Original subtitles

Save your strength doc. You'll need it this weekend. Hi Frank. I'm late for a

meeting What are they gonna tell him people crazy

Hey

Jim, what's on you?

Let's be a consultation.

I Thought you were off Tomorrow morning might as well learn something tonight

lucky boy out of the carnage for three whole days

It was unavoidable.

Delivery truck hurrying home to start the weekend. The little girl on the

bicycle got in his way.

How much waste must we see?

How much stupidity?

Ladies and gentlemen, it's been drilled into us since our first day at medical

school. Work for your patient. Do whatever you can to save his life.

But don't think of the years thrown away if he dies.

That's our secret weapon against insanity.

But child dying makes us all as vulnerable as the greenest pre -med

Perhaps it's because we all know that among our proudest achievements in this

century is a simple fact that half our children will be killed or injured in

accidents before the age of maturity, unless we do something about it.

Well, for some of you, this will be your first holiday weekend in

emergency ward, your baptism of fire.

It will be as traumatic as the phrase implies.

There's something else.

The National Safety Council estimates that during this weekend, over 400

Americans will lose their lives in traffic accidents.

So in addition to our normal complement of ruptured appendices, coronaries, and

the like, this is what we can expect at Blair.

Twelve dead, 600 injured.

Traffic accidents.

Vacation injuries.

Some of them, most of them preventable.

The people to whom this will happen are somewhere in this city. Soon they will

be here, in your hands.

Dr. Dennis?

Yes. You'll assist in radiology.

What about the emergency supplies?

Stextran, plaster, dressings? Who's accountable?

I checked all the rooms this morning, sir. They're all fully equipped.

Dr. Rand, I want to go over the duty schedule with you.

Doctors and nursing staff both.

Yes, sir.

Dr. Hackett and I have advised the attending physicians of their

It isn't going to be an easy time for any of you. Our dedication is to saving

lives. It's sad to see someone wasting it. Thank you. That's all.

Sounds like a long weekend.

I'm glad I'm out of it.

Lay a general.

What happened?

It's nasty cuts. He got a hunting knife for his birthday.

Plastic surgeon couldn't do better.

That's what I've been telling him.

I have a scar on my cheek.

Do you want one?

No, I sure don't. Don't worry, Roy.

Come back in a week and we'll make a matinee idol out of you again.

Thanks, Doctor.

An inch higher and he'd be minus an eye.

You know it?

He's a kid. He's invincible. Why destroy his illusions?

And you're a tired old man, aren't you?

Maybe you ought to be getting the weekend off, not me.

He's in my car. He walked right in front of me and he's bleeding.

Take it easy.

Well, I told the people, though, that I'd bring him here.

Joe, the boy in the car outside.

It's not my fault. He just ran out and I couldn't stop.

I need a favor.

On my salary?

No, just your car.

To pick up my father and drive him out to my married sister's.

Hanson crossed me up and loaned his car to that nurse he's running around with.

My regards to your father.

Thanks.

You look like an amateur sculptor.

I just finished setting a colleague's fracture. Very messy.

Oh, reach into my back pocket, will you?

What for?

Go ahead. I can't stand like this all day. People get ideas.

Five bucks I owe you.

Why the sudden pangs of conscience?

I don't know.

Impress your father with your affluent.

May I please speak to you for a moment?

Sure, come on in.

It's all right, come in.

Well, what's the matter?

What? What is that?

Well, my husband went fishing and I stayed home to fix the drain in the

and it stuck.

You just stay here.

Well,

give me the maintenance department, please. This is Dr. Kildare.

Yeah, hold on.

Condom. What's your number, officer?

614. Right.

This is Frank Marshak.

Okay. Send a man up to emergency treatment room with a hacksaw.

Doctor.

Two car crashed. They need a doctor to ride the bus.

Second.

Oh, tell the patient on number six that the plumber will be right up.

Better take a look at the other one first, Doc. He's bad.

Take a look at him, Joe.

Over here, Doc.

Dr. Willis.

You know him?

Yeah, he's from our hospital.

Get an airway for my bag.

Probably broken roofs.

Bring some dextran.

Yeah, I'll take that. Thank you, officer.

Not my fault.

I swear it, not my fault.

I was watching the road. I was careful.

Not me.

Not my fault.

Oh, I hurt.

Oh, help me, please.

You'll be all right.

Nurse,

Crossman said I'm eight units. Stat.

What happened?

I don't know.

Police are behind us. They have it.

Dr. Gerson?

Yes. Dr.

Sandler's in room seven with the other man. Assist him, will you? Right.

Kildare, you come in with Dr. Miller, Rosetto, and me.

Get a blood sample for cross -match.

I took one on the way over. Lab has it now. The blood should be up any minute.

Pulse 140 and thready.

Get a cut down in right away. What did you do for him?

Gave him a plasma volume expander, splintered his leg, applied tourniquets

pressure bandages to stop bleeding.

Head injury doesn't seem too serious. Chest is bad.

Left rib cage fractured.

Left leg's broken too, probably compound.

Don't want to go inside for a labor out of me.

We've all the signs of hemorrhaging.

We're trying to abdominal tap.

Call Cedric.

Tell him we play up as soon as the cutdown is finished.

What are you going to do to me?

We're going to make you feel better.

I didn't know he was a doctor. I didn't mean for anything to happen.

We're going to take good care of you.

It was an accident.

I know, easy.

But you know him.

We're going to do our best for you, Mr. Laney.

Now come on, you need help.

You're going to feel sleepy now.

Yeah, but... But that's all we know, Jerry.

St. Joseph's? Oh, sure, sure. We all feel the same way.

Oh, yeah. They'll be right up.

This is Blair.

All our ambulances are out. Can you answer a call at 615 Ryerson?

Okay, thanks.

Right.

Now, sir.

Dr. Kildare.

Oh, it's the Willis.

Where's Paul?

What happened?

There's been an accident, sir. Well, I know. The police called me.

I was waiting for him. We were going to drive up country where my daughter

lives. He's getting the best. The chief of surgery's in there now.

Well, what's wrong with him?

They're checking that.

Well, he's going to be all right, isn't he? I mean, he's...

Son?

He's under sedation.

If you'll just wait over here, sir. Oh, can't I go with him?

Oh, no, sir. If you...

Dr. Kilder, you're a friend of everyone here who talks about you the most.

Don't let him die.

There's a waiting room right around the corner, Mr. Willis.

As soon as you're ready.

Transverse incision?

Midline will save us at least 15 minutes. The exposure will be better.

How about it?

Go ahead.

Skin nut.

Get those bleeders.

And that bag.

What's the count?

Peritoneum looks blue.

There's blood in there.

Turn on the detector.

Tent the peritoneum.

those we'll get them on the way out how's he doing pressure 80 pulse

150 airway adequate please pump the blood a little faster

Leading stopped.

Zero chromic.

Scissors.

Specimen.

I'll pack this.

Now, let me on the other side. Liver may be lesser.

Blood pressure a hundred looks like we've stopped the bleeding stop touching

Still dry.

All right, let's get out of here Then he's yours for practice John

Well, if he comes out of shock, he'll make it.

Willis assisted me yesterday.

I was going to recommend him for first -year resident surgery.

Nice young man.

Linectomy, lacerated liver.

They're setting the fractures now.

Mine wasn't too bad.

Broken rib, collapsed the lung, took care of it. Broken leg, couple of minor

injuries.

He got off pretty easy.

I don't know.

Where are you going?

Paul's father.

Oh, wait, I'll go with you.

Hello, Mr. Willis. I'm Tom Gerson.

Oh, yes.

How's Paul?

Well, he came through the operation well.

I don't believe it. Well, the surgeon said he did fine.

Did you see him?

I spoke to Dr.

Miller. He performed the operation. He's very encouraged.

He really is. Paul held up well.

We're his friends. He wouldn't say anything else.

Can I see him?

Oh, no, Mr. Willis. He's still in surgery.

Well, he had a fractured leg, and they're setting it. Well, what about the

of them?

Why won't you tell me what's wrong?

We're not trying to hide anything.

He had an abdominal injury. We had to remove his spleen.

But now the bleeding has stopped and his chances are good.

I want to see him.

You can when we've made him comfortable.

Why don't you come downstairs?

Well, I have to see Paul.

When you can, I'll take you myself.

You don't have to stay with me. It's all right.

You coming, Mr. Willis?

I thought Kildare was in here.

He was.

I'll take some of that coffee.

He upstairs with Willis again?

That is.

Dr. Gerson.

All right, I'll tell him.

A 45 -year -old female Caucasian got a turkey bone caught in her throat.

We have to get it out.

No.

Keep an eye on the IV.

We're not staying too far away, Doctor.

Has he been conscious at all?

Not yet.

Well, if there's any change, call me, will you?

I'll be in emergency.

All right, Doctor.

Nurse, how's the young doctor?

We hope he'll be all right.

Oh, Kildare, this officer wants to talk to you about Dr. Willis.

Hello, doctor. Sorry to bother you, but I have to file on the accident.

Oh, sure.

Uh, can you give me the extent of his injuries?

Well, I'll fill it out for you.

Oh, thanks. Uh, right there.

What happened in the accident?

Well, the other man, Laney, just took a turn too fast.

Speed? Not exactly, but for conditions he was driving too fast. That kind of

traffic, you ought to slow it down a little. How did he hit Dr. Willis?

Well, the man behind said Laney tried to brake to avoid one car and turned into

Dr. Willis going the other way. Hit him in the left front door.

The car belonged to Dr.

James Kildare.

Yeah.

I was doing him a favor.

Well, it's all there, everything that happened to him.

Thanks. Well, how's the other man, Laney, in 203?

He'll make it.

It's always like that.

One who causes the accident gets away with murder.

Some poor guy like Dr. Willis, just driving along, paying attention.

A good driver.

Some bum comes along and kills him.

He'll...

He wasn't talking about Paul. He was talking generally.

Your son is all right, Mr. Willis.

Go ahead.

Who are you?

What did you do to my son?

You bum, you rotten bum. You ought to be dead.

You ought to be dead now, Mr.

Willis. Look what you did. They ought to kill you. Mr. Willis, this won't help.

You shouldn't be in this room.

Please, Mr. Willis. Look, he hurt my boy. He hurt my boy.

Please.

Please, it wasn't my fault. It was an accident. I can explain. Something went

wrong with the car, and it really was my fault. Please, I can explain.

It was an accident. Doctor, there's a badly upset patient in there. He needs

you.

Let Mr. Willard sit here for a while.

Yes, sir.

No change.

Okay, thanks.

Dr. Gerson!

Three of them all smashed up.

What is it?

Three teenagers, fourth one DOA.

They're bad.

We're outside. Looks like he's gone.

Well, they throw away life faster than we can save it.

That's Dan.

I'm his father.

I'm sorry.

Do something.

No.

This is Kildare. How's Paul?

He's conscious?

I'll be right up.

Paul?

Hey.

Where you been?

Not for us Who operated Miller

I'm impressed you should be How's the

other guy good How am I well usual post -op signs

read me the chart I

You've lost weight.

Your spleen.

Grissetto set your leg.

Oh, and don't roll over on your side.

Fractured ribs.

Jim. Want more complaints?

Any infection?

Well, culture's pending.

We're taking extra precautions.

I feel so bad.

Well, you've had a rough time.

But you're going to get better.

Well, could I kid you, a doctor?

Gillespie was here ten minutes ago.

You're coming along all right.

Well, you get some rest.

Besides, how can you miss?

How do you feel?

All right, I'm better.

Can you sit up for a second?

Well, I was going to sleep.

Breathe in and out.

Again.

I'd like you to cough.

Try and cough and clear out your lungs.

It hurts.

I know, but you've got to force it out of there.

If you don't, there's danger of pneumonia.

Doctor.

Thanks.

You better get some rest.

You've all been very good to me here. I mean...

Dr. Willis, he's one of yours.

This is a hospital, not a court of law.

I told you it wasn't my fault. Something went wrong with the car.

I'll look in on you later. I don't care what they said. It couldn't have

happened that way.

You think I wanted to hurt him?

It was an accident. An accident. It could have happened to anyone.

Oh, Mr. Willis.

I was just on the way to my room.

I thought you were looking for me.

They, uh... They told me it was all right. I...

I wanted to wait here.

The coffee shop down the block is open.

Would you like something?

Oh, no, no, thank you.

This is only my second time here.

I didn't see him much, not since he came here. It was hard for him, you know.

It's the same for you.

But when you're a boy, all you get is tired.

But he was a doctor.

He was learning.

And this was all a part of it.

It's an honorable profession.

I had great pride in my son.

All his life.

He was going to give something.

It was where he wrote me.

So many things to say.

It's an exciting life to be a young doctor.

Mr. Willis, please, you make it sound like...

Like he was going to die?

Isn't it?

No.

I know how to look in a man's face, Dr. Kildare.

I know what I see on yours.

Mr. Willis, it happens.

The human body can do wonderful things.

Maybe it will.

I can't help but feel that my boy's life was wasted.

All this work.

The hope.

The longing.

It's all been for nothing.

But why?

I don't understand.

It's so unfair.

Why?

Well, did you call Dr. Gillespie about Dr. Willis?

Yes.

Yes, I'll... I'll be right over.

A patient, an emergency.

Will you excuse me?

Sounds like a right middle of pneumonia.

Put him on oxygen.

We'd have to get some couches. I hope it isn't staff.

Infection. The last thing he needed.

Yeah, they're exploding all over the place.

Look for yourself.

No wonder his white cell counts 34 ,000.

It's staph.

Staph pneumonia.

You're there, sir.

We'd better give it in massive doses.

It's about the only chance we've got against staph leucoges.

What about the sensitivities? We can't afford to wait. There isn't much time.

Dr. Rand, let Kildare give it.

He needs to.

He's a close friend.

I'll be in my office.

business is picking up downstairs doctors you have any sleep

enough

This is the next one? Yes, she's in room four.

Your wife would be fine. Let's get a cup of coffee and come back in an hour.

Why didn't you call me?

We managed.

Hello, Doc.

What's this one?

Oh, she swallowed sleeping tablets.

Found her her boyfriend brought her in she called him before she did it

How

do you feel

Let me alone.

I just want to die.

Please let me alone.

What are you doing?

Well, I have bad news for you.

You're going to live.

But why two pills?

Six hours ago.

If you'd taken a sizable dose, you'd have been out by now.

Your pressure's normal, so's your pulse. Your breathing rate is perfect.

Now go home.

I'm entitled to treatment.

And you've had it.

I won't go.

On your feet. On your feet.

In every step you take, tell yourself how lucky you are.

What's your problem? Trying to keep a boyfriend?

Well, take a walk around out there and see some real misery.

People trying to stay alive.

But I did take pills.

Not even enough to make you drowsy.

Go home.

You messed it up.

I'm afraid you're going to have to keep living.

Thank you, doctor.

Here's your next one.

Discharge him. Thank you, doctor.

That was quick.

You okay now?

Would you like to get back into bed?

Is it all right if I sit in this thing a little while longer?

If you like. It feels good to be out of that bed.

Oh, nurse.

How is Dr. Willis?

About the same.

Dr. Willis?

I'm Ben Laney. I... I was the other car.

I'm sorry about what happened. It's all I've been able to think about.

You see, I never had an accident before.

I'm a good driver. You have to understand that. I took good care of my

brakes, good tires, everything. And I look where I was going.

This couldn't have been my fault.

Knowing you're here like this, I couldn't believe it was me.

I didn't want to live with that.

But it was me.

It was my fault.

You see, I was thinking about going away, my vacation, three days. I

didn't watch where I was going.

I didn't look.

I didn't see.

Please forgive me.

Call Dr. Gillespie.

That last entry is the saddest of all.

For it marks the death of our friend and colleague, Dr. Paul Willis.

And across this nation, more than 400 other men and women are dead.

This killing is perhaps the most difficult to understand.

If man is trying to test his immortality, he will soon make this

and desolate place.

But as doctors, we must not lose hope.

For we are witness not only to madness...

but to the wonder and the miracle of life.

This year, the story was the same.

But next year... Next year, who knows?

Thank you for...