“Young lady!” he boomed. “Can you direct me to the laboratory?”
In his office, Dr. Daley chuckled a little over the episode. He put aside Judge Ellis’s medical history and snapped on his inter-office phone. “Send in the next patient, Miss Babcock,” he said.
The girl outside answered, “But Dr. Daley, Dr. Barsch has an operation he wants you to attend in a half hour. You haven’t forgotten it, have you?”
The young doctor’s hands grew clammy at the thought of the operation he was to attend. “Thank you, Miss Babcock,” he said. “Thank you for reminding me.”
His face was grim as he left his office and went upstairs to prepare for the operation. He met Jean on the second floor corridor. She was armed with her sketch pad.
“So you’re to try your hand at sketching a cancer operation, Miss Craig,” Dr. Daley said.
“Yes, sir,” Jean answered.
The doctor shook his head. “This will probably be very unpleasant. I’m frankly scared to death every time we attempt to remove a cancer.”
“I know,” Jean replied solemnly as they went into the operating room.
Howard Mills, a middle-aged farmer, had developed cancer in his lung, and Dr. Barsch was dubious as he prepared for the operation. If the malignant cells had been confined to one lung, Mr. Mills could be pulled through. But if the cancer had invaded the surrounding tissues, there was little hope for his life.