Original subtitles

Looking for somebody, amigo?

What do you want?

Oh, I'm just a poor bandit trying to make a living.

Aren't you a bit confused?

I'm holding the winning hand.

Sure, if we play it your way.

But I cheat.

My partner... he has a bead on you.

Your purse, señor.

I'm afraid I can't contribute very much to your livelihood.

Be careful of that.Easy.

Easy, amigo. Easy.

Eh.

Oh.

What is this?

It's a stethoscope.

A what?

A stethoscope. I'm a doctor.

Oh, you pretty young to be a doctor.

I got out of medical school a month ago.

Oh.

Well, being you are a doctor,

we are not taking anything from you.

We give everything back. There.

You see, in this business,

we never know when we might need your services.

You, uh, remember that, Doctor, huh?

Well, I don't admire your profession,

but I can't ever refuse you medical aid.

Say, how far is it to Placerville?

About 15 miles from here.

Is that where you are going?

Yeah. I thought I might set up practice there.

They already have a doctor there.

But, uh, good luck to you, amigo.

Good luck. You'll need it.

Howdy, folks. I'm the Old Ranger.

Honored more than any man in the early West was the pioneer doctor.

He was as quick with a gun as he was with a scalpel.

Disease was not all he had to fight.

He also had to fight superstition,

always carrying his power to heal with him.

Hi, there.

Hey, what's the matter with you?

Did Doc Hutchins send ya? Hutchins?

Yeah. The doc from Placerville.

Oh? Is he your doctor?

He's the only doc hereabouts.

He was.

Is... Isn't there something you can do, Doc?

Well, I don't like to encroach on a colleague's practice.

Ooh...

Well... all right.

What seems to be the trouble?

Well, a couple of weeks ago,

I got bit by something here on my arm.

After that, I got the most awful aches and... and pains.

And chills? Yeah.

Chills that... that go right through my bones.

What kind of medicine did Dr. Hutchins give you?

He gave me this.

I'm... I'm supposed to take a swig of it twice a day.

Supposed to cure anything.

Yeah, if it doesn't kill you first.

Is...

Is this all he gave you?

No. No, he...

he gave me this.

Well, what is it?

Don't you know?

That's a grave pebble.

A stone fresh off a innocent girl's grave.

It's supposed to stop aches and pains.

What kind of a doctor is this Hutchins?

Oh, folks hereabouts swear by him.

Well, my friend, you've got rat fever,

and there's only one known cure.

What's that?

Salvercine.

You're gonna take a shot of this every four hours.

What... What about this?

But Doc Hutchins is gonna...

You wanna get well, don't ya?

Then do what I tell ya, Mr...

Bray. Joe Bray, Doctor.

Edwards. Charles Edwards.

As soon as I get back to work on my claim, I'm gonna pay ya.

Don't worry about it.

Good-bye, Doc.

Hey, you.

We already got a doc in this town.

Well, now you got two.

I'm Doc Hutchins.

How do you do? I'm Dr. Charles Edwards.

What's the big idea of treating Joe Bray?

He was ill.

I know he was ill!

He's my patient!

Well, I don't think you properly diagnosed Bray's illness.

No? Well, he had summer sickness.

It's a common complaint around here this time of year.

And you can cure it with a pebble?

Why, sure. Everybody knows that a pebble

off a fresh grave of an innocent person'll cure any kind of pain,

from toothache to rheumatism.

That's pure superstition.

Superstition, is it?

Now, you get this straight: Placerville is my town,

and I don't want any young, Eastern doctor coming here, jumping my claim.

Let me tell you something.

There's no law prohibiting me practicing medicine here.

We got our own laws.

And this town is my practice.

You take one of my patients, you're gonna need a doctor.

You look down your nose at Dr. Hutchins, don't you?

Well, no. I just don't like the idea

of him passing himself off as a doctor.

Well, he's a doctor as far as I'm concerned.

My wife has been having stomach troubles,

and in no time at all, he's got her feeling right as rain.

Could be that she's suffering from more than just a stomachache.

Hutchins may not be the greatest doctor in the world,

but until he got here, we had nobody.

And don't you forget it.

Well, ma'am, if... if people think

that snake oil and pebbles can cure them,

let 'em keep going to him.

But if they come to me, I intend to take care of them

whether they're Hutchins' patient or not.

Oh, how you doing, Doc?

Well, I guess I'm progressing.

A man just asked me to treat his cow.

Oh, here. You don't want that whiskey.

I save that for the bohunks.

Dutchy, why is it the people in this town

will accept a witch doctor like Hutchins?

I spent years studying to become a doctor

so that I could help and save people.

And now they won't let me do it.

Well, 'cause bad as it is, there's some people

just get used to doing one thing one way, and they won't change.

Yeah. Habit. And when it has its roots in superstition,

it's almost unbreakable. You're right.

To be honest with you, Doc, I don't know why a fellow with your talents

would waste them on a town that don't appreciate 'em.

Because this town has dared me to practice medicine,

and I won't walk away from a challenge.

Besides, sooner or later, somebody's gonna get something serious,

and Hutchins won't be able to help them.

And, uh, in the meantime, how do you eat?

Well, I... I guess I'll be forced to get a job somewhere.

You know anything about cards?

Much as the next man, I guess.

I need a monte dealer. You want the job?

Dealer? Oh, no. I... I don't think so, Dutchy.

Look, Doc, the trouble with some folks is,

they only expect opportunity to knock on doors.

Now, for you, it could be knocking right here on this table.

Let's hear it. Well, now, you take here, for instance, Saturday nights.

Now, we usually have our assortment of fights, brawls, shootings...

And I patch 'em up. Well, sure. Why not?

You'd be practicing your trade.

Well, here's to the "MD," Dutchy.

In this case, it stands for "monte dealer."

I want a drink.

You shouldn't have done that, you know?

I'm all right.

I'm all right, Dutchy.

It's nothing. Oh, you're hurt.

Now shut up. Well, Doc, here's your first customer,

and the evening's only just started.

Excuse me, gentlemen.

Here. Hold this against his head.

Now, don't do too good a job, Doc,

or you won't get him back for repeat business.

How ya feel?

I got a headache.

I don't wonder.

Uh, how much is this gonna cost me, Doc?

Forget it. It's on the house.

Hey, what's the idea of letting that pill-roller work on you?

Why, he's not charging me anything, Doc.

He's not charging me nothing, Doc.

Well, that's dandy. Just dandy.

Now listen, you.

The next time you even go near one of my patients,

I'm gonna shoot you on sight.

Hey, Doc!

Joe!

How do I look?

Well, Joe, it looks like you've taken a turn for the better.

That I have, and I'm beholden to you for it.

Yesterday I started working my claim again,

and I wanted you to have the first color I got.

Well, this is too much for my services, Joe.

But it ain't too much for my life.

I'd take it as a kindness if you'd keep it.

Well, thanks.

And from now on, you're my doc.

Well, that's worth more to me than the gold.

Well, I mean it, Doc.

Well, I'll be seeing ya.

I mean, uh, I hope I don't.

Ah, good afternoon, Doc. Hi, Dutchy.

Hi, Doc.

How's the head, Ewers?

The sawdust is still kind of loose,

but outside of that, it feels pretty good.

Come on. Let's take a look at it.

Sure, Doc.

You don't listen very good, do you?

I'm busy, Hutchins.

I'm warning you for the last time.

Your warnings don't bother me, Hutchins.

You're a disgrace to the medical profession...

with your pebbles and snake oils and chicken bone cures.

You're a quack.

I came 3,000 miles because I heard they needed doctors out here.

Now I know why.

So your threats aren't gonna stop me.

There are ways of stopping you. Easy, Doc. Easy.

You're gonna get gangrene, and I'm gonna give it to you.

Thanks, Dutchy.

I don't like it.

I've never seen him so fret up, and he's no greenhorn with a gun.

Doc? Doc, you gotta come see my wife.

She's been in terrible pain for the past two days.

Why don't you get Dr.Hutchins?

I did, but he ain't been able to help her this time.

Oh, Doc, please.

Why don't you see what you can do?

Mrs. Bidwell is highly regarded in this town.

And maybe if you won her over, you...

I'm not interested in winning anybody over, but...

Well, if I can help her, I will.

Come on. Let's go.

Emma, I've brought Dr. Edwards.

Oh, Lucius Bidwell, how could you?

Honey, I can't bear to see you in this pain any longer.

Now, please let the doctor examine you. Ooh!

I... I'd like to help you, Mrs. Bidwell, if you'll let me.

Okay.

Ow!

Please, Doctor, help her.

Oww!

What is it, Doctor?

It's a tumor.

It's pressing against her internal organs.

You have some medicine you can give her?

No, I'm afraid medicine won't do any good.

She'll have to have an operation. You mean cut her open?

That's exactly what I mean. But that could kill her.

Well, that's a gamble we'll have to take.

But if that tumor isn't removed, she'll certainly die.

I don't know what to do.

You better let Doc Hutchins do it.

Well, that's your privilege, Mr. Bidwell.

Has he ever performed an operation?

Come to think of it, no.

He always said his medicine could cure anything that wasn't fatal.

Lucius!

Oh, Lucius, it hurts.

All right, Doctor. Go ahead.

I can't perform the operation here.

We'll have to get her to my office.

Whoa.

Lucius Bidwell,

you didn't put her in the hands of a new doctor! We're in a hurry.

But we don't know anything about him, or even if he is a doctor.

Well, I'm satisfied he's a doctor.

What's he going to do with Emma? Gonna operate.

Operate? You're gonna be fine, Emma.

Do you mean he's gonna cut her open with a knife?

Mrs. Culbertson, why don't you mind your own business?

I mean to make this my business.

Emma Bidwell is part of this community...

If you make any trouble for us, Mrs. Culbertson, so help me I'll...

Do not threaten me, Lucius Bidwell!

I know what's best for this community, and I mean to see it's done!

Did you hear what he said?

Scissors.

Scissors, Bidwell.

Lord only knows how much she's been suffering.

Emma isn't one to complain much.

Working all the time.

Even knitting me a sweater.

She'll have a better chance to finish the sweater

if you'll concentrate on the business at hand.

What the devil?

It's Hutchins. He's got a bunch of people with him.

This operation isn't to be interrupted at any cost.

Understand? And take my gun

in case Hutchins has any other ideas.

That's far enough.

Put away that gun, Lucius.

We're here in your best interest, and Emma's.

I decide what's best for Emma.

You ain't gonna let that sawbones cut up your wife?

Dr. Edwards has already started the operation.

Why, Lucius Bidwell,

if that woman dies, her blood will be on your hands.

He's got no right to operate.

You're not gonna do anything.

You stop him now, Emma'll die for sure.

You tell Edwards we'll be waiting.

My goodness, what am I doing here?

Lucius...

Lucius, will you take me home?

Emma! What are you doing out of bed?

Doc! Come on. Sit down.

- Please, I wanna go home. - Doc!

Oh, you better give yourself a few more days, Mrs. Bidwell.

But I feel just fine.

You hear that, Doc? She feels fine.

Why don't you go outside and blow off some of that steam?

Yeah, I think I will.

Thanks, Doc.

Back to bed, Mrs. Bidwell.

Hey, Dutchy! Bray! How is she?

She's alive, and prancing around the room like she was in the grand march!

She feels fine.

Come on, everybody. Drinks are on me. Set 'em up, Dutchy.

I'm drinking a toast to the best doctor in the whole West.

I'll drink to that. So will I.

Well, Hutchins, what do you think of the doc now?

I'm gonna settle it right now.

Thank you, Doctor.

Hey, Doc, Hutchins is coming to get you.

Let him come. Doc, he's a gunslinger.

I've stood up to gunslingers before.

Doctor, if you go out there, he'll...

Now, you just rest easy, Mrs. Bidwell.

I warned you what I was gonna do to you.

It slipped my mind, Hutchins.

Maybe you better tell me again.

I'm done using words.

Well, Dr. Edwards, this is an awkward situation.

The fool. Why'd he make me do it?

You gotta sign the death certificate.

What are you gonna put down?

"Ignorance. Pure ignorance."

And so it was that Dr. Charles Edwards,

one of the legendary pioneer doctors of the Old West,

signed the death certificate of his own rival,

and was thereby able to stake out his claim in Placerville.