St. Elsewhere (1982) s01e07 Episode Script

1
- Previously on St. elsewhere.
- She's dead, man.
- Hey, now. Come on, Pete. It's over!
- That's the second lady today.
Okay. How long? Thirty-five minutes.
Give it up.
Three people have died with symptoms of legionnaires'.
Donald would like to close down the ward.
Don't you think closing it down is a little extreme?
No, I don't, not if it's legionnaires'.
Don't worry, son. You're gonna be all right.
Close down the ward.
Ward 5 is to be completely sealed.
[Announcer] This week on St. elsewhere.
[Shouting] Will everyone shut up for one lousy minute?
Tell me this chaos will end. This chaos will end.
Have you felt this way any other time?
No. I haven't wanted to be a bird once either.
And now she's three months' pregnant.
And the problem is, she's only
been out of here for two months.
- Oh, boy.
- Dr. Westphall heard from Atlanta.
It is legionnaires' disease.
- What would that mean?
- The entire hospital would have to be closed down.
You resent taking responsibility for your actions.
If I had it to do over, nothing would change.
[Westphall] There's no question about it.
The evacuation and relocation process
Was considerably more involved than any of us had planned.
But 35 patients have been safely
transferred from, uh, ward 5,
and that ward will remain closed
until we receive confirmation
From Dr. Borovay from the c.D.C. In Atlanta.
And I must tell you that, uh, we
fully expect that Dr. Borovay
Will confirm our preliminary
diagnosis of legionnaires' disease.
Ladies and gentlemen, since you're not doctors,
it might be worthwhile if I
tell you a bit about this disease.
Legionnaires' is a respiratory
infection, very often results in pneumonia.
It's preceded by diarrhea, high fever,
slow pulse rate, productive cough.
It's usually found in patients
who are already extremely ill
Or those patients who have a low resistance to infection.
It's thought to arise from
contaminated respiratory equipment
Or ventilating systems.
Donald, can we open this up to questions?
Fine.
You said that seven of the 35 patients
Were classified as high-risk probabilities.
Yes, they're in isolation on ward 2 east.
And that required some more beds to be shuffled.
Thirty-five patients from 2 east
were transferred to the fourth floor.
That's where you placed the other 28 patients from ward 5.
As you know, the fourth floor has the largest capacity
That's 44 additional patients
In a ward whose resources are being taxed to the fullest.
In a situation like this, Mr. Cummings
My question, as hospital administrator,
is how can your staff possibly handle the load?
I don't want to just sit around.
Are we doing rounds or what?
Don't tell me nobody ordered a kosher plate.
We need a 9.I. Consult 419,
fast. I put her chart right there.
Big mistake, especially with the
craziness around here these days.
Her name is "alamo." Alaimo. Carol alaimo.
She was admitted before they
brought everyone in from ward 5.
Sorry, Victor. I gotta talk to a doctor. I feel woozy.
Maybe it's chicken pox.
No, this ain't the chicken pox. I had the chicken pox.
This is a lot worse than the stupid chicken pox.
It's in good condition, huh?
Good condition? Mint condition.
I'm really not in the market for
a car, Mark. Not a car. A classic.
You did lamaze, didn't you?
Yeah, it's all right the first time.
What do you mean? By the time you get to your second kid,
you're gonna wish the stork really
did drop it down out of the chimney.
It's all right. You got time to decide. They
don't start lamaze till the seventh month.
2,100 tongue depressors. 5,400
cotton swabs. 3,000 plastic strips.
Ramon, this is not the best time to take inventory.
Inventory? I'm talking about what's been
ripped off since we moved down from 5.
What? Yeah!
[Daniels] We need six units of
ab-neg, four units of type o-positive.
I am leaving, and that's final. If you do
not release me, I am calling my attorney!
Mrs. Sabin, lighten up. Okay.
I reduced the dosage to 50 milligrams.
We'll start the n.G. Suction after rounds.
Well, what did you expect? A hug and a kiss?
Hey, I did not ask to be transferred to this floor.
No. Neither did skilling.
Skilling's the one he tried to
get fired for incompetence, right?
Right. You know, those two are a match made in heaven.
Reminds me of my third marriage.
Mrs. Sabin wants out. Who's her doctor?
Some plastic surgeon from
brookline. She's in for a tuck 'n' roll.
Give her the forms.
412? Shirley, I asked you to go down to 412.
I took that call 10 minutes ago. Martha mulvahey.
She needed her pillow propped. Again?
The girl's a pest, Helen. After
all, she's only in for a consult.
No, no, no, no. They did a multiple
X-ray and bone scan yesterday.
Dr. Ashley thinks it's an acute septic arthritis.
Very, very bad in her hands.
This is her fifth flare-up this year.
So, who's gonna answer the call?
Well, I guess I will. Oh, listen.
Cancel that 9.I. Consult in 419.
Now they need a neurologist. Right.
Okay! Where is Carol alaimo?
What's it worth to you?
Oh, stop!
Good morning, Martha. What's the problem?
I'm sorry to bother you, but I can't adjust the bed.
You just push the button.
Oh. Could you help me, please?
I can't do it very well with my arthritis. Sure.
You know, it's really pretty easy.
It's just the same way you call the nurses. Thanks.
Okay? Yeah.
I heard you had a rough night last night.
Were your joints giving you a lot of pain?
It wasn't so bad. You certainly
kept my nurses on their toes.
I had trouble sleeping. How are you feeling now?
About the same.
Apologize to the nurses for me.
I know it's overcrowded, and I
know how hard everybody's working.
Things are very hectic. Yeah.
By the way, I started reading Alice in
wonderland last night to my two youngest.
I had to drag them away from the television,
but once I started, they wouldn't let me stop.
It's funny how you forget that kind of
stuff how wonderful some books are.
I hope you didn't tell them
that a librarian recommended it.
Certainly not. I'm no fool.
Thanks. I'll try not to bother you.
Okay. Take it easy. Okay.
I'm starting to get the impression
You resent taking responsibility for your actions.
No, that's not true at all.
I may have overlooked some administrative
procedures. I'm sorry if I did.
But seven people are resting
comfortably in isolation right now,
three of whom might be dead at this
time if we hadn't acted when we did.
If I had it to do over, nothing would change.
I offered to go below blue book
And throw in a full 90-day warranty.
I was even willing to replace the hood ornament.
What about the ping in the cylinders? What ping?
And where did you learn your
methodology, young lady? In a cesspool?
Wrists up. Left to right. Lateral
in. Right to left. Lateral out.
Do you want to contaminate the patient?
And don't stand there looking like a midwife. Lather up.
[Water running]
Who would have thought that
the caliber of medical education
Would deteriorate so rapidly in my lifetime?
What happened to the fraternal bond?
It's a sad, sad commentary.
The what? Never mind.
If he doesn't unload that gas hog soon, I'm gonna go nuts.
He spent 10 minutes this morning
talking about a valve replacement.
Then I realized he didn't mean a valve in the heart.
He's still trying to unload that blue convertible?
I didn't spend four long years in med
school to become a used-car salesman.
Jane, when you first came here,
you were in pretty bad shape.
You, uh you thought you were a bird.
But when you left here about two
months ago, you were feeling great.
And you've been out there on
your own ever since, doing just fine.
So what happened? The trolley was crowded.
I didn't sleep well the night before,
and this man was staring at me.
Did you get dizzy?
No, but as soon as I sat down, I knew I was in trouble.
Why? What did you feel like?
Panicky,
as though everything was running away from me.
Have you felt this way any other time since you left here?
No, and I haven't wanted to be a bird once either.
I stopped taking the thorazine a
few weeks ago. I was feeling so good.
So, you're, uh You're on the trolley,
and you start to feel panicky.
What happened then?
I walked to an empty seat and sat down.
I remember looking out the window
and not recognizing what I was looking at,
not knowing where I was.
It was so frightening.
I got scared, as though I was
gonna lose control like before.
But you didn't.
No, I managed to get home and take some thorazine.
I just don't want things to fall
apart like they did before, Dr. Beale.
Jane, the fact that you came back
here on your own says an awful lot.
I just don't want to lose control.
How do you feel now?
Safe.
Good. Good.
You storm in, you grab a Danish
and you go right for the jugular.
You held your own.
I don't know what's bugging you. I really don't.
We've worked together in the past. No, we haven't.
The only doctor I've worked with on
a regular basis is Daniel auschlander,
and he would never have allowed this to happen.
[Bell dings]
[Shouting, chattering]
You don't have any record? So the patient just disappeared?
Great. That's great. Ask a stupid question.
Excuse me. Excuse me!
Excuse me!
[Shouting] Will everyone shut up for one lousy minute?
Thank you. Thank you. It's only
taken me 85 times and shouting
To get you people's attention.
But does anyone know where Carol alaimo is?
[Woman #1] Who? [Woman #2] Who is she?
Sorry. Don't know. Sorry.
Nobody knows where she is.
She disappeared.
I'm fine. Just great.
I mean, when I was at Berkeley
memorial, I dealt with it all.
You're talkin' bikers, mainliners,
acid freaks, hard-core burn-outs.
I mean, heavy, heavy east bay grease.
But this place is bonkers, Dr. Westphall.
I mean, clinically, beyond extradition.
Hey, how am I supposed to know that what's her name?
Carol alaimo was transferred
to Beth Zion? I'm not the attending.
I think I would have reacted the same way.
It's like we're always on the wrong
end of an outside set at Santa Cruz.
I'm out there scratching the water, trying
to get out to get through to the wave.
And all of a sudden I see 15 other surfers on their boards,
only none of them know how to surf, you understand?
They start wiping out. They're crashing.
Boards, bodies, cords falling over each other.
Ultimately I feel like it's my fault. I don't know.
But I'm not a flake, Dr. Westphall.
Flakes don't graduate first in their
class, doctor, not even in California.
[Chuckles]
So, uh, how are you holding up through all this?
Okay. We've been hearing these rumors.
That I'm about to be canned?
Be depressing if it were true. Thank you.
Hey, thank you, Dr. Westphall.
See you later.
Hi, alisa. Yeah, two things.
Call Mrs. Catalano and tell her to tell the
kids I can't make it in time for dinner,
but I'll be there before they go to bed.
Then call the c.D.C. In Atlanta
'Cause Dr. Borovay said those
legionnaires' tests should be ready by now.
All right? Thank you.
Give me the double cheeseburger and an order of fries.
Uh, large applesauce and, uh, saltines.
It's my stomach, man.
If I eat anything else, I'm liable to
spend all day mopping up after myself.
You still don't feel any better?
I feel how this looks.
Molly says the board suspended
Dr. Westphall right after the meeting.
I don't believe it!
New hairdo. You're relaxed. You're glowing.
You've got a welt on your neck the size of a grapefruit.
Come on, doctor. Who's the lucky guy?
You have an impoverished imagination.
No. In fact, I have a fertile imagination.
Comes in handy around 2:00 A.M. now that I'm
pounding the boards again, if you catch my drift.
It didn't work out with Cathy Martin?
No, but that's okay. I'm back with my imaginary lover.
No hassles. We're very compatible.
So, uh, does your friend have a name?
Patrick mcfarland. He's a fisherman.
A fisherman named Patrick?
Somehow I can't picture you with a fisherman named Patrick.
Well, he's a very interesting guy. How'd you meet?
We had a baby together.
That's interesting. Over the phone.
He gave me his number, and I called it.
I'll bet he's a working-class intellectual.
No, just a regular guy that makes me happy.
Well, then I'm happy for you, Annie.
No, I really am.
Well, thank you.
It couldn't be me, it might as
well be a fisherman with a big skiff.
I knew it. Is the smell of carp conducive to
Good-bye, fiscus. Good-bye.
Why don't you take Myra to the
bay tower room? She'll love the view.
The food's not bad either. I can't afford that.
Peter, it's your wife's birthday.
If you don't do something nice for her
tonight, you'll pay for it all year long.
Tell me about it. Tonight's the
first night I've had off since Friday.
All I want to do is I wanna go home, I wanna go to sleep.
Jack, I saw the new medication order for Jane sondell.
That's the one who thought she was a bird? Yeah.
Why'd you take her off thorazine?
It's fairly standard procedure. Standard? For who?
I didn't authorize any changes.
It's standard procedure to take
a pregnant woman off thorazine.
Why didn't you tell me you were pregnant?
I didn't want to disappoint you.
And I didn't want you to judge me.
Who's the father?
His name is Bob.
Where'd you meet him?
Well, I've been doing clerical work
in an office along storrow drive.
When the weather's nice, I like to eat my lunch
Along the Charles river, near the hatch.
There was a group from Emerson
college playing chamber music there.
Quartet k. 465 by Mozart, sunrise by haydn.
Do you know those quartets? No. I'm afraid not.
They're lovely.
And it was such a beautiful day.
There were children and dogs and people eating their lunch.
Couples.
The kind of day that makes you feel happy to be alive.
And there was this man.
Bob. Yes.
And he started talking to me.
We talked about the music.
He was very handsome and charming,
and he knew so much.
He was very nice to me.
I didn't go back to work that afternoon.
Are you still seeing each other?
No.
Does he know that you're pregnant?
No.
Don't you think maybe you ought to tell him?
He's gone.
He doesn't live in Boston.
[Doctor] Ah, it's marked clearly
there. I can see it myself.
A little lower. Yes.
[Woman on P.A.] Mr. George cook,
please return to your room.
Fried monosodium glutamate. My favorite cuisine.
So, you're gonna eat that here or you takin' it out?
Well, I'm waiting for
Dr. Cavanero. She's in with a patient.
You must be Patrick. Yeah.
Wayne fiscus, Annie's best friend in the whole world.
I'm sure she always talks about me.
As a matter of fact, she hasn't.
Well, so what's it like being as big
as all outdoors? Good-bye, fiscus.
You're not gonna invite me to join you two for dinner?
Moo goo gai pan is, like, my
favorite dish. Good-bye, fiscus.
That guy he didn't seem like that bad a guy to me.
Believe me, if you knew him
No, you don't want to know him.
They don't deliver the Insulin
without a green sheet, loceff!
Loceff is with Martha mulvahey.
Skilling took that call. That was ages ago.
You've gotta talk to Martha. I thought I just did.
Have you heard the news? What?
Dr. Westphall heard from Atlanta.
It is legionnaires' disease.
[Sighs]
Dr. Westphall, could you tell us the steps you're taking
To locate the source of the legionnaires'?
Yes. Well, the monitoring team from the
center for disease control in Atlanta
For this I have to miss Ethel and Lucy?
Hey, what are you doing here
tonight? I thought you were off.
You're right. Tonight's my
wife's birthday. I better get going.
Domestic tranquillity.
They'll get it together. Yeah.
A little higher toward the skull. Shh.
Once you've located the disease,
then you'll be able to eliminate it?
Yes, that's right.
I would like to offer a word of
praise for my colleagues at St. eligius.
They've performed extremely
well in a very difficult situation,
and I'd really like them to know how proud of them I am.
[Reporter] Thank you very much, doctor. You bet ya.
[Reporter] So here at St. eligius
hospital, the prognosis is good.
The situation is under control for now.
This is Larry fishkin for wffp. Back to you, Irv.
Hey, Armstrong. How's Craig doing selling the car?
Still nothing.
Well, don't worry. Someone will come along pretty soon.
Talk about an anticlimax.
If we'd known earlier, a couple of
people still would have been alive.
- And you wouldn't have had to blame it all on skilling.
- Thanks.
Hey, pal, I'm not the heavy.
Sorry to bother you again.
It's the fifth time tonight, Martha.
Believe me, I would prefer to be
able to turn the faucet on myself
Fine.
[Water running] Thank you.
Do me a favor. Let the water run
for 20 minutes until I get off shift.
Mrs. Stephens, I don't think
your daughter-in-law is a witch.
You saw it levitate?
Well, perhaps it was an optical illusion.
[Knocking] Yeah?
Still need a ride? No, no. No, I'm
gonna get a ride with Samuels.
Miss Stephens, can you hang on just
a second? I'm gonna put you on hold.
I'll be right back.
I, uh I caught your show on television.
Just when you thought it was
safe to come back into the hospital.
It'll all blow over. Some people
would differ with you on that one.
Yeah. Yeah, I guess some people would.
- Donald, Jane sondell's back in the hospital.
- Who?
- Tweety.
- Oh, yes.
Does she still think she's a bird?
No, I think she's in complete control of herself
And knows exactly what she's doing.
She's pregnant by a guy named Bob.
She spent one very passionate afternoon
In the arms of a total stranger,
and now she's three months' pregnant.
The problem is, she's only been out of here for two months.
Somebody stole the cookies from the cookie jar.
Oh, boy.
Well, I'm sure you'll find out who it is. Good night, Hugh.
Good night. Why don't you go
get a beer with me and Samuels?
You look like you could use one. That bad, is it?
No, I can't. Thanks. I gotta get home.
It's my son's birthday tomorrow.
Gonna hang all the decorations.
Thanks anyway. Donald. Don't let this stuff get you down.
As coach bum Phillips once said of Earl Campbell,
"you may not be the only one in your class,
but it sure wouldn't take long to call roll."
Thanks, pal. See you later.
See you.
[Sighs]
Now, Mrs. Stephens?
Here you go. Thanks.
Okay. Uh, Willie Andrews?
I see. The strong, silent type. And, uh, you're
What's it to ya? That's slavic, isn't it?
Let's look at the goods.
Oh, nice job. Somebody mistake
you for a Thanksgiving Turkey?
Hey, look, man. You gonna fix it or what?
Sure. Wouldn't want you to be late for that
meeting with your lawyers over the book rights.
[Whispers] Hey.
Jack. Wake up. Jack boy.
What? Rise and shine.
What time is it?
It's a quarter to 2:00.
Why are you here?
I've come to relieve you.
You've filled in for me so many times,
and I just happened to be in the neighborhood anyway.
What happened?
- You had a fight.
- Right.
What about?
She didn't like the present I got her
for her birthday. What'd you get her?
A box of chocolates.
Man, if we hadn't fought about that, we
would've fought about something else.
It's getting to the point we don't even
need a reason to fight. We just fight.
Tonight I tried.
Listen, tonight I really tried not to.
I'm sorry.
Yeah, me too.
Okay. Whatever you do, don't get it wet, okay?
No swimming, no snorkeling.
No showers. Take a bath.
Please.
It's a it's a joke.
I feel like henny young man
playing a house full of ayatollahs.
All right. Come back in 10 days,
and I'll take out the stitches.
In the immortal words of Dr. Seuss
Get his wallet! Come on, come on!
[Ehrlich] So what'd the cops say?
[Fiscus] They, uh, suggested I get
another wallet as soon as possible.
[Armstrong] What did they get?
Nine bucks, three 15¢ stamps,
a picture of Gracie slick
And the number I got off a girl I met
last Thursday night at faneuil hall.
Special family blend?
It will make you feel like, um how do they say?
A new man?
Why not? If I felt any worse, I'd be dead.
If I felt any better, it wouldn't be me.
Josh karton, the technician over at the v.A.?
He got mugged while taking a set of x-rays.
In Berkeley, three dudes on
harleys came after me with tire irons
Because I revived a guy from a rival bike gang.
You're lucky. Me?
All your patients are out cold.
[Laughing]
Such a headache.
Go home, get some rest.
I can't. I gotta go downtown and look at mug shots.
Watch it, will you? Hey!
Not Barnes. Barnum. "Um." A deaf switchboard operator.
Any sign of Mr. Schultz's white blood count yet?
I'll send for it. We got a postcard from Dr. Auschlander.
That's nice. What's it say?
Either I need glasses or it's totally
illegible. Want to try translating?
"Cabo San Lucas is a dream. Don't wake me
up. Best to all." It's an acquired skill.
You ever work with a Dr. Pat barnum? No.
I've been waiting three hours.
I got a message from him. Nobody can
find him! Maybe he's at another hospital.
Get me Boston general.
Helen, I'm sorry, but I'm not gonna let
Martha mulvahey run me ragged today.
God, what is it now? I don't know.
Yes, Martha. What is it?
I know I'm being a terrible bother,
but I'd really like to get my hair washed.
We washed it yesterday. I know, but it feels dirty.
Listen, honey, there are 45 new beds in this ward.
It's very crowded, and everybody's very tired.
I wouldn't even ask, but I can't do it myself.
Martha, it's gonna take at least 40
minutes for someone to wash your hair.
We can't possibly wash every patient's hair every day.
There's just too much to do
and not enough of us to do it all.
You're right. I'm sorry.
Since I've been sick, I can't even
do the simplest things myself.
I promise I won't be such a bother to everybody anymore.
Look, things are pretty hectic right now,
but I'll get back within the hour.
We'll get your hair washed.
I think it's an inside job. Doesn't make sense.
There's no money in it. $6,000 worth
of supplies is not exactly petty cash.
It is when you consider that one tab of methaqualone
Goes for eight bucks on the street.
If you were feeding the black market,
would you lift tongue depressors?
That's a good point. You better
send cummings a tally sheet.
I did. He will not okay the payments.
All right. I'll talk to him. Thanks.
Okay, sweetie. Don't cry. I'll get
you another I.D. just as soon as I can.
What do you mean Dr. Barnum called again?
All the message said was, Dr. Barnum
wants to talk to you about buying your car.
Did he leave a phone number? Nope.
[Shouting] Why the hell didn't he leave his phone number?
Rooney, how many times have I got to tell you?
I'm the doctor. You're the orderly, okay?
You do not underline do not
have legionnaires'. You understand?
What do you call this? It's a
rash about the size of my fist.
Yeah, that's a rash. Yeah.
Sometimes sometimes,
when you get real nervous,
your skin reacts because your
mind is busy with other things.
Understand? No.
Well, you're not sick. Trust me.
So, okay, maybe I ain't got legionnaires'
disease. Maybe I got something worse.
Maybe something you guys ain't even discovered yet!
Come on, you monster! Where is
miss muscarella's chemical profile?
Luther! Where have you been?
Well, I was here, and I was over oh, come on, Luther.
Dr. Beale wants to see you pronto. And come right back.
Move it! Dr. Pat barnum. Check it again!
And keep checking till you find him!
The patients in 435 signed a petition complaining
About the paint peeling off the wall in their bathroom.
Ohh! File it.
No! No wonder they call this a terminal.
[Files hit floor] Oh!
Oh! God!
So, where do we start, Dr. Borovay?
The organism could be localized in these showers here,
or the faucets, or the bed pan flushers.
It's the needle in the haystack.
The legionnaires', uh, they found
at Wadsworth v.A. In California
And bellvue-stratford
Was traced to the air-conditioning system, right?
Yes. I had another case in Michigan
where we found it in the storage tanks.
But because the outbreak here
has been limited to only one ward,
it probably originated in that ward.
Samples will be obtained by swabbing
each water outlet with a dacron swab.
If the point of origin is not found to be on that ward,
then the organisms are ubiquitous
And the entire water-distribution
system is irreconcilably contaminated.
What would that mean?
It would mean that the entire
hospital would have to be closed down.
Don't worry. We'll find it. The most
important thing is that you acted quickly.
You should both be congratulated.
[Whistling] [Knocking]
Looking for me? Ah, Luther, indeed I am. Come in. Come in.
Luther, I've got a problem.
Yeah? And I think maybe you can help me out.
What's the problem?
Do you remember a patient of mine
from a while back by the name of Jane?
She was the girl with bird tendencies.
Yeah, sure. She was hooked on sunflower seeds.
Yeah, right. Well, she's pregnant.
And the problem is, I think she was
impregnated by someone in this hospital.
Oh, no, doc. I swear I wouldn't
I know it wasn't you, Luther. But I need your help.
My help?
Luther, I've been affiliated with
this hospital for several years.
During that time, I have come
to know its informational flow.
Know what I mean?
No.
Ah. Well.
When you need help with a personal
problem, you go to Dr. Westphall.
When you need to get something
done, you go to nurse Rosenthal.
But when you need to get right down to the dirt,
you go to the eyes and the ears of this hospital.
Whoa, doc. What you're asking me to do
Is to snoop and sneak and pry in other people's business.
Fifty dollars. I'll ask around.
[Knocking]
Phone. The computer man. Great.
I'm sorry, but we don't launder personal clothing.
That's why we provide the hospital gowns.
Uh, Mrs. Allen, 413 she get
her me to la zone? Not yet, doctor.
What's the hang-up?
Has Mrs. O'Flaherty gone to Beth
Zion too? My diabetic hypertensive?
Jerry, the last time it broke down,
you said it would never break down again.
Stop right there, Luther!
I did call our main computer
office. Rosalie told me to call you.
I thought I told you to come
right back! This is right back!
I don't want to hear it. I don't
want to hear it from you either.
What do you mean you're not
responsible every time it breaks down?
The man in 411 with a peptic ulcer erupted again.
Yeah. It doesn't get any more cruel or
unusual punishment than the rest of us do.
You can say that again. I am tired of excuses.
I want it working, and I want it working now.
Mrs. Visser wants a vase for her flowers.
I've got an assignment from Dr. Beale. Assignment?
Yeah. Tomorrow? Oh, Jerry.
I'm glad you're not in front of me right now.
412 again? Martha mulvahey.
[Sighs] Fix it, Jerry, fast!
Luther? Flowers! Ulcer!
Do you want me to get the call? No. I'll go.
What is it, Martha?
I'm sorry to bother you.
You said that the last time and
the time before. What is it now?
I have a friend coming to see me.
Could you help me with my makeup? Your makeup?
First it was the pillow, then the
bed, then your hair needed washing.
No more. Do you understand? No more!
What do you think we do around
here? This isn't a country club.
Now, look, Martha.
I am very sorry that you've got arthritis, and I mean that.
I'm very sorry that this happened to you.
You're sick, and I know that it's hard for you,
but we cannot cater to your every need.
You are not the only patient in this hospital.
If you keep calling like this, no one
will respond when it's really important.
Do you understand? When it is really important!
Ramon Lopez gave you a voucher. I need you to sign it.
I'm afraid that's out of the question.
That's great. So we run out of band-aids and cotton swabs.
What do you suggest we do then?
As is hospital policy, you will be
reimbursed for 90% of full value
At the start of the next fiscal quarter.
Then free the supplemental allocation.
What supplemental allocation?
You know damn well what it is. Was.
Our contingency monies were spent on this fiasco. I see.
So you're gonna withhold the money to
punish me for shutting down that ward.
That's not it at all. If I had been wrong,
I could understand your resentment.
But I wasn't wrong. This hospital averted
what could have been a major epidemic.
You've done a hell of a job, Donald.
I hope other people remember what a good job
you've done seven months down the line
When we don't have the money for the new cat scan
Or we lose our backing from the zellman foundation
All because of the terrific job you've done.
Fund-raising has never been one of St. eligius's
Stronger aspects.
Boston general and bent brigham
They usually get first crack at the heavy hitters.
Notoriety does not inspire confidence.
And we could have avoided the notoriety
If we just kept the news quiet until
the c.D.C. Had made the final report.
C.d.c. Reports don't make headlines.
C.d.c. Reports don't make the evening news.
Hugh? Hugh.
Do you know a Dr. Barnum? Don't think so.
He's not here or at Boston general
Or our lady of perpetual sorrows.
What's the matter? Is your back bothering you again?
No, my car. I've been trying to sell it for weeks.
Ellen wants a new one for her
birthday. We don't need three cars!
Do you happen know a physician
named pat barnum? Male or female?
Good question. Open your mouth,
Mr. Collins. It's time to take your pill.
I'm not kidding. I'm gonna stand
right here until I see you swallow it.
What seems to be the problem?
Nothing I can't handle. Take your pill, Mr. Collins.
What are you doing in my room
anyhow? Huh? Don't push! Please don't!
I'll push you if I want to!
Come on. [Shouting]
I'll kill him! Tell me this chaos will end.
This chaos will end. I don't believe you.
Look, Mr. Collins, if you want to
get better, you gotta take your pill.
Okay. There we are. Thank you.
Wayne.
Wayne.
I heard about what happened. Are you all right? Yeah. Sure.
I remember after the first couple of times I got mugged,
I began to think it was my fault.
You start lookin' over your shoulder a whole lot more.
Yeah, I guess so.
It's good to see you. Well, uh, it's good to be seen.
If there's anything I can do for you, let me know.
Thanks.
Martha?
Did you have a nice visit with your friend?
I overheard two of the nurses talking about me,
trying to be nice.
"Well, she's got pretty hair."
Pretty hair.
Oh, god.
For the past six years it's been getting worse and worse.
I can't even turn the pages of a book.
I am so angry!
Mar don't!
I don't want him to see me like this.
He's not going to.
We are going to make you look so beautiful.
Mark, I just spent $600 on a new transmission.
Jap car. It figures. Well, what am I supposed to do?
Buy American.
Why don't you buy his car?
My uncle jimbo once said,
"never buy anything from a man
who could someday operate on you."
Besides, some guy named barnum wants to buy it.
No, he doesn't.
You see, um, I'm barnum.
I found him.
[Man] blackbird singing in the dead of night ♪
take these broken wings and learn to fly ♪
all your life ♪
you were only waiting for this moment to arise ♪
blackbird, fly ♪
blackbird, fly ♪
into the light of the dark black night ♪
blackbird singing in the
dead of night it's rockin' Ralph.
That's the reason Jane came back.
Ralph's the guy that's been stealing all the supplies.
They're building a nest. I can see that.
And she's gonna have a baby in there.
Luther.
Blackbird they're in love.
Blackbird, fly ♪
into the light of the dark black night ♪
blackbird singing in the dead of night ♪
take these sunken eyes and learn to see ♪
all your life ♪♪
[Knocking] Come in.
Excuse me.
I just wanted to thank you for getting
the money to cover those stolen supplies.
As it turns out, we recovered most
of them. They were, uh, misplaced.
Keep it. Could be a long winter.
I, uh, thought about what you said.
It seems it's easy to forget
that our objectives are the same.
It's just that you and I go at them from different angles.
I want you to know that any differences I
had with you in the past are not personal.
The root of the problem is simple:
Running this hospital, making it work, is a business.
But to you doctors, it's a calling.
You'd rather remove yourselves
from the business of medicine,
from the pedestrian, daily, mundane work.
The business of medicine is business.
Something like that.
I realize this whole thing has
caused you enormous problems.
I wouldn't worry about it.
What's this?
Your résumé.
When an institution fails to function
smoothly, someone's gotta take a fall.
The administrator is a likely candidate.
Oh, they won't fire you.
A vote of confidence is usually a good
indication that a change is about to take place.
Knowing the board, they'll wait
until the c.D.C. Releases its report,
till the heat dies down.
Maybe they'll hold off until the
annual convention in Chicago whatever.
But I will be replaced.
The serum amylase come in yet? No.
About 20 more minutes.
Hmm. The cyst is receding.
Two days ago he'd have woke up howling.
To think I almost recommended surgery.
That'd have been a major blunder.
Is there anything else?
Uh, no.
Nurse.
Um, look, uh,
I'm very sorry. I made a terrible mistake at your expense.
And I want to apologize.
I've been 20 years with this
hospital, young man. Twenty years.
That's practically as long as you've been on this planet.
My way of doing things may not be to your liking,
but it doesn't give you the right to attack my ability.
Twenty years. Yes, ma'am.
Here's advice from an old lady
Who has seen many young men come and go.
Pick your friends with great care.
There's so many out there who would love to see you fail.
Thank you very much.
[Door closes]
Can I help you? Uh, yeah.
I want to buy a gun.
Uh, what kind?
The kind that shoots.
Donald? Hi.
I thought you ought to know,
Mrs. Aguirre is liking her
medication just a little too much.
I gave Gloria the new medication orders. Fine.
Ah! You shouldn't have.
Sorry, pal. It's for my son. Ah.
It's his birthday today. Ten years old. Oh!
And I missed the party. Oh, it happens.
It happens more often than it should.
The administrative problems of a hospital are
a poor excuse for missing a birthday party,
as far as a 10-year-old's concerned.
It's always something, isn't it? Yep.
You know, I was I was thinking about my father.
He was a schoolteacher, south Boston.
A shanty englishman teaching shanty Irish kids.
Dad believed that no one is insignificant,
even though it might not be the
brightest person in the world
Or it might have a personality
that you can't get along with.
It didn't matter. He was still
important. He's still a human being.
And we're obligated to help him.
Pop really enjoyed working with people. He was good at it.
I'll tell you something I don't feel that way every day.
Oh, I know what you mean.
That's what we keep coming back to, isn't it? Yeah.
See, when I was a boy,
I felt that that time dad spent with
other people was time taken away from me.
I resented it. I really did.
I swore to myself I promised myself
That I would never allow that to happen to my own children.
But I can see the pattern.
My kids are growing up, Helen. I can see them leaving.
I feel like it's all slipping away somehow. Do you know?
Oh, Donald, it's tough enough working
and raising kids when there are two of you.
It must be twice as hard for you.
Yeah.
- You look beat, my friend.
- I am.
- Let's get out of here.
- All right.
Well, I guess I'll make macaroni and cheese for di
You don't want to hear this.
When in doubt, pizza. What a good idea. Thanks. Yeah.
Where are you going? Just want to
go up and check on a patient before I go.
Well, mine's here. Are you okay? Yeah.
See you later. Good night.
[No audible dialogue]
- Hi, dad.
- Hi, kid.
Boy, are you a sight for sore
eyes. Give me a hug, will you?
Oh, boy. Oh, boy.
How was the party? Oh, it was okay.
Tommy still up? No, he's out like a light.
You tired? Yeah.
Me too. Let's go, huh?
[Mews]