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he had characterized in a paper in 1953。
As he grew older； however； Leavitt had stopped traveling。 Public health； he was fond of saying； was a young man's game； when you got your fifth case of intestinal amebiasis； it was time to quit。 Leavitt got his fifth case in Rhodesia in 1955。 He was dreadfully sick for three months and lost forty pounds。 Afterward； he resigned his job in the public health service。 He was offered the post of chief of microbiology at the hospital； and he had taken it； with the understanding that he would be able to devote a good portion of his time to research。
Within the hospital he was known as a superb clinical bacteriologist； but his real interest remained parasites。 In the period from 1955 to 1964 he published a series of elegant metabolic studies on Ascaris and Necator that were highly regarded by other workers in the field。
Leavitt's reputation had made him a natural choice for Wildfire； and it was through Leavitt that Hall had been asked to join。 Leavitt knew the reasons behind Hall's selection； though Hall did not。
When Leavitt had asked him to join； Hall had demanded to know why。 〃I'm just a surgeon；〃 he had said。
〃Yes；〃 Leavitt said。 〃But you know electrolytes。〃
〃So？〃
〃That may be important。 Blood chemistries； pH； acidity and alkalinity； the whole thing。 That may be vital； when the time es。〃
〃But there are a lot of electrolyte people；〃 Hall had pointed out。 〃Many of them better than me。〃
〃Yes；〃 Leavitt had said。 〃But they're all married。〃
〃So what？〃
〃We need a single man。〃
〃Why？〃
〃It's necessary that one member of the team be unmarried。〃
〃That's crazy；〃 Hall had said。
〃Maybe；〃 Leavitt had said。 〃Maybe not。〃
They left the hospital and walked up to the Army sedan。 A young officer was waiting stiffly； and saluted as they came up。
〃Dr。 Hall？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃May I see your card； please？〃
Hall gave him the little plastic card with his picture on it。 He had been carrying the card in his wallet for more than a year； it was a rather strange card with just a name； a picture； and a thumbprint； nothing more。 Nothing to indicate that it was an official card。
The officer glanced at it； then at Hall； and back to the card。 He handed it back。
〃Very good； sir。〃
He opened the rear door of the sedan。 Hall got in and Leavitt followed； shielding his eyes from the flashing red light on the car top。 Hall noticed it。
〃Something wrong？〃
〃No。 Just never liked flashing lights。 Reminds me of my days as an ambulance driver； during the war。〃 Leavitt settled back and the car started off。 〃Now then；〃 he said。 〃When we reach the airfield； you will be given a file to read during the trip。〃
〃What trip？〃
〃You'll be taking an F…104；〃 Leavitt said。
〃Where？〃
〃Nevada。 Try to read the file on the way。 Once we arrive； things will be very busy。〃
〃And the others in the team？〃
Leavitt glanced at his watch。〃 Kirke has appendicitis and is in the hospital。 The others have already begun work。 Right now； they are in a helicopter； over Piedmont； Arizona。
〃Never heard of it；〃 Hall said。
〃Nobody has；〃 Leavitt said； 〃until now。〃
6。 Piedmont
AT 9：59 A。M。 ON THE SAME MORNING； A K…4 JET helicopter lifted off the concrete of Vandenberg's maximum…security hangar MSH…9 and headed east； toward Arizona。
The decision to lift off from an MSH was made by Major Manchek； who was concerned about the attention the suits might draw。 Because inside the helicopter were three men； a pilot and two scientists； and all three wore clear plastic inflatable suits； making them look like obese men from Mars； or； as one of the hangar maintenance men put it； 〃like balloons from the Macy's parade。〃
As the helicopter climbed into the clear morning sky； the two passengers in the belly looked at each other。 One was Jeremy Stone； the other Charles Burton。 Both men had arrived at Vandenberg just a few hours before Stone from Stanford and Burton from Baylor University in Houston。
Burton was fifty…four； a pathologist。 He held a professorship at Baylor Medical School and served as a consultant to the NASA Manned Spaceflight Center in Houston。 Earlier he had done research at the National Institutes in Bethesda。 His field had been the effects of bacteria on human tissues。
It is one of the peculiarities of scientific development that such a vital field was virtually untouched when Burton came to it。 Though men had known germs caused disease since Henle's hypothesis of 1840； by the middle of the twentieth century there was still nothing known about why or how bacteria did their damage。 The specific mechanisms were unknown。
Burton began； like so many others in his day； with Diplococcus pneumoniae； the agent causing pneumonia。 There was great interest in pneumococcus before the advent of penicillin in the forties； after that； both interest and research money evaporated。 Burton shifted to Staphylococcus aureus； a mon skin pathogen responsible for 〃pimples〃 and 〃boils。〃 At the time he began his work； his fellow researchers laughed at him； staphylococcus； like pneumococcus； was highly sensitive to penicillin。 They doubted Burton would ever get enough money to carry on his work。
For five years； they were right。 The money was scarce； and Burton often had to go begging to foundations and philanthropists。 Yet he persisted； patiently elucidating the coats of the cell wall that caused a reaction in host tissue and helping to discover the half…dozen toxins secreted by the bacteria to break down tissue； spread infection； and destroy red cells。
Suddenly； in the 1950's； the first penicillin…resistant strains of staph appeared。 The new strains were virulent； and produced bizarre deaths； often by brain abscess。 Almost overnight Burton found his work had assumed major importance； dozens of labs around the country were changing over to study staph； it was a 〃hot field。〃 In a single year； Burton watched his grant appropriations jump from 6；000 a year to 300；000。 Soon afterward； he was made a professor of pathology。
Looking back； Burton felt no great pride in his acplishment； it was； he knew； a matter of luck； of being in the right place and doing the right work when the time came。
He wondered what would e of being here； in this helicopter； now。
Sitting across from him； Jeremy Stone tried to conceal his distaste for Burton's appearance。 Beneath the plastic suit Burton wore a dirty plaid sport shirt with a stain on the left breast pocket； his trousers were creased and frayed and even his hair； Stone felt； was unruly and untidy。
He stared out the window； forcing himself to think of other matters。 〃Fifty people；〃 he said； shaking his head。 〃Dead within eight hours of the landing of Scoop VII。 The question is one of spread。〃
〃Presumably airborne；〃 Burton said。
〃Yes。 Presumably。〃
〃Everyone seems to have died in the immediate vicinity of the town；〃 Burton said。 〃Are there reports of deaths farther out？
Stone shook his head。 〃I'm h