"Can you imagine it? Mark Twain said there's no distinct American criminal class except for Congress. And yet this collection of edacious, minatory pharisees is going to deliver ethical guidelines to a profession'that has had a code of ethics since the time of Babylon. " "We're not all so perfect, either, ' Gin said.

'"If all you've got is larceny in your heart, you don't spend four years in premed, four years in med school, three to ten years in postgraduate training working hundred-hour weeks at slightly more than minimum wage, all for the privilege of being six figures in debt by the time you hang out your shingle."

"Of course not, " Gin said. "You do it SQ you can work seventy-hour weeks for the rest of your life." Duncan smiled and felt his muscles relax. My dear cygnet. It's good to have you around.

He'd finished resecting and tightening the platysma. Time to close.

He asked for 6-o gut on a curved needle. Using a continuous subcutaneous technique, he began suturing.

"Anyway, " she said, "since Senator Marsden is McCready's successor, he's been asked to chair the joint committee. Got any dirt on him? ' Why was she so interested?

"Actually7 no7 Duncan said. "But he hasn't been around all that long.

Give him time You know what the committee's up to, don't you? " "Holding public hearings to gather information to help them write the bill? " "Their stated purpose, at the president's behest, is to set rigid standards for medical practice. What they're really out to do is parade a bunch of horror stories before the public present a lot of one-sided testimony on the worst cases of negligence and medical malfeasance they can find and paint the whole medical profession as a cartel of reckless, irresponsible, knife-happy, money-grubbing brigands who must be brought to heel."