Error in Diagnosis by Mason Lucas M. D.

far from convinced GNS is a mere act of God.”
    â€œYes, sir.”
    The president reached for his fork. “As soon as you’re notified Vosky has been found, I’d like to know about it.”
    For the next hour, both the president and Dr. Brickell asked Milton a number of tough questions regarding the possibility that GNS was an act of bioterrorism. He was informative, but measured in his responses. After coffee and dessert, Kellar thanked Brickell and Milton and ended the meeting.
    â€œMay I offer you a ride back to Washington?” he asked her. Brickell had made the trip to the War College by car with two of her aides. She would have preferred to ride back with them, but for reasons far too numerous to count, turning down the president of the United States’ offer to accompany him back to Washington was definitely not an option.

20

    Jack was accustomed to boring medical dinners. When the crème brûlée and hazelnut coffee were finally served, the conversation shifted from informal and innocuous to a discussion of Southeastern State’s enigmatic group of GNS patients.
    Jack was asked several general questions, which he answered with a mixture of caution and guarded optimism. The participation was excellent, so when Sinclair didn’t utter a single word, it left Jack wondering at first. But as he gave it more thought, he understood. Sinclair believed he had the solution to GNS. To contribute to a conversation held by a group of bumbling, less-enlightened physicians than he would be intellectually beneath him. Jack had little doubt that when Sinclair felt the time was right, he wouldn’t hesitate to move center stage and announce he had discovered the cause of GNS and how to cure it.
    After another thirty minutes had passed, most of the guests had left. A few, including Sinclair and Madison, remained.
    â€œWe’ve scheduled you to host our noon conference tomorrow,” Helen informed Jack. “The residents have prepared a couple of cases to present to you. I should warn you, they’re pretty tough ones.”
    â€œI’ll look forward to it.”
    She took a sip of her red wine and added, “Under the circumstances, I thought it might be better if we didn’t discuss the GNS cases at the conference. We’ve already had a problem with some members of the press sneaking into the hospital. There will be a large number of people there and I’m not sure our security department has the resources to monitor everybody entering the auditorium.”
    At that moment, Madison approached with an ominous look on her face.
    â€œExcuse me for interrupting but I’ve just had a call regarding a new patient with GNS.”
    â€œWe should check with the ICU to make sure we have a bed available,” Helen suggested. Sinclair, who was seated a few feet away, turned in his chair but said nothing.
    â€œActually, she’s in the children’s hospital emergency room. She was transferred down from Cocoa Beach about two hours ago.”
    â€œHow old is she?” Helen asked.
    â€œShe’ll be fourteen next month,” Madison answered, hoisting her purse on her shoulder. “I’m going over there.”
    â€œAny doubt about the diagnosis?” Helen asked.
    â€œIt doesn’t sound like it. She has all the symptoms.”
    â€œI guess I should go as well,” Sinclair grumbled without coming to his feet.
    In addition to the two vodka martinis he’d seen Sinclair drink before dinner, Jack had also noted he had consumed several glasses of wine with his meal. He scanned the faces of those around him. It was obvious the only person amongst them who felt Sinclair was in any shape to see a patient was the acting chief of neurology himself.
    Madison stepped forward. “There’s no reason for both of us to go, Hollis. I’ll make sure everything’s taken care of. I’ll fill you in first thing in the morning and give you a