Charite (2017) s03e01 Episode Script

1
- Ella Wendt - Prof Dr.Otto Prokop.
Dr.Ingeborg Rapoport.
A glass of wine, a few profound compliments,
the lady is delighted, the flesh is weak.
In short, it comes to extremes.
Now I ask the ladies present not to listen for a minute.
If you, gentlemen, don't have your central organ under control,
you have to face the consequences.
In the future, this institute will ensure
that no one can evade his fatherly duties anymore.
Iron Lungs
Attention!
You leave
after 20 m
West-Berlin
6th August, 1961,
A week before the wall is built
The fruit grows in the womb,
young life wants with all its might to light,
and whenever there is a dispute
who is the producer of the cute little Tschopperl,
we are asked for forensic medicine Serologists.
Fatherless children are a time bomb.
Think of Oedipus, Willy Brandt.
Internal Medicine
- Oh. -Do you need help? Are you okay?
Just a second.
There is an elevator.
Oh. Ten horses won't get me in there. I was buried in the war.
- Do you have pain? In the belly? - Just ate something wrong.
- Come with me. - Yes, you are in luck.
A few months ago I was a lot heavier.
Is the pain burning, stabbing, or dull?
Dull, very dull.
Don't you move from that spot. Okay?
Someone will be coming soon.
What nonsense the world could have been spared
when one of the absent fathers
could have proven her paternity.
With a paternity test.
You want to draw blood from every person?
Who was that?
Oh, this is clear! The demigod from surgery.
Oh, Mr.Schmitz, did that have to be?
Sorry, there is a patient sitting there who is about to faint
andand great weight loss, someone needs to take a look.
- And you are? - Oh, Ella Wendt from Senftenberg.
- I started here. - Oh, great.
Could you hold?
Mr.Schmitz is paralyzed.
- Understood. - Thank you, sister.
I wanted to go to Prof.Prokop's lecture.
Yes, many want to go there.
It's been running for over 10 minutes.
Science is incorruptible.
May beat times like these
the only reliable constant.
The only problem with blood groups and serums is:
You have to be able to read them.
For forensic validity
Haptoglobins particularly are valuable.
Hello?
Hello?
- My son cannot move. - First he was dizzy, then a fever. His legs bent away.
He's burning up. Come with me.
Someone will be here soon. Don't you worry.
Of course it didn't all grow out of my jargon,
yes, we think so.
Who helped countless colleagues achieve a breakthrough.
Who collected their writings
systematized and, above all, published it.
That's correct. Prof Dr.Otto Prokop.
Dr.Rapoport. We have an emergency, come quickly.
- Come on. - Thanks.
Be careful. Very slowly.
Institute of Forensic Medicine, Humboldt University
Berlin, Hannoversche Street 6
Wittenberg, we'll see you soon.
Corpses don't have a Sunday.
I'll be with you in a moment.
We have a dead person from the Criminal Investigation department.
Wait!
Blood group characteristics?
No, parentage assessment.
Well, attention on the A/B/0 factors. Statistical probabilities
Hemogenetic features.
The latest state of Haptoglobin detection after Electrophoresis.
And you are?
Ella Wendt, Internist.
- You are wrong. - No, no, I'm right.
Spot on.
Could you try pressing your head against my hand?
He couldn't get up this morning.
At first I thought he didn't want to go to school.
- Mmm. - What school does he go to?
- At Wilmersdorf. - In West Berlin.
Then why aren't you at Sankt Gertrauden?
The child was born here.
This is our hospital.
Does he have the summer flu?
Can you try to hold your leg like this?
Do it, Werner. Actively, huh?
This won't hurt.
Asymmetrical, flaccid paralysis.
We have an excellent biochemist in-house.
Prof.Rapoport, my husband. He will do a few tests.
And sister Arianna will draw blood from you.
Hm.
It's not that bad.
- Are you still washing them? - We don't have any new ones.
I will give you mine. I still have some.
Here. Throw them away after use.
Take him to the isolation room.
- Hey big guy. - Father.
Yes, everything will be fine. You will go home soon.
I promise.
Nurse Erika, the patient is getting new saline solution.
Yes, Head Nurse Gerda.
Lord!
Come on.
First lie down. Give me the bag.
Oh, you are burning up. Do you have an infection?
No. I don't think so.
When would the doctor finally come?
I'll go have a look.
We're doing our best, yeah?
Sister Erika, look after the patient!
Look here. Don't they look good?
- Where can you get that? - Stockings made from the finest Chinchilla.
Ladder-free, from KaDeWe.
- I would like those too. - Hm. Hm?
I saved it for two months.
In the perfumery they have a lipstick
that doesn't come off when kissing.
What? Nothing to do, ladies?
- Yes, Head Nurse Gerda. Nothing else to do. - Go cut the big bandage.
And the bulb in the toilet is broken.
And these have to be refilled!
Excuse me?
- I'm looking for my suitcase. - That one, I suppose?
Hopefully your weakness is not vomiting.
Oh. Yes, I'll see you tomorrow morning.
I'm afraid I need you right now.
I thought they sent you to Senftenberg
Alex!
Ordered back to maintain basic services.
Picture something like that. They don't take everyone.
They took you.
- You know each other? - Yes, we do. We studied together.
Patient in Room 9 has a headache, Dr.Nowack.
And 3 is waiting for a doctor as well.
You can come with me, yes? Come on.
When will you go to KaDeWe next?
Contradicting is pointless.
Look at that!
It's not even Monday, and the weekly schedule is done for!
She's gone too.
It's not just the doctors running off in hordes.
Everyone's off to the golden West.
What do they think they will find there? There isn't even any boiling water.
The syringes are not sterile.
- Do it yourself. - That was Luise's job.
Service
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Early duty
Yes, but Luise is no longer here.
I need saline on the 2 and add 1 gram of Analgin.
- Ah, Dr.Wendt I assume? - Yes.
- Senkbeil, Senior physician. - Pleased to
Yes, I'm very pleased as well.
So who's on shift with me now?
No one, Dr.Scabbard. Here are the patient files for the rounds.
- Yes, well, come with me then. - But
Yes, someone has to come with me on rounds, right?
How did you come across me?
Recommendation.
Did my senior doctor recommend me?
No. He recommended all of your colleagues to me.
But not you, it was clear that you were the best.
Thank you, I hope I can do my research here
You have been transferred here to maintain medical care at the Charité.
Can I rely on you for this?
Nevertheless, I had hoped that Prof.Prokop
The very esteemed colleague Prokopis is at presentations at Charité.
But the quality of care is decided here.
At the ward.
- You coming? - Yes.
He was found on the Potsdam Railway embankment.
It looks like an unnatural cause of death,
namely, murder by strangulation.
No papers, no money. The motive is clear: Murder.
We have a suspect, a 19 year old from Rathenow.
Already convicted for minor stolen goods.
He had the dead man's money and papers with him.
Yes, a clear strangulation sign.
We just need your report,
and the man goes under lock and key.
Well, then let's see what law and order comes at it's own.
A person like this is a little wonder box after death.
Very nice.
Wonderful. Yes.
Here?
How much weight did you lose?
Well, two clothing sizes in the last 6 months.
- I couldn't keep up with the stitching. - And loss of appetite, bloating, nausea?
- Here? - Yes, and sometimes blood comes when I choke.
- So? What do you say, colleague? - Everything indicates a stomach ulcer.
Yes. I think the same.
A hardening can be felt in the left upper abdomen.
Do you think it's serious?
We'll lower your fever, then we'll see.
The usual diagnostics. X-ray with a swallow of porridge.
Gastroscopy, if necessary.
You will be fine.
I'll check back on you later. Okay?
The patient's condition appears to be deteriorating rapidly.
It could be a lump. Wouldn't it be better to operate?
Surgery is short-staffed, so you don't need to come Sundays.
The Hernia at 3 can be discharged.
- Would give us some respite. - Yeah, good. Do that Dr.Nowack.
- I'll head out for today then. - Yes.
Did you want to come for a drink later?
Could I ask them in Surgery?
It doesn't cost anything to ask.
What part of under-staffed did you not understand?
Dr.Nowack, please stay a little longer.
Till Dr.Wendt gets into surgery.
If it's a tumor, it should be removed quickly.
Since this is cancerous, every day counts. Let's go.
I'm coming.
Welcome to Charité.
- It's good that you could come, Mitja. - A pleasure, in that case
- Did you rule out meningitis? - Yes.
Did you check for exo-toxins and Polio?
We no longer have Polio.
He comes from West Germany where there's no vaccination.
Downright negligent.
In West Germany this epidemic is rife.
3,300 paralyzed children.
If this is confirmed
the epidemic has now reached West Berlin.
- Virus cultivation. - Yes, Professor.
Thank you, Mitja.
Take care of yourself.
I will send you the result immediately.
Have you heard from the kids?
Inge, you don't have to write to us every day.
They are well looked after at the holiday camp.
- Yeah, I'm just worry. - You know what?
- Hm? - I love you for that darlin'.
But don't worry about it.
This can't be true! What has gotten into Clinic Management?
I need an intern and a second table.
I can't do all this alone.
Anyway, without any X-ray, every operation is like flying blind.
If ORWO doesn't deliver,
someone has to get X-ray films from the West.
Excuse me. Um, excuse me?
Are you the surgeon here?
There's 40 marks in my jacket pocket. Get it done.
- We have a patient with a suspected gastric ulcer. - Hm. Hmm.
Do you actually know what's going on here, colleague?
Yes. But with the rapid deterioration
noticeable weight loss, nausea
it could be a tumor.
Come in with results from Gastroscopy.
Yes, it might be too late by then.
The patient has Thrombosis on the superficial veins.
- If we operate immediately, we could look into sooner. - Yes!
But I have no time.
Ah well. Stomach ulcer's not that interesting is it?
And who wants to investigate a mis-diagnosis?
- Excuse me? - Hm?
I'm not like that, do you understand?
Sign up for the waiting list.
No. I'm not one of them.
Good day.
You wouldn't happen to have X-ray films by any chance would you?
Well, and when you have massaged him I would ask you to
bend his legs once and straighten them.
And don't stop, okay? Again and again from the beginning.
Well done.
Thank you.
Your child has likely contracted Polio.
Poliomyelitis.
Youyou mean the epidemic that's in West Germany
Oh God!
I suppose he was not vaccinated against Polio, was it?
- How come? - We have had a good experiences in the GDR
with a vaccine called Sabin.
Why doesn't it exist in the FRG?
It could be related to the fact that it is made in the Soviet Union.
- It's probably not even tested. - Oh well. Very well could be.
I vaccinated my children. I am vaccinated myself.
Our Minister Willi Stoph offered last month
3 million units of the vaccine to be delivered to West-Germany, but was refused.
- This is propaganda. - Richard!
Bärbel, we're going to St.Gertrauden.
- It was wrong to come here. - Mr.Simoneit. Just a moment.
Mr.Simoneit! You can't just leave. Your child is contagious.
- You don't even have the results. - It is what it is!
The symptoms are basically clear.
You can't hold my child.
- I'm the father - That's what the law in diseases requires.
Richard, he's got Polio.
Paule from the next house couldn't even walk today.
- We can be glad he is alive. - Don't let him feel the fear.
If we're lucky, things will go well
and there are no further complications.
You are in good hands, I promise you.
Tomorrow you are registered for the first shift.
I expect you to be on time.
Good. Is my apartment far from here?
Everything is within walking distance.
Well.
Well then
Thank you very much, Head Nurse Gerda.
- Fritze? - Yes? What it it?
Since you are this good, Herr Krug will show you where to go.
- Let's go then. - Oh, that's okay.
Come on. Can a doctor carry a suitcase around here?
No, no. Oh, if you get stuck with anything, just ask for Fritze Pflaster.
- Good. - Nothing works here without a caretaker.
Oh, she always says that. Come on now.
Until then.
That's crazy!
Then he came into the nurse's room and asked if I could go out with him.
- What! He asked you too, didn't he? - You too?
- Incredible. - Yes, everyone asks.
- Don't imagine anything off of it. - What? That's a
- He is an absolute killer. - Always fooling around.
Hello.
Laughter is probably still allowed.
Oh, don't let Gerda's tone bother you.
Her husband stayed on in the war.
- For Sister Gerda there is nothing more than the Charité. - Hm.
- Is that the new doctor? - On the outside she doesn't much.
And the ranting is a sign showing that she likes someone.
- Ha! Then she probably likes me especially? - I can't tell
- women and dresses, as if I were transporting stones. - Books.
What?
- It's my toolbox, so to speak. - Ah!
Well, here you are, so. - Thank you, Mr.Krug.
Then good night. What you dream the first night comes true.
Mhm.
Oh! Excuse me.
- I got myself in the wrong room - Ella?
Yes?
- I'm looking for my apartment. - Well then, in you come.
Arianna Alegria Vega Vargas.
Sister in the Children's Ward. My friends call me Arianna.
- Which one's better? - Uh I actually thought I
You Germans think too much. Where are your suitcases?
I cleared the bed by the window for you.
Actually, I'm from Cuba.
When they said there was an exchange, I wanted to come here.
Socialism here is young. You can still design here.
You will love it. The Charité is simply unique.
What is this you have with you?
Textbook of Forensic Medicine by Otto Prokop?
Arianna, we have to
Come in. This is Ella.
II didn't knowum, I think we have to go.
Mmh. So rich.
Come on girl.
Ella, are you coming to dance?
No.
I think I'll unpack first.
There are sandwiches in the tea kitchen. You can have them, Doctor.
You don't know what you're missing out on.
- Thank you. - Until tomorrow, Doctor. And sorry again.
Welcome home.
Let's go to Ku'damm.
I will take over. Thank you.
Hello Werner.
When will my mother be back?
Your mother will be here tomorrow. First thing in the morning.
Is this your first night alone away from home?
Yes?
We can do this together, right?
Why can't I move my legs?
Because you are a little sick.
When my children are troubled, I always sing a song to them.
What song?
It's a secret song.
Do you want to hear it?
Hush, little baby, don't say a word
Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird
And if that mockingbird won't sing
Mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring
And if that diamond ring turns brass
Mama's gonna buy you a looking glass
And if that looking glass gets broke
Mama's gonna buy you a billy goat
the West distrusts us.
Our main focus is to ensure the protection and stability of our citizens.
We cannot change the occupation in West Berlin.
Therefore it is important to us
to concentrate on the situation in the German Democratic Republic
and thus to create a safe new Germany.
The West undermining us, won't stop us
to work together on our homeland in the Socialist sense.
7th August, 1961,
Six days to wall construction
- Just a minute. - Good Morning.
Identification.
Good Morning.
Berlin, Hannoversche Street 6
Institute of Forensic Medicine, Humboldt University
Morning, Prof.Prokop.
- Party Secretary Lehmann. - Your lecture was a delight.
- That pleases me. - Endless press inquiries.
- Also the Western press. - Great.
Would be nice if you were a luminary as well
to speak of the position at Charité.
- Good Morning, Herr Professor. - Mrs.Dammrau! You look like life blooming again.
You work for East-Germany not without reason.
No one else offers better research options.
Didn't you mention that already?
Excuse me? Uh
Excuse me? Herr Professor, I
I wanted to introduce myself briefly. I'm Ella Wendt from Senftenberg.
I've read all of your work on Serology.
Oh, look here! I am glad.
I have a research group and
A research group? In Senftenberg?
Where did you do your research? In the forest?
I was very pleased, MsMs.Weber.
- Wendt. Ella Wendt. - Uh, Professor
Mrs.Dammrau? Mrs.Dammrau?
- Mr.Party Secretary. - Yes.
That's how they are, the luminaries.
I praise the academic rank and file.
Have a nice day, Dr.Wendt.
The virus is the most common Type 1, "Brunhilde",
and unfortunately highly infectious.
My husband is with his West Berlin colleagues.
They closed schools and swimming pools there.
Can't you do anything?
It's a viral infection.
We'll have to wait for it to subside.
And of course we can treat the symptoms.
The fever is now at 38.5 degrees.
This is not an all-clear sign, but it is a small step.
Sorry for my husband's reaction yesterday.
Dr.Rapoport, come in, quickly!
- He's gasping for air. - Ventilate, quickly! Quickly!
- Werner!? - Come here.
Take it easy. All good.
Werner!?
Massive restricted breathing excursion.
Werner!?
Infection has spread to the diaphragm. Get oxygen, quick.
- Take over. - okay.
Take it easy.
He passes out. We need the iron lung.
- The iron lung! Quick! - Werner!
Tell the Socialist Brethren that it won't work.
- Dr.Kliewe did not report in. - That's wonderful!
- Do we have enough doctors? - Comrade
- I am not a comrade. - You should be.
Oh yes?
And what would that achieve?
I thought the Charité was not about Party lines.
Let Nowack know, double shift. He'll be happy.
How is the Cirrhosis patient?
- Gave him Diuretics and anti-biotics. - Very good.
- I wanted to ask if maybe - Could you do a double shift?
Yes, I would.
Would it be possible to get a laboratory bench for my research?
Research?
I've been researching A/B/Zero for the past few years.
- with tumor formation. - You're not in the wrong with me.
I want to win Prof.Prokop.
I'll have to go on with that, right?
I'll do double, triple shifts, anything
but I would really like to keep researching.
Who would have thought this would still be used.
Because of the vaccination, nobody needed it for years.
Take it easy, Werner. We'll take care of you. Take it easy.
Oh my god! It took a while.
- Go now! - Mother of God.
- Hopefully the backups hold. - Is it working?
I don't know. This ol' gal was in the cellar for five years.
If anyone can make it work, it's you, Pflaster.
- If we can build negative pressure - Otherwise he will suffocate.
- Let's try that. - Yes.
- Let me do that. - Take care of the child.
Oh god, it looks like a coffin.
- Take care, Doctor. - All good.
- All right. - Flap shut.
- Switch on. - Yes.
No, switch it off!
All good. Wait for a minute.
All good, the pressure is building up. Turn off.
- And lift. - His lips are blue.
Okay, lift him with him.
One, two, three.
What are you doing to him? What are you doing to him?
Switch on.
Okay, Werner. Open your mouth.
- All good. - Open your mouth. The machine is breathing for you now.
That's okay. Open your mouth.
Very good. Very good.
Good. Open your mouth.
The thorax is moving. He can breathe again.
Such a good ol' gal.
Well done, Pflaster.
Thank you.
Well. Good to keep your mouth closed. That's okay.
- Did you hear anything? - No.
I don't know how long they'll keep me here.
that's a fact.
- I am looking for my husband. - He's over there to the left.
Thank you.
Then please give two more infusions on the 13th, okay?
What's that supposed to be?
My lab.
You are not serious! This is the room for all doctors.
Just that! I thought everything is shared here.
Please allow me
Oh, thank you again by the way
for half the room in the nurse's wing.
- Nothing else was free. - Mmm.
Let's hope you have enough time for your research.
Thank you.
I need reports from the newcomers.
- I'm coming. - And you support this too?
Yes.
The rope mark without a rope.
Yes. Of course without a rope that was removed by the perpetrator.
- Did the perpetrator say that? - No. He refuses to confess.
Says he found the things next to the dead man.
Good. Then let's see what we have. An intact Hyoid bone.
Hyoid bone without fracture with targeted pressure on?
If pressure is exerted specifically on the carotid,
this prevents the oxygen supply.
However
however, there is then bleeding in the neck muscles
and the conjunctiva.
- But it's not there. - It's not there. Come here.
Why?
Because there was neither a rope nor a culprit.
What we have,
is a properly dressed dead man,
a deceased time of several days and
ants.
Ants?
The formation of gases bloated the throat
and pressed against the tight fitting collar.
The ants that visited the body
couldn't go back under the collar
and formed a trail through feeding on formic acid,
mistakenly, all we did,
hold on to the rope mark.
You think it wasn't murder?
Excuse me. Where is Dr.Wendt?
- In there. - Thank you.
- Good day. - Hello, doctor.
Ah, Dr.Wendt. The thing about the Thrombosis.
Looked amazingly keen. You were right. It is a tumor.
- Gastric cancer? - Yes.
Even the Endoscopy didn't look good.
I just wanted to remove the ulcer
but when opening the abdomen
I saw meta tumor under the abdominal wall.
Metastatic type.
I also removed the surrounding lymph nodes,
but we'll have to wait and see if I've got it all.
Ah, wait a minute, Dr.Bruncken.
Head Nurse.
Five Agfa 14 x 14. Thank you.
Um, you can keep it. ORWO will deliver again.
Ah, does it still work, our beloved shortage economy?
Oh yes. Good afternoon.
Yes, they will go back again.
In this picture you can see that when the dead person was found
there were still ants on the body.
- Then what did he die of? - Yes, what did he die of?
To establish this beyond doubt,
we must have the splendid flowering plant
identify next to the tree.
A poisonous plant called Digitalis.
And look at the man's stomach.
Bring that.
To us beyond a doubt
was a toxic dose of Digitalis
to conclude on the cause of death.
You mean he killed himself?
I don't mean that, I'm just putting together what I see and can prove.
The man had put on his best suit,
looked for a place where the plant grew
and where he could die in peace.
My dear Captain, release the poor apprentice from Rathenow, he is innocent.
He's a thief who stole from a dead man
but certainly not a murderer.
This can be demonstrated.
Hello mama, what is there to eat?
Hello, Nella, today we have Roulades and dumplings.
Ah! Delicious.
Hello.
This is my little one, Rita.
- Hello, Rita. - Hello.
That is a beautiful doll.
Thank you. Mother sewed out of a dress for Christmas.
Mhm.
Rita, could you bring me an Fassbrause? They have some in the canteen.
- It would take me 10 minutes. - I can bear for that long. Hm?
I'll be right back.
And? How is it looking?
You had a rather large tumor in your stomach.
Cancerous?
Unfortunately yes.
But Dr.Bruncken was able to remove everything early.
Then do I still have hope?
Well. We must of course prefer appendicitis.
I won't manage Hernia today.
All right, thank you very much.
What did Ella have to shell out for you to operate?
X-ray films.
How many?
Five Agfa, 14 times 14.
Hm. That is extortion. She is one of us.
There are two kinds of doctors here.
- Some aren't around long enough - And the other?
- Too long. - Mmm.
She's got it all.
Ah! And what you don't say.
We mustn't give up hope.
The machine creates negative pressure.
And this causes the air to flow into the lungs through the mouth and nose.
Then the machine switches to over-pressure,
and the air's forced out of the lungs.
Every four seconds. 21,000 times a day.
Will he get through?
We have to wait for the infection to subside
and hope that self-breathing will return.
That is, the question is more whether he
whether he will stay forever in this
stay in this coffin?
I don't know how long it will go well.
Well, anyway, we'll see.
Could I rely to you?
It would be good if you could come in on Tuesday.
I'll be in touch. Thank you very much.
And? Everything good in the ward?
Apart from the usual madness?
Institute of Forensic Medicine, Humboldt University, Berlin
Blood - Do not use
Caution Fragile
Set it down here.
The Charité is requested to hold 2,000 units of blood.
- How come? - Classified information.
I'll have to talk to the Professor first whether we could store them.
The Charité Clinic Director has been informed. That should be enough.
- This is like in the war. - Not a word about this to the blood bank.
Did you understand?
Any breach of confidentiality
will result in punishment according to military law.
Understood?
The Professor has no time. Yes.
I'm not leaving from here.
Mrs.Dammrau, the findings, please. Ah, Dr.Weber.
- Wendt. Ella Wendt. - Aha.
Herr Prof.Prokop, I have to speak to you. It's
Listen, I've been researching for a few years
different blood group characteristics,
I mean the connections between tumors and examining blood characteristics.
Andsorry. Sorry.
The blood sedimentation results alone
Blood sedimentation?
I gave a lecture about blood sedimentation in '59.
- Yes. I know. That's why I am here. - It was a dead end.
The characteristics are far too vague to think of it as a connection.
I had some comparison samples
- So you thought - Yes, and
since you are the Head of The Serological institute,
of course you'd have access to a large blood bank.
Come with me.
And? How is it looking?
Definitely toxic.
- Hello. - Good day.
I'm working on a new early detection method.
We have to diagnose the cancer sooner.
That is the only way we have a chance to heal.
You mean who died?
- The other samples? - I'll go get it.
As in?
Who in your family died of cancer?
My mother.
Gastric cancer.
Visit your mother at the cemetery
and don't let them mess about with your work.
Professor, the autopsy is about to begin.
Yes I'm coming.
I did research the matter.
We are technically not in a position to
detect cancer in the blood.
So I can't get access to the blood bank?
Stop waging a war on cancer in private.
It is stronger than you. All the best. Okay?
Goodbye.
Now the bow is in place. Looks nice again.
Yes. Nice.
You seemingly like it, don't you?
You'll make mama well again, right?