“If Miss Parkins goes on the ward in a routine way as a patient, she will automatically be suspected by them and therefore become less valuable to us. But if she falls upon the street with a heart attack within four blocks of the hospital, arrives at the accident room entrance in an ambulance, and is admitted to Ward B, Bed 11.... You see?”
“Perfectly.”
“Can we be sure that she will be placed in Bed 11, sir? That the staff in the accident room will admit her for medical treatment and that she will be sent to that floor and put in that bed?”
“A moment and I’ll see.” Dr. MacArthur reached for his telephone and said:
“Superintendent of nurses, please. Miss Carruthers? Dr. MacArthur. Will you please ascertain for your own information the vacant beds in Medicine Clinic and their location, and call me back immediately? Thank you.”
He turned to Miss Parkins and said:
“What kind of ailment is it? How bad?”
“It’s a false angina, and during the attacks causes extreme palpitation. By intense excitement I can create a definite change in my heart action, and the other symptoms are permanent.”
“I see. Given you much trouble?” MacArthur was solicitous.
The telephone interrupted.