 The story of dr. Kildare What's whoever house I enter there will I go for the benefit of the sink and what's whatever things I see or hear concerning the life of men I will keep silence there counting such things to be held as they quit trust Exercise my art solely for the cure The story of dr. Kildare starring Lou Ayres and Lionel Barrymore Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer brought you those famous motion pictures now this exciting heartwarming series is heard on Radio in just a moment the story of dr. Kildare, but first you're an answer The great citadel of American medicine plump of gray white buildings planted deep in the heart of New York The nerve center of medical progress for great minds and skilled hands wage man's everlasting battle against death and disease Blair General Hospital Where life begins where life ends where life goes on one more thing gentlemen I want to be told the facts all the facts Well, we sell them deal in imaginative flights of fancy here at Blair Hospital, mr. Bradley. I'm sorry dr. Lesbey I mean, I don't want the picture colored I want the truth in other words you're afraid you may be in bad shape, and if so you want to know about it That it not to kill there. I believe that whether you're building a five million dollar bridge or buying a nickel cigar You can't make a logical decision unless you first have all the pertinent facts and anytime you try to dodge a fact You're only handicapping yourself. That's a good theory happens to work in medicine as well as engineering Well, dr. Gillespie since you're the diagnostician maybe no no no go ahead Jimmy now. We're in full agreement on this case Well, then let's look at some of the facts that brought you here last night, mr. Bradley and see you arrived on a plane from Mexico City I went straight into a six-hour conference with your board of directors took a taxi home at midnight ran up the steps of your apartment and Collapsed those of course are obvious fact go on behind them is another very important fact You are 54 years old therefore your heart is 54 years old that would seem obvious to obvious Yes, but it's the most important fact of all mr. Bradley That heart of yours has been working away steadily without a single pause 54 years pumping four thousand gallons of blood a day Now added up that's quite a job especially for a machine that's never needed any repairs the point You see to some extent the heart does repair itself But there are some cumulative changes with increasing age that can't be repaired Mainly they involve the coronary arteries that furnish the blood supply to the heart muscle itself What kind of changes? Well, they're involved with the process of atherosclerosis Hardening of the arteries the walls of the arteries thicken and limit the flow of blood under ordinary conditions There are no symptoms, but overexert Get worked up emotionally and and China sharp pain in the chest shooting down the left on and that means what? Your heart's worn out. You're done for all ridiculous Well, I've had hardening of the arteries for 25 years mr. Bradley an attack like this one of yours is merely a warning That you've got to slow down and take it easier quit your job and rest for a while avoid Impossible impossible why well, I I'm nearly finished with the biggest job. I've ever done Irrigation project in central, Mexico My stockholders are expecting completion on the specified date several thousand farmers down there depending on the water I'll take it as easy as possible gentlemen, but I can't quit keep on at your present pace And you'll be back here within three months Dr. Kildare when I promise something I deliver it in three months the job will be finished Well giving you the facts apparently hasn't done any good. You're making the wrong decision in spite of them At least I'm able to figure my chances, so I know what I'm doing in this case, mr. Bradley I'm afraid you don't know really trying to find out what happened to a Highly important package that came in the mail this morning Well, there wasn't any package in the mail except an old seed catalog of some kind stuff about retiring a little farm in Vermont with chrysanthemums and Delfinium's and daffodils Parker you know just as much about horticulture as you know about nursing nothing. Oh, I know what's wrong with you Morning Jimmy to kill this he's talking about retiring and smiling at everybody around here simply because he hasn't had an interesting case in the Early a week. Oh, I know the dog. She's out of the mind. Well, she happens to be right I may have a cure for you a wayman's bringing an emergency patient from the airport be here in a few minutes Oh, you know anything about the case Jimmy only that the patient's name is Bradley and it's a heart attack again Bradley oh boy, you know, we were wrong. It only took one month. I was wrong Well construction jobs near enough done now, so it doesn't need pushing. It's quite a gamble mr. Bradley Your life against the completion of a job. I've always kept my promises dr. Kildare Anyway, I won the gamble. Well, no that still remains to be seen Hmm a coronary thrombosis when it isn't fatal sometimes leaves the heart permanently damaged See this coronary Thrombosis exactly what is it? Well, it involves those diseased coronary arteries. I told you about before for some reason We don't know blood clot forms in one of the constricted spots and blocks off the blood supply to a part of the heart muscle Result heart attack felt pretty much like the other attack the one you call to and gina pector A lot of like but a thrombosis is more serious in some cases yours for instance There's enough collateral circulation to keep the heart going on short rations until the thrombosis eliminated But can anything be done to prevent it? Yes, it can Anybody who was worn by a mild attack of angina can have sense enough to change his way of life Slow down take it easy All right dr. Gillespie. I'm ready now to buy that advice. I mean Oh Hello, Diana Mr. Bradley this is mr. Burner. How do you do? She'll be your nurse during the various tests. We're going to make What have I done to deserve the prettiest nurse in the hospital? Easy now mr. Bradley you've got a heart condition, you know, all right dr. Kill there and anyway I saw that look she gave you. Hmm. Well, I Dr. Kildale, I came to let you know the electrocardiograph is set up whenever you're ready good ready now Would you send for an orderly of course right away? Cardiograph sounds complicated and it is complicated mr. Bradley, but it's one very good way of getting some facts Sure that machine's working. All right. I don't feel a thing. No, you shouldn't I think you better step it up a little To me it's only touching seven. All right, dr. Maybe I'm short-circuited somewhere there could be and may blow a fuse any minute Diana are you ready with those high post? Yes, doctor more shots. What are they for this time? Just to test your heart response to a couple of drugs gives us a few more facts And what are those two drugs? I'm taking now this Dicumorol, what's the other one quinine sulfate quinidine sulfate? No, the dicumorol tends to keep the blood liquefied helps dissolve that thrombus reduces the danger of an embolus Quinidine sulfates a big help in the prevention of ventricular fibrillation The heart beating out of rhythm and ceasing to function as a pump. You mean I think we got enough control Now let's try the digitalis right Diana first But if you find out so far dr. Gillespie well, we won't know until we go over the charts later This is all being recorded on photographing film Guess I was expecting something more spectacular and you'll get it with the next test for no cardiac graph Picks up your heart beat and amplifies it electrically. It's quite a sound mr. Bradley It may scare you right into a relapse There's an irregular slur on the recovery beat dr. Gillespie noticing yes, I did Jimmy interesting Nothing nothing by itself just another fact She's quite right in fact for a few seconds. I want you to hold your breath. All right, and there it is I can't quite understand it Jimmy All right, mr. Bradley. That's enough How many more of these tests you're gonna have to me? Oh, this is only the beginning What's coming up next? Well, we've recorded your heart action. We've listened to it I think it's time. We took a look at it now done now wait a minute. Oh, you can relax with you to fluoroscope We don't have to take it out to look at it. Yes, we can get a better focus that way Well, it's a better angle for the fluoroscope. You wait mr. Bradley. We'll raise the head of the stretcher Sounds like the ratchet gear on the guillotine. Oh, that's a fine morbid observation mr. Bradley. Yeah, how's that? Screen across here That's fine. I killed a Take a few seconds with a tube to war Dr. Kildare you said something about possible damage to my heart Exactly, what did you mean? Well when the blood supply to some area of the heart muscle is temporarily interrupted That area may die and be absorbed. It's replaced then by a scar tissue And if the area is too large, it's just too bad. Not it. We're not necessarily Gentlemen any time you're ready and go ahead. Oh here Jimmy if I need a move. I'll move over a little thanks Can you see all right dr. Gillespie? Yes, Jimmy? I can see you all right Well, I think you can cut the machine off now. That's all for the present. All right. Well It's quick enough just one more fact mr. Bradley a Diana. You can have him taken back to his room now. All right Well, what's the next step? To you get together and try to agree on some verdict. I guess that's about it. Well, dr. Gillespie right with you Jimmy Well, I hope you reach a fast agreement Everybody tells me the third attack is the one that's fatal justice your position, mr. Bradley. We're looking on you later You saw it Jimmy, huh? Yes bulging out a half inch or more with every heartbeat that area So then you could poke your finger through it and it'll get even thinner before it starts to heal May break through any minute. I know Well, he doesn't need to worry about a third attack. He hasn't got one chance in a hundred of living ten days Story of dr. Kildare in just a moment. It's dr. Gillespie Don't stand there and tell me you don't know where he is But that long nose of yours poking around through the car does your bound to know well I guess my nose is quite normal. Thank you. Huh would be on an anteater Kildare hasn't left the hospital Therefore he's in the hospital Somewhere, but where how do you expect me to know? Oh shut up Parker. I'm talking to myself. Well Too bad. You can't do some useful snooping once in a while instead of There Looking all over the hospital for you. Oh, I was up in the library file room reading case histories something on your mind Yes, Bradley, I've thought of one possibility that might save them my dear dr. G. So have I What's yours? No, no, no, no you first Jimmy. Oh The back operation opening his chest grafting a fascia over the weak area of the heart muscle They're pretty dangerous to me as it now stands. He has practically no chance Well, the wall may hold out and heal by itself. You know it won't well Does happen sometimes if this were four or five days from now Maybe but his heart's going to get worse before it even starts to heal. Yeah, no, but nevertheless Jimmy I've gone through every case history in the library dealing with these so-called heart aneurysms And you know the chances involved both ways You've never performed a back operation. It's no tougher than a patent ductus, and I've had fair luck with those Yes, you have I don't see any other possibility dr. Gillespie. It's the only way that's going talk to mr. Bradley All right gentlemen I've survived the shock of learning that my heart is seriously damaged Let's have a details Thanks. Well, I told you mr. Bradley that the heart wall in one particular area is so thin It's bulging out every time your heart beats. It's like an automobile tire mr. Bradley with the inner tube Pushing out through a worn spot in the casing the human heart kicks up a pretty fair head of pressure You know there's have to to pump that 4,000 gallons a day you were talking about All right What's likely to happen? Roughly the same thing that might happen with that inner tube dr. Gillespie's little extra pressure or a spot of deteriorating rubber And that's that you said something about an operation dr. Kildare. Is this what you meant? That's right It involves opening the chest cavity and working on the heart itself Grafting a kind of a patch over the weak spot to prevent a blowout and give the muscle a chance to heal itself It sounds like a fairly rough deal. It's been performed successfully and in many cases and you're advising it in my case. Yes Do you agree dr. Gillespie? I do as far as I can see there's only one thing to consider Without the operation you have about a 1% chance of pulling through What chance with it? Well, very good Exactly how good Better than 50-50 I see you ever performed this operation before dr. Kildare No, I haven't Is he a good surgeon dr. Gillespie during 35 years in the profession? I have never seen a better one Well for 20 years I run a successful engineering firm on the policy of always hiring the best man for the job and 50-50 is a fair enough bet. Let's get started Scheduled operating theater number six for 915 dr. Kildare. It was the best I could do on such short notice six is fine Parker Thanks. No, what about personnel Diana Werner will stand in a surgical nurse. I'd like you to handle the pre-med All right anything special on it. No standard still haven't heard about Ramsey, but I Ramsey's assigned. I just okay Oh, thanks Here's the lab reports Bradley's general physical conditions. Excellent. So how do you feel? I'll be all right Kildare speaking. This is Ramsey doc understand. We got a job of work to do. Yeah, kind of a tough one So I hear what do you plan to use? Maybe on the table a long time. So we'd better play it safe Cyclopropane plenty of oxygen 2080. We'll start with that. Okay 915 and six, huh? Right. Bye Well, I guess that's that well apparently the next step is to operate I Won't need these other clamps miss Werner very well The short force ups, please Amazing vitality muscle tone is marvelous sponge, please And what oxygen balance you're using now still a 20 going sponge, please Thanks, you're still dripping plasma. Yes, doctor. Good. Let me give that second hypo now Pulse 63. I think we can dispense with that pulse reading. Oh, I'm holding his heart here in my hands Parker speaking I'm sorry. Dr. Kildare still in surgery Who's it? Yes? I know it's been over four hours, but nevertheless, dr. Kildare still in surgery. Goodbye They act like it's my fault who does all the front office. They've got some reports or something for him to sign Ah, they've always got some reports Four hours Confounded Parker. Are you sure he's still in surgery now? I get it from you Anybody would think I was operating on mr. Bradley. Well, I wish nobody was this long Dr. Kildare knows what he's doing. What could go wrong? What could go wrong? A hundred things could go wrong Name one he could be cursed with having a nurse without a brain in her head. Well, that's gratitude for all the years I've given you winning. Oh Jimmy One of the comforting things in this changing world is the beautiful relationship between you and Parker Jimmy you have just set a hospital record for hours in surgery. Oh, no I've been with Bradley in his room. We finished the operation a couple of hours ago. Well, you did Well, I thought I mean I assumed I just remembered I guess I better go up to the 10th floor and well do something about something Do something for me while you're up there. Well, yeah, jump off. Oh I am so tired I could sleep straight through 24 hours. Well, now before you doze off Jimmy Did we win or lose? Oh can't be entirely certain for several days But judging by the absence of shock and his physical response we won. He'll live. I'm sure good Congratulations, Jimmy. Why do they do it dr. Gillespie? You are what Bradley did ignore the warnings and throw away their lives He was lucky thousands of people aren't why does the chicken cross the road? It's the simplest rule in the world use your head and save your heart if they go right on ignoring it Oh, it's going to slow down and take it easy next year. Next year never come never. Well What can you do except give them the facts and hope for the best? And and of course treat them when they come into the hospital Oh, but most of them wouldn't even have to go to a hospital if they don't they think But now you're slipping over into the realm of human foibles Jimmy and to avoid a lengthy and unproductive Discussion, I think maybe you better get some sleep In just a moment we will return to the story of dr. Kildare Everybody's glad to leave a hospital But I'm especially happy to be walking out instead of being carried on it's up to you from here on mr. Bradley You can take it easy and live 20 years or more Or go back to the same high-speed life and that third attack not me dr. Kildare I've already made arrangements and retiring to a little farm in Vermont. Come on. That's where I'm going when I retire It's a great country. All right. Oh Well, I won't take up any more of your time You know, you can't really thank anyone for saving your life. So I'll just say goodbye. Good-bye. Good-bye Farm in Vermont That is the life Jimmy farm in Vermont Raising flowers and vegetables. Ah, you wouldn't retire if you were 120 years old and you know it Ah next year may be away from all this madhouse of nothing to worry about Well Parker, what do you want? Well, it's these new hot water bottles or something wrong with them Look, I filled this one with water and it bulges bulges. Oh, well, no, that's right down Kildare's alley He's an authority on bulges. You think you can grab the patch on a Jimmy. Let's see it Parker Would you advise major surgery doctor apparently defective? All right. Notice what happens when you squeeze it Oh, that's nothing dr. Kildare. It's when you push on it here that it Parker, what are you trying to do? She didn't know it was loaded dr. Gillespie Of all the nink. Oh in answer to your question a moment ago, I wouldn't advise surgery. No, no The patient is just too far gone. Here's a towel Heard the story of dr. Kildare Starring Lou Ayres and Lionel Barrymore This program was written by less crutchfield and directed by a William P. Russo Original music was composed and conducted by Walter Schumann Supporting cast included Virginia Greg, Georgia Ellis, Wilms Herbert and Vic Perron. Vic Joy speaking