Dan Dalgard Character Analysis in The Hot Zone

As the consulting veterinarian at the Reston Primate Quarantine Unit, Dalgard is the first to realize that something is very wrong with the monkey colony. Although he is a reputable and skilled veterinarian, he is incredibly hesitant about letting USAMRIID take control of his facility. Dalgard also keeps a diary throughout the events, which provides Preston with crucial information about the sequence of events leading up to the decision to euthanize all of the Reston monkeys.

Dan Dalgard Character Timeline in The Hot Zone

The timeline below shows where the character Dan Dalgard appears in The Hot Zone. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

We next meet Dan Dalgard , the consulting veterinarian at the Reston Primary Quarantine Unit. Dalgard is a respected physician... (full context)

Preston introduces Bill Volt, the Reston monkey house manager. On October 1st he calls Dan Dalgard to tell him that an unusual amount of monkeys are dying—twenty-nine out of a hundred... (full context)

...shipment of monkeys arrives the same day, and Bill Volt places them in Room H. Dan Dalgard , meanwhile, becomes worried that the monkeys have a disease called simian hemorrhagic fever, which... (full context)

On the 13th of November, Dan Dalgard decides to consult USAMRIID about the illness in the monkey house. He contacts a virologist... (full context)

...pathologist, and feels thankful that he’s not dealing with Marburg. Later that day, he calls Dan Dalgard and reprimands him for the sloppy condition of the sample’s packaging. (full context)

Dan Dalgard checks in with Bill Volt the next day, and learns that no monkeys have died... (full context)

Before leaving the monkey house, Dan Dalgard and the other veterinarian place the dead monkeys in clear plastic bags and move them... (full context)

...powerful than an electron microscope), and does so along with Joan Rhoderick, the day after Dan Dalgard euthanizes his monkeys. Rhoderick notices something odd, as does Geisbert: the cells in the flask... (full context)

Dan Dalgard , meanwhile, calls Peter Jahrling to find out further information about the virus. Jahrling tells... (full context)

...Marburg. Peters suggests that they test for Ebola as well, and the two worry that Dan Dalgard might be infected. Peters requests that Tom Geisbert take electron microscope pictures of monkey liver... (full context)

...he decides to test their blood to make sure. He then turns his mind to Dan Dalgard , whose risk of getting the disease is far higher, but who appears perfectly healthy.... (full context)

As he works on his tests, Peter Jahrling decides that he must notify Dan Dalgard —but at the same time, he must make sure not to cause panic. On the... (full context)

Shaken, Dan Dalgard considers the possibilities if the virus is indeed Marburg. He reassures himself by remembering that... (full context)

As Dan Dalgard waits and worries, Peter Jahrling works in his spacesuit. He plans to combine samples of... (full context)

It is now mid-evening, and the group must contact Dan Dalgard , as well as the Virginia state health authorities. They will also have to notify... (full context)

Despite the stress, Dan Dalgard sleeps well, feeling confident in his knowledge of monkey viruses. Early in the morning of... (full context)

...C. J. Peters, Nancy Jaax, and Gene Johnson head out to Virginia, where they meet Dan Dalgard at the Hazleton office. He introduces Nancy to a pathologist, who has slides of monkey... (full context)

...hoping to keep it from turning into a contest between the Army and the C.D.C. Dan Dalgard is there as well, outwardly calm but inwardly nervous. Also present is a glaring Gene... (full context)

...not spread easily, and he questions whether it is as dangerous as the Army asserts. Dan Dalgard , meanwhile, asks how soon the Army will be able to confirm whether the monkeys... (full context)

After the meeting Dan Dalgard returns to his office, removes the floppy disk that contains his diary from his computer,... (full context)

While Dan Dalgard types, he gets a call from Nancy Jaax, who believes that the monkeys have simian... (full context)

On Thursday, November 30th, Dan Dalgard wakes up and decides that he should invite the Army in to sterilize Room H,... (full context)

...and C. J. Peters head to the corporate offices of Hazleton, Washington to speak to Dan Dalgard , along with some lab employees who have been working with the tissues of the... (full context)

Dan Dalgard invites Peters and Nancy to come with him to the monkey house to look at... (full context)

...Jerry at last asks them which way to Room H. Afterwards, the two report to Dan Dalgard , who shows up in Room H wearing a respirator. Jerry is shocked that Dalgard... (full context)

...with Captain Steven Denny. They head into Room H where Jerry is with his team. Dan Dalgard , meanwhile, picks four monkeys that look the sickest and gives them injections to sedate... (full context)

...their livers and spleens, and their remains are put into biohazard containers. During this process, Dan Dalgard heads to his office, where he stays for the rest of the day. (full context)

On Monday, December 4th, Dan Dalgard drives to the monkey house and notices that one of the monkey caretakers is outside... (full context)

Dan Dalgard , horrified, rushes to help Milton Frantig indoors, and makes him lie down on a... (full context)

Dan Dalgard rushes over to the Hazleton Washington offices, deciding that the monkey facility must be evacuated... (full context)

Next Dan Dalgard calls C. J. Peters and informs him that Milton Frantig is ill. He tells Peters... (full context)

Dan Dalgard , feeling panicked and out-of-control, tells the senior managers at his company that he has... (full context)

...freezer with the corpses of about a dozen monkeys—the original animals in Room F that Dan Dalgard had dissected. Gene orders Klages to decontaminate the bags, and with the help of Mehrl... (full context)

...that they are definitely not infected. They are reassured but puzzled by the fact that Dan Dalgard and his men seem fine as well. Why can the virus spread easily through monkeys,... (full context)

...the importation of monkeys briefly comes to a halt. Many in USAMRIID, however, still praise Dan Dalgard and his company for their decision to hand over the monkey house to the Army.... (full context)