Strong Medicine Read Free Page B

part time, had prepared
    a tray with a hypodermic. She opened a refrigerator and added a clear
    glass drug container which the Felding-Roth saleswoman had brought. "Yes,
    it is."
    "Then let's go."
    22
     

The same resident who had been with Mary Rowe this morning, Dr. Overton,
    was at her bedside when Andrew and the nurse arrived. John Rowe hovered in
    the background.
    Andrew explained Lotromycin to the resident, a burly Texan extrovert, who
    drawled, "You expectin' a damn miracle?"
    "No," Andrew answered curtly. He turned to Mary Rowe's husband. "I want to
    emphasize again, John, this is a long shot, a very long shot. It's simply
    that in the circumstances . . ."
    "I understand." The voice was low, emotion-charged.
    The nurse prepared the unconscious Mary Rowe for an injection, which would
    be intramuscular into the buttocks, as Andrew told the resident, "The drug
    company says the dose should be repeated every four hours. I've left a
    written order but I'd like you to - - ."
    "I'll be here, chief And okay, q-4." The resident lowered his voice. "Say,
    how about a bet? I'll give you even odds against-"
    Andrew silenced him with a glare. The Texan had been in the hospital
    training program for a year, during which time he had proven himself highly
    competent as a doctor, but his lack of sensitivity was notorious.
    The nurse completed the injection and checked the patient's pulse and blood
    pressure. She reported, "No reaction, Doctor. No change in vital signs."
    Andrew nodded, for the moment relieved. He had not expected any positive
    effect, but an adverse reaction had been a possibility, particularly with
    an experimental drug. He still doubted, though, that Mary Rowe would
    survive until morning.
    "Phone me at home if she's worse," he ordered. Then, with a quiet, "Good
    night, John," to the husband, he went out.
    It was not until he was in his apartment that Andrew remembered he had
    failed to report back to the Felding-Roth saleswoman, whom he had left in
    the doctors' lounge. This time he remembered her name-de Grey. Was it
    Cindy? No, Celia. He was about to telephone, then supposed that by now she
    would have found out what had happened. He would talk with her tomorrow.
    23
     

2
    Normally on Saturday mornings Andrew saw patients in his office from 10
    A.M., then dropped into the hospital around midday. Today he reversed the
    procedure and was at St. Bede's by 9 A.M.
    Last night's storm and rain had been replaced by a fresh, clear morning,
    cold but sunny.
    Andrew was ascending the hospital front steps when, ahead of him, the
    main door slammed open and Dr. Overton, the resident, appeared to hurl
    himself out. Overton seemed agitated. His hair was disordered as if he
    had gotten out of bed in a hurry and forgotten about it. His voice was
    breathless. He grabbed Andrew's arm.
    "Tried to call you. You'd already left. Janitor at your apartment said
    you were coming. I just had to catch you first."
    Andrew pulled his arm away. "What is this?"
    The resident swallowed hard. "Never mind. Just come on."
    Overton, hurrying, preceded Andrew down a corridor and into an elevator.
    fie refused to speak or even look Andrew in the eye as they rode to the
    fourth floor. The resident hastened from the elevator, Andrew following.
    They stopped outside the hospital room where, last night, Andrew had left
    the unconscious Mary Rowe, her husband, the nurse and the resident.
    "In!" Overton motioned impatiently. "Go on in!"
    Andrew entered. And stopped. Staring.
    From behind him the resident said, "Should've taken my bet, Dr. Jordan."
    He added, "If I hadn't seen, I wouldn't have believed."
    Andrew said softly, "I'm not sure I believe it either."
    Mary Rowe, fully conscious, propped up in bed and wearing a blue lacy
    nightgown, smiled at him. Though the smile was weak, and clearly so was
    Mary Rowe, her condition was so much in contrast to the deep coma of last
    night, it seemed a miracle. She had been sipping water; a plastic cup was
    in her