A pathologist examines two dead young women and passes sections of organs to pathology for examination. The pathologist examines the specimens and questions the accuracy of the collection of tissue. When the collection has been confirmed the answer is devastating. The impact of this finding stretches far beyond the lives and families of the two women.
Peggy Kramer was in the hospital, went into labor and delivered twins. The press carried the story, Peggy, Joan and Stanley were doing well. Here husband was asked about the names. He laughed. “Without Dr. Joan Butler and Dr. Stanley Warner we would not have these two children. We felt this was a proper tribute to them.”
“Who is Stanley Warner?”
“You all remember Joan Butler and it is well we do. I believe she is a modern day Esther.”
“Who is that?”
“Esther was a Jewish girl who became queen to the king of Babylon. When things went wrong she had to stand up and be counted at some risk to herself. When she was deciding whether to act or not her uncle asked if it was not possible she was born for such a time as this. But there is Dr. Stanley Warner, the man who really first noticed the Alpha Four issue. Who knows if it would have been detected in a month or five years without him? When he initially took up the pursuit, nobody else had even noticed.”
“What does he do?”
“He is a pathologist in Harrisburg PA.”
“You are telling me that with all of the great minds in this country this was found by a pathologist and a OB from Harrisburg?”
“Yes. Does that surprise you?”
“Well. Why not one of the big universities?”
“They were looking for something, they were not looking for anything. That is what Stanley Warner looks for every day, whatever is there. You do know that he has three daughters, one pre-Alpha Four and two who were sterile. He told me a few months ago that his one regret is he didn’t look more carefully when doing autopsies. He knows there were Alpha Fours he autopsied before his middle daughter was born.”
“God. That is heavy. If I knew that I would turn to the bottle.”
“He didn’t. He tells me he has pledged to never let this happen again if there is one case he has that would prevent it. Turning to the bottle helps no one.”
Over the next two days there were several articles about Stanley Warner in various outlets. When interviewed he responded, “Ask my two daughters Lynn and Lucy if I am good at my job. I missed it.”
That evening Lucy sat at the table quietly as they ate. Finally she looked up at her dad. “I saw you on TV today, the teacher brought in the interview. They discussed it before they realized I was your daughter.” Lucy was taking a college class on government during the summer.
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