Dr. Harlow was looking. "There's a rather important branch of the median nerve," Dr. Harlow said slowly, to the cut-up sailor. "You're lucky if that's not cut."
"The knife missed it," said Homer Wells.
"Yes, it did," said Dr. Harlow, looking up from the wound. "How do you know?" he asked Homer Wells, who held up the thumb of his right hand and wiggled it.
"Not only an ether expert, I see," said Dr. Harlow, still snidely. "Knows all about muscles, too!"
"Just about that one," said Homer Wells. "I used to read Gray's Anatomy--for fun," he added.
"For fun?" said Dr. Harlow. "I suppose you know all about blood vessels, then. Why not tell me where all this blood is coming from."
Homer Wells felt Nurse Caroline brush his hand with her hip; it was surely sympathetic contact--Nurse Caroline didn't care for Dr. Harlow, either. Despite Candy's certain disapproval, Homer couldn't help himself. "The blood vessel is a branch of the palmar arch," he said.
"Very good," said Dr. Harlow, disappointed. "And what would you recommend I do about it?"
"Tie it," said Homer Wells. "Three-o chromic."
"Precisely," said Dr. Harlow. "You didn't get that from Gray's." He pointed out to Homer Wells that the knife had also cut the tendons of the flexor digitorum profundus and the flexor digitorum sublimis. "And where might they go?" he asked Homer Wells.
"To the index finger," Homer said.
"Is it necessary to repair both tendons?" asked Dr. Harlow.
"I don't know," said Homer Wells. "I don't know a lot about tendons," he added.
"How surprising!" said Dr. Harlow. "It is only necessary to repair the profundus," he explained. "I'm going to use two-o silk. I'll need something finer to bring the edges of the tendon together."
"Four-o silk," recommended Homer Wells.
"Very good," said Dr. Harlow. "And something to close the palmar fascia?"
"Three-o chromic," said Homer Wells.
"This boy knows his stitches!" Dr. Harlow said to Nurse Caroline, who was staring intently at Homer Wells.
"Close the skin with four-o silk," Homer said. "And then I'd recommend a pressure dressing on the palm--you'll want to curve the fingers a little bit around the dressing."
"That's called 'the position of function,' " Dr. Harlow said.
"I don't know what it's called," Homer said.
"Were you ever in medical school, Wells?" Dr. Harlow asked him.
"Not exactly," said Homer Wells.
"Do you plan to go?" Dr. Harlow asked.
"It's not likely," Homer said. He tried to leave the operating room then, but Dr. Harlow called after him.
"Why aren't you in the service?" he called.
"I've got a heart problem," Homer said.
"I don't suppose you know what it's called," said Dr. Harlow.
"Right," said Homer Wells.
He might have found out about his pulmonary valve stenosis on the spot, if he had only asked; he might have had an X ray, and an expert reading--he could have learned the truth. But who seeks the truth from unlikable sources?