The Hospital Murders
erformed the autopsy. His lower jaw lay relaxed against the cushions of his chins. His eyes were peacefully closed. He was asleep. When the Elijah
omfortable office chair and was smoking cigar
ion. He had struck no matches for over an hour. The smoking wa
nd his feet tucked into one of the chair rungs. He watched all of the men and held his eyes past
ded his brow from the glaring light and was soothing it like a man in constant
spoken for
smoke, tension, the odor of forma
a death chamber, and its occupants had
gh prepared for a blow; even in Bear Sterling'
watch that night student nurse...? She is a nie
d his head as thoug
father say ab
et his and h
ion, considering
hat your unders
r. MacA
an checking it all over: Cub, Mattus, Bear, the student nurse, the orderly, the He
acts. There would be no sense in clouding his faculties with hys
to fill the room; it began to su
nd turned to Cub Sterlin
but the Elijah Wilson is my only child .
sir, we u
er MacArthur. Mattus' manner dropped from him
we do," h
el-gray eyes were softened by the coming 70 dawn. All
y n
t y
n't gone to that
ing potion have been administered hypodermi
er was for capsule,"
Mattus' voice slid into the openin
ogists!" Bear announc
is watch from hi
some sleep and prepare for today. You'll have a twenty-four hour job ahead of you to
. Tuesday! ... rounds, diagnoses ... they had forgotten
it was opened in their faces b
limp black hair sweated into
e at the convention in Cincinnati, so I did
ct. Its uninterested monot
eyes into the fe
the hell
g upon some organs I sent over to the chemical labo
piring lip and continued i
lieve was administered in powdered form, capsule probably. I have not proceeded with any obscure tests. Dr. Hedd
egular breathing
e keep on searching and consult Dr. 72 Heddis immediately he returns. In the meantime, will you be so kind as t
He turned to face the three men. He stood so erect that his w
that body show a h
di
something ... I can't seem to
d peered intently at the innocuous findings of the second assistant
pleated with strai
, what he had feared, that the patient in Bed 11, Ward B, Medicine Clinic
ministration Building was open. Exce
n it and said, "Here is
her voice
anced and laid the l
my appointment with the Woman's Board, and that luncheon engagement with the man from the Duke Fo
by the tall shado
y turned and
d chair and said, "Ca
Peters is demonstrating his new retina operation before some visiting medical students; but Hoffbein, Harrison, and Barton will be here, and we have th
g my teaching round
believ
ngs toward Cub. The young man lit a ciga
ts steely quality under which he always
tomatically and aske
ignatio
en struck by an electric eel. His blue eye
to face the mu
, s
ordered, tearing the envelope into shreds
nything. Fine woman, and great influence in her generation. Sewed her up again. No use. Will probably live several months. Are the ru
ckled easing Dr. Paton 75 into a chair. Then he walked over and s
tremendous discoveries of the ruins of Roman towns which had
anicure, and Dr. Barton came in quietly, nodded, sat down and joined
o Dr. MacArthur; like obedient schoolboys
the occasion justifies the summons. The thing of which Ethridge told you yesterday afternoon, is this morning.... At three A.M. the pati
s voice had become an augu
in the autopsy room. For thirty-odd years his and Dr. Harrison's great passion had been the Elijah Wilson Hospital. Harrison rose. They met
o scream. Dr. Barton, in the voice he used w
y lau
registe
ing pearl diver and enunciated
tly and Princeton Peters' peach-blossom face vied with the morning sun. Cub Sterling saw it and winced. Before any
to his brain and into theirs, the report of the second assistant chemist. As he turned the page to Dr. H
ients of a sleeping potion. These ingredients tally with those prescribed in the order filed upon the patient's chart. Toxicology, like other branches of the Profession, is partly guess work. S
clusions. In the meantime, I repeat, a sleeping potion prescribed in capsule form, which the pharmacy comp
ch may be administered per os, and may have been so administered in the two previous c
of pallbearers as they watch the coffin of a beloved comrade lowered, blanketed the staff. Whatever their petty hates
wrong," Pri
y hea
o discover it. Something we never heard of, probably." Dr.
Arthur
would only waste time surmising." Then, as though Prissy's statement had just reached his brain he turned to him and said, "Yes, he might be wron
speaking, no man spoke, and it was Prissy's
r ... how was s
n that was not odd. Her spirits were excellent. Eager for Father to go ahead 79 with the operation. He saw her between eig
by the way, wher
tumor, Dr. Paton,"
ur resident ...
ttu
attus, consider her?" Hoffbe
ports her pulse had dropped to around ninety; otherwise
questions which did not flatter h
ned some measure of its equilibr
us saw her and three A
e thing over to the police," Prin
ving person is 80 aware of the situation," he pointed the paper at Peters' face. "Some linen is too foul to wash in publ
the paper
isely
lized he had expressed
lusion, gentlemen?
of the witnesses, I think ... if you can cal
hem quietly ... and separately ... in order to avoid.... We would have questioned them minutely this morning
ard B is waiting. Shall I hav
ub Sterling's, a slight movement in the
er cruel?" Dr. H
t how else wi
rs interrupted
is cru
en mentioned. It rushed into the face
acuum, Dr. MacArthur
please bring that pup
entered
eton Peters felt she had been nicely brought up; Dr. Harrison's brain flashed "kitten lined with ox
it down, Mis
is Evel
ance as she took the proffere
e training ... and we regret that it is unavoidable. Will you please tell us plainly ... and as
, her hands folded in her lap,
cine Clinic. Aunt Roenna ... I mean Miss Kerr ... was on the floor and
ton Peters' voice was
oor nurse in charge,"
ilent in her resentment
y temperatures, counted pulses, pr
err," Hoffbein began in his me
the underlying resentment of a schoolboy sto
r. Hoffbein. She had
" he interr
red restlessly an
hundred. By nine-thirty I had
have any
d a prescription 83 of Dr. Sterling
know wha
me up from the
duplicate on
ital," Cub Sterlin
seemed to have lost th
story, child," Dr
a moment and
temperatures and pulses. The ward was quiet
t trays. Two patients called for bed-pans. The orderly came to tell me t
perfectly quiet, except
isor in Medicine, made her rounds, and told me
closet to prepare the hypodermic Dr. M
podermic?" Dr. M
mixture. She's
cardiac insufficiency,
n expressed by silence. She see
?" Hoffbein de
e had come into the room he
rned around, and ran to the medicine closet door. There was no one in sight. And then I remembered the boiling syringe and went back
o the ward. There was nobody there, and all of the patients we
had seen anybody a
n her throat and the sev
regained
e say she sa
r. ... Dr. ... Ster
eyes, death-purple, Prissy's green ones glinting, Hoffbein's black ones deep as wells and
thur's eyes re
nswered the in
ranged, gentlemen.
rose and gave him his seat. Dr. Harrison pulled up a vacant chair
Peters and both of them decided t
next, Miss Kerr?"
y and he said 'No.' So I went and looked at the pat
suddenly forward.
ged patient see
, s
s voice
d y
ed quickly. Her resp
ctor Ha
retching. The girl
o my desk and finis
t call your
ully. I called in the rounds to my night supervisor and began studying my nursing manual. Three patients rang their bells between
ook at the pat
n Bed 11 was dead. I called my supervisor and failed to get her. I then called the general superinte
ext fifteen minutes. Dr. Sterling and Dr. Mattus r
emaining patients and told them that the patient in Bed 11 had been operated on
l you that?" Cub
hed. For the moment she see
tten. Miss Willis, the n
e any questions any of you gentlemen wish
ve you been
onths, Dr. Harrison.
MacArthur said as she r
you are the youngest. Please do not forget that t
s sitting by the door, r
, my dear!
e had told the
waiting the next witness. The horror of
lar looking man with frightened eyes. Everything abo
rthur lo
g, William.
reciation spr
cted, thank you, Doc
ub, and Harrison with a resp
efore he could enter into a personal conversati
usual. And a fright
ow
d then that girl just in here was like a kitten on a brick, sir. Got my hair prickled, so to speak, by runnin
e any bas
pell, so to speak. But, if you will pardon my remarking, sir, I been on that w
liam. I k
Dr. MacArthu
nurse come back?" Hoffbe
dead, sir! I was resting with my eyes shet, s
htened?" Hoff
self to see, sir. It wasn't till Dr. Mattus came that I could stand away from the wall, s
ng as most of you and I se
ou have always been to it. So you must promise me, upon your oath, before these gentlemen, that yo
e old man's eyes to h
omise
you, Wi
held the
ted toward it an
hur, do I .
night and e
inute William began speaking that he was innoc
entrance of Peter Rathbone, Chief Pharma
e shook them ou
and assurance. He was a youngish middle-aged man. A spreading part ran up the
his way up at the Elijah Wilson. There was a sense of definite knowledge about the face an
rning, g
a deep reson
ush steeped his 91 face, and he smiled. Rathbone returned the smile, took the ch
thur said
bone, did you check
and so ... but the ingredients from the remainder (I understood from the order that I was to have two capsul
e prescription?" D
assistant, sir. H
en. MacArthur's, "Yes, Heddis. Are you sure? Soon as possible. Thank you," h
carefully upon the receiver, Hof
e deadliest poisons. Heddis wi
. Harrison
nge, then," Bear
mped as though
turned to
idge?" Dr. Harrison put
was giving hypodermic
ose had a dreadful strugg
low ourselves any prejudices, until w
ice wa
saying,
niine and called me twenty minutes ago, and as a result all of the medici
in the pharmacy?" Cub Sterling
None, at
y of this ... coniine?" Cub Sterl
body around and looked through Cub searchingly
and Bear Sterling who had
hard to
ir
oniine diffi
Sterling," he hesitated as if endeavoring to hide his
rthur in
tities the big pharmaceutical houses h
e person quickly that wa
lemen? I'll let you know directly I find out. Do you wi
MacArthur turned toward H
Hoffbein inserted. "Check
moved. His incisive uprightness rested them; but he had shot them so fu
ted, her enraged vitals midway between. She had been there as long as any of the
her arm in his, patted
s Kerr, b
"witness chair" and ti
ah Wilson ... in his way. To every other m
she smiled, generally, cocked her h
t for me
natural inclinations. "We want you to tell us exactly what you know abo
last
Than
at the Elijah Wilson is as dear to my heart a
eton came t
know
om, took a snort of
as a patient of Dr. Ethridge Sterling, Senior, under
g I wish you to report upon i
her bosom ag
r met in the nursing profession. And she had been most surpassingly brave th
h us?" Dr. H
ve student nurses into whose records I have gone most
as you call it. Please try to realize that it is not because we suspect yo
ps, "my department has been my
Harrison interposed. "Really Miss Kerr, please stick to what
e h
he patients about the death. Did you?" Cub Sterling
n duty, Dr.
to her over
How should I kno
lk to her o
rely and said wit
, I just answere
explain her state
ue eyes. She dropped the lids instan
through such an orde
nk y
ard, Dr. MacArthur frowned and took up the questio
hypodermic syringes on
e nurse i
access
student nur
s?" Bear Ste
erling. Night as well
s
d her composure. Sh
questioning my n
e discovered the murder, and therefor
he?" Dr. Har
began to t
lavatory
t into the Clinic thi
ant eyes upon Cub S
me at three-thirty and told me. I came over immedi
Thank you"
lized she was use
p. Of course I do not have to ask a person of yo
his cue and o
jestically and sm
y man in the
s' story, and Dr. Sterling, Ethridge and I went over it with him while we were
' statement?" Dr
did when he made his rounds, and the next time he saw h
animus against the patients?"
genteel poor, second dispensary admission, and t
h the opening. His wide-set yellow-brown eyes, even in 99 repose, dominated his highly intelligent face. Dr. MacArthur motioned him in
questioner's voice, so upon a subject of which men spoke in whispe
ests alphabetically. It would have taken two days to reach coniine, if my nose hadn't been h
as coniine administered per os would be remarked by the patient. Smells like mouse urine. Also acts locally as a caustic. Burning the mou
ly. So did every other man in the room. C
nt would have the agony symptoms penetrate to the drug deadened nerve centers. Before she could rouse herself the paralysis of the peripheral endings of the motor ner
upted. Toxicology was only a branch of the
rich in blood ... liver, spleen, kidneys, lungs ... appeared healthy. But they ...
longer. He screamed, "Of what plan
mlo
Dr. Harrison's voice
ered the poison went up to him and examined for a little time 101 his feet
le understanding Harrison, also kne
ards in this way, showed us that he was cold and stiff, and he afterwards approached him and
out his han
as weak upon the
" he breat
hooping cough," Cub St
pupils of Hoffbein's eyes dilate slightly. Bear Sterling's eyes were pin points needling th
c alkaloid, or ptomaine, that is 102 formed in putrefaction
gan to squi
sumably combined with lactic acid is colorless
nd leaned close t
on who gave this ... drug ... r
ed his plump thu
of dynamite to destroy a city is that it will explode. Rathbone
d his thic
ology could have made it synthetically. A
rivately until after lunch. Men under a strain as long as this has been upon Ethridge and Dr. MacArthur are not at thei
turned fr
ed me, Mac
"One question before we go. Is
Sterling snapped. "Ther
orget! ... to run away and rest ... made Cub Sterling walk through the grou
down he
m a student nurse that Dr. James was at lunch and Dr. Mattus
ared, whose violet shades sung against the white pill
arette from between
d they quieted my nerves, so your shirt-tail is clear. She let me keep them.... I've been thinking
ode over to the bed. His features were flattening. His dark cu
is that I am a tremendously busy man. A Physician-in-Chief works! You are not the only patient in this hospital ... but God knows you are the most petulant! Spending all
owly. When Cub stopped for breath
joyed lying here for ninety-six hours having you throw up to me that the Attorney-General will pay my bills? Do you? There is a rumor that the Attorney-General is going to be i
' I've got to hold my job to meet them and I've got to get out to do it! And a
ctedly and she covered
could see her body b
d for an ash-tray, saw none, and vacantly placed the cigarette between his own lips.
as banterin
the City Editor about you every day. Mistake was I ordered no visitors and no flowers and so you thought they had abandoned you. You may stay a month so far as they are concerned
0
ub cut his eye over the body and began talking again. He decided s
tte from his lips
ushed into the situation uninformed. I didn't know whether you were the king's mistress or the governor's. I didn't care a damn!
breasts became sl
nly one thing I will not do. I will not let you walk out of this hospital until I am absolutely sure that you are perfectly well.
ompletely. He sat
led the pillow beside her upon 107 the bed. Her eyes looked strai
offered to lend me money and d
eartily, and
's because
anced and the
, will you com
s to his and nod
I may! As often
er lids and filled t
all
er raise her eyes to his again. When th
-a-l
room began cascading around her hair,
d she also knew that something which made her sick with joy was squirmin
108 table up, there's not much extra space, you know ... but ... oh, by the way ... could
ghed jo
ce was
a knife and fork, ...
trouble you spoke ab
his features and his lef
worry about. Just ..
om under the covers and re
it
d he increased his p
cause everyth
rose a
urvey of the knife and fork situation. That pack
ng the pillows a
ging air and closed the door sec