Murdoch Mysteries (2008–…): Season 12, Episode 2 - Operation: Murder - full transcript
A post-operative death of a patient of a surgery that Dr. Ogden participated in leads her to suspect murder in the hospital.
(INDISTINCT SPEAKING)
Mrs. Quigley, age 46,
been suffering for several days
since experiencing a
blow to the stomach.
Will you describe your symptoms, ma'am?
I've explained it already.
It hurts here.
The patient reports abdominal
radiating to the left shoulder.
And she's been dizzy and tired.
I get tired every time I come
to this godforsaken place.
These symptoms are consistent
with a lacerated spleen, sir.
Surgery is indicated.
And how would you expose the spleen
to repair the damage, Dr. Dixon?
By partial excision of one or more ribs,
followed by subpleural or
transpleural exposure of the spleen.
Very well.
Excuse me, Dr. Forbes?
Would it be preferable
to do a vertical incision
of the left linear semilunaris?
Preferable how?
A shorter, more comfortable
recovery time for the patient
if the ribs are not excised.
Very good, Dr. Ogden.
The surgery is in one-half hour.
Prepare to assist. The
rest of you may observe.
Oh, uh...
- George.
- Sir.
Sir! I wasn't expecting you in today.
- Have we had a murder?
- No, no, no.
I'm simply looking for my... aha!
- Switch sequencer.
- Oh.
It's a beautiful day outside, George.
Why don't you go for a
walk along the boardwalk?
The boardwalk, sir.
The boardwalk is always teeming
with happy young couples.
They always come out
when the sun shines.
We have a call of a
pickpocket at Wilton and Yonge.
Oh, then. Excellent.
Prepped and ready, Doctor.
Gauze.
Very good.
I believe the spleen is enlarged.
More gauze.
The patient is an inebrient.
Enlarged spleens are a side
effect of chronic alcohol use.
Can you see the laceration?
Yes, there it is.
Would you recommend repairing the
laceration or a complete splenectomy?
Due to the enlargement, a splenectomy.
I agree.
Go ahead, bring the spleen
forward into the wound.
There's an adhesion to the diaphragm.
You'll need to separate that.
Scissors.
(EXHALING SHARPLY)
I've gone through the diaphragm.
- Heartbeat is erratic.
- She's bleeding.
Can you see the injury?
- The patient's pressure is falling.
- Do you want me to take over, Doctor?
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)
No. There it is. I can do it. Sutures.
Ah. There.
Heartbeat is normal.
Very good work under pressure, Doctor.
Shall we continue?
Scalpel.
- Very well done, Dr. Ogden.
- Ah!
Thank you.
- Congratulations.
- Thank you, sir.
The patient's son is looking for
news. Would you like to do the honour?
Mr. Quigley.
The surgery was quite successful.
You can expect your mother to
have a comfortable recovery.
Thank you, Doctor. Thank you so much.
Dr. Forbes, there's an emergency.
- It's Mrs. Quigley.
- Excuse me.
(TENSE MUSIC)
Mrs. Quigley. What happened?
OK. Get her up. Get her up.
She's bradycardic.
She's likely bleeding internally.
Get her back to the operating
theater, we'll re-open.
She's still not breathing.
She's gone.
Is it too late to offer you
my congratulations, Doctor?
(RISING MUSIC)
You said it was a simple surgery.
That it would be all right
for a student to assist!
Unfortunately, there were complications.
The spleen was enlarged,
there were growths...
You told me it went well!
That she would be all right!
I'm so sorry, Mr. Quigley.
- Everything seemed to be fine...
- And minutes later, she's dead!
I understand you're upset.
We really did everything we
could do to help your mother.
What happened, then?
I don't know, sir.
But I promise you, if
something went wrong here,
I will find out what it is.
(SOFT MUSIC)
We do not speak to family
members like that, Dr. Ogden.
- I beg your pardon?
- That man's mother died a natural death.
You should not have suggested otherwise.
Well... but surely,
we need to establish how she died.
Dr. Ogden.
You need not feel responsible
for Mrs. Quigley's death.
I saw your work.
I judged it to be correct.
- Well, I understand, but...
- The spleen was more diseased
than I anticipated.
It simply could not be repaired in time.
Thank you.
Right over here, by the desk.
Mr. Geoffrey's men
usually wear a uniform.
I'm new. I don't have my uniform yet.
Don't you have something for me to sign?
Sir. They told me you
wanted Saturday delivery.
They didn't give me a uniform,
they didn't give me a paper.
They said go to the crazy
new house on Lamport Avenue.
Actually, it's a modern design.
Do you want me to come back with this
- after my uniform fitting?
- No, it... it's fine.
It can stay.
♪
Nurse. Nurse, some help?
Of course, Constable.
What do we have here?
Well, Mr. Zervos here
fell and knocked his noggin on a fence
- while trying to avoid arrest.
- I was running because I didn't do anything.
We'll get the injury cleaned
up and a doctor can take a look.
I go out in the morning only to
be harassed by the constabulary.
It's the same story my whole life.
Ever since my papa went off to sea
and left me alone with my old uncle.
Oh, I've heard this tale before.
"A rough sailor's lad, made
orphan by a winter's shipwreck."
"Play'd among the waste
and lumber of the shore."
- Enoch Arden.
- One of my favourite poems.
Huh.
Nurse.
You administered the
anaesthetic to Mrs. Quigley.
Yes.
Did you feel her response
to the gas was normal?
Yes, her response was normal, Dr. Ogden.
Until she died, that is.
I'm sure you're aware
that anaesthetics carry some risk.
I'm aware that the
Lancet Medical Journal
has shown that chloroform
is nine times more likely
to cause death than ether.
- We use ether, of course.
- Of course.
- So you observed no adverse reaction?
- No, I didn't.
In fact the splenectomy was not
Mrs. Quigley's first operation,
as you may have noticed from her chart.
- Yes, of course, I...
- Since I had previously given her ether,
I knew that she tolerated it well.
Indeed, her pressure, pulse,
and breathing were all normal
until the tear in her diaphragm.
You believe that tear caused her death?
I don't believe it was the anaesthetic.
If you're looking to blame a nurse,
I suggest you tread carefully.
You'll find that sort of thing
doesn't go over well around here.
♪
Matron!
Will there be a
post-mortem on Mrs. Quigley?
Oh, I don't think so. Dr. Forbes
has already signed
the death certificate.
Oh, I see.
If I may speak intimately, Doctor?
- Of course.
- You mustn't be hard on yourself.
I know Dr. Forbes thinks
very highly of your work.
Thank you, Matron.
That's very kind of you.
It's never easy to lose a patient.
No matter the circumstances. Try
not to take it too much to heart.
Matron, I'd like Mrs. Quigley's
remains sent to the City Morgue.
That's not how we normally do things.
Yes, I understand, but I
am still the City Coroner.
It's well within my purview
to order a post-mortem.
Very well, Doctor.
Well, thank you for allowing me
to escort you home, Nurse Graham.
I'm pleased to have
the company, Constable.
It must be worrisome at times,
a young lady out alone.
This young lady is well
able to take care of herself.
- Now, I meant no offense.
- None taken.
I very much think nursing
is an admirable calling.
What made you decide to go into it?
I was destined to be a nurse.
"Destined". How so?
My name is Florence Nightingale Graham.
(CHUCKLING)
- Florence Nightingale?
- Mm-hmm.
Well, that is quite
the name to live up to.
I do what I can.
Although my supervisor
says that my hobbies
take up too much of my time.
So what, they expect you
to have no interests
outside of your training?
We're to devote ourselves night
and day to developing good character
and an orderly habit of mind.
Well in that case, what sort of...
hobbies might distract a young lady
from such noble pursuits?
Terribly frivolous things, to be sure.
Perhaps I will show you
one day, Constable Crabtree.
(ROMANTIC MUSIC)
(DOOR CLOSING)
(SIGHING)
Well, I completed my final
supervised surgery today.
- Oh, that's wonderful, Julia! Congratulations.
- Then the patient died.
Oh... Oh, I'm sorry.
There were complications,
but they were minor.
And the procedure was
completed perfectly.
Dr. Forbes has put the death down
to the poor state of
the patient's spleen.
But she was stable when she
left the operating theater.
Monitored by nurses, and see here?
- What am I looking for?
- Her temperature, pulse,
and respiration were taken every
five minutes and they were all normal.
- All normal, you say.
- Exactly!
And then she seems to have
simply... stopped breathing.
Doesn't that strike you as strange?
What does Dr. Forbes say?
That I must temper my ego to the
possibility I will lose patients.
- Well, I suppose that's true.
- Well, of course it's true...
it's simply not...
the problem at hand.
What bothers me is not
knowing what went wrong.
Dr. Forbes seems to think
that nothing's amiss.
Well, you did all you could by
raising your concerns to him.
Yes. Yes.
And then I ordered a post-mortem.
With Dr. Forbes' agreement?
Not precisely.
But hopefully Miss Hart will find
something that will catch his attention.
If you don't suspect murder
and she doesn't think she
made a mistake in the surgery,
what exactly are we looking for?
Perhaps this one is for peace of mind.
My first thought, of course,
was internal bleeding due
to the tear in the diaphragm,
but her blood pressure
returned to normal.
There doesn't appear to be
excess blood in the abdomen.
- It would have dissipated by now.
- Ah.
Excuse me, Doctor.
The sutures on the
diaphragm are still intact.
That's not your cause of death.
Oh. Well, that's good news.
I also considered the possibility
of an adverse reaction
to the anaesthetic.
I will certainly check the
liver for ether concentrations.
Check as well for any type of
poison or allergic reaction.
That... might not be necessary.
Why do you say that?
The sutures tying off the
splenic artery came loose.
(JULIA): No!
There,
below the left costal arch.
That must be a common occurrence,
- sutures coming loose?
- I'm sure it happens.
Sometimes the tissue is too
damaged to hold the sutures.
But in this case, I
felt quite confident.
So there was internal bleeding?
Yes...
Causing the heart to slow and stop.
We know the cause of death.
Yes.
It was me.
(MELANCHOLIC MUSIC)
Dr. Forbes?
I observed Mrs. Quigley's
post-mortem today.
I beg your pardon?
I didn't order a post-mortem.
What made you believe you were
justified in going over my head?
I'm sorry. I...
I wanted to know what happened.
Did the results put your mind at rest?
It seems the cause of death
was a failure of my sutures.
I trust this puts an
end to your inquiry?
Yes.
I lost a patient just last month
under similar circumstances.
- You did?
- Yes.
I'll admit I took it to
heart myself for a time.
Take my advice, Dr. Ogden.
Have a stiff drink
and then you get back to work.
So then, I looked into this
other patient, a Mr. Ross.
He also died following routine surgery.
People die in hospitals.
Yes, but what if these two
cases are somehow related?
The results of the post-mortem
showed a natural death.
- One mistake with sutures...
- But I don't believe I made a mistake.
Then how do you explain
Miss Hart's findings?
Pardon?
The post-mortem results
were quite clear.
Yes.
Miss Hart concluded
that the sutures failed,
causing the heart to stop.
The obvious alternative...
- (LOUD MECHANICAL WHIRRING)
- is that the...
the heart failed first,
and then the sutures were damaged
during the resuscitation efforts.
How did the heart fail?
Something must have
happened after the surgery.
Are you saying someone deliberately
tried to kill Mrs. Quigley?
It may have been human error.
(LOUD WHIRRING STOPS)
(SIGHING QUIETLY)
Julia.
You decided to pursue surgery
in order to leave murder behind.
Yes. I did.
But what if it's followed me?
You were assigned to
sit with Mrs. Quigley
following her surgery, is that correct?
Yes, Nurse Sullivan
signed her over to me.
Very good. And I
understand you're instructed
not to leave the patient.
No. I am to stay at the bedside
and watch for any signs of trouble.
And you did that for Mrs. Quigley?
You were with her constantly.
Yes.
Tell me about when
she went into distress.
It came on suddenly.
Her pulse was weak and...
her breathing irregular. I
called for the Matron immediately.
The anaesthetic nurse also responded?
Nurse Sullivan? Yes.
And the handsome resident
came over as well.
- Dr. Dixon?
- Yes.
So,
in the time before you
noticed Mrs. Quigley failing,
no one but yourself came to her bedside?
No. No one at all.
Excuse me, sir, it's time
to take your medicine.
(DOORBELL RINGING)
- (KNOCKING)
- Hello!
Anyone home?
- In here.
- Ah!
- (DOOR CLOSING)
- Sir!
- I think your doorbell is broken.
- (QUIETLY): If only it were.
Anyway, nothing wrong with an
old-fashioned knocking, is there?
Oh, you've got quite the
project on the go here, sir.
Sir, I have some reports from Miss Hart
and some personal news. Which
would you like to hear first?
All right, personal news it
is! It is the weekend after all.
Sir, I've, uh... met a young lady.
Very good, George.
Yes, well I'm glad you
think so, sir, because
I didn't want it to seem like
I didn't care for Miss Bloom.
I got quite the opposite impression.
Right, and I mean, life carries
on, after all, does it not?
And this young woman,
sir, she's a nurse.
I mean, could you think
of a better possible match
than a constable and a nurse?
It's early days with
this young woman, but
I know that she... is clever,
that her name is Miss Graham.
I know that she has
- a pleasant way about her.
- Aha!
- Excellent!
- Yes. I thought so too, sir!
George, you said you have
- Miss Hart's test results?
- Yes, of course.
Sir, Miss Hart told me that...
Dr. Ogden lost a patient yesterday,
and afterward,
called for all manner
of tests to be done
concerning the cause of death. I mean,
anaesthetic overdose, all
kinds of poisons and whatnot.
They all came back negative.
In fact, the only thing out
of the ordinary was some damage
to the vein where the
injections had been made.
Yes.
- Thank you.
- So...
pardon me for saying, sir, but...
is it not possible that
Doctor Ogden simply...
made a mistake and
doesn't want to admit it?
Julia does tend to prefer to be right.
I'd like to see charts of all
the recent post-operative deaths.
(DRAWER SLAMMING)
Perhaps you should take your
requests up with Dr. Forbes,
instead of attempting
to bully the nurses.
I'm sorry, Nurse...
Sullivan.
Nurse Sullivan, I am
not bullying, I'm...
Nurses do everything to
care for your patients
before you sail in and cut them up.
Instead of appreciating our work,
or even bothering to learn our names,
you attempt to lay blame
for your mistakes on us.
It must be difficult to accept
you may not be the star surgeon.
You were with Mrs. Quigley when
her breathing stopped, were you not?
Yes, I was. Trying to save her life.
And you were unsuccessful.
Yeah, after you'd already
had a go butchering her.
Dr. Ogden.
A word.
I asked you to stop this inquiry.
Now, you are distressing the nurses.
I'm sorry to hear they're upset.
An upset nurse is a
grief laid on my desk.
I'm not fully satisfied
we understand these deaths.
"Deaths"?
More than one concerns you now, does it?
As a matter of fact,
I looked into the one
you mentioned to me earlier,
Mr. Ross. It's also curious.
I did not tell you about
that patient, Doctor,
to stimulate your curiosity,
but to make the point that
we all must deal with failure.
Yes. But what if I didn't fail?
I have seen arrogance in
this profession before.
I did not expect it from you.
Be that as it may,
I have reason to suspect wrongdoing.
What kind of wrongdoing, exactly?
I don't have an explanation. That's
precisely why I'm investigating.
As City Coroner, it's my
responsibility to do so.
Very well.
As head surgeon of this hospital,
it is my responsibility to
ask you: are you a coroner
or are you a surgeon?
So, you came up with
this concoction yourself?
I've been mixing it up
in my father's kitchen.
He's fed up with the smells and mess
but I think I've finally
struck on a good formula.
I believe I can feel it working.
There's a... a... a...
There's a mild tingle!
It's based on a treatment one
of the doctors at the hospital
is using for burn victims.
It occurred to me that if his
remedy could heal damaged skin,
it might also help skin
ravaged by age and worry.
Well, that's very enterprising of you.
Every woman has the
right to feel beautiful.
See, anybody who cares so much
for others will surely
be a good nurse indeed.
Was it something I said, Miss Graham?
You and everyone else I know
want me to be a good nurse.
But the truth is...
- I'm not sure I'm good at all.
- Whatever gave you that idea?
A patient in my care
died suddenly yesterday.
I was supposed to be watching over them.
I'm afraid Dr. Ogden
thinks I'm responsible.
And she might be right.
Responsible how?
(DOOR OPENING)
(DOOR CLOSING)
William?
Will you put the kettle
on? We have work to do.
- But I was going to...
- I have the chart for every patient
who died following
surgery in the past year.
Something is going on in that ward,
and we are going to find out what.
All right.
So, out of all the patients
who died following
surgery in the past year,
four had symptoms in common
with Mrs. Quigley and Mr. Ross.
It's not a great number but I
wonder if it could be something.
Does Miss Hart's report of irritation
at the injection site
suggest anything to you?
None of her medications were
likely to cause that reaction.
So in all likelihood, we're
looking for some sort of poison.
I believe so.
And if she was poisoned, it
had to be between the time
she left the operating
theatre and the time she died.
There is one nurse
who signed five of six charts
on the days that they
died. A Nurse... Sullivan.
She has been rather
argumentative with me.
But she didn't have opportunity
to harm Mrs. Quigley
following her surgery.
Nurse Graham was with
her the entire time.
(DOORBELL RINGING)
Nurse Graham signed three charts.
- (DOORBELL RINGING AND KNOCKING)
- So perhaps...
she was left alone with three of them,
- and then had access to the others as well?
- (DOORBELL RINGING)
Nurse Graham, Nurse Graham...
- Why does that sound familiar?
- Nurse Graham!
- Constable Crabtree!
- Oh...
George.
- William, this is Nurse Graham.
- How do you do?
Sir, Doctor. Nurse Graham and I were
discussing a patient that died recently.
Constable Crabtree urged
me to speak with you.
You have information
on Mrs. Quigley's death?
Yes.
As you know, I'm not meant
to leave the patient's side
until they wake up.
But as I was sitting with Mrs. Quigley,
I realised that I had forgotten
to prepare her mouthwash.
People's mouths are exceptionally dry
when they wake up after an operation,
but they're not meant to have water,
so we swab their mouths
with this preparation.
So, you left the patient
to fetch the mouthwash.
Approximately how long do you think
you were away from
Mrs. Quigley's bedside?
Three minutes. It couldn't
have been more than that.
By the time she returned,
Mrs. Quigley had stopped breathing.
And that's when I raised the alarm.
Thank you for telling us
the truth, Nurse Graham.
- Yes, thank you, George.
- Sir. Doctor.
You know what this means.
It means your Nurse Sullivan
had opportunity to kill them all.
(INDISTINCT SPEAKING)
♪
I'm looking for the Coroner.
How can I help you?
You're the Coroner?
What is your inquiry, sir?
I was told my mother was
brought here. Edith Quigley?
I'd like to make arrangements,
and I don't know when
she'll be released.
The post-mortem for
Mrs. Quigley is complete.
I'm afraid her remains have not
yet been approved for release.
But you've discovered why she died?
You understand, I'm not at
liberty to share the results.
The case is still under
police investigation.
Police?
What if the nursing superintendent
finds out and I'm dismissed?
My father will be very disappointed.
I'm meant to help support the family.
Don't worry about that now.
It may never come to pass.
I suppose.
What you should be thinking
about is how wonderfully
your new skin cream works.
I mean, my face is
positively aglow today.
You're quite right, Constable.
Maybe it's my cream,
maybe it's your natural magnetism.
You think I have natural magnetism?
Well, you certainly have
something, Mr. Crabtree.
But I am sure you have had more
than your share of ladies tell you that.
I wouldn't say there were that many.
Well, then you don't associate
with very perceptive people.
(ROMANTIC MUSIC)
I apologize for being so forward.
I didn't mind in the least.
You know, as student nurses,
we're meant to display
good character at all times.
The Nursing Superintendent
will have me in for a chat
about my morals next.
(SIGHING)
Truth be told, taking care of sick
people can be stomach-churning.
Well, maybe you should
be selling your creams.
I'm telling you, I know a chap
who sells all the top
cosmetics in Toronto.
- Do you have any extra jars?
- I do.
You leave them with me
and we'll see what happens.
That would be wonderful.
(MURDOCH): Nurse Sullivan.
We'd like to speak to you about
the deaths of several patients.
We've identified six
post-operative deaths of interest.
I thought since you worked
closely with each patient,
you may have insights.
You say insights, and yet
you're here with a Detective.
What you mean is you suspect me.
You cared for each
of these five patients
on the days that they died.
I am the best anaesthetic
nurse in the department.
Dr. Forbes often requests me.
We believe Mrs. Quigley
may have been poisoned
sometime after her surgery.
- What kind of poison?
- We don't know yet.
No one would want to do such a thing.
Besides, no one would
have the opportunity.
Nurse Graham was monitoring the patient.
Actually, she stepped
away for several minutes
and came back to find that
Mrs. Quigley wasn't breathing.
When you monitor the
patients after a surgery,
do you ever have cause
to leave them alone?
Absolutely not.
Not until they come out of anaesthetic
and are resting comfortably.
Meaning that in each
of these five cases,
you were the only
person with opportunity
to have harmed the victims.
If you say so.
I happen to know that Dr. Forbes
specifically asked you to
stop investigating this case.
Yes. And if I had obeyed him,
I wouldn't have discovered this pattern.
I don't believe there is a pattern.
Six deaths in a department
that loses 100 patients a year
is not statistically relevant.
Well, perhaps you're right.
But even one unexplained
death is enough for me.
Are you not concerned you will
be discharged from the hospital?
If staying here means I
must say and do nothing
when I think that
something is gravely wrong,
then it's best I leave
sooner rather than later.
I think you might be
looking for the wrong thing.
What do you mean?
What about patients who died
before they went to surgery?
A pattern that Mrs.
Quigley's death doesn't fit?
What if she is an anomaly?
I didn't really think about it,
but there have been a couple of
cases that struck me as strange.
And what was odd about them?
One of them, a Mr. Fox,
Mr. Fox died very suddenly.
But the doctors didn't
think anything was amiss,
so I assumed there must
have been an explanation.
Where might we find the
charts for these patients?
I suppose you want other charts as well?
You're looking at any sudden deaths?
(JULIA): Any cause of death identified
as asphyxiation or heart failure.
♪
Mr. Ducharme has agreed to
stock your creams, Miss Graham.
I can't believe it!
He said the texture and the scent
were nothing short of luxurious
and it fills a gap in his product line.
In fact, he would like to speak
with you about supplying more.
How thrilling!
Oh my goodness, though...
it's all in jam jars.
Yes, and Mr. Ducharme
mentioned the labels.
I think you should call it...
Florence Nightingale Graham's
Skin Cream For Your Face.
I don't want to be associated
with hospitals and illness.
I want it to sound
beautiful and... elegant.
Right, right, right.
Perhaps I'll change my name altogether.
- Like an author with a nom de plume.
- Exactly!
- What should it be?
- Well, if it's elegance you're after,
I've always thought the
name Elizabeth was very fine.
I agree.
And for the surname...
...Arden, after our favourite poem.
Elizabeth Arden...
I love it!
Nurse Sullivan was right!
I'm sure this many pre-operative
deaths is significant.
Although it may not be so
easy to convince Dr. Forbes.
We need to find a pattern.
Dr. Ogden.
This is your husband
the detective, I presume.
- Dr. Forbes, Detective Murdoch.
- Doctor.
Martin Quigley...
he's gone to the Board!
He's threatening to sue the
hospital and me personally
for his mother's death.
Sir, I should hope it won't come
to that. I will speak to him.
You have said quite enough!
I have been instructed by the Board
- to dismiss you, effective immediately.
- Sir!
I could think of no argument
to make in your defense.
Dr. Forbes,
we believe we may have found evidence
of wrongdoing in this hospital.
I beg your pardon, Detective,
there is no crime here.
- That's not necessarily...
- I'm afraid
you are being unduly
swayed by your wife.
We are doing nothing more
than seeking the truth.
Collect your things tonight, Doctor,
and don't come back. You're fired.
♪
To dismiss you without inquiring
as to the investigation
is unconscionable.
Dr. Forbes is convinced
I am indulging my own ego.
Then let's prove him wrong.
I did notice something last night.
The deaths that Nurse
Sullivan found peculiar
were all patients admitted for
conditions related to alcoholism.
And half of these other patients
were also admitted for conditions
related to the abuse of alcohol.
Isn't it natural for inebrients to
get sick and die at a higher rate?
Yes.
But in all likelihood, they would die
of the condition that
brought them to the hospital:
spleen laceration, liver disease,
gastric ulcers. But look, William.
The cause of death in all of these
patients is strangely similar.
So no matter what
ailment brought them in,
they all died of the same thing.
They were murdered.
George.
Flo!
What a lovely surprise. I
expected you to be at the hospital.
I've just come from there.
I turned in my uniform.
Oh no.
- You've been dismissed after all?
- Not at all.
- I withdrew.
- You withdrew?
- Why?
- It's incredible.
I checked in with Mr.
Ducharme and he's already sold
half the creams you gave him.
In less than a day, George!
That's wonderful! But
it's only been a day.
I mean, is it not premature
to leave your profession?
I think of it not as leaving one
profession but starting another.
Mr. Ducharme and I had a heart-to-heart.
He is a kindred spirit with a
true passion for feminine beauty.
I have noticed that about him.
He has a dear friend in New York City
who has a place for a bookkeeper
at a real cosmetics company!
New York City?
I'm going to pursue my dreams!
I'll get to see a cosmetics
business from the inside
and meet all the best people.
And it's all thanks
to your encouragement!
That's wonderful.
I can't thank you enough, George.
Will you see me off
at the train next week?
Union Station.
I know it well.
And yes, of course.
Of course I will.
(TENSE MUSIC)
(MURDOCH): This way, gentlemen.
What is this?
I'm seizing staff records, Dr. Forbes.
I have a reasonable suspicion
of foul play in this hospital.
Multiple counts.
I intend to find out who had
opportunity to commit these crimes.
So, seven members of the attending staff
were present at each of
these suspicious deaths.
So, we interview them all,
find out who among them has a
particular resentment toward alcoholics.
We could search their homes;
see if we can find something suspicious.
Or... we could find the next victim.
(KNOCKING)
I thought I was finished
with the two of you.
Not quite yet.
We believe we know
how Mrs. Quigley died.
She died because she was ill.
Please, Doctor Forbes.
There's more to it than that.
Go on, then.
Someone on the ward is killing patients
who come in with ailments
related to alcoholism.
Preposterous. What proof have you?
These habitual inebrients all somehow
died of the same cause of death.
We don't believe it to be
medical error after all.
We also have a list of
all of the staff members
who were on duty at
the time of their deaths
who had opportunity
to kill the patients.
Am I on this list?
You are.
So, you can help vindicate yourself
by assisting the investigation.
And how would I do that?
The next time someone with
this victim profile is admitted,
we'd like to put a constable
on the ward undercover.
Patients admitted with complaints
related to excessive alcohol use?
Yes.
Someone like that was
admitted yesterday.
Surely, no one would
attempt to do this again,
knowing that you have
been investigating.
This person has been killing
with impunity for some time.
And using a poison that
mimics natural causes.
They may believe they are utterly safe.
- (DRAMATIC MUSIC)
- What happened?
He's bradycardic.
- What did you give him?
- I didn't give him anything. I just arrived.
- If you didn't interfere with him, then who did?
- Who is this?
Can't you see we're
trying to save a man?
We need to know what the
poison is to help him!
- Poison?
- Yes. I believe this man was poisoned,
as well as Mrs. Quigley
and countless others.
- Well it wasn't me.
- Who else was in here with him?
No one, only the Matron was here
when Nurse Sullivan and I arrived.
Matron Ingram?
- Pulse?
- It's fading.
- He's not responsive.
- What did you give him?
Nothing.
This man is a drunk.
He's made himself sick.
Tell us what the poison
is and how to stop this!
Save this man's life and hope
the courts will have mercy on you.
- I have need of no one's mercy.
- You may need it soon.
Saving this man's life
may mean the difference
between you living or
hanging by your neck.
He was warned. He was
told to stop drinking.
Are you willing to die... for him?
And with far less dignity
than you afforded your victims?
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)
- It was potassium chloride.
- We need calcium chloride. Right away.
I'll get it.
What about Crile's
chest compression method?
- It's not accepted procedure.
- We have nothing to lose.
Fine.
Let's turn him.
That's why we didn't find the poison.
Elevated levels of potassium
would only imitate
symptoms of heart failure.
♪
(GASPING)
Yes.
His heart rate is improving.
How could you betray your oath?
To this hospital?
- To your colleagues?
- I did it for the hospital.
These people didn't deserve our care.
They're drunks and wastrels.
They deserved better than your judgment.
- Sir?
- Yes, George?
I have some sad news, I'm afraid, sir.
The seedling of my love
has been cut out even before
it had a chance to bloom.
Nurse Graham has decided
to quit nursing school
and pursue her dreams in New York City.
Ah yes, Nurse Graham.
And I can no longer ignore a truth
that has staring me
plainly in the face, sir:
every woman I love
leaves town.
Sir, one or two failed relationships,
I mean, that could be bad luck.
But at some point, a
man has to ask himself
why love continually eludes him?
George...
...you do seem to choose
women who are ambitious.
- What?
- Well...
the women that you have loved,
all seem to be women who
are willing to sacrifice
everything they know in
order to pursue their goals.
Sir, you're right. That's it!
I continually set myself up for failure
by pursuing ambitious women.
Sir, you truly are a great detective.
You've just solved the mystery
of my heart in an instant.
- Well I...
- The question is, what do I do now?
I mean, do I continue
to do the same or, or,
should I do the opposite? Should
I pursue a woman who is simple
or uncomplicated,
without worldly passions?
I mean, is it time I resigned
myself to a life that is secure,
even if a bit, you know, humdrum?
That is a question only
you can answer, George.
But I can tell you this:
Although ambitious
women aren't always easy,
they are always interesting.
- Welcome back, Dr. Ogden.
- Thank you.
Gentlemen.
I must admit, I was quite impressed
to see you catch the
killer in our midst.
Thank you, Dr. Dixon.
And I completed my twelfth
surgery while you were away.
Oh? Second place suits you.
For now.
- Nurse Sullivan.
- Hmm.
You'll be administering anaesthetic
in the operating theatre today?
- I will.
- I'm glad to hear it.
You just don't want to learn
someone else's name, do you?
I have much more important things to do.
Hello, Mr. Kerrigan.
I'm Dr. Julia Ogden. I'll
be your surgeon today.
Julia?
I'm home.
Hmm.
Ahem.
♪
(MECHANICAL WHIRRING)
Mrs. Quigley, age 46,
been suffering for several days
since experiencing a
blow to the stomach.
Will you describe your symptoms, ma'am?
I've explained it already.
It hurts here.
The patient reports abdominal
radiating to the left shoulder.
And she's been dizzy and tired.
I get tired every time I come
to this godforsaken place.
These symptoms are consistent
with a lacerated spleen, sir.
Surgery is indicated.
And how would you expose the spleen
to repair the damage, Dr. Dixon?
By partial excision of one or more ribs,
followed by subpleural or
transpleural exposure of the spleen.
Very well.
Excuse me, Dr. Forbes?
Would it be preferable
to do a vertical incision
of the left linear semilunaris?
Preferable how?
A shorter, more comfortable
recovery time for the patient
if the ribs are not excised.
Very good, Dr. Ogden.
The surgery is in one-half hour.
Prepare to assist. The
rest of you may observe.
Oh, uh...
- George.
- Sir.
Sir! I wasn't expecting you in today.
- Have we had a murder?
- No, no, no.
I'm simply looking for my... aha!
- Switch sequencer.
- Oh.
It's a beautiful day outside, George.
Why don't you go for a
walk along the boardwalk?
The boardwalk, sir.
The boardwalk is always teeming
with happy young couples.
They always come out
when the sun shines.
We have a call of a
pickpocket at Wilton and Yonge.
Oh, then. Excellent.
Prepped and ready, Doctor.
Gauze.
Very good.
I believe the spleen is enlarged.
More gauze.
The patient is an inebrient.
Enlarged spleens are a side
effect of chronic alcohol use.
Can you see the laceration?
Yes, there it is.
Would you recommend repairing the
laceration or a complete splenectomy?
Due to the enlargement, a splenectomy.
I agree.
Go ahead, bring the spleen
forward into the wound.
There's an adhesion to the diaphragm.
You'll need to separate that.
Scissors.
(EXHALING SHARPLY)
I've gone through the diaphragm.
- Heartbeat is erratic.
- She's bleeding.
Can you see the injury?
- The patient's pressure is falling.
- Do you want me to take over, Doctor?
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)
No. There it is. I can do it. Sutures.
Ah. There.
Heartbeat is normal.
Very good work under pressure, Doctor.
Shall we continue?
Scalpel.
- Very well done, Dr. Ogden.
- Ah!
Thank you.
- Congratulations.
- Thank you, sir.
The patient's son is looking for
news. Would you like to do the honour?
Mr. Quigley.
The surgery was quite successful.
You can expect your mother to
have a comfortable recovery.
Thank you, Doctor. Thank you so much.
Dr. Forbes, there's an emergency.
- It's Mrs. Quigley.
- Excuse me.
(TENSE MUSIC)
Mrs. Quigley. What happened?
OK. Get her up. Get her up.
She's bradycardic.
She's likely bleeding internally.
Get her back to the operating
theater, we'll re-open.
She's still not breathing.
She's gone.
Is it too late to offer you
my congratulations, Doctor?
(RISING MUSIC)
You said it was a simple surgery.
That it would be all right
for a student to assist!
Unfortunately, there were complications.
The spleen was enlarged,
there were growths...
You told me it went well!
That she would be all right!
I'm so sorry, Mr. Quigley.
- Everything seemed to be fine...
- And minutes later, she's dead!
I understand you're upset.
We really did everything we
could do to help your mother.
What happened, then?
I don't know, sir.
But I promise you, if
something went wrong here,
I will find out what it is.
(SOFT MUSIC)
We do not speak to family
members like that, Dr. Ogden.
- I beg your pardon?
- That man's mother died a natural death.
You should not have suggested otherwise.
Well... but surely,
we need to establish how she died.
Dr. Ogden.
You need not feel responsible
for Mrs. Quigley's death.
I saw your work.
I judged it to be correct.
- Well, I understand, but...
- The spleen was more diseased
than I anticipated.
It simply could not be repaired in time.
Thank you.
Right over here, by the desk.
Mr. Geoffrey's men
usually wear a uniform.
I'm new. I don't have my uniform yet.
Don't you have something for me to sign?
Sir. They told me you
wanted Saturday delivery.
They didn't give me a uniform,
they didn't give me a paper.
They said go to the crazy
new house on Lamport Avenue.
Actually, it's a modern design.
Do you want me to come back with this
- after my uniform fitting?
- No, it... it's fine.
It can stay.
♪
Nurse. Nurse, some help?
Of course, Constable.
What do we have here?
Well, Mr. Zervos here
fell and knocked his noggin on a fence
- while trying to avoid arrest.
- I was running because I didn't do anything.
We'll get the injury cleaned
up and a doctor can take a look.
I go out in the morning only to
be harassed by the constabulary.
It's the same story my whole life.
Ever since my papa went off to sea
and left me alone with my old uncle.
Oh, I've heard this tale before.
"A rough sailor's lad, made
orphan by a winter's shipwreck."
"Play'd among the waste
and lumber of the shore."
- Enoch Arden.
- One of my favourite poems.
Huh.
Nurse.
You administered the
anaesthetic to Mrs. Quigley.
Yes.
Did you feel her response
to the gas was normal?
Yes, her response was normal, Dr. Ogden.
Until she died, that is.
I'm sure you're aware
that anaesthetics carry some risk.
I'm aware that the
Lancet Medical Journal
has shown that chloroform
is nine times more likely
to cause death than ether.
- We use ether, of course.
- Of course.
- So you observed no adverse reaction?
- No, I didn't.
In fact the splenectomy was not
Mrs. Quigley's first operation,
as you may have noticed from her chart.
- Yes, of course, I...
- Since I had previously given her ether,
I knew that she tolerated it well.
Indeed, her pressure, pulse,
and breathing were all normal
until the tear in her diaphragm.
You believe that tear caused her death?
I don't believe it was the anaesthetic.
If you're looking to blame a nurse,
I suggest you tread carefully.
You'll find that sort of thing
doesn't go over well around here.
♪
Matron!
Will there be a
post-mortem on Mrs. Quigley?
Oh, I don't think so. Dr. Forbes
has already signed
the death certificate.
Oh, I see.
If I may speak intimately, Doctor?
- Of course.
- You mustn't be hard on yourself.
I know Dr. Forbes thinks
very highly of your work.
Thank you, Matron.
That's very kind of you.
It's never easy to lose a patient.
No matter the circumstances. Try
not to take it too much to heart.
Matron, I'd like Mrs. Quigley's
remains sent to the City Morgue.
That's not how we normally do things.
Yes, I understand, but I
am still the City Coroner.
It's well within my purview
to order a post-mortem.
Very well, Doctor.
Well, thank you for allowing me
to escort you home, Nurse Graham.
I'm pleased to have
the company, Constable.
It must be worrisome at times,
a young lady out alone.
This young lady is well
able to take care of herself.
- Now, I meant no offense.
- None taken.
I very much think nursing
is an admirable calling.
What made you decide to go into it?
I was destined to be a nurse.
"Destined". How so?
My name is Florence Nightingale Graham.
(CHUCKLING)
- Florence Nightingale?
- Mm-hmm.
Well, that is quite
the name to live up to.
I do what I can.
Although my supervisor
says that my hobbies
take up too much of my time.
So what, they expect you
to have no interests
outside of your training?
We're to devote ourselves night
and day to developing good character
and an orderly habit of mind.
Well in that case, what sort of...
hobbies might distract a young lady
from such noble pursuits?
Terribly frivolous things, to be sure.
Perhaps I will show you
one day, Constable Crabtree.
(ROMANTIC MUSIC)
(DOOR CLOSING)
(SIGHING)
Well, I completed my final
supervised surgery today.
- Oh, that's wonderful, Julia! Congratulations.
- Then the patient died.
Oh... Oh, I'm sorry.
There were complications,
but they were minor.
And the procedure was
completed perfectly.
Dr. Forbes has put the death down
to the poor state of
the patient's spleen.
But she was stable when she
left the operating theater.
Monitored by nurses, and see here?
- What am I looking for?
- Her temperature, pulse,
and respiration were taken every
five minutes and they were all normal.
- All normal, you say.
- Exactly!
And then she seems to have
simply... stopped breathing.
Doesn't that strike you as strange?
What does Dr. Forbes say?
That I must temper my ego to the
possibility I will lose patients.
- Well, I suppose that's true.
- Well, of course it's true...
it's simply not...
the problem at hand.
What bothers me is not
knowing what went wrong.
Dr. Forbes seems to think
that nothing's amiss.
Well, you did all you could by
raising your concerns to him.
Yes. Yes.
And then I ordered a post-mortem.
With Dr. Forbes' agreement?
Not precisely.
But hopefully Miss Hart will find
something that will catch his attention.
If you don't suspect murder
and she doesn't think she
made a mistake in the surgery,
what exactly are we looking for?
Perhaps this one is for peace of mind.
My first thought, of course,
was internal bleeding due
to the tear in the diaphragm,
but her blood pressure
returned to normal.
There doesn't appear to be
excess blood in the abdomen.
- It would have dissipated by now.
- Ah.
Excuse me, Doctor.
The sutures on the
diaphragm are still intact.
That's not your cause of death.
Oh. Well, that's good news.
I also considered the possibility
of an adverse reaction
to the anaesthetic.
I will certainly check the
liver for ether concentrations.
Check as well for any type of
poison or allergic reaction.
That... might not be necessary.
Why do you say that?
The sutures tying off the
splenic artery came loose.
(JULIA): No!
There,
below the left costal arch.
That must be a common occurrence,
- sutures coming loose?
- I'm sure it happens.
Sometimes the tissue is too
damaged to hold the sutures.
But in this case, I
felt quite confident.
So there was internal bleeding?
Yes...
Causing the heart to slow and stop.
We know the cause of death.
Yes.
It was me.
(MELANCHOLIC MUSIC)
Dr. Forbes?
I observed Mrs. Quigley's
post-mortem today.
I beg your pardon?
I didn't order a post-mortem.
What made you believe you were
justified in going over my head?
I'm sorry. I...
I wanted to know what happened.
Did the results put your mind at rest?
It seems the cause of death
was a failure of my sutures.
I trust this puts an
end to your inquiry?
Yes.
I lost a patient just last month
under similar circumstances.
- You did?
- Yes.
I'll admit I took it to
heart myself for a time.
Take my advice, Dr. Ogden.
Have a stiff drink
and then you get back to work.
So then, I looked into this
other patient, a Mr. Ross.
He also died following routine surgery.
People die in hospitals.
Yes, but what if these two
cases are somehow related?
The results of the post-mortem
showed a natural death.
- One mistake with sutures...
- But I don't believe I made a mistake.
Then how do you explain
Miss Hart's findings?
Pardon?
The post-mortem results
were quite clear.
Yes.
Miss Hart concluded
that the sutures failed,
causing the heart to stop.
The obvious alternative...
- (LOUD MECHANICAL WHIRRING)
- is that the...
the heart failed first,
and then the sutures were damaged
during the resuscitation efforts.
How did the heart fail?
Something must have
happened after the surgery.
Are you saying someone deliberately
tried to kill Mrs. Quigley?
It may have been human error.
(LOUD WHIRRING STOPS)
(SIGHING QUIETLY)
Julia.
You decided to pursue surgery
in order to leave murder behind.
Yes. I did.
But what if it's followed me?
You were assigned to
sit with Mrs. Quigley
following her surgery, is that correct?
Yes, Nurse Sullivan
signed her over to me.
Very good. And I
understand you're instructed
not to leave the patient.
No. I am to stay at the bedside
and watch for any signs of trouble.
And you did that for Mrs. Quigley?
You were with her constantly.
Yes.
Tell me about when
she went into distress.
It came on suddenly.
Her pulse was weak and...
her breathing irregular. I
called for the Matron immediately.
The anaesthetic nurse also responded?
Nurse Sullivan? Yes.
And the handsome resident
came over as well.
- Dr. Dixon?
- Yes.
So,
in the time before you
noticed Mrs. Quigley failing,
no one but yourself came to her bedside?
No. No one at all.
Excuse me, sir, it's time
to take your medicine.
(DOORBELL RINGING)
- (KNOCKING)
- Hello!
Anyone home?
- In here.
- Ah!
- (DOOR CLOSING)
- Sir!
- I think your doorbell is broken.
- (QUIETLY): If only it were.
Anyway, nothing wrong with an
old-fashioned knocking, is there?
Oh, you've got quite the
project on the go here, sir.
Sir, I have some reports from Miss Hart
and some personal news. Which
would you like to hear first?
All right, personal news it
is! It is the weekend after all.
Sir, I've, uh... met a young lady.
Very good, George.
Yes, well I'm glad you
think so, sir, because
I didn't want it to seem like
I didn't care for Miss Bloom.
I got quite the opposite impression.
Right, and I mean, life carries
on, after all, does it not?
And this young woman,
sir, she's a nurse.
I mean, could you think
of a better possible match
than a constable and a nurse?
It's early days with
this young woman, but
I know that she... is clever,
that her name is Miss Graham.
I know that she has
- a pleasant way about her.
- Aha!
- Excellent!
- Yes. I thought so too, sir!
George, you said you have
- Miss Hart's test results?
- Yes, of course.
Sir, Miss Hart told me that...
Dr. Ogden lost a patient yesterday,
and afterward,
called for all manner
of tests to be done
concerning the cause of death. I mean,
anaesthetic overdose, all
kinds of poisons and whatnot.
They all came back negative.
In fact, the only thing out
of the ordinary was some damage
to the vein where the
injections had been made.
Yes.
- Thank you.
- So...
pardon me for saying, sir, but...
is it not possible that
Doctor Ogden simply...
made a mistake and
doesn't want to admit it?
Julia does tend to prefer to be right.
I'd like to see charts of all
the recent post-operative deaths.
(DRAWER SLAMMING)
Perhaps you should take your
requests up with Dr. Forbes,
instead of attempting
to bully the nurses.
I'm sorry, Nurse...
Sullivan.
Nurse Sullivan, I am
not bullying, I'm...
Nurses do everything to
care for your patients
before you sail in and cut them up.
Instead of appreciating our work,
or even bothering to learn our names,
you attempt to lay blame
for your mistakes on us.
It must be difficult to accept
you may not be the star surgeon.
You were with Mrs. Quigley when
her breathing stopped, were you not?
Yes, I was. Trying to save her life.
And you were unsuccessful.
Yeah, after you'd already
had a go butchering her.
Dr. Ogden.
A word.
I asked you to stop this inquiry.
Now, you are distressing the nurses.
I'm sorry to hear they're upset.
An upset nurse is a
grief laid on my desk.
I'm not fully satisfied
we understand these deaths.
"Deaths"?
More than one concerns you now, does it?
As a matter of fact,
I looked into the one
you mentioned to me earlier,
Mr. Ross. It's also curious.
I did not tell you about
that patient, Doctor,
to stimulate your curiosity,
but to make the point that
we all must deal with failure.
Yes. But what if I didn't fail?
I have seen arrogance in
this profession before.
I did not expect it from you.
Be that as it may,
I have reason to suspect wrongdoing.
What kind of wrongdoing, exactly?
I don't have an explanation. That's
precisely why I'm investigating.
As City Coroner, it's my
responsibility to do so.
Very well.
As head surgeon of this hospital,
it is my responsibility to
ask you: are you a coroner
or are you a surgeon?
So, you came up with
this concoction yourself?
I've been mixing it up
in my father's kitchen.
He's fed up with the smells and mess
but I think I've finally
struck on a good formula.
I believe I can feel it working.
There's a... a... a...
There's a mild tingle!
It's based on a treatment one
of the doctors at the hospital
is using for burn victims.
It occurred to me that if his
remedy could heal damaged skin,
it might also help skin
ravaged by age and worry.
Well, that's very enterprising of you.
Every woman has the
right to feel beautiful.
See, anybody who cares so much
for others will surely
be a good nurse indeed.
Was it something I said, Miss Graham?
You and everyone else I know
want me to be a good nurse.
But the truth is...
- I'm not sure I'm good at all.
- Whatever gave you that idea?
A patient in my care
died suddenly yesterday.
I was supposed to be watching over them.
I'm afraid Dr. Ogden
thinks I'm responsible.
And she might be right.
Responsible how?
(DOOR OPENING)
(DOOR CLOSING)
William?
Will you put the kettle
on? We have work to do.
- But I was going to...
- I have the chart for every patient
who died following
surgery in the past year.
Something is going on in that ward,
and we are going to find out what.
All right.
So, out of all the patients
who died following
surgery in the past year,
four had symptoms in common
with Mrs. Quigley and Mr. Ross.
It's not a great number but I
wonder if it could be something.
Does Miss Hart's report of irritation
at the injection site
suggest anything to you?
None of her medications were
likely to cause that reaction.
So in all likelihood, we're
looking for some sort of poison.
I believe so.
And if she was poisoned, it
had to be between the time
she left the operating
theatre and the time she died.
There is one nurse
who signed five of six charts
on the days that they
died. A Nurse... Sullivan.
She has been rather
argumentative with me.
But she didn't have opportunity
to harm Mrs. Quigley
following her surgery.
Nurse Graham was with
her the entire time.
(DOORBELL RINGING)
Nurse Graham signed three charts.
- (DOORBELL RINGING AND KNOCKING)
- So perhaps...
she was left alone with three of them,
- and then had access to the others as well?
- (DOORBELL RINGING)
Nurse Graham, Nurse Graham...
- Why does that sound familiar?
- Nurse Graham!
- Constable Crabtree!
- Oh...
George.
- William, this is Nurse Graham.
- How do you do?
Sir, Doctor. Nurse Graham and I were
discussing a patient that died recently.
Constable Crabtree urged
me to speak with you.
You have information
on Mrs. Quigley's death?
Yes.
As you know, I'm not meant
to leave the patient's side
until they wake up.
But as I was sitting with Mrs. Quigley,
I realised that I had forgotten
to prepare her mouthwash.
People's mouths are exceptionally dry
when they wake up after an operation,
but they're not meant to have water,
so we swab their mouths
with this preparation.
So, you left the patient
to fetch the mouthwash.
Approximately how long do you think
you were away from
Mrs. Quigley's bedside?
Three minutes. It couldn't
have been more than that.
By the time she returned,
Mrs. Quigley had stopped breathing.
And that's when I raised the alarm.
Thank you for telling us
the truth, Nurse Graham.
- Yes, thank you, George.
- Sir. Doctor.
You know what this means.
It means your Nurse Sullivan
had opportunity to kill them all.
(INDISTINCT SPEAKING)
♪
I'm looking for the Coroner.
How can I help you?
You're the Coroner?
What is your inquiry, sir?
I was told my mother was
brought here. Edith Quigley?
I'd like to make arrangements,
and I don't know when
she'll be released.
The post-mortem for
Mrs. Quigley is complete.
I'm afraid her remains have not
yet been approved for release.
But you've discovered why she died?
You understand, I'm not at
liberty to share the results.
The case is still under
police investigation.
Police?
What if the nursing superintendent
finds out and I'm dismissed?
My father will be very disappointed.
I'm meant to help support the family.
Don't worry about that now.
It may never come to pass.
I suppose.
What you should be thinking
about is how wonderfully
your new skin cream works.
I mean, my face is
positively aglow today.
You're quite right, Constable.
Maybe it's my cream,
maybe it's your natural magnetism.
You think I have natural magnetism?
Well, you certainly have
something, Mr. Crabtree.
But I am sure you have had more
than your share of ladies tell you that.
I wouldn't say there were that many.
Well, then you don't associate
with very perceptive people.
(ROMANTIC MUSIC)
I apologize for being so forward.
I didn't mind in the least.
You know, as student nurses,
we're meant to display
good character at all times.
The Nursing Superintendent
will have me in for a chat
about my morals next.
(SIGHING)
Truth be told, taking care of sick
people can be stomach-churning.
Well, maybe you should
be selling your creams.
I'm telling you, I know a chap
who sells all the top
cosmetics in Toronto.
- Do you have any extra jars?
- I do.
You leave them with me
and we'll see what happens.
That would be wonderful.
(MURDOCH): Nurse Sullivan.
We'd like to speak to you about
the deaths of several patients.
We've identified six
post-operative deaths of interest.
I thought since you worked
closely with each patient,
you may have insights.
You say insights, and yet
you're here with a Detective.
What you mean is you suspect me.
You cared for each
of these five patients
on the days that they died.
I am the best anaesthetic
nurse in the department.
Dr. Forbes often requests me.
We believe Mrs. Quigley
may have been poisoned
sometime after her surgery.
- What kind of poison?
- We don't know yet.
No one would want to do such a thing.
Besides, no one would
have the opportunity.
Nurse Graham was monitoring the patient.
Actually, she stepped
away for several minutes
and came back to find that
Mrs. Quigley wasn't breathing.
When you monitor the
patients after a surgery,
do you ever have cause
to leave them alone?
Absolutely not.
Not until they come out of anaesthetic
and are resting comfortably.
Meaning that in each
of these five cases,
you were the only
person with opportunity
to have harmed the victims.
If you say so.
I happen to know that Dr. Forbes
specifically asked you to
stop investigating this case.
Yes. And if I had obeyed him,
I wouldn't have discovered this pattern.
I don't believe there is a pattern.
Six deaths in a department
that loses 100 patients a year
is not statistically relevant.
Well, perhaps you're right.
But even one unexplained
death is enough for me.
Are you not concerned you will
be discharged from the hospital?
If staying here means I
must say and do nothing
when I think that
something is gravely wrong,
then it's best I leave
sooner rather than later.
I think you might be
looking for the wrong thing.
What do you mean?
What about patients who died
before they went to surgery?
A pattern that Mrs.
Quigley's death doesn't fit?
What if she is an anomaly?
I didn't really think about it,
but there have been a couple of
cases that struck me as strange.
And what was odd about them?
One of them, a Mr. Fox,
Mr. Fox died very suddenly.
But the doctors didn't
think anything was amiss,
so I assumed there must
have been an explanation.
Where might we find the
charts for these patients?
I suppose you want other charts as well?
You're looking at any sudden deaths?
(JULIA): Any cause of death identified
as asphyxiation or heart failure.
♪
Mr. Ducharme has agreed to
stock your creams, Miss Graham.
I can't believe it!
He said the texture and the scent
were nothing short of luxurious
and it fills a gap in his product line.
In fact, he would like to speak
with you about supplying more.
How thrilling!
Oh my goodness, though...
it's all in jam jars.
Yes, and Mr. Ducharme
mentioned the labels.
I think you should call it...
Florence Nightingale Graham's
Skin Cream For Your Face.
I don't want to be associated
with hospitals and illness.
I want it to sound
beautiful and... elegant.
Right, right, right.
Perhaps I'll change my name altogether.
- Like an author with a nom de plume.
- Exactly!
- What should it be?
- Well, if it's elegance you're after,
I've always thought the
name Elizabeth was very fine.
I agree.
And for the surname...
...Arden, after our favourite poem.
Elizabeth Arden...
I love it!
Nurse Sullivan was right!
I'm sure this many pre-operative
deaths is significant.
Although it may not be so
easy to convince Dr. Forbes.
We need to find a pattern.
Dr. Ogden.
This is your husband
the detective, I presume.
- Dr. Forbes, Detective Murdoch.
- Doctor.
Martin Quigley...
he's gone to the Board!
He's threatening to sue the
hospital and me personally
for his mother's death.
Sir, I should hope it won't come
to that. I will speak to him.
You have said quite enough!
I have been instructed by the Board
- to dismiss you, effective immediately.
- Sir!
I could think of no argument
to make in your defense.
Dr. Forbes,
we believe we may have found evidence
of wrongdoing in this hospital.
I beg your pardon, Detective,
there is no crime here.
- That's not necessarily...
- I'm afraid
you are being unduly
swayed by your wife.
We are doing nothing more
than seeking the truth.
Collect your things tonight, Doctor,
and don't come back. You're fired.
♪
To dismiss you without inquiring
as to the investigation
is unconscionable.
Dr. Forbes is convinced
I am indulging my own ego.
Then let's prove him wrong.
I did notice something last night.
The deaths that Nurse
Sullivan found peculiar
were all patients admitted for
conditions related to alcoholism.
And half of these other patients
were also admitted for conditions
related to the abuse of alcohol.
Isn't it natural for inebrients to
get sick and die at a higher rate?
Yes.
But in all likelihood, they would die
of the condition that
brought them to the hospital:
spleen laceration, liver disease,
gastric ulcers. But look, William.
The cause of death in all of these
patients is strangely similar.
So no matter what
ailment brought them in,
they all died of the same thing.
They were murdered.
George.
Flo!
What a lovely surprise. I
expected you to be at the hospital.
I've just come from there.
I turned in my uniform.
Oh no.
- You've been dismissed after all?
- Not at all.
- I withdrew.
- You withdrew?
- Why?
- It's incredible.
I checked in with Mr.
Ducharme and he's already sold
half the creams you gave him.
In less than a day, George!
That's wonderful! But
it's only been a day.
I mean, is it not premature
to leave your profession?
I think of it not as leaving one
profession but starting another.
Mr. Ducharme and I had a heart-to-heart.
He is a kindred spirit with a
true passion for feminine beauty.
I have noticed that about him.
He has a dear friend in New York City
who has a place for a bookkeeper
at a real cosmetics company!
New York City?
I'm going to pursue my dreams!
I'll get to see a cosmetics
business from the inside
and meet all the best people.
And it's all thanks
to your encouragement!
That's wonderful.
I can't thank you enough, George.
Will you see me off
at the train next week?
Union Station.
I know it well.
And yes, of course.
Of course I will.
(TENSE MUSIC)
(MURDOCH): This way, gentlemen.
What is this?
I'm seizing staff records, Dr. Forbes.
I have a reasonable suspicion
of foul play in this hospital.
Multiple counts.
I intend to find out who had
opportunity to commit these crimes.
So, seven members of the attending staff
were present at each of
these suspicious deaths.
So, we interview them all,
find out who among them has a
particular resentment toward alcoholics.
We could search their homes;
see if we can find something suspicious.
Or... we could find the next victim.
(KNOCKING)
I thought I was finished
with the two of you.
Not quite yet.
We believe we know
how Mrs. Quigley died.
She died because she was ill.
Please, Doctor Forbes.
There's more to it than that.
Go on, then.
Someone on the ward is killing patients
who come in with ailments
related to alcoholism.
Preposterous. What proof have you?
These habitual inebrients all somehow
died of the same cause of death.
We don't believe it to be
medical error after all.
We also have a list of
all of the staff members
who were on duty at
the time of their deaths
who had opportunity
to kill the patients.
Am I on this list?
You are.
So, you can help vindicate yourself
by assisting the investigation.
And how would I do that?
The next time someone with
this victim profile is admitted,
we'd like to put a constable
on the ward undercover.
Patients admitted with complaints
related to excessive alcohol use?
Yes.
Someone like that was
admitted yesterday.
Surely, no one would
attempt to do this again,
knowing that you have
been investigating.
This person has been killing
with impunity for some time.
And using a poison that
mimics natural causes.
They may believe they are utterly safe.
- (DRAMATIC MUSIC)
- What happened?
He's bradycardic.
- What did you give him?
- I didn't give him anything. I just arrived.
- If you didn't interfere with him, then who did?
- Who is this?
Can't you see we're
trying to save a man?
We need to know what the
poison is to help him!
- Poison?
- Yes. I believe this man was poisoned,
as well as Mrs. Quigley
and countless others.
- Well it wasn't me.
- Who else was in here with him?
No one, only the Matron was here
when Nurse Sullivan and I arrived.
Matron Ingram?
- Pulse?
- It's fading.
- He's not responsive.
- What did you give him?
Nothing.
This man is a drunk.
He's made himself sick.
Tell us what the poison
is and how to stop this!
Save this man's life and hope
the courts will have mercy on you.
- I have need of no one's mercy.
- You may need it soon.
Saving this man's life
may mean the difference
between you living or
hanging by your neck.
He was warned. He was
told to stop drinking.
Are you willing to die... for him?
And with far less dignity
than you afforded your victims?
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)
- It was potassium chloride.
- We need calcium chloride. Right away.
I'll get it.
What about Crile's
chest compression method?
- It's not accepted procedure.
- We have nothing to lose.
Fine.
Let's turn him.
That's why we didn't find the poison.
Elevated levels of potassium
would only imitate
symptoms of heart failure.
♪
(GASPING)
Yes.
His heart rate is improving.
How could you betray your oath?
To this hospital?
- To your colleagues?
- I did it for the hospital.
These people didn't deserve our care.
They're drunks and wastrels.
They deserved better than your judgment.
- Sir?
- Yes, George?
I have some sad news, I'm afraid, sir.
The seedling of my love
has been cut out even before
it had a chance to bloom.
Nurse Graham has decided
to quit nursing school
and pursue her dreams in New York City.
Ah yes, Nurse Graham.
And I can no longer ignore a truth
that has staring me
plainly in the face, sir:
every woman I love
leaves town.
Sir, one or two failed relationships,
I mean, that could be bad luck.
But at some point, a
man has to ask himself
why love continually eludes him?
George...
...you do seem to choose
women who are ambitious.
- What?
- Well...
the women that you have loved,
all seem to be women who
are willing to sacrifice
everything they know in
order to pursue their goals.
Sir, you're right. That's it!
I continually set myself up for failure
by pursuing ambitious women.
Sir, you truly are a great detective.
You've just solved the mystery
of my heart in an instant.
- Well I...
- The question is, what do I do now?
I mean, do I continue
to do the same or, or,
should I do the opposite? Should
I pursue a woman who is simple
or uncomplicated,
without worldly passions?
I mean, is it time I resigned
myself to a life that is secure,
even if a bit, you know, humdrum?
That is a question only
you can answer, George.
But I can tell you this:
Although ambitious
women aren't always easy,
they are always interesting.
- Welcome back, Dr. Ogden.
- Thank you.
Gentlemen.
I must admit, I was quite impressed
to see you catch the
killer in our midst.
Thank you, Dr. Dixon.
And I completed my twelfth
surgery while you were away.
Oh? Second place suits you.
For now.
- Nurse Sullivan.
- Hmm.
You'll be administering anaesthetic
in the operating theatre today?
- I will.
- I'm glad to hear it.
You just don't want to learn
someone else's name, do you?
I have much more important things to do.
Hello, Mr. Kerrigan.
I'm Dr. Julia Ogden. I'll
be your surgeon today.
Julia?
I'm home.
Hmm.
Ahem.
♪
(MECHANICAL WHIRRING)