Ambivalence about doctors? About the health-care power structure?
Preoccupation with sickness and treatment?
Had all that been communicated to Cindy at a young age?
Then there was the matter of her own illnesses-the flu and pneumonia
that had disrupted her career plans.
Everything worked out for the best.
The blush, the yanking at her braid. The discharge was definitely a
sensitive topic.
I got on the kitchen phone, obtained the 803 area code for South
Carolina and dialed Information there. Fort Jackson turned out to be
in Columbia. I wrote down the number and called it.
A drawling female voice answered. I asked for the base’s chief medical
officer.
“You want the commander of the hospital?”
“Yes, please.”
“One moment.”
A second later: “Colonel Hedgeworth’s office.”
“This is Dr. Delaware, from Los Angeles, California. I’d like to
speak with the colonel, please.”
“What was that name, sir?”
“Delaware.” I added my professional title and medical school
affiliation.
“Colonel Hedgeworth is out of the office, sir. Would you care to speak
with Major Dunlap?”
“That would be fine.”
“Please hold.”
Halfa dozen beats, then another drawling voice. Male baritone: “Major
Dunlap.”
“Major, this is Dr. Alex Delaware, from L.A.” I repeated my
credentials.
“Uh-huh. What can I do for you, Doctor?”
“We’ve been doing some pilot research-contagion patterns of viral
epidemics, influenza and pneumonia, specifically-in relatively closed
environments such as prisons, private schools, and military bases.
Contrasting it with control groups in the general population.”
“Epidemiological research?”
“We’re working out of the Pediatrics department. Still in the process
of assembling a preliminary data base, and Fort Jackson came up as a
possible target site.”
“Uh-huh,” he said. Long pause. “Have you got a research grant on
this?”
“Not yet, just some preliminary seed money. Whether or not we apply
for full funding depends on how the data base shapes up. If we do
write a proposal it would be as a collaborative effort-the target
sites, plus us. We’d carry all the overhead, would just need access to
facts and figures.”
He chuckled. “We give you our stats and you put our names on any
papers you write?”
“That would be part of it, but we’d always be open to scientific
input.”
“What med school was that?”
I told him.
“Uh-huh.” Another laugh. “Well, I guess that would be pretty
attractive, if I still cared about that kind of thing. But yeah, sure,
I guess you can put our names down, for the time beingconditionally, no
commitment. Got to check it with Colonel Hedgeworth, though, before I
finalize anything.”
“When will he be back?”
He laughed again. “She’ll be back in a couple of days. Give me your
number.”
I gave him my home exchange, saying, “That’s a private line, easier to
reach.”
And what was your name?”
“Delaware.”
“Like in the state?”
“Exactly.”
And you’re with Pediatrics?”
“Yes,” I said. Technically true, but I hoped he wouldn’t delve too
deeply and find out I had a clinical appointment but hadn’t lectured in
years.
“Fine,” he said. “Get back to you soon as I can. If you don’t hear
from me in, say, a week-call back.”
“Will do, Major. Thanks.”
“No problem.”
“In the meantime, though, if you could give me one bit of information,
I’d appreciate it.”
“What’s that?”
“Do you recall any epidemics of either influenza or pneumonia at your
base during the last ten years?”
“Ten years? Hmm. I haven’t been here that long. We did have a
meningitis outbreak a couple of years ago, but that was bacterial.
Very nasty.”
“We’re limiting the inquiry to viral respiratory illnesses.”
“Well,” he said, “I guess the information’s somewherehold on.”
Two minutes passed.
“Captain Katz, how can I help you?”
I repeated my request.
“That far back wouldn’t be on our computer,” he said. “Can I get back
to you on that?”
“Sure. Thanks.”
Another exchange of numbers.
I put the receiver down, clogged with frustration, knowing the
information was on someone’s hard drive or floppy disc, accessible,
instantly, at the push of the right button.
Milo didn’t call back until four.
“Been trying to keep up with your Joneses,” he said. “The coroner has
a death form on file for the first kid. Charles Lyman Jones the