 Mrs。 Straughan said thoughtfully。
Coleman had turned to the two technicians。 He asked； 〃I suppose we are doing regular lab checks on all food handlers in the hospital？〃
Bannister answered； self…importantly； 〃Oh yes。 Dr。 Pearson's very fussy about that。〃
〃Are we right up to date？〃
〃Yeah。〃 The senior technician thought； then added； 〃Don't think we've had any for quite a while。〃
〃When was the last？〃 Coleman asked the question casually； as a matter of routine。
〃Just a minute。 I'll look at the book。〃 Bannister crossed to the opposite side of the lab。
In his mind David Coleman was weighing the factors involved。 If the dishwashers were inefficient…and they appeared to be…something needed to be done promptly； there was no question about that。 On the other hand； as long as a careful check was being kept on food handlers…and； according to Bannister； it was…there was no real reason for alarm。 Indifference； though； was something else again。 He told John Alexander； 〃You'd better get your report to Dr。 Pearson as soon as you can。〃
〃Yes； Doctor。〃 Alexander went back to his clip board of notes。
Across the room Bannister looked up from a ruled ledger he had spread open on a file cabinet。 He called out； 〃February the twenty…fourth。〃
Surprised； Coleman asked； 〃Did you say February？〃
〃That's right。〃
〃That's almost six months ago。〃 To the dietitian he observed； 〃You don't appear to have much of a turnover in kitchen staff。〃
〃Oh yes； we do…unfortunately。〃 Mrs。 Straughan shook her head emphatically。 〃We've taken on a lot of new people since February； Dr。 C。〃
Still not understanding； Coleman asked Bannister； 〃Are you sure about that date？〃
〃That's the last one。〃 Bannister was cockily sure of himself。 It was a pleasing change to be able to tell something to this know…all young doctor。 He added； 〃See for yourself if you like。〃
Ignoring the suggestion； Coleman said； 〃But what about the new employees…those who've been taken on since then？〃
〃There's nothing else here。〃 Bannister shrugged。 〃If the health office doesn't send us specimens for test； we've no way of knowing about new food handlers。〃 His attitude was one of plete indifference； almost contempt。
A slow burn was rising in Coleman。 Controlling it； he said evenly to the dietitian； 〃I think this is a matter you should look into。〃 For the first time he had begun to realize that something； somewhere； was seriously wrong。
Mrs。 Straughan appeared to have had the same thought。 She said； 〃I will…immediately。 Thank you； Dr。 C。〃 Her breasts bouncing with each step； she went out of the lab。
There was a moment's silence。 For the first time Coleman sensed a feeling of unease in Bannister。 As their eyes met he asked the technician icily； 〃Had it occurred to you to wonder why no tests for food handlers were ing in？〃
〃Well 。 。 。〃 Bannister fidgeted； his earlier confidence evaporated。 〃I guess I would have…sooner or later。〃
Coleman surveyed the other with disgust。 He said angrily； 〃I'd say later； wouldn't you？…especially if it meant that you would have had to do some thinking。〃 At the door he turned。 〃I'll be with Dr。 Pearson。〃
The color drained from his face； the older technician still stood； looking at the door through which Coleman had gone。 His lips framed words…bitter and defeated。 〃He knows it all； don't he？ Everything in the book。 Every perishing thing。〃
At this moment around Bannister was an aura of failure and downfall。 His own familiar world…the world he had believed inviolate and therefore had done nothing to protect…was crumbling。 A new order was emerging； and in the new order； through his own shorting； there was no room for himself。 Crestfallen； out of place； he appeared only a weak； pathetic figure whom time was passing by。
Joe Pearson looked up from his desk as Coleman came in。
Without preliminary the younger pathologist announced； 〃John Alexander has found gas…forming bacteria…on clean plates which have been through the dishwasher。〃
Pearson seemed unsurprised。 He said dourly； 〃It's the hot…water system。〃
〃I know。〃 David Coleman tried； but failed； to keep sarcasm from his voice。 〃Has anyone ever tried to do something about it？〃
The old man was looking at him quizzically。 He said； with surprising quietness； 〃I suppose you think things are run pretty poorly around here。〃
〃Since you ask me…yes。〃 Coleman's own lips were tight。 He wondered how long the two of them could continue working together in this kind of atmosphere。
Pearson had flung open a lower drawer of his desk； fumbling among files and papers； talking as he searched。 He seemed to be speaking with a strange mixture of anger and sorrow。 〃You're so young and green and full of lofty ideas。 You e here； and it happens to be a time when there's a new administration； when money is freer than it has been in years。 So you figure that whatever's wrong is because nobody has thought of changing it。 Nobody's tried！〃 He had found what he wanted and flung a bulging file of papers on the desk。
〃I didn't say that。〃 The words were snapped out； almost defensively。
Pearson pushed the file toward him。 〃This is a record of correspondence about the kitchen hot…water supply。 If you'll take the trouble to read it； you'll find I've been pleading for a new system for years。〃 Pearson's voice rose。 He said challengingly； 〃Go ahead…take a look！〃
Opening the file； Coleman read the top memo。 He turned a page； then another； then skimmed the other pages beneath。 At once he realized how much in error he had been。 The memos contained a damning condemnation by Pearson of hospital kitchen hygiene； couched in even stronger terms than he would have used himself。 The correspondence appeared to go back several years。
〃Well？〃 Pearson had been watching as he read。
Without hesitation Coleman said； 〃I'm sorry。 I owe you an apology…about that anyway。〃
〃Never mind。〃 Pearson waved his hand irritably； then as the words sank in； 〃You mean there's something else？〃
Coleman said evenly； 〃In finding out about the dishwashers I also discovered there haven't been any lab tests of food handlers for more than six months。〃
〃Why？〃 The question rapped out like a sharp explosion。
〃Apparently none were sent down from the health office。 The chief dietitian is checking on that now。〃
〃And you mean we didn't query it？ Nobody in Pathology asked why none were ing？〃
〃Apparently not。〃
〃That fool Bannister！ This is serious。〃 Pearson was genuinely concerned； his earlier hostility to Coleman forgotten。
Coleman said quietly； 〃I thought you'd want to know。〃
Pearson had picked up the telephone。 After a pause he said； 〃Get me the administrator。〃
The conversation which followed was brief and to the point。 At the end Pearson replaced the phone and stood up。 To Coleman he said； 〃Tomaselli is on his way down。 Let's meet him in the lab。〃
It took only a few minutes in the lab to run over； for a second time； what David Coleman had already learned。 With Pearson and Harry Tomaselli listening； John Alexander recapped his notes and Pearson inspected the slides。 As he straightened up from the microscope the chief dietitian entered the lab。 The administrator turned to her。 〃What did you find out？〃
〃It's incredible but true。〃 Mrs。 Straughan shook her head in a gesture of unbelief。 She addressed Pearson。 〃Earlier this year the health office hired a new clerk； Dr。 P。 Nobody told her about lab tests on food handlers。 That's the reason none were sent down。〃
Tomaselli said； 〃So there have been no tests now for…how long？〃
〃Approximately six a