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Part 1 : Laboratory Principles 20 Gastrointestinal Disease,334
Author
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This book and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by the Publisher (other than
as may be noted herein) .
Notices
Knowledge and best practice in this field are constantly changing. As new research and experience broaden our
understanding, changes in research methods, professional practices, or medical treatment may become necessary.
Practitioners and researchers must always rely on their own experience and knowledge in evaluating and using
any information, methods, compounds, or experiments described herein. In using such information or methods
they should be mindful of their own safety and the safety of others, including parties for whom they have a profes
sional responsibility.
With respect to any drug or pharmaceutical products identified, readers are advised to check the most current
information provided (i) on procedures featured or (ii) by the manufacturer of each product to be administered,
to verify the recommended dose or formula, the method and duration of administration, and contraindications.
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or from any use or operation of any methods, products, instructions, or ideas contained in the material herein.
Clinical chemistry : fundamentals and laboratory techniques I edited by Donna Larson ; consulting editors,
Larson, Donna, editor. I Hayden, Joshua Uoshua A.) , editor. I Nair, Hari, editor.
Working together
Printed in Canada
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Last digit is the print number: 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2
To my mom and dad, Donald and Barbara Bedard (I wish they could have been here
to see this); to my husband, Earl, and my son, Adrian, for their love and support; to my
sister and her family for their warmth and love; to the Allards for their support during
my clinical year and college years; and to all the friends and colleagues I worked with at
Wentworth-Douglass Hospital (NH), 509th Strategic Hospital (NH), RAF Lakenheath
Regional Hospital (UK), Winston-Salem State University (NC), Mt Hood Community
College (OR), Portland Community College (OR), and Clatsop Community College (OR).
Donna Larson
I appreciate the opportunity Elsevier provided for me to A big thank you to Kellie White, Jean Sims Fornango, and
write the first edition of this clinical chemistry book for Beth LoGiudice for joining the team and seeing this proj
medical laboratory technology students. The process was ect through to completion. The final product has been a
exciting, exhausting, challenging, and an educational expe long time coming. My Thursday mornings will never be
rience like no other. I would like to thank the contributors the same! Thanks also to Dan Fitzgerald and his team for
for their hard work to help make this book possible. putting everything together in a beautiful full-color book.
I would like to thank the Elsevier staff for the assistance, Everyone was understanding, patient, compassionate,
guidance, encouragement, and experience that they shared empathetic, and truly amazing.
with me throughout the development of the book. Thank
you to Ellen Wurm-Cutter, who helped me through the Donna Larson
proposal and beginning stages of manuscript development.
vi
Sheryl Berman, PhD Laura J. McCloskey, PhD
Division Dean of Health Professions Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology
Lane Community College Sidney Kimmel Medical College
Eugene, Oregon Thomas Jefferson University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Jimmy L. Boyd, CLS (NCA), MS/MHS
Assistant Professor, Department Head M. Laura Parnas, PhD, DABCC, FACB
Medical Laboratory Technology Director of Clinical Science
Arkansas State University, Beebe Sutter Health Shared Laboratory
Beebe, Arkansas Livermore, California
vii
This page intentionally left blank
Keith Bellinger, PBT (ASCP) Amy Gatautis, MBA, MT (ASCP), SC
Medical Technologist Program Director, Medical Laboratory Technology
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs New Cuyahoga Community College
Jersey Health Care System Cleveland, Ohio
East Orange, New Jersey
Assistant Professor, Phlebotomy Kristine Hayes, MAT, MLS (ASCP)
Rutgers-The State University of New Jersey MLT and Phlebotomy Program Coordinator
Newark, New Jersey Moberly Area Community College
Moberly, Missouri
Stephanie Bielas, PhD
Assistant Professor of Human Genetics Candy Hill, MEd, MT (ASCP)
University of Michigan CLT Program Coordinator
Ann Arbor, Michigan Jefferson State Community College
Birmingham, Alabama
Jimmy L. Boyd, CLS (NCA), MS/MHS
Assistant Professor, Department Head Lorri Huffard, PhD, MT (ASCP), SBB
Medical Laboratory Technology Dean, Science & Health Programs
Arkansas State University, Beebe Wytheville Community College
Beebe, Arkansas Wytheville, Virginia
Russell Cheadle, MS, MLS (ASCP) Phyllis Ingham, EdD, MEd, MT (ASCP)
Professor, Clinical Laboratory Technology Director Clinical Laboratory Technology Program
Macomb Community College West Georgia Technical College
Warren, Michigan Waco, Georgia
xi
Preface
Introduction, 98
Donna Larson
1 Laboratory Essentials, 1
Nucleic Acid Structure and Function, 98
Introduction, 3
Donna Larson
Laboratory Methods, 106
History of Clinical Laboratories, 3 Diagnostic Applications, 110
Types of Clinical Laboratories, 4
Laboratories, 8
Regulation and Accreditation of Clinical 6 Automation in the Laboratory,114
Introduction, 26
Donna Larson
Safety Regulations, 26
7 Laboratory Quality Management Systems,124
John W. Ridley and Donna Larson
The Laboratory Safety Program, 29 Introduction, 126
Introduction to Quality, 126
3 Principles of Laboratory Instrumentation, 41 Facilities and Safety Overview, 128
Purchasing and Inventory, 130
Introduction, 43
Craig Foreback and Donna Larson
Process Control, 131
Properties of Light, 43 Assessment, 148
Spectrophotometry, 44 Personnel, 149
Fluorometry, 48 Customer Service, 149
Luminometry, 51 Occurrence Management, 149
Nephelometry andTurbidimetry, 51 Process Improvement, 149
Electrochemistry and Chemical Sensors, 52 Documents and Records, 151
Chromatography, 56 Organization, 152
Mass Spectrometry, 62
Electrophoresis, 67
Colligative Properties, 71
8 Enzymes,156
Particle Methods, 88
Light-Scattering Methods, 92
9 Clinical Chemistry and Disease,171
Introduction, 172
Donna Larson
Performance, 93
Factors Affecting Immunoassay Analytical
Definition of Disease, 172
xiii
Contents
Pathology, 172
Disease Mechanisms, 175
17 Blood Vessel Diseases,289
Lipids, 291
10 Cell Injury and Its Relationship to Lipoproteins, 293
Disease,179 Normal Lipoprotein Metabolism, 294
Abnormal Lipoprotein Metabolism, 296
Introduction, 180 Laboratory Procedures and Limitations, 299
Donna Larson
Overview of Cellular Injury, 180 Lipoproteins and Clinical Vascular Disease, 301
Causes of Cellular Injury, 181
Changes in Body Chemistry, 183
LaboratoryTests, 184
18 Heart Disease,306
Introduction, 307
Sheryl Berman
Introduction, 319
Donna Larson
12 Body Fluids and Electrolytes,204 Structure and Function of the Respiratory System, 320
Respiratory Diseases and Pathophysiology, 320
Introduction, 205
Donna Larson
Introduction, 220
Donna Larson 21 Diseases of the Liver,346
Introduction, 252
Donna Larson 23 Endocrinology,379
Introduction, 269
Donna Larson 24 Kidney and Urinary Tract Diseases,412
Douglas F. Stickle
Daniel/e Fortuna, Laura J. McCloskey, Zi-Xuan Wang,
29 Skin, Hair,and Nail Diseases,488
Donna Larson Introduction, 617
Introduction, 489 Overview ofTransplantation, 617
Skin Diseases, 489 Role of Medical Laboratories inTransplantation, 619
Effects of Systemic Disease on Skin, 491 Overview of the Immune System, 619
Hair Diseases, 492 Role of the Immune System inTransplantation, 622
Nail Diseases, 493 Immunosuppression, 624
Exceptional Cases inTransplantation, 628
30 Eye and Ear Diseases,497 Future ofTransplantation, 629
Donna Larson
Introduction, 497 36 Emergency Preparedness,634
Eyes, 498 Donna Larson
Ears, 501 Introduction, 636
Emergency Preparedness, 636
31 Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases,504 Emergency Response, 637
Donna Larson Laboratory Response Network, 654
Introduction, 507
General Concepts of Health and Disease, 507 Glossary,661
Cold Injuries, 507
Heat Illnesses, 508 Answer Key,683
Nutritional Conditions, 509
Metabolic Diseases, 518 Index,707
Inborn Errors of Metabolism, 520
This page intentionally left blank
Laboratory Principles
CHAPTER OUTLI N E
I ntrod uction Chemistry Review
H i story of C l i n ical Laboratories Atomic Theory
O BJ ECTIVES
At the completion of this chapter, the reader will be able to:
1. Describe the history of the clinical laboratory. 1 0. Describe the types of ba lances and their use i n the
2. List the typica l depa rtments of a clinica l laboratory. laboratory.
3. List the personnel employed in a clinica l la boratory. 1 1 . Compa re a n d contrast serologic a n d vo l u metric
4. List the characteristics of reference, federal, and m i l itary pi pettes.
la boratories. 1 2. Describe the various methods used to ca librate pi pettes.
5. Briefly describe The Joint Com mission and the Col lege of 1 3. Defi ne mola rity and mole and perform the calcu lations
American Pathologists and their roles i n clinical laboratory needed for prepa ring and worki ng with molar solutions.
oversig ht. 1 4. Defi ne molality and perform the ca lcu lations needed for
6. Describe the types of water and the uses for each. prepa ring and worki ng with molal solutions.
7. Com pa re and contrast the types of glasswa re and 1 5. Defi ne normal ity, equivalent weig ht, and m i l l iequ iva lent
plasticwa re. weight and perform the calcu lations needed for prepa ring
8. Describe the types of centrifuges used in the and worki ng with normal solutions.
laboratory. 1 6. Defi ne g/d L and mg/d L u n its and perform ca lculations
9. Describe the operating instructions and precautions for necessa ry to prepa re solutions of a desired g/d L and mg/d L
centrifuges. concentration.
2 PA R T 1 Laboratory Principles
1 7. Solve d i l ution problems for fi n a l vol ume and 1 9. Convert metric u n its from one u n it to another, the th ree
KEY TERMS
Accred iting Bureau of Health Education C l i n ical Laboratory Mole
Schools I m p rovement Act Nalgene
Acid C l i n ical la boratory scientists Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act
Alcohols C l i n ical la boratory technicians of 2000
Aldehyde C l i n ical pathology Neutral ization reaction
American Society for C l i nical Col lege of American Pathologists Normal ity
Pathologists Com m ission on Accred itation of All ied Nucleic acids
Ami nes Health Ed ucation Prog ra ms Outpatient c l i n i c
Anatomic pathology Cova lent bond Pathologist
Anion Ester pH
Aromatic ring Governing board Phenol
Atomic theory Gram per deci l iter concentration Phlebotomists
Automated pi pettes Haza rd com m u n ication Physicians' office la boratories
Bala nces Hazardous chemica l s Pi pettes
Base Hematology Proficiency testing
Beer's law Hyd rocarbons Protein
Biochemistry I nternational u n its Pyrex
Blood bank Ionic bond Reagent-g rade water
Bloodborne pathogens Ions Reagents
Board of Reg istry Ketone Reference la boratories
Carbohyd rates La boratory manager Serial d i l ution
Cations Lipids Serologic g lass pi pette
Centers for Disease Control and Medical laboratory assistants Sta ndard cu rve
Prevention Medical staff Sterols
Centrifuge Medical technologist The Joint Com m ission
Chemical sym bols Microbiology department Vol u metric pi pette
C l i n ical chemistry Molal ity Va lence
Molarity
• Medical laboratory assistants are trained to perform or • volume1 x concentration1 = volume 2 x concentration 2 .
assist in performing routine laboratory testing allowed by • Remember:
law and administrative tasks.
grams ---> milligrams, multiply by 1 000
• Phlebotomists draw blood from patients.
decigrams ___, milligrams, multiply by 1 00
• An outpatient clinic or a physician's office is a location
centigrams ___, milligrams, multiply by 1 0
where patients receive medical care.
mm 3 ---> m L (cc), divide by 1 000
• Public health laboratories are responsible for health refer
milligrams ___, grams, divide by 1 000
ence tests; disease prevention, control, and surveillance;
population-based interventions; and emergency response • Conversion of Celsius to Fahrenheit: C = 5/9 x (F 32) -
Act of 2000, and regulations for bloodborne pathogens, • Aunknown/Asrandard = Cunknown / C srandard
hazardous chemicals, and hazard communication. • Standard curves are constructed by plotting points for at
• The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act least three standards for a test procedure.
affects the laboratory as it relates to patient privacy.
• Accreditation is a voluntary process with which laborato Introduction
ries maintain standards of quality.
• The Joint Commission accredits hospitals and many This chapter provides a short history of the clinical labora
other health care organizations. tory, various practice sites for laboratories and their organi
• The College of American Pathologists is an internation zational structures, levels oflaboratory personnel, laboratory
ally known agency that accredits clinical laboratories. departments, and accreditation agencies. Chemistry princi
• Competency testing involves testing the ability of the ples and essential laboratory mathematics are also reviewed.
laboratory professionals that perform the diagnostic
tests. History of Clinical Laboratories
• Characteristics of glassware include thermal durability;
alkali, zinc, or heavy metal content; chemical stability; The first clinical laboratory in the United States opened in
electrical conduction; optical qualities; and color. 1 896 at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Laboratories were small
• Plasticware can be made from polystyrene, polypropyl rooms with very little equipment where pathologists per
ene, polycarbonate, Teflon, and nylon. formed tests on patients' specimens. After the discovery of
• The four basic types of centrifuges are horizontal head causative agents of tuberculosis, diphtheria, and cholera,
or swinging bucket, angle-head or fixed angle, axial, and laboratories became more important in medicine. As the
ultracentrifuge. volume of laboratory tests increased, pathologists trained
• Pipettes are classified as manual, semiautomated, and young women to perform some of the simpler laboratory
automated. tests to free the pathologist to do more complex testing.
• The volumetric pipette is a long glass tube with a bubble The American Society for Clinical Pathologists (ASCP)
in the middle. was formed in 1 922 to meet the needs of the growing pathol
• There are two types of serologic pipettes-those used to ogy profession. In 1 926, the accrediting body for hospitals,
deliver and to contain. the American College of Surgeons, mandated hospitals to
• Reagents must be monitored for reliability and repro have a pathologist on staff. During World War I, hospi
ducibility. tals experienced a critical shortage of laboratory assistants.
• To ensure high-quality laboratory results, high-quality Pathologists viewed this as an opportunity to standardize
chemicals and high-quality water must be used. educational programs for laboratory assistants, now called
• The term gram molecular weight is often used as a defini technologists or scientists. To meet this need, the ASCP cre
tion of mole. ated the Board of Registry in 1 928 to certifY laboratory
• Molarity = (grams of compound/gram molecular weight)/ workers and the Board of Schools to accredit laboratory
liters of solution. training schools. When an individual completed an accred
• The molal concentration of a solution is equal to the ited program, she could take the Board of Registry exami
number of moles of solute per 1 000 g of solvent. nation. Successful completion of the examination conferred
• The definition of normality is 1 gram equivalent weight the ASCP tide of medical technologist (MT) .
of a compound dissolved in a liter of solution. The ASCP played a major role in the formation of the
• The g/dL concentration is defined as the number of clinical laboratory science profession by approving edu
grams of a com pound dissolved in 1 00 mL of water. cation programs and certifYing laboratory workers. The
• A percent (o/o) solution can be written as g/dL or go/o. National Credentialing Agency (NCA) was an independent
4 PA R T 1 Laboratory Principles
certification agency created by laboratory professionals in other settings may be sent to the hospital's clinical labora
the 1 970s to credential laboratory professionals. The ASCP tory for analysis. Clinical laboratory workers are hospital
Board of Registry and the NCA merged in 2009 to create employees, and they are an important part of the health
the ASCP Board of Certification. care team.
Another organization that certifies laboratory profession
als and other medical professionals is the American Medical Organizational Structure
Technologists (AMT) . The AMT was founded in 1 939 and Hospitals are an invention of the 20th century. Hospitals
is a nationally and internationally recognized certification were known as almshouses before the 20th century. Alms
and membership society for medical technologists, medi houses were places where poor people or people without fam
cal laboratory technicians, phlebotomy technicians, medical ily members to care for them would go to receive care. These
laboratory assistants, clinical laboratory consultants, medi facilities provided food, shelter, and rest. Before the 20th cen
cal assistants, medical administrative specialists, dental assis tury, the best medical care was received at home; even opera
tants, and allied health instructors. tions were performed in the home. As medical procedures
In 1 933, clinical laboratory technicians formed a profes and equipment became more advanced, the patient went to
sional society, the American Society for Clinical Laboratory see the doctor instead of the doctor coming to see the patient.
Technicians, to provide autonomy and a voice for the grow
ing profession of clinical laboratory science. Years later, the Hospital
organization changed its name to the American Society for There are approximately 6500 hospitals in the United States.
Medical Technology and then to the American Society for They are classified as public, private, specialty, community,
Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS) . federal, military, or other types.
In the 1 940s and 1 950s, clinical laboratory testing analyzed Hospitals are organized in three distinct parts: govern
specimens such as blood and urine. Laboratories also housed ing board, medical staff, and management. The governing
and used animals in the test procedures. An example is the board is the body responsible for the financial health of the
pregnancy test where urine from a woman suspected of being organization and for setting institutional policies and goals.
pregnant was injected into a rabbit. After a specific time period, The governing board appoints the medical staff as the party
the rabbit's ovaries were examined for ovulation. If the ovaries responsible for quality patient care.
were swollen and ovulating, the woman was pregnant. In the The medical staff members of the hospital are not usu
1 960s, laboratories used frogs to detect pregnancy in women. ally considered to be employees; however, more hospitals
By the 1 970s, more reliable and valid test procedures were and hospital systems are employing health care providers.
introduced into the clinical laboratory for pregnancy testing. In the traditional structure, the medical staff is granted
More sensitive test procedures were introduced in the 1 970s the right to admit patients and perform procedures in the
(e.g., radioimmunoassay) and 1 980s (e.g., enzyme immunoas hospital.
says) . Bioluminescence assays attained widespread use in the The management portion of the hospital consists of
1 990s. As more sensitive test procedures were introduced in the the hospital administrator as the chief executive officer
clinical laboratory, more test analyses were added. who is responsible for managing all hospital departments.
Figure 1 - 1 shows the relationships among the three parts
Types of Clinical Laboratories of the hospital and shows where the laboratory fits into the
organizational structure.
Clinical laboratories are a dynamic area in health care. Lab
oratories produce 80% of the objective data that health care Clinical Laboratory
providers use to diagnose and rule out diseases, to provide Clinical laboratories are composed of many different depart
blood for transfusion, and to determine the susceptibility of ments. The laboratory services department is usually sepa
pathogenic bacteria to antibiotics. Clinical laboratories are rated into anatomic and clinical pathology. The anatomic
found in hospitals, outpatient clinics, and physicians' offices pathology department examines all tissues, fluids, organs,
and as stand-alone reference laboratories. Laboratories are and limbs removed from the body. This discipline com
constantly integrating new technology and instruments to prises surgical pathology, histology, and cytology. Personnel
better meet the needs of health care providers and patients. in the anatomic pathology department include pathologists,
The following sections describe the types of clinical labora pathologists' assistants, histology technicians, and cytology
tories, structures of organizations and laboratories, labora technicians. In the anatomic pathology department, tis
tory personnel, and laboratory departments. sues are described by pathologists, cut into sections, fixed
with chemicals, sliced very thin, placed on glass slides, and
I n patient la boratories stained with special chemicals. After the slides are stained
and cover slipped, the pathologist examines the tissue for
Clinical laboratories began as part of a hospital in the early abnormalities.
20th century and remain a critical part of hospitals today. Clinical pathology is the largest portion of the clinical
Although the clinical laboratory may be located in the hos laboratory. This section is composed of hematology, clinical
pital, work from outpatient clinics, nursing homes, and chemistry, microbiology, immunohematology, toxicology,
CHAPTER 1 Laboratory Essentials
AdmiHospi tal
n istrator
BusiOffincesse
MediAdmicalsRecords
sions ClRadi
i n icoalloLab
gy Respi ratory
Pharmacy AdmiFaci
n i s ies ve Bil ing CodiAccounti
l ittrati &
ng ng
I maging Rehabil itation Support Human Resources
• Figure 1-1 Hospital organ izational chart.
Hematology Immunol
Serologyogy/ Microbiology Toxicology II Uri nalysis
• Figure 1-2 Clinical laboratory organizational chart .
and they perform all the routine testing in the laboratory. small laboratories that perform routine tests as allowed
CLTs who graduate from accredited programs are able to sit by law. Physicians' office laboratories (POLs) range
for the national certification examination offered through from a small laboratory (for one to five physicians) that
the BOC. CLTs use microscopes and all of the instrumenta- performs a few tests to laboratories with a large volume
tion in a clinical laboratory. CLTs also specialize in the same (500,000 tests per year) chat serve up to 200 physicians.
disciplines as the CLSs. The large POL is usually the exception. POLs are defined
as a laboratory that performs tests in a physician office
Medical Laboratory Assistants setting, provides results to be used during the office visit,
Medical laboratory assistants (MLAs) are trained to per- and performs tests to be used for screening, diagnosis, and
form or assist in performing routine laboratory testing as monitoring.
allowed by law and to perform administrative tasks. Some
MLAs also have duties involving patient contact. Most of
Reference Laboratories
these professionals receive on-the-job training, but some
graduate from short-term educational programs accredited Reference laboratories are independent, commercial, large
by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health laboratories chat perform routine and specialty testing.
Education Programs (CAAHEP) or the Accrediting POLs, nursing homes, and hospital laboratories send labo-
Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). ratory testing to these facilities. Reference laboratories have
specialized equipment and perform low-volume specialized
Phlebotomists tests. Reference laboratories usually have drawing stations
Phlebotomists draw blood from patients. Usually, CLSs located in convenient locati0ns for patients.
and CLTs are also trained to draw blood as part of their
education. It is more cost effective to hire phlebotomists to
State and Federal Laboratories
draw blood and have the CLSs and CLTs perform laboratory
tests . Phlebotomists are high school graduates with specific or isease Control and Prevention (CDC)
training in phlebotomy. The ASCP BOC offers a certifica- operates o , cl two biosafety level 4 laboratories in the
tion examination for phlebotomy technicians (Table 1-1 ). United States.it is an example of a federal laboratory. Many
~ ublic ea di laboratories are operated at a state level. The
Outpatient Clinics and Physicians' Office tW.v0rk of public health laboratories plays a vital role in
kee2ing Americans healthy. Public health laboratories are
Laboratories
resp~ sible for performing public health reference tests; dis-
An outpatient clinic or a doctor's office is a location c.s:ase prevention, control, and surveillance; population-based
where patients receive medical care. Clinics usually ,Have interventions; and emergency responses.
Laboratory Education
Professionals Where They Work Special Skills Required
Clinical laboratory Performs routine and Hospitals, reference Problem solver, troubleshooting Bachelor's degree
scientist (CLS) complex tests laboratories, clinics skills, attention to Licensure or
Performs quality control detail, organized, good certification
time management
Clinical laboratory Performs routine tests Hospitals, reference Good coordination, ability to Associate degree
technician (CLT) Performs quality control laboratories, clinics manipulate small objects, Licensure or
with supervision attention to detail, computer certification
literate
Clinical laboratory Performs or assists with Hospitals, reference Good coordination, ability to On-the-job training
assistant (CLA) routine laboratory tests laboratories, clinics manipulate small objects, or completion
as allowed by law attention to detail, computer of a short-term
literate program
Phlebotomist Collects blood specimens Hospitals, reference Good coordination, ability to On-the-job training
from patients laboratories, clinics manipulate small objects, or completion
attention to detail, computer of a short-term
literate program
8 PA R T 1 Laboratory Principles
M i l ita ry Laboratories agencies have been given "deemed status" by the federal
government's Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
The Department of Defense operates many clinical labo (CMS) . If laboratories are accredited by either agency, the
ratories across the world. Military hospitals perform rou laboratory does not need to be inspected by the Department
tine laboratory testing and are accredited by the College of of Health and Human Services. The two accrediting agen
American Pathologists (CAP) . The very large military hospi cies are The Joint Commission and the College of Ameri
tals perform routine tests for the physicians assigned to that can Pathologists (CAP) .
hospital and specialized tests for other military hospitals
around the world. The Joint Commission
Military hospitals operate American hospitals to treat mili The Joint Commission (formerly known as the Joint Com
tary members and their dependents. Military hospitals have mission for the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations
laboratory officers and medical laboratory technicians staffing [JCAHO]) accredits hospitals and many other health care
the clinical laboratory. Laboratory officers have at least a bach organizations, such as ambulatory care facilities, stand
elor's degree and CLS certification, and the enlisted members alone surgery centers, long-term care facilities, behavioral
serve as medical laboratory technicians and are graduates of health centers, and laboratories. A team of individuals
the service's medical laboratory technician school. from peer institutions that are accredited by The Joint
Commission visits an institution seeking accreditation or
reaccreditation. These site visitors examine each standard
Regulation and Accreditation of Clinical and the evidence compiled by the institution for com
Laboratories pliance with the standard. Institutions must also collect
data on core measures (ORYX) and must comply with the
Federal regulations and accreditation agencies govern the National Patient Safety Goals annually issued by The Joint
operation of clinical laboratories. Federal regulations that Commission. The Joint Commission accepts accreditation
affect clinical laboratories include the Clinical Laboratory by the CAP as evidence of compliance with a good portion
Improvement Act ( CLIA) of 1 967 and the Clinical Labo of laboratory standards.
ratory Improvement Amendments of 1 988, the Needle
stick Safety and Prevention Act of 2000, and those for College of American Pathologists
bloodborne pathogens, hazardous chemicals, and hazard The CAP is an internationally known agency that accredits
communications. The regulations concerning safety are clinical laboratories. Clinical laboratory professionals per
discussed in Chapter 2, and CLIA is discussed in the next form inspections at clinical laboratories using accreditation
section. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountabil checklists developed by CAP. CAP strives for excellence
ity Act affects the laboratory as it relates to patient privacy. well beyond regulatory compliance to assist physicians in
providing the best patient care possible. The foundation of
Reg u lation CAP accreditation is rigorous accreditation standards that
are molded into specific, comprehensive checklists. The
Congress first passed the CLIA in 1 967. The purpose of inspection team uses the checklists to analyze laboratory
this Act was to regulate clinical laboratories involved in operations.
interstate commerce. Hospital and reference laboratories
were the only clinical laboratories affected by the Act. In Proficiency Testing
1 988, Congress passed regulatory amendments to the Act Proficiency testing is required by CAP, The Joint Commis
in response to public concern about the quality of Pap sion, and the federal government through CLIA 1 988. Pro
smears. The provisions of CLIA 1 988 govern the activities ficiency testing is a process in which a laboratory is provided
of all laboratories. It was designed to enhance the quality samples to analyze with a regular run. These samples are
of laboratory services provided to all patients by mandating provided for every department in the laboratory that per
quality control, quality assurance, and proficiency testing. forms diagnostic tests. The laboratory analyzes the samples
Trained personnel were required to perform particular levels and then sends the results back to the agency that provided
or complexities of tests. The more complex tests a labora the samples. The agency analyzes the laboratory's results and
tory performs, the higher the standards required for the per provides the analysis to the laboratory. This process tests the
sonnel working in that laboratory. If a laboratory performs accuracy of laboratory results being produced in that labora
only simple tests, the laboratory can obtain a certificate of tory. Excellent clinical laboratories must produce accurate
waiver. Laboratories performing "waived" tests are exempt and reliable laboratory test results.
from proficiency testing requirements under CLIA.
Competency Testing
Accred itation Competency testing involves testing the ability of the labo
ratory professionals who perform the diagnostic tests. This
Accreditation is a voluntary process by which laborato must occur yearly to ensure that individuals performing
ries maintain certain standards of quality. Two accrediting diagnostic tests are well trained and competent.
CHAPTER 1 Laboratory Essentials
Periodic Maintenance
Laboratory M aterials
New centrifuges should be calibrated before they are put
Laboratory professionals use many types of equipment and into service in the laboratory and after repair. Centrifuges
chemicals in the laboratory. The following sections describe should spin at the speed recommended by the manufacturer
common, nonautomated equipment and chemicals used in because spinning too fast can lyse or break apart red blood
the laboratory. cells, and spinning too slowly can fail to adequately con
centrate materials in a urine or other specimen. The speed
Glasswa re and Plasticwa re should be checked approximately every 3 to 6 months using
an external tachometer.
All glassware is not made the same and has different char The timer should also be checked for accuracy periodi
acteristics for different purposes. Characteristics of glass cally. If the centrifuge is refrigerated, the temperature should
ware include thermal durability; alkali, zinc, or heavy metal be checked and recorded monthly. The temperature should
content; chemical stability; electrical conduction; optical fall within the manufacturer's guidelines.
qualities; and color. Pyrex can be used in high-temperature
Bala nces
experiments, and it is heat shock resistant. Other qualities
of Pyrex include acid resistance and a low alkali content, Types of Balances
which is good for high-purity laboratory work. The name Balances are devices used to accurately weigh substances.
probably looks familiar because Pyrex glassware is used for There are two designs for balances: double pan and single
home baking. pan. The double pan balance has a single beam with two
Many types of plasticware are sold for laboratory use. arms of equal length. The single pan balance has arms of
Nalgene is a leader in providing high-quality plasticware unequal length. Both types of balances can be mechanical
to laboratories. Plasticware can be made from polystyrene, or electronic. Balances should be placed in a vibration-free
polypropylene, polycarbonate, Teflon, and nylon. Many and airflow-free area away from centrifuges.
types of plasticware are biologically inert, chemically resis Analytical balances are used in laboratories for preci
tant, break resistant, and durable. Because breakage is less sion measuring in weighing substances requiring 0 . 1 -mg to
of an issue than when working with glassware, plasticware 1 0-).lg readability. Analytical balances can be electronic or
makes good laboratory equipment. manual. Types of electronic balances are the electromagnetic
Cleanliness of laboratory equipment is extremely critical balancing or electrical resistance wire. Although they are
because contaminants residing in a piece of glass or plastic based on different principles, neither type of balance directly
ware can severely disrupt the next analysis performed. All measures mass. Instead, they measure the force that pushes
glass and plasticware should be rinsed thoroughly after use the pan downward. This force is converted to an electrical
with water and a mild detergent solution. After using the signal, and the signal on the digital display is interpreted
detergent, the item should be rinsed thoroughly with water. as the mass of the object on the pan. The electromagnetic
If using a dishwasher to clean glass and plasticware, follow balancing principle uses a magnet and a coil to generate an
manufacturer's guidelines for the best results. electromagnetic force that is converted to an electronic sig
nal and interpreted as mass. The electrical resistance wire
Centrifuges uses the change in resistance of a wire that is attached to a
piece of metal that bends when a force is applied. Balances
A centrifuge is a piece of motorized equipment that uses use reference weights to calibrate the output, which corre
centrifugal force to separate a mixture such as clotted blood. lates force to a particular number of grams.
There are four basic types of centrifuges: horizontal head
or swinging bucket, angle-head or fixed angle, axial, and Periodic Maintenance
ultracentrifuge. Centrifuges can be small enough to set on a Analytical standard weights are used to verifY the accuracy
bench top or large enough to stand alone on the floor. They of balances. The National Institute of Standards and Tech
can be refrigerated or nonrefrigerated. They can have small nology (NIST) recognizes five different classes of analytical
openings for placing test tubes or large openings for placing weights: M, S, S- 1 , P, and J. Class M weights are designated
a unit of blood. as primary standard quality and are used to calibrate other
weights. Usually laboratories use class S weights to verifY the
Uses for Centrifuges accuracy of balances for weights between 1 00 g and 1 mg.
There are many uses for centrifuges in a clinical labora
tory. Blood specimens are spun down in a centrifuge to Pi pettes
separate the red blood cells from the serum or plasma.
Urine specimens can be poured into a disposable plastic Pipettes are devices used to transfer a specific amount
tube and spun down in a centrifuge to concentrate the of a liquid to another container. Pipettes are classified as
nonliquid material that may be present in the urine speci manual, semiautomated, and automated. The two types
men. Antibodies and antigens can be separated through of manual pipettes are volumetric (i.e., transfer) and sero
centrifugation. logic (i.e., measuring) . Semiautomated pipettes can have a
10 PA R T 1 Laboratory Principles
fixed volume or variable volume. These pipettes use plastic, are discussed in great detail in the Clinical Laboratory Stan
disposable pipette tips to draw up and dispense the liquid. dards Institute (CLSI) guideline, Preparation and Testing of
Semiautomatic pipettes are especially useful for transferring Reagent \Vtzter in the Clinical Laboratory: Approved Guide
extremely small volumes of liquids, such as 1 0 J..LL , 5 J..LL , line, 4th edition.
1 00 J..LL , or 200 J..LL The most common purification processes used in clini
Automated pipettes are usually electronic, computer cal laboratories include distillation, deionization, reverse
ized pipettes that control the amount of liquid aspirated and osmosis, and ultrafiltration. Distillation is a good pro
the amount of time allowed for aspirating and dispensing cess for removing particulates and some dissolved con
liquids. All types of pipettes used in the laboratory must be taminants. It is less effective at removing dissolved ions.
routinely calibrated to ensure accuracy. The manufacturer's Deionization involves passing water through cation- and
instructions provide details on calibration. anion-exchange resins. This is an excellent method for
removing ions, and when coupled with a carbon filter, most
Volumetric Pipettes dissolved organic compounds can be removed. This pro
The volumetric pipette is a long glass tube with a bubble in the cess is less effective at removing particulate matter. Reverse
middle. The liquid being transferred is drawn up in the pipette osmosis involves forcing water under pressure through a
until it reaches an etched mark on the pipette. This mark indi semipermeable membrane. The semipermeable membrane
cates the exact volume for the pipette. Volumetric pipettes filters out dissolved organic, ionic, and particulate impu
come in different sizes, and each pipette has only one volume. rities. This method is less effective at removing dissolved
gases. Ultrafiltration involves passing water through semi
Serologic Pipettes permeable membranes (i.e., pores less than 0.2 mm) to
The serologic glass pipette is etched with gradations so that remove most particulates from the water. It does not do
different amounts can be delivered with the same pipette. a good job of removing dissolved solids and gases. Most
There are two types of serologic pipettes: "to deliver" and "to laboratories choose water filtration systems that produce
contain." "To deliver" pipettes retain some liquid in the tip the best water possible for its use.
after the specified amount of liquid has been delivered. The There are three types of reagent-grade water. Type I
"to contain" pipettes require the liquid that remains in the reagent-grade water is the highest quality water, and it is
tip after delivery to be pushed out of the pipette for accurate used in test methods requiring minimal interference and
delivery. maximum sensitivity. Type II water is used for general lab
oratory testing. Type III water is used for the initial rins
Reagents ing and washing of glassware. The CLSI standard bases the
purity of reagent-grade water on microbiology content (col
Reagents are chemical solutions that are used in diagnos ony forming units per ml) , pH, resistivity, silicates, organ
tic tests. They are usually liquid, lyophilized, or frozen. ics, and particulate matter. Water used for most routine
Reagents come in various purity states. Because there is no clinical laboratory testing is defined as clinical laboratory
agreement about the purity of a reagent, the standards put reagent water by CLSI and has a resistivity of at least 1 0 mQ
forth by the American Chemical Society (ACS) are used to · em at 25o C.
determine reagent or analytical reagent grade. ACS chemi
cals are considered to have very high purity and to be suit Chemistry Review
able for quantitative analyses.
Reagents must be monitored for reliability and reproduc A clinical laboratory analyzes specimens from the human
ibility. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration Department body and other living animals. Clinical chemistry deals with
of Biologics enforces tough federal regulations to ensure the concentrations of chemicals and ions in the body and
quality. Laboratories must be vigilant and verify the integ the changes that occur to these chemicals and ions in nor
rity of purchased reagents. When changing lots of reagents, mal and disease states of the body. The following sections
the laboratory must perform parallel testing to ensure reli review the chemical principles needed to understand clinical
able results. Laboratories develop operating instructions for chemistry.
performing this function.
Atomic Theory
Water
Atomic theory states that all matter is made up of atoms.
Water is a common substance with many laboratory uses. Atoms have protons (i.e., positively charged particles [1 +])
Drinking water contains many impurities that can affect and neutrons (i.e., neutral particles) in the center or nucleus
laboratory test results. To ensure high-quality laboratory and electrons (i.e., negatively charged particles [ 1 - ] ) that
results, high-quality chemicals and high-quality water must circle around the nucleus. Electrons are located in specific
be used. areas around the nucleus called electron shells. The shells are
Several methods are used to produce water that is free located a specific distance from the nucleus. Smaller shells
of impurities and suitable for laboratory use. The methods are located closer to the nucleus of the atom, and larger
CHAPTER 1 Laboratory Essentials
shells are located farther away from the nucleus. Scientists An increase in temperature causes an increase in the
think there are up to seven electron shells surrounding the rate of a chemical reaction. A higher temperature provides
nucleus. In most cases, electrons fill or partially fill the lower energy for the molecules to move faster and collide more
energy level electron shells before filling the higher energy frequently. Due to the increased collisions, the chemical
level shells. reaction rate increases. Conversely, lowering the tempera
Various atoms have different numbers of protons, neu ture slows the chemical reaction rate and the collisions
trons, and electrons. The outermost shell containing elec between the molecules. Light is another form of energy
trons is called the valence shell. Electrons located in the that can increase the rate of a chemical reaction. When
valence shell are usually involved in bonding with other working with gases, increased pressure adds energy to the
atoms to produce chemical compounds. chemical reaction and forces more molecular collisions,
The valence of an atom is the number of electrons that resulting in an increased chemical reaction rate. The con
can be lost, gained, or shared by an atom when forming centrations of the reactants may also influence the reac
a compound. If the atom gains electrons (- 1 charge), the tion rate.
atom's valence is negative. If the atom loses electrons, the Important factors affecting a chemical reaction rate are
atom's valence is positive. As a rule, when 2 atoms combine catalysts. Many biological reactions are extremely slow by
to form a molecule, the sum of the valences of the atoms nature and require a catalyst to increase the reaction rate.
is zero. The resulting molecule is considered to be neutral. Some catalysts are organic and are called enzymes. Enzymes
For example, hydrogen and oxygen combine to make water. are a clinically important group of compounds for diagnos
The valence of hydrogen is + 1 , and the valence of oxygen is ing diseases. Chemical reactions are also affected by the con
- 2. The result of combining 1 hydrogen atom and 1 oxygen centration of the reacting compounds.
atom is a molecule with a valence of - 1. Another hydrogen
atom is needed to form the neutral molecule of water (H 2 0) . Acid, Bases, and Sa lts
When an atom loses or gains electrons, it becomes an ion.
Ions are charged atoms. If a hydrogen atom loses its elec Acids, bases, and salts are important compounds in the
tron, it becomes a positively charged ( + 1) ion, also known body. Acids and bases are produced and used in urine forma
as a cation. If the oxygen atom adds 2 electrons, it becomes a tion and respiration. Salt is the basis for the blood that runs
negatively charged ( - 2) ion, also known as an anion. Oppo through our veins. Understanding the properties of these
sitely charged atoms attract each other, and this force holds substances helps to explain and troubleshoot test principles.
the resulting molecule together. The force that holds atoms An acid is a substance that donates hydrogen atoms in
together to form molecules is called a bond. a water solution. Acids occur as liquids, solids, and gases.
When a strong acid is mixed with water, the acid completely
Chemica l Bonds dissociates or ionizes. When a weak acid is mixed with water,
the acid partially dissociates or ionizes. Weak acids are used
Atoms combine through ionic, covalent, coordinate cova as buffers to minimize large pH changes with the addition
lent, nonpolar covalent, and polar covalent bonds. In an of strong acids or bases to a system such as blood.
ionic bond, one atom transfers its electrons to another A base is a substance that donates hydroxide (OH - ) ions
atom. The atoms in this molecule each have their valence in a water solution. Acids donate protons, and bases accept
shells completed. These atoms are held together with an the protons. Most bases have an -ide suffix: sodium hydrox
electrovalent bond. In a covalent bond, each atom donates ide (NaOH) , potassium hydroxide (KOH) , or lithium
one or more electrons that are subsequently shared between hydroxide (LiOH) .
the two atoms. A coordinate covalent bond is a special case A neutralization reaction consists of combining an
of a covalent bond in which one atom donates all the elec acid and a base to produce a salt and water as products.
trons to be shared. A nonpolar covalent bond occurs when The hydrogen donated by the acid and the hydroxide ion
both atoms sharing electrons have similar characteristics. A donated by the base combine to form water. The other
polar covalent bond occurs when one atom in a molecule is atoms in the acid and base compounds combine to form
more electronegative than the other atom. Chemical bonds the salt.
play a role in chemical reactions.
Orga nic Chemistry
Factors Affecting Chemica l Reactions
Organic chemistry is the study of carbon-based compounds.
Many factors affect chemical reactions. Some chemical reac Carbon is a special compound that can have a valence of +4 or
tions are reversible, and others are irreversible. Some chemi - 4, meaning that it can donate all four of its electrons or take
cal reactions go much faster than other chemical reactions. on four electrons. Examples of other atoms that are found in
By understanding the factors that affect chemical reactions, organic molecules include hydrogen, nitrogen, sulfur, chlorine,
it is easier to predict the outcome or troubleshoot a prob bromine, and iodine. The versatility of the carbon atom's bond
lem. Factors affecting a chemical reaction include tempera ing creates more than 5 million known organic compounds.
ture, light, pressure, concentration, and catalysts. Most organic compounds are held together by covalent bonds.
12 PA R T 1 Laboratory Principles
Covalent bonds in organic compounds create lower melting six carbon atoms with alternating double bonds and single
and boiling points than in inorganic compounds. bonds in the ring.
Hydrocarbons
Hydrocarbons are compounds made of hydrogen and car
bon atoms. The atoms can be arranged as straight chains,
0
An aromatic ring that contains a hydroxyl group (OH - )
branched chains, or rings. is a phenol. Phenol is a carbolic acid and is highly poison
The two main types of hydrocarbons are aliphatic and ous. Phenols are toxic to most organisms, especially micro
aromatic. Aromatic hydrocarbons contain one or more ben organisms. Phenol is an ingredient in many antiseptics and
zene rings, and aliphatic hydrocarbons do not contain ben disinfectants. Examples of phenols include vanillin (i.e.,
zene rings. Organic molecules can contain a special group found in vanilla beans) , eugenol (i.e., oil of cloves) , and thy
of atoms called a Junctional group. Five functional groups mol (i.e., oil of thyme, a member of the mint family) .
are important in clinical chemistry: alcohols, aldehydes and
6
ketones, esters, sterols and phenols, and amines and amides.
Alcohols
Alcohols are compounds that contain a hydrocarbon chain
(R) and one or more hydroxyl (OH - ) groups. Alcohols are
extensively used in the clinical laboratory as preservatives Amines and Am ides
or solvents, and they may be a component of stains and Amines are derivatives of ammonia (NH 3 ) , and amides
reagents. Examples of alcohols are ethyl alcohol, isopropyl are compounds in which a nitrogen atom is attached to a
R-q_
alcohol, isopropanol, and glycerol. carbon chain. Amines and amides are found in alkaloids,
antihistamines, sulfa drugs, and barbiturates. A well-known
amine is amphetamine, which is a powerful stimulant. A
H
well-known amide is acetaminophen, which is a nonpre
scription pain reliever.
Aldehydes and Ketones
The aldehyde functional group consists of an oxygen atom that
is double bonded to a carbon atom, which also has a hydrogen
�c
atom attached. This group is attached to a hydrocarbon chain.
0
R),._ H
R,... ' N H 2
The ketone functional group consists of an oxygen atom
ami d e
that is double bonded to a carbon atom that is bonded to Biochemistry
two other carbon atoms.
0I Biochemistry, also called physiologic chemistry, is the study of
C-C-C the chemistry of living organisms. A sample of the biological
processes that are studied in biochemistry includes the study
Aldehydes usually have a detectable odor. Some smell of digestion, urine formation, reproduction, metabolism, and
very bad, and others smell good. Examples of aldehydes respiration. The four classes of functional molecules in bio
include formaldehyde and paraldehyde. An example of a chemistry are carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.
ketone is acetone.
Carbohydrates
Esters Carbohydrates are polyhydroxy aldehydes or polyhydroxy
An ester is an alcohol derivative of carboxylic acids. Carbox ketones. This means that the functional groups are alde
ylic acids are organic acids. Esters occur in plants and pro hydes or ketones and that there are several hydroxyl groups
duce the fragrance in fruits. Esters may be found in reagents on each compound. When carbohydrates are hydrolyzed,
used in chemical tests. the resulting compounds are aldehydes or ketones.
Carbohydrates are the main food source for humans; the
Sterols and Phenols body uses carbohydrates for energy. Carbohydrates are also
Sterols are high-molecular-weight cyclic alcohols produced found in connective tissue and nucleic acids (i.e., ribose in
from fat metabolism. A cyclic structure has three or more RNA and deoxyribose in DNA) .
carbons joined together in a closed ring. If one of the carbons Carbohydrates have a general molecular formula of
is attached to an alcohol functional group, the cyclic struc CH 2 0. They exist as sugars, starches, and cellulose. Simple
ture is a cyclic alcohol. Examples of cyclic sterols are ben sugars are called saccharides and have names ending in -ose.
zene, toluene, and xylene. The benzene molecule (C 6 H 6) is Examples include glucose, sucrose, fructose, and maltose.
the smallest example of an aromatic ring. Benzene contains Carbohydrates are classified by the number of saccharide
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I think now that of all that befell us there in the nebula world the
moments that followed were the most agonizing. Swinging ourselves
up by sheer muscular power, from peg to peg, we clambered up that
giddy ladder, through a darkness impossible of description.
Somewhere in that darkness below me, I knew, the nebula-creature
that pursued us was swinging up after me, and I knew that to such a
creature the negotiating of this dizzy ladder was child's play. Yet,
spurred on by deadly fear, I struggled upward with superhuman
speed, a hundred feet, another hundred, until a hope flashed across
my brain that the thing that pursued us might have given up that
pursuit. Then above us I glimpsed a little dot of glowing light, knew it
for the shaft's mouth far above. And at the same moment that I
glimpsed it, I felt a tug on my ankles, a powerful arm fasten round my
body, and knew that the pursuing creature had reached me.
I cried out involuntarily as I felt my feet twitched off the pegs on
which they had rested, and dangled for a moment there by my hands
while the creature below me tightened his grip on my feet and began
to pull me steadily downward. All his force he must have put into that
effort, and I felt my hands slipping on the peg which they held, knew
that once I lost my hand-grip the creature below would release my
feet also and send me hurtling down to death on the shaft's floor far
below. In a deathly silence I hung there, striving against that deadly
pull, and then felt one of my hands torn from its grip, felt the fingers
of the other slipping on the peg they held, felt my will relaxing——
Then someone had suddenly swung down past me from above, and
I glanced down to glimpse in the dim light from above Sar Than,
swinging swiftly down past me and hanging by one of his powerful
limbs while with the other three he grasped the creature below me.
Instantly the latter's grip on my feet relaxed, there was an instant of
swift scuffling below me, and then I glimpsed the shapeless body of
the nebula-creature forced from its hold on the pegs, hurtling down
into the darkness to strike the floor far below with a smacking thud.
The next instant Sar Than was up to me and was pulling me up until
I again clung safely to the pegs. Only the Arcturian, with his four
strange limbs, could ever have successfully battled the nebula-
creature thus on that giddy ladder of pegs.
But now we were again clambering up, calling on all our strength to
bear us on, watching the little circle of dim light above broadening as
we climbed up toward it. Below us, we knew, the alarm had been
given, and within a few minutes now a horde of the nebula-creatures
would be rushing up the shaft. And but minutes were left for us to act
in, so that we put every effort into a mad burst of speed that within a
few more minutes had brought us up to the shaft's mouth.
Jor Dahat, above us, was the first to reach its level, and I saw the
plant-man raise his head and peer cautiously forth, then beckon us
upward. Silently, stealthily, we climbed up, crept over the shaft's
edge until we crouched on the smooth metal floor. The scene about
us was the same as before, the vast, metal-walled pit, the massed
machines around us, the great cylinder at the clearing's center from
which arose the livid ray, the long shape of our battered cruiser lying
beyond it. A half-dozen of the nebula-creatures were gathered near
the great cylinder, and we saw their bodies twisting in their silent
speech, but their strange eyes were not turned in our direction.
In a moment Jor Dahat crept silently to one side, where lay a mass
of tools, and came back with three heavy, axlike implements of metal
in his grasp, long-handled and broad-bladed. Silently he handed one
of these to each of us, and then without words we crawled silently
toward the gathered nebula-creatures, on hands and knees. Inch by
inch, foot by foot, we crept toward them. I looked up, once, saw the
glowing fires of the nebula far above us, knew that within minutes
those fires would be flying out through our universe in flaming
destruction unless we could act. My grip tightened on my weapon as
we crawled on through the shadowy dusk, and then suddenly one of
the creatures before us had turned and was gazing straight toward
us.
Before he could turn to his companions in warning, before he could
do more than merely glimpse us, we had sprung to our feet and were
leaping toward the creatures with upraised axes. The next moment
we were upon them, our heavy weapons flashing right and left in
swift destruction, and when we lowered them only masses of dead
flesh lay at our feet. Wildly we looked about, but there seemed no
other of the nebula-creatures on all the great pit's floor, nothing but
the silent, automatic machines, and the great cylinder of the ray.
Now we leapt toward that cylinder, then halted. A half-dozen
pseudopod arms were reaching up from the shaft up which we had
come, a half-dozen of the creatures pulling themselves up there. It
was the pursuit from beneath!
Jor Dahat cried out, raced toward the shaft's mouth with the
Arcturian. "Cut the cable, Ker Kal!" he shouted. "The cable that runs
into the cylinder—Sar Than and I will hold them in the shaft!"
I saw the two of them reach the shaft's mouth just as a mass of the
nebula-creatures were emerging from it, saw their two great axes
flash down and send the shapeless beings hurtling down to death.
Then I had leapt myself to the great, foot-thick cable of black metal
that ran into the cylinder's side, carrying into it the power from all the
machines about us which generated the mighty ray. I raised my ax,
brought it down with all my force on the cable, but on the hard metal
it made only a shallow cut. Again I swung it, and again, with all my
force, while at the shaft's mouth I glimpsed the axes of my two
friends flashing in the dim light like brands of lightning, falling in swift
death upon the shapeless nebula-creatures as they sought to
emerge from the shaft. I heard the puff of jets of the deadly blue
smoke leaping upward, but knew that so long as they were held
inside the shaft they could not reach the Arcturian and the plant-man
with their annihilating jets.
Fiercely I swung my own ax down upon the black metal of the thick
cable, in one swift blow after another, severing its twisted strands
one after the other. The last minutes were speeding, I knew, and like
some soulless automaton I wielded the great ax in blow after blow,
scarcely conscious in that mad moment of anything but the thick
length of metal below me. I was half through it, now, had cut through
half its strands, and knew that another dozen of blows would sever it.
And even as hope flamed up in my brain there was a cry from Jor
Dahat, I saw a sudden resistless wave of the nebula-creatures pour
up from the shaft and force my two companions back toward me,
and then they were raising their deadly weapons to send annihilation
upon us.
For a single moment the whole scene seemed as motionless as a
set tableau. Then with a wild shout I whirled the great ax high above
my head, swung it for an instant in a flashing circle, and then brought
it down with the last mad remnant of my force upon the half-severed
cable below, a powerful blow that clove through its twisted strands as
a knife might cut through cords. There was a flash of light as the
cable parted, and then the brilliance of the great cylinder's upper
surface had snapped out, and the mighty ray that sprang from it had
vanished!
The next instant there was utter silence, a thick, terrific silence in
which we, and all the nebula-creatures that had crowded up onto the
pit's floor, gazed up toward the mighty nebula's fires, far above us.
Seconds, minutes, that awful silence reigned, and then I saw the
weapons of the nebula-creatures before us dropping from their
grasp, saw them rushing wildly about as though in mad, frenzied
terror, heard a great cry from Jor Dahat, beside me.
"The nebula!" he cried hoarsely, pointing up toward the glowing fires
above. "The nebula—collapsing!"
I looked up, dazedly, saw the vast fires moving now, slowly,
majestically, gigantically, moving down toward us, toward the nebula
world, the whole vast turning nebula collapsing into the great space
at its center with the removal of the ray that had whirled it on, its
mighty, crowding fires rushing down upon us. Then I had sunk to the
floor, felt the arms of my two friends about me, dimly felt myself
dragged across the floor through the crazily rushing hordes of
nebula-creatures into our cruiser, felt it lifting up out of the great pit
with the plant-man at the controls, as the fires above rushed down
upon us.
Then there was a thunderous roaring of titanic fires about us, a vast,
interminable rushing of colossal currents of flaming gas all around us
as we plunged upward through the collapsing nebula. More and
more dimly to my ears came that mighty roar of flame as
consciousness began to leave me, but at last, through my darkening
senses, I felt that it had ceased, that we were humming through
space once more. With a last effort I staggered to the window with
my two companions, gazed down dazedly toward the terrific ocean
of boiling flame that stretched gigantically beneath us, saw that still
its fires were drawing together, collapsing, contracting, condensing.
Then suddenly up from the collapsing nebula there leapt a single
mighty tongue of fire, as from some titanic conflagration, a vast rush
of flame that towered up toward the stars, and then dwindled and
sank and died.
It was the end forever of the world within the nebula.
6
It was more than two weeks later that with all the thousands of the
great Council of Suns we passed out of the mighty tower into the
starlit night. They were still shouting, those thousands, for it was but
hours before that our battered cruiser had swung down toward the
tower out of the void of space, to meet such a reception as never yet
had been equaled in this universe. And now that the Council's
tumultuous meeting had closed at last, and each of its members
made ready to depart for his own sun, the shouting applause about
us was redoubled.
At last from out of the darkness a great star-cruiser swept toward us,
paused, and then the member from Antares had entered it and it was
speeding up into the darkness. Another drew up before us, entered
by the strange representative from Rigel, and then it too had
vanished and still others were sweeping toward us. Out of the
darkness they came, star-cruiser after star-cruiser, and into each
went one of the members, flashing out to his own star once more.
One by one, we watched them go, watched the great ships lift into
the darkness, starting out to Polaris and Fomalhaut and Algol,
starting out on long journeys to suns far out at the Galaxy's edge.
One by one they went, until at last there remained only we three of
all the members, with the three cruisers waiting before us that would
carry us back to our own stars.
We paused, then, with a common impulse gazing upward. Across
the heavens gleamed the hosts of suns, points of brilliant light in a
field of deepest black. Moments we gazed up toward them, and
toward three among them that were far distant from each other
across the heavens—the magnificent golden splendor of great
Capella, to the left, and the fiery red brilliance of Arcturus, to the
right, and above us and between them a smaller star of deep yellow,
that little spark of light toward which the eyes and hearts of men shall
turn until the end of time, though they roam the limits of the universe.
A moment we gazed up, up toward the three orbs, and then Jor
Dahat raised his hand, pointing to another star low above the
horizon, a great, soft-glowing one that was like a little ball of misty
light.
"Look," he said softly. "The nebula!"
Silently we gazed out toward it for a long moment, a moment in
which our thoughts leapt out across the gulf toward the glowing thing
at which we gazed, toward that mighty realm of fire where we had
struggled for our universe, in the strange world inside it which we
three had plunged to its doom. Then, silent still, we gripped hands,
and turned toward our waiting cruisers.
Then they, too, were driving up into the darkness, out from Canopus
once more into the gulf of space, into the eternal silence of the
changeless void, each toward its star.
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