Quincy M.E. (1976–1983): Season 8, Episode 7 - Science for Sale - full transcript

Whenever I run across a pathogenic
organism, I've never seen before,

it worries me.

This virus could be
a potential epidemic.

There can be no more
experimental procedures with patients.

Fine, you save
mankind. I turn profits.

Does this mean you'll be experimenting
on more people with this treatment.

Wait a minute, what's this miracle
that's going to give you the Nobel Prize?

These experiments might
be a cure for this cancer.

Four carriers of a deadly disease
will be wandering around this country

and we won't be
able to stop them.

Gentlemen, you
are about to enter



the most fascinating
sphere of police work,

the world of forensic medicine.

Hi, Connie...

Here are the magazines
for Mrs. Lawrence.

Listen, you'd better go.

She was real
anxious to get them.

Hi ya, doll.

Look what I brought ya.

Brought you a copy
of Hollywood People,

ya know, the one with that hunk

of a motorcycle cop...

Don't snitch.

I stole it from Mrs.
Westheim in 326.

What's that, sweets?



Really? I got it, honey.

Your boy Billy.

Real looker, ain't he?

There. Now you can see Billy.

Look, honey, I'm
gonna put it right here...

I'm gonna put it right here...

Where ya can see it,

any time you want.

Any time at all,
you can reach out

and you can touch him.

And...

Sweetie...

Lord, you're wringing wet!

- Billy...
- Listen, sweetie...

I'll tell you what.

Sleep now, sweetheart...

So you can get better
and then you can go home.

And you can see and
be with Billy every day.

But you need rest.

And that's what we want for you.

To get better.

Sleep, darling.

Sleep, my girl.

Sleep.

Sleep.

Dr. Varnie, please
call the operator.

Dr. Varnie, please
call the operator.

Doctor Winston!

Mrs. Goldberg, those acrobatics
could be dangerous to both our health.

It's an allergy.

What were you
doing on that floor?

Anything that blooms.

Lilacs, daisies,
thirteen-year-old girls.

The isolation ward,
Mrs. Goldberg?

Visiting the Oliver girl.

You know that room is off-limits
to unauthorized personnel.

Yeah, but she's
so alone, so sick.

Off-limits, Mrs. Goldberg.

Yes, ma'am.

Eww!

Off-limits.

You okay?

Hey man, what's
wrong with that old bird?

What's with this
plumbing system!

Last night, after I got
done with the autopsies

on those two decomposed bodies,

I jumped in the shower,

turned on the hot water,

and was hit with
a stream of icicles.

- Haven't you heard?
- What?

Asten's cutback program.

Hot water is shut off after six.

After six?

He knows this office functions
twenty-four hours a day.

I did this autopsy on my time!

I swear,

he'll replace our scalpels
with plastic knives!

Don't even let him
think that's a possibility.

The body is that of Cynthia
Oliver, age twenty-five,

height, five feet three inches,

weight eighty-nine pounds.

She was a cancer patient
at University Hospital.

They found her dead in
some sleazy back alley!

She just walked out.

You're kidding?
How'd that happen?

You got me.

The decedent has sustained
multiple but minor skin abrasions

on both arms, legs,

and on the face.

But nothing that looks like it's
related to the cause of death.

Hand me the scalpel, Sam.

A real jungle in there.

The chest is loaded
with cancerous tumors.

What a horrible way to die.

What about those
patches on the lungs?

And the inflammation of
the trachea and bronchi?

Probably a pulmonary
virus infection.

They're common in
late-stage cancer victims.

In this case I don't think it had
a direct relation to her death.

That was caused by the cancer.

I'm sure of it.

And somehow she managed
to get the strength to walk out.

Is Christine Winston
still Chief at University?

Yeah,

and I'll bet she'll blow
the roof off that place

when she hears about this.

As well she should.

Paul, you've got to pull back
on the human testing for a while.

There can be no more
experimental procedures with patients.

Why?

Cynthia Oliver did get
out... and she is dead!

But you can't hold
me responsible for that.

That she got out
unnoticed is the fault

of the nursing and
security staffs...

I'll deal with them.

Don't you worry about that.

And I'm sure it was the cancer.

Her lymphoma was
just too advanced.

It wasn't my treatment.

My procedure might
have saved her life

if I would have had her sooner.

That's supposition, Paul.

Right now I have to
look out for the hospital.

After all, I stuck my neck out

when I asked the
Human Use Committee

to approve your experiments.

But you're protected.

We had her consent
and her husband's.

I talked to her
husband this morning

and even he understands.

We all knew she was terminal.

Why the panic?

It's the way she died, Paul.

Being able to sneak
out of the hospital.

We don't need that
kind of press right now.

And the word of your experiment

will generate a mountain of it.

Anything connected with
genetic engineering always does.

Look, I'm not interested
in public relations.

I'm a scientist.

The public has a right to know

that the research might
be able to cure this cancer.

People won't hear that!

Unfortunately, PR is
a big part of my job.

And I take my
job very seriously.

The public hears the
words genetic research

and they are sure that
we are new Frankensteins

and are creating God-knows
what kinds of monsters in our labs.

Well, let's take this
chance to tell them the truth.

Just this once. Chris...

Look, I don't
envy your position.

But cancer research
is what I live for.

My mother was
killed by this disease.

I watched,

as she cried in pain, wasted,

her life eaten away from her.

If I can prevent just one
person from going through that,

I will have succeeded.

But if you stop my experiments,

the Federal Government
will take away my grants.

Their evaluation,
the pink sheet,

said the only thing that was
deficient was the human studies.

Just give it some time, Paul...

Time costs lives.

Look, I...

I've got to get
over to the morgue.

I want to take a
look at Cynthia Oliver

and see if my
treatment succeeded

in reducing the
size of those tumors,

I'm going to keep
on with my research.

And neither you, nor public
opinion... nor anything else

will be able to stop me.

This tumor is four
point three centimeters.

This one is five point two.

It's a breakthrough.

What do you mean a breakthrough?

Take a look at these.

They're the last set of X-rays of
Cynthia Oliver before she died.

This is less than a week ago

and these tumors were
twice the size they are now.

There's significant
shrinkage in all of them.

We were turning
the cancer around.

It's so promising.

If the lymphoma
wasn't so advanced,

we might have been
able to save her.

You're saying you've got a
cure for malignant lymphoma?

Maybe...

Well, maybe not a cure.

But definitely an
efficacious treatment.

What's this miracle that's
going to win you the Nobel Prize?

Doctor Quincy...

I want to thank you
for staying late here

so I could check her.

And someday, I promise you

you and I will sit down
over the finest bottle of wine

and I'll explain the
entire treatment to you,

but right now, I've
got a colleague

who will have to let me
continue the research

when she hears about this.

No! I have to stick to
my guns on this, Paul.

No more experiments on humans.

I don't believe this.

I come to you
with a breakthrough

that should have
you jumping with joy

and you still say no.

I've already sent
my recommendation

to the Human Use Committee
and they're going along with me.

But I'm so close.

- I've come so far.
- And you'll go further.

I promise.

Well...

Not here. That's for sure.

Then where?

Bioneer Research?

Why not?

They've wanted me for years.

They want to give me free
reign over my own research.

Garfield Calhoun and
his cronies at Bioneer

aren't interested
in your science.

They're after the almighty buck.

Your cure will be priced so high

that the Cynthia Olivers
won't be able to afford it.

He'll squeeze you dry

and when you no
longer serve his purpose,

he'll turn his back on
you and just walk away.

Like you're doing, Chris?

Well, it looks like
we have a deal.

Yes, I think so.

This is exciting stuff.

Ever since I read about
your work in gene mapping,

I've wanted to meet you.

You know about that?

I thought my name was
obscure even to most scientists.

And that was a long time ago.

Are you kidding?

I've wanted you here for
as long as I could remember.

I love science,

and I appreciate scientists.

I always have.

You are pioneers of
a brave, new world.

You join us...

And anything you want,

it's yours.

Well...

Just give me time to wind
things up at the hospital.

Take as much time as you need.

Your lab will be
waiting for you.

I'm in a hurry to get you here

but only when it's
comfortable for you.

Thank you for that, Mr. Calhoun.

Mr. Morton,

get out your checkbook...

we've got him.

I'd dig up my ol'
lady for a drink.

Hey...

I'll bet ol' Jimmy
has a little hooch.

It won't do us any good.

He's too tight with his stuff.

C'mon.

Let's see if we can
loosen him up a little.

A little bit. C'mon.

Okay.

Jimbo!

Jimbo!

Hey, Jimmy, baby!

Post time!

What do you think?

Centrifuge.

I don't believe
what you have here!

Look at this automated
DNA sequencer.

Oh, my gosh!

Every kind of microscope
I could dream of.

It must've cost you
your life's savings!

And then some!

Look at this automated
Coulter counter.

I'll bet there aren't more than a
handful of these in the country.

Actually, we're one of twelve.

I had no idea you had all this!

You haven't seen the half of it.

Just down the hall
we have scientists

engineering genes to create a
more productive tomato plant.

A major soup company
is underwriting us

to the tune of fifty million.

- Dollars?
- Yes.

We have some
more of your brothers

genetically engineering corn

that will make kids' cereals
with complete proteins.

Imagine what that'll be worth

when we've lined
supermarket shelves

with all those boxes
of toasty wonders!

Mothers will kiss
our agar plates!

But that's still all theory.

That's why I bring
you geniuses in.

To give theory a push.

Make the future happen sooner.

I just pave the way.

With gold?

No, with better equipment.

Because if you're
happy, we're happy.

Come on, the press is waiting.

Garfield, I'm not
sure I'm ready for this.

I promise you, it won't hurt.

It's too soon for
any announcements.

Now, listen.

I read your research reports up
to and including Cynthia Oliver's.

You're too modest.

Anyway, this is just a little
chat with some reporters.

Remember...

A little PR never hurts, Paul.

All right, just a brief
statement first, folks.

As you know,

last week, Bioneer Research
acquired the services

of a world-renowned
researcher, Doctor Paul Flynn,

formerly of University Hospital,

has a most
impressive track record,

and I'd like you to get
to know each other.

Doctor.

Doctor Flynn...

I understand you're
working on a cure for cancer,

specifically malignant lymphoma.

It's a little early to talk
about a cure for cancer.

That woman, Mrs. Oliver,

that got out of the hospital and
was found dead on the street,

aren't you the physician
who treated her?

One of them.

But she died.

Not as a result of my treatment.

But it didn't cure her either.

It was too late. The
cancer was too advanced.

Then you're right, you can't
talk about a cure at this stage.

No, but it could be
right around the corner.

You see...

The size of the
tumors in Cynthia Oliver

was greatly reduced
by the treatment.

May I quote you on that?

On what?

That a cure could be
right around the corner.

Because if that's true,

can marketing the
product be too far behind?

And now you're on
my side of the street.

I'm on the financial page.

So may I quote you?

Well...

Of course you may.

Moving rather
quickly, aren't you?

Does that mean you
are going to experiment

on more people
with your treatment?

Hopefully in the future.

Well, now, folks...

I wasn't going to tell
Doctor Flynn just yet,

I was going to save
it as a surprise...

but Bioneer Research,

has established a facility

where Doctor Flynn will be able
to continue his medical treatments.

We have leased the critical
care wing of St. Andrews Hospital

and have equipped it for
genetic cancer research.

So we will be looking
for four volunteers.

Terminal cancer patients,

who would like to be
cured by Doctor Flynn.

Here are the micros on
the John Doe you autopsied.

The man they found in the alley.

Boy, you really
sure got in early.

Anything for you,
Doctor. Anything at all.

He had all the signs
of chronic alcoholism.

Jaundice, edema,
malnutrition, cirrhosis...

Yeah, life in an alley...

Sam, take a look
at the lung tissue.

Pneumonia. Probably did him in.

But I'll bet booze
was the real culprit.

But it's not
bacterial pneumonia.

What does it look like? A virus?

It's definitely viral... I can
see the inclusion bodies.

The little red
spots in the nuclei.

Yeah, but look how
little inflammation

there is in the tissue.

Especially with
that much virus...

You'd expect to
see a buildup of fluid

and a heavy accumulation of
pneumocytes and lymphocytes.

It's as if the virus
had knocked out

the body's ability to
mobilize its defenses.

I've never seen
anything like it.

Maybe that's related
to the alcoholism.

No... No liquor could do this.

You're really worried.

You bet I am.

Sam, when I come across
a pathogenic organism

I've never seen
before. It worries me.

We've got to
try and identify it.

I want to do a series of
special stains on these tissues.

This virus could be
a potential epidemic.

Have you seen today's
business section?

Business section me? No.

You haven't seen
the business section?

- No, why?
- Listen, Quincy...

I need your advice...

Financial advice from
me? Are you crazy?

I bought stock in Edsel
cars and Braniff Airlines.

No, no. That kind of advice
I'll get from my stockbroker.

I wanna talk to you.

- What about?
- Now, listen.

You did the autopsy
on Cynthia Oliver...

Yes. Advanced lymphoma.

When Doctor Flynn
examined the body,

did he make any
comments on the cancer?

He said he wished
he'd gotten her sooner.

His treatment has
greatly reduced the tumors

and he might've been
able to save her life.

You agree with him?

I don't know, I'm
not an oncologist.

So? That's never kept you from
expressing an opinion before.

Well, I have no
reason to doubt him.

You don't doubt him?

Thank you. Let me see.

That's 22 dollars into
5 thousand a night.

You just helped me
become a rich man.

I have? How?

Bioneer is underwriting
Doctor Flynn's work.

Wait a minute.

You mean his treatment
involved genetic engineering?

That's right, and
with Flynn's cure

the stock is going to
go right through the roof.

Hold it. Hold.

Wait a minute.
He never said cure.

He said it might've
worked. That he was close.

Close?

Well, life is a gamble
and so is the stock market.

Bioneer is a big company.

I'm going to invest
five thousand dollars.

My trip to Hawaii money.

Some day it could
be worth a million.

You should get in on
the ground floor yourself.

No, thanks.

I'll stick with my Edsel
and my Braniff stock.

So what we're about is new,

it's different.

We're kind of charting
unexplored seas

and hopefully, it'll lead to a cure
for the type of cancer you have.

What if I get seasick?

All the experiments I have
conducted say that you won't.

Just how many shots will
we get in the next two weeks?

I know it's stupid,

even after all the radiation,

the pills and the surgery,

I still am afraid of needles.

You'll get one injection a day.

Fourteen?

It is only a small needle

and if you find it hurts,

we can always apply a little
local anesthetic beforehand.

I'd like that. Thank you.

Any other questions?

Well I'm certainly not
worried about the needle.

Will this treatment
free us of cancer?

Can I... We, live
normal lives again?

I certainly hope so.

Otherwise, I wouldn't be
conducting these experiments

after six and a half
years of research.

But let me paint
the whole picture.

This is a pilot program,

so there can be no guarantees.

Will we get sick on this
stuff... like with chemotherapy?

Will I lose my hair?

No, there may be some
slight flu-like symptoms,

but it won't affect your
appearance one iota.

What about other
people you used this on?

Other than you, there
has only been one other.

And it was very effective.

Unfortunately, we
didn't get to her in time.

Hopefully, you're all
here before it's too late.

DNA...

Gene engineering.

How do you know that
somewhere down the line

this treatment won't cause

serious side effects?

Can we be any worse
off than we are now?

That's a stupid question.

Please, Mrs. Wyden,
let me answer it.

In all my research,
with lab animals,

tissue cultures and with the
other patient, Mrs. Oliver...

Nothing has ever shown up.

There have never been any
serious side effects. Never.

It appears Sylvie Goldberg
had a deadly case of pneumonia.

What is it, Quince?

Look at these lungs!

Grayish-pink...

Granular...

And covered with
small air-filled blisters.

That's interstitial edema...

And look at the
inflammation in the bronchi.

We've seen an infection
like that recently.

In the derelict we
found in the alley.

Exactly.

It's like we took his lungs
and placed them in her!

What kind of virus
could be doing this?

I don't know!

Quince, what do we do?

What we're paid to do.

Try to identify the virus.

Give this killer a name.

That's why I'm here.

No red flag out? No
mother carries chicken?

Quincy, you're
feeling all right?

Just tell me what
you got here, please.

Slides, tissue samples...

Will ya cut it out.

Now, these are two of my cases.

Both of them died
of a viral pneumonia.

A type I've never seen before.

And they died within
a week of each other.

That's all? That's it?

You just want to
have us analyze this?

Yeah, that's it.

Quincy, in all the
years I've known you,

it's gonna be a pleasure
to fill this request

because you're
not screaming at me

and telling me
the sky is falling.

Oh, listen.

Could you rush a little, please?

- Please? Did you say please?
- Yeah.

Quincy, whatever
you want you got it.

Yeah!

No, I can't pay check
on one day for 39,95.

Wrong number.

Take it easy, Quince.

The Health Service have had
those tissues for weeks now.

Nothing! Maybe I
should scream them!

You know you
can catch more flies

with honey than
you do with vinegar.

I'm not looking for flies, Sam.

I'm looking for some results

and I'm gonna go down to the
Health Service and get them.

Sorry, Quincy, I don't
have an answer for you.

No answer!

I brought you those slides
and tissue samples a week ago.

A whole week to answer questions

that only brought
me to more questions.

What we know
is that it's a virus.

But we can't identify it.

We've sent it off to CDC.
They're working on it.

It's something we've
never seen before.

It's similar to the SV-40 virus.

Immunologically it
reacts very much like it.

But it isn't SV-40.

Nope.

Pet Project.

Reaction endonuclease mapping.

What I found,

in those tissue samples was
a changed form of the virus.

A mutant.

That's not so unusual.
Many viruses mutate.

Yeah, but this one went wild.

As though it jumped
generations from the normal virus.

A whole new sequence had
been added to the viral DNA.

How can that happen?

I'm not sure, but I suspect
it was done in a laboratory.

- It was
genetically engineered?
- Right.

I think this virus was
artificially created

in a laboratory.

We have to find out who engineered
it and we have to find the carrier.

We can start with the victims.

Where they were,
where they lived,

what they ate, what they drank,

who they know, and
what they had in common.

Besides the way they died.

And this is the prize catch
I was telling you about.

Doctor Paul Flynn...

Mr. Morton, Morton
Pharmaceuticals.

I feel like I'm shaking the
hand of another Pasteur.

Please, Mr. Morton.

If Pasteur had all this,

he would have cured
all the world's ills.

I still have to pinch myself,

to make sure it's not a dream.

Anything Paul here wants,

Paul gets. And he knows it, too.

Morton is interested
in our research.

He's bidding to market
our cancer treatment.

Bidding? You've already got
me up to twenty-two million

for the distribution rights.

He's good at the
bargaining table.

Tell that to my stockholders.

Mind if I take a look-see?

No, please. Go right ahead.

Oh, Garfield.

The treatment isn't
near being patentable!

Morton hopes to
market it in six months.

Months?

It may take years.

You keep
underestimating yourself.

You're a genius.

You're so involved
in what you're doing,

you can't see how
close you really are.

Trust me.

In six months, you'll
have it perfected

and we'll be rich
beyond your dreams!

I didn't become a
scientist to get rich.

Fine,

you save mankind.

That's your business.

I turn profits.

That's my business.

Now, we have a contract.

As a businessman,

I have to give you
everything you need.

And as a scientist,

you have to do everything I say.

Now I have upheld
my end of the bargain.

You have to uphold yours.

Sylvie Goldberg lived here

and worked at the
hospital, eleven miles away.

I didn't know she
worked at the hospital.

Yeah, she worked there.

John Doe was found
dead in this alley.

That's the same alley where
Cynthia Oliver was found

and she was a patient
at University Hospital

where Sylvie Goldberg worked.

You're saying Cynthia
Oliver was carrying the virus,

she got out of the hospital
and made her way to the alley,

where she infected the bum.

It's just a theory
at this point...

But I think I have something
that might tie them together.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Please.

It's a whole new person.

Have you ever seen this?

Yes, it belonged to Mrs. Oliver.

Her son gave it to her.
She wouldn't let go of it.

Then I was right.

She must have been
the original carrier.

She infected Sylvie
Goldberg and the derelict.

- Sylvie Goldberg?
- Yeah, she's dead.

- What?
- I'm sorry.

And so is the derelict
they found in the same alley

where Cynthia Oliver died.

If he got close enough to
steal this necklace from her,

then he got close enough
to have been infected by her.

Quincy, I can't believe this.

Are you saying two
people have died

from an infection that
Cynthia Oliver was carrying?

Yes. It was a mutated
virus that's similar to SV-40.

- SV-40?
- Yeah.

That's the strain
Paul Flynn was using

to treat her cancer.

Then, it all fits!

He had modified the DNA so
that it would attack cancer tumors.

He had tested and retested it.

And it never attacked
anything but the cancerous cells.

But this was the first time it
had been tested on a human,

where all the cells
affect each other.

And in someone with a
weakened immune system,

it infects their lungs, but the
body wouldn't be able to fight back.

Oh, my God.

This is Doctor Winston,
get me Pediatrics.

You maybe just gave me
an answer and I don't like it.

Yeah, who's this?

Jenny, the Kravits' baby.

Isolate him, stat!

There is a six-year-old child.

He's not responding
to anything we've done.

He was brought in with an
apparent respiratory problem

complicated by chronic asthma.

He's been on
steroid therapy for it.

That would weaken
his immune system.

But what's the link to Oliver?

He was in the emergency room

the night Cindy
Oliver left the hospital.

She might have gotten
close enough to infect him.

He's dangerously congested.

Fever of one hundred and four.

We'll need a sputum sample.

Send it to the Department
of Health for analysis.

By the time they
identify it, he'll be dead.

Quincy...

you know Paul's
experimenting on others.

The volunteers! When are
they supposed to be released?

From what I read, tomorrow...

Paul will do follow-ups
in two months.

And for two months four
carriers of a deadly virus

we'll be wandering
around this country

and there's no way to stop them.

The studies performed

by the Department of Health
give us a strong indication

that we're dealing
with your virus.

With all the victims.

But, Doctor Quincy, you said

my virus didn't
have anything to do

with Cynthia Oliver's death.

So even if the others did
come in contact with her,

there's no proof
that it killed them.

Maybe it was just a coincidence

that they picked up a
virus from another source.

You don't really
believe that, do you?

How can I ask those four
people not to go home.

How can I stop
them from spending

what may be their last
days with their loved ones.

All I'm asking you to do is
keep them here for a while...

Just till we're sure they're
not carrying the viral infection.

My God, what if they are?

There's nothing I
can do to help them.

There is a boy in
isolation that you can help.

- How?
- If it's your virus.

Try to produce an antiserum.

I couldn't give enough
inoculations to an animal host

to produce an antiserum.

There simply isn't time.

Doctor, you have
four host carriers

that have already
been inoculated.

You can isolate the
antiserum from them.

And if the boy responds?

You know what
that'll mean, don't you?

Yeah.

It'll mean that your
virus is the villain.

It's infected all of them.

And you'll have to go
back to the drawing board.

I thought this phase of
the treatment was over.

This isn't part of the
treatment, exactly.

I need samples of
your blood to save...

To study after you've gone home.

And midnight
blood is better to use

than nine o'clock in
the morning blood?

Morning blood may be too late.

Could I be responsible
for this, Chris?

You know, I just
wanted to help people.

If I ever thought
I'd hurt anybody...

Paul, DNA research is
still in the embryonic stage.

Caution should be our guide.

There's so much we
don't understand yet,

so much to go wrong.

I refused to see the dangers.

I was blinded by
the hope of a cure.

I'm part of the blame.

I should have tempered
your enthusiasm.

No, no.

You tried,

but no one could make me see it.

And now there's nothing
to do but wait and hope

and if the antiserum cures him,

I'll be certain I did this.

All right, I'm going to try and be
as clear as possible about this.

So you'll know exactly
what the situation is.

We suspect that all
of you are carriers

of a pneumonic infection
caused by the injections

Doctor Flynn gave you
as part of his treatment.

We'll know a lot more
when we see the effect

of the antiserum
he isolated from you

has on the sick child.

If we've got the infection,
how come we're not sick?

Because, Doctor Flynn gave you
minute doses over a period of time.

Your body's immune system
seems to have been able to handle it.

But we are carriers?

And that means
we're dangerous, right?

To the sick

and the very young,
and the very old.

Yes, you are dangerous.

Great!

I feel like Typhoid Mary!

I'm sorry.

That's why I'm
asking you to stay.

Well, hell yes, Doctor.

I'm sure none of us would mind.

Doctor Quincy...

We would rather be home
with our families and friends?

Mrs. Wyden, you
have any children?

Yes, three.

If you go, you could
be risking their lives.

Do you want to take that chance?

No.

And you, Mrs. Nash,

how old is your mother?

Well, she'll be 64 next month.

She's very susceptible.

Look...

I'm divorced...

I don't have any family

or any children.

But I'm going to
tell you as honest

and as selfishly as I can.

I want to get outta here!

And that's just what
you're going to do.

In exactly sixty minutes a
limo will be here to pick you up.

Excuse me.

May I talk to you alone, please.

You send them away,

you may be responsible
for a lot of deaths...

I have absolute faith in
Doctor Flynn's treatment.

It's a miraculous cure.

You know what you sound like?

A con man selling snake
oil from the back of a wagon.

All you're interested
in is making money.

Listen, my friend,

the whole world is
interested in making money.

And as a doctor you should
know that pharmaceutical houses

are responsible for better
than ninety-nine percent

of the new drugs that
are saving so many lives.

We're not talking about
pharmaceutical houses.

We're talking about a
whole new branch of science.

One that needs to be
controlled and monitored

every step of the way.

Sure...

Monitor it! Slow it down!

So innocent people
like these can die!

Quincy,

the child responded!

The antiserum worked.

It just took longer
than I expected.

Thank God.

He's going to be all right...

We know... for sure now...

that my treatment...

has certain
dangerous side effects.

You realize, Doctor
Flynn, this means

you and I are out of business?

I guess I forgot to tell ya.

I quit yesterday.

What about your four patients?

They're my responsibility,

I'll take care of it.

Thank you very much.

Carriers? You
mean, we're carriers?

Yes, I believe you are.

So, it's no longer a
question of choice.

For your own health, and
the safety of a lot of others,

I want you to stay right here.

I know what kind
of a sacrifice that is.

How precious your time is.

But with any luck
your stay will be short

because it looks like
your own immune systems

are handling the infection.

And what you should
keep foremost in your minds

is that the treatment
may give you more time.

That's the blessing I'm
praying for with all my heart.

Mr. Lifton? Do you
have anything to say?

Well, if you want the truth...

I don't have much to go home to

except an empty house...

What kind of a person would I be

if I exposed those beautiful
grandchildren of mine?

I'm staying, too.

I happen to have a
husband I love very much.

We started together...

I see no reason why we
shouldn't finish together.

Well, I guess we won't be
needing that limousine after all.

You're some pretty
special people.

Next time maybe we can order
one to take you home for good.

It still seems to me,

that everything we hear about
recombinant DNA technology

has the smell of Doctor
Frankenstein's laboratory.

That's because it's a
very futuristic science.

People feel we're tampering
with the essence of life itself.

And that scares them.

They're afraid,

somehow one of us
will create a monster,

or a disease that
can't be cured.

Isn't that a possibility?

Well, I don't have the
time to go to the movies

so I can't tell you too
much about monsters.

But, I don't feel there's any real
danger of an incurable disease.

You see, it's extremely unlikely

that we can actually create
something in a test tube

that hasn't already
been tried by nature.

And, I think it's
important to say that,

if there are certain dangers,

the potential gains
in this new field

are mind-boggling.

Doctor, can you give us
some specific examples?

Besides your cancer work?

Right now research is being
done on 'turning on' certain genes

which can destroy carcinogens.

That would make your chances

of ever getting certain
cancers much less.

Someday we'll be able to modify
cells in the human immune system.

So our bodies won't
reject transplanted organs.

Many people are still dying

simply because their systems
won't accept donor organs

such as kidneys or hearts.

There's so much...

Natural pesticides

that won't pollute
the environment...

Agricultural products...

I could go on and on

and I couldn't even
scratch the surface

of an incredibly
exciting future.

Have you left Bioneer
Laboratories for good?

You're the financial
reporter, aren't you?

Thank you for noticing.

Well...

I've learned a very good lesson

from my short
association with Bioneer.

I've learned that science
and Wall Street don't mix.

He's left Bioneer for good.

And, he's here for good...

We hope.

I'm sure you realize what'll
happen to Bioneer's stock

now that you've flown the coop.

That's their problem.

I've always felt a scientist

should never be
pushed for results.

And I only hope that
other scientists will learn

from the trap I fell into.

Because impatience
can mean loss of life.

Maybe even catastrophe.

But patience and self-control

can lead to the most
important breakthroughs

science has ever known.

Well...

Are there any further questions?

No, Doctor, thank you.

Thank you.

I'm glad he said that publicly.

Coming from a man like
him, it'll make a lot of people

in the scientific community
do some very deep thinking.

I agree, I agree...

I just had some
mixed feelings...

Bioneer stock won't be
worth the paper it's printed on.

I hope you've learned a
lesson. Greed is a terrible thing.

Quincy, it was my Hawaii money.

Louise has been planning
a trip to Hawaii for years.

How do you tell your wife

you lost your Hawaii money?

You didn't tell her?

Old fellows, let's
see what we can do.

C'mon. Let's get it out. C'mon.

Who needs money when you
have friends? You guys are...

Twenty-three dollars
and thirty-eight cents?

He can't even get
him upon over that.

Never fear. Danny's here.

The credit's always
good with me.

Danny!

I'm so touched...

You see, who needs
money when you got friends?

As long as you don't
go past sixty days.

After that, it's eighteen
percent on the unpaid balance.

Eighteen percent?

Danny, I'm an old friend.

C'mon.

Danny...

Danny, that's usury!

Eighteen percent?

Who needs friends
when you've got money?