The Knick (2014) s02e04 Episode Script

This is it.
It's not a bad size.
It's a palace for a colored man in this city.
I think you'll find it comfortable.
You didn't even tell your own mother? I didn't tell anyone.
So I'm a secret, then? This must be very inconvenient for you.
It's a wonderful surprise.
You seem overjoyed.
- Who is she, Algernon? - Excuse me? A man a man stops writing to his woman for two reasons.
Either he's dead or he's moved on.
You look very much alive to me.
So? I did meet someone.
Of course you did.
I can almost picture her.
But it was no meaningless affair.
She became pregnant.
And where are they now, your girl and your baby? She terminated the pregnancy.
She married someone else.
And you still love her.
I'm sorry.
I should have written you these things so that you knew to move on.
Could have saved you the time and the expense of coming here.
I will pay for all of it, your return and any divorce fees.
Did you really think you could run me off so easily? I have never let anyone tell me when it's time to walk away and you are no exception.
I'm staying and I'm keeping what's mine.
I assume you only have one bed in your palace? Don't expect to experience any wonderful surprises any time soon.
Wait.
Wait, wait, wait, wait.
Let's kiss some more.
Kissing was fun.
Oh, we will, we will.
I promise.
But this will be fun as well, I promise.
Okay.
What is that thing anyway? This is a little bit of magic in a box.
Now, if you wouldn't mind standing, please.
And if you wouldn't mind removing your clothes, please.
What? - Henry! - It's just in good fun.
So I'll have you with me always.
Go on, Daisy.
I dare you.
That's it.
That's great.
Yes! Good girl.
So once the pig's temperature reached 107 Fahrenheit, it killed off all the spirochete.
Every last one in her system.
I then gave her a large injection of quinine and very soon the malaria fever broke.
She survived? Happily rolling around in her pen when I left.
But, John, that's a pig.
How could you be certain it'll work on me? No, syphilis has the same characteristics no matter who or what it lives in.
So you want to cook me? Essentially.
I mean, a pig's normal temperature is 102.
Ours is 98.
You know, raising her five degrees was somewhat easier.
I'd have to raise you close to nine.
John, how can you be certain that won't kill me in the process? No, no, it's a risk, I know, but I'll be with you the whole time and I'll be ready to inject you if the fever starts to take you.
I don't know.
Abby.
Abby, this is a chance to cure you.
You know, it would give you your life back.
But can you be sure it won't take my life instead? No.
I can't.
My father tended to Secretary of State Seward on the night Lincoln was shot.
Did you know he was attacked, too? I didn't.
Stabbed by a rogue Confederate.
Old Dad was doing exactly what I'm attempting right now.
Back then you had to rely on your wits.
"Draw the cricoid forward, keeping the trachea steady and tense.
" Tenaculum, please.
I've noticed you in the halls.
I'm new.
Mr.
Robertson hired me two weeks ago.
Her larynx is moving around too much.
Let's give her a little more ether.
When I started in practice, each surgeon picked out his favorite nurse and asked her to be exclusive to him in the operating room.
I've heard that.
No shortage of them ended up getting married.
Surgical knife.
Damn it.
Where's the cauterizer? Here.
I'd be happy to have you assigned to me.
You'd be mine, so to speak.
I could be very helpful in securing a long future for you here at the Knick.
The flower arrangements should definitely have blue in them.
The color would be beautiful with the napkins we've chosen.
Though we have to be sure it's the right blue.
It would be awful to have them clash.
Yes, it would.
Should we match the flowers to the napkins or the napkins to the flowers? Cornelia? Napkins to the flowers.
Very right.
Thank you.
Now, the other issues are discussing the crystal, the silverware, and the china place settings.
Come in.
Come in.
Don't be shy.
- What's your name? - Um, Tom.
Thomas.
Tom.
Well, Tom Thomas Tom, I'm Susie.
And there's no need to be nervous.
I won't bite.
Oh, thank you.
I've just I've never been to one of these before, so Oh, well, if I saw a gentleman on the street as handsome as you are, I wouldn't believe there was a fellow more worldly.
I don't know if I would describe myself as worldly.
I oh, thank you.
I've I've never well, I've I I've just never.
Well, to tell you the truth, this is my first time, too.
Really? You've never? This is my first week here and you're my first client.
I saw you come in and I asked for you because I thought maybe you might be able to help me through this.
Well, I I could.
I do know a thing or two about ahem, about anatomy.
I'm I'm I'm very comfortable with the human body and Then tell me, what's this called? Your proboscis.
And this? Your scapula.
And this? Your umbilicus.
And this? Your pelvis.
Iliac crest to be exact.
And this? And this? That's my It certainly is.
I don't think this is your first time.
It is with you.
Oh.
What's that? - What happened? - I'm fine.
You're not.
What happened? I'm none of your business, Doctor.
You made that quite clear.
This is medical, not personal.
You'll forgive me if I don't want you examining me.
Lucy, what happened? My father beat me.
Why? Because I confessed my sins and humiliated him.
Would you care to guess what those sins might have been? No.
- The next time I see that son - You're too late.
He said he made more than enough money in New York and left to go back home this morning.
Well, he's lucky.
I would have hurt him a whole lot worse than he hurt you.
You think he's the one who hurt me? Mrs.
Gianoulis, your son needs to have his tonsils removed.
They're infected.
What about the others? You take them out, too? No, just Alexi needs it, not the rest.
But I leave them with Alexi.
I go to work.
No, no.
Mrs.
Gianoulis Look, look, Mrs.
Gianoulis look, these are your children.
You had them, they're your responsibility, not anyone else's.
You take them with you to work or take them home, or whatever, but they can't stay here.
They stay here.
They clean, they cook.
- Just take them home.
- I can't pay.
I doubt that Barrow will want to add this room to the tours that he's been giving to donors.
What did Abigail say? She's considering it.
In the meantime, I'm continuing with my addiction studies.
- Anything interesting so far? - Not yet.
As far as I can tell, addicts have no difference in their organs or physical characteristics to non-addicts.
There's nothing that makes them more susceptible to addiction and nothing that can be removed or treated to cure it.
Given the exterior state which we found most of these drunks, you would assume that the interior would tell some sort of tale as well.
Yeah, but aside from the typical scarring of the liver, nothing.
Even my examination of Dr.
Mays' corpse was inconclusive.
And that man was most certainly a drinker if there ever was one.
Well, I can't say that I'm not relieved that his death occurred on your watch and not on mine.
Something is making them do it.
And if it's not the body, it must be the brain.
Our fire insurance will cover the damage to the surgical theater, and I have started a memorial fund in Dr.
Mays' name.
For the benefit of the widow? No, the new Knick.
And many of Dr.
Mays' friends at his club have already donated generously to the new vented, fireproof Dr.
William H.
Mays etherizing rooms that will now be added to the plans for the new hospital.
With your permission, of course.
It's a fitting tribute.
I will instruct the architect to make the necessary changes.
I personally handle the hiring of every contractor.
With each I make a standard deal.
Give us the best, charge us the most, and give me a small percentage back.
The more we spend, the more I get.
And with a building this large, there's no shortage of craftsmen needed.
An army of plumbers, electricians, masons.
There are the specialists, too.
Hinge-makers, glass blowers, wood-carvers.
And I keep the plans changing as often as I can.
Never an opportunity missed.
Every man has his talents.
Finding gold in the river, that's mine.
And how much gold have you strained into your pan? So far? In the range of $12,000.
That's a sardine in a fisherman's net.
We here at Tammany, we prefer whales.
But it's not a bad thing to hold on to a sardine now and then.
So, from now on, before your skim comes to us.
That's a bit high, don't you think? My contractors will balk.
No, they won't.
It's the going rate for keeping things running along smoothly as they have been.
And we'll show you how to game it right.
You give us our share, we'll make sure you have no trouble with the city, politicians, cops, unions, theft, anything that might come your way.
Building a hospital's a noble cause and we here at Tammany want nothing more than to support you the best way we know how.
Well, thank you.
The oysterman was picked clean by the time I got there.
I got some cod we can fry downstairs instead.
What are you reading? Nothing.
You're hiding everything from me these days.
It's just a book, Luce.
"Transactions of the Association of American Obs" "Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
" It's about women's bodies.
I've been treating some special patients on my own since one of the doctors died.
And I want to do right by them, so "The covering is quite vascular and appears like thickened muscul" Musculoperitoneal.
It's a membrane that lines the abdomen.
Ew.
It's not that bad.
If you want to be a doctor, I suppose you have to like these things.
There are no woman doctors.
Then it's about time we had one.
I'm not smart enough.
You're smart enough to treat those special patients on your own.
You haven't killed any of them yet, have you? No.
Then maybe you know more than you think.
- Come on, we're late.
- You're a madman.
It's fun, isn't it? - Onto the 7:00 A.
M.
train to New Orleans.
- Phillip.
Yes, well, at least she'll make the barges up by the river by the next day.
Well, it's better that than they limp east for three days.
Damn it, man, get off that thing.
It's lunchtime.
You'd have one in your automobile if you could.
Oh, pfft.
Give Edison some time.
I'll wager he'll figure it out.
So this is a nice surprise.
We so seldom get to have lunch together.
This isn't the surprise.
They are waiting in the other room.
- Oh, Henry.
- Dad.
Neely, I was worried you two weren't gonna make it.
Traffic.
Now, if there was a subway Henry, not today.
Today we are celebrating Algernon and his wife.
His wife? Surprise.
Our man went off and got married and never breathed a word.
Cornelia, may I introduce Mrs.
Opal Edwards? Opal, this is Cornelia Showalter.
Very pleased to meet you.
Our first trip to Paris was for the '89 exposition.
When they opened the Eiffel Tower.
- What did you think? - Oh! Cornelia and I nearly fainted at the sight.
You saved that until they lit it up in the evening.
No, it's a marvelous piece of engineering.
It's a stain on a perfect city.
That's a bit dramatic, isn't it, Opal? She's a performer.
There's always a flair.
No, it's how I feel.
You had reservations about it yourself, Algernon.
What the tower shows to me is progress.
I mean, that even the impossible is possible.
That's a virtue I instilled in my children.
Algernon as well.
- Is that so? - Mm.
Opal, we cannot emphasize enough how impressed we are with what Algernon has been able to accomplish.
Well, I certainly benefited from your progressive thinking.
Well, he means the world to us.
- Doesn't he, Neely? - He does.
If that's the case, then why are his parents not invited to this lunch? - Excuse me? - Opal.
This is a celebration, as you put it.
So why is it that they can't sit here with us instead of having to stay beneath the house waiting for a bell to be rung? Because that's not how things are done.
Pardon me, then.
I suppose we have different definitions of the term progressive.
Are we ready to clear plates for dessert, Captain, sir? What were you trying to prove back there? Am I not allowed an opinion? Or is that also too progressive? You were trying to pick a fight.
They talk as though they are responsible for your success instead of you.
He simply said that he was proud of me, not proud of what they did for me.
There is a big difference.
It was unfair.
You're right.
I apologize for being unfair to those rich white people.
I got enough, I'll buy myself a decent bottle.
A little short, there's a rotgut hang, Swedish, by the water.
Sells penny beers and two-cent whiskey.
Jeez, what's two-cent whiskey taste like? Not like whiskey.
Wendell.
John.
I think I can help you.
I don't go in for no religion shit.
I don't either.
I'm a doctor.
Not interested.
You interested in clean clothes, three meals a day, and a much more comfortable bed than the one you're currently sleeping on? Buy me a bottle, I'll let you know.
Mary.
Evening.
Glad all you fancy ladies could make it.
I'm sure there are lots of people uptown who think you've gone shopping or to the hair parlor.
I don't like being called here by the likes of you.
And I don't give a good goddamn.
We're not out there anymore.
We're in here now.
Now listen.
My Harriet has got a real God-fearing gavel-banger putting her on trial and he ain't giving her a fair shake.
That's not our concern.
I'm making it your fucking concern.
Each and every one of you uptown ladies came to me for the fix.
And my girl did it for you, safe and secret.
Secret? Look around.
We all know each other.
I doubt any of you will be tattling considering your shared circumstance.
But I know one girl who could slabber on like the church gossip.
Lawyer puts her up there on the stand, hand on the Bible, swearing to God to tell the truth.
A nun like Harriet is likely to have a bout of conscience, confess to what she done and who she done it with.
Naming names.
Spilling the whole thing.
Hmm? Newspapermen there writing everything down for their evening editions.
By the next morning, you'll all be famous.
What do you want from us? We can't stop the trial.
But your fellas can.
I doubt you was letting penniless shine boys put the bat in the cave, so I want you to go to these powerful fellas who emptied their bags in you and let them know that they can either use their money to get this gone now or it's you and them on the stand next.
Off with ya! You think they'll do it? Your guess is as good as mine.
But as far as I'm concerned, we're even on favors now.
So when they finish their baths, put them in a separate area of the ward.
And keep the medicine cart away from them.
Dr.
Thackery, there's an emergency in exam room four.
Mrs.
Alford.
What happened? She had a seizure in her home.
Chimney sweep saw her through the window.
I insisted they bring me here.
Thank you, Dr.
Grindin.
I'll take over.
I'm so embarrassed.
I was making breakfast.
Next thing I know, I wake up with cracked eggs all in my hair.
I'm really scared now, John.
I know.
It could be a while before the malaria takes effect.
Looking forward to it.
My whole life, these men who were supposed to show us how to live our lives, we are supposed to respect and trust and honor them.
Well, they've all disappointed me and betrayed me and thrown me away.
Why do I let them? Why do we let them? It doesn't make any sense.
And I'm sick of it.
God tests us all.
All I know is I'm not getting what I deserve.
What is it you think you deserve? Something better.
My daughter Ethel attends the Brearley School.
Her Latin is coming along.
And Leonard attends Trinity.
Quite the sportsman.
And he's named after my father.
The fishmonger.
My father not only sold fish, sir, he smelled of fish, he talked to fish, he dreamed of fish, he was besotted with fish.
He actually believed he could breathe underwater.
It's true.
It's true.
But I wanted something else.
This, to be quite frank.
And I think we can all agree it beats the fish business.
We'd like to think so.
Now, who's your sponsor? It was Dr.
Mays, but I think we're all aware of the recent tragedy.
A dead man can't sponsor a live one.
It's in the bylaws.
It takes a little while to get up here, but it's worth it.
Do a lot of Negroes live this far uptown? Starting to, especially after last year's riot.
Don't need to live cheek by jowl with people who are trying to kill you.
Maybe you should consider it as well.
There are new buildings going up everywhere.
There are barely any farms left.
But with the Knick moving uptown, this might not be a bad location for me.
That's if they take you with them.
They will.
You're so sure of your patrons, the Robertsons? I am.
And Thackery knows my worth.
What's this area called? Harlem.
Algernon.
Russell.
- Hello there.
- Hi.
Good to see you.
What? You have a gray hair.
Where? It's right there.
I haven't told you, but I have a terrible disease.
What disease? - It's called aging.
- Oh.
Very slow, but eventually all my hair will turn gray, I'll lose all my teeth, I'll have to walk with a cane and inevitably die.
There's no cure.
Maybe I shouldn't be near you.
Mm, it's too late.
It's highly contagious.
And, sorry to say, you've caught it.
Even with my eyes, I can see the first signs right there.
You say one word about a hair or a wrinkle, I will break your fingers.
Sorry, my hearing isn't what it used to be either.
What was that about your wrinkles? I'm finally being let out of the lab, if only for one procedure.
Bertie.
To assist Dr.
Zinberg in the removal of a traumatic keloid of the median nerve.
What's that? It's extra tissue on a nerve in a woman's arm that causes her not to have any use of it.
So it just hangs there? - Mm-hmm.
- Ew.
- Clara.
- She probably doesn't have much sensation.
Could you imagine not being able to feel things with your fingertips? It's routine work.
Clearly he's not going out on much of a limb with you.
I think it means Bertie's passed Dr.
Zinberg's initial test.
He knows what he's got in the boy.
I'm not sure it's that spectacular, Mother.
Agreed.
Bertram's still a long way from getting the man's trust.
He knows you're special.
Are you all right, Mother? Of course.
Who wants more peas? I'll definitely have some.
Thank you.
Cigars and scotch.
This is a first for us.
I suppose I should have done this with you sooner.
You're a man now.
And you'll need to be as I have good reason for having you here for a talk.
You do? You noticed your mother struggling at dinner.
Yes, I did.
It's been going on for a while and it's gotten worse.
Has she seen anyone? We've been to Presbyterian Hospital, Women's Hospital, and Roosevelt.
Two experts at Columbia as well.
And? What's the diagnosis? An esophageal mass.
When was this taken? Last week.
It has to be removed.
How? It's taken over her esophagus.
There's no way to remove it without tearing out her throat.
Well, it can't stay in there.
There's no procedure.
We've been to all the best men in the city.
If it comes out, it kills her.
If it stays in, it kills her.
Does she know? I haven't told her yet.
But your mother was an exceptional nurse in her day.
She knows something's very wrong.
How old is she? Terrible.
I am sorry.
My grandmother unfortunately died of the same when I was in primary school.
And in all the years and with all the advances, we still haven't licked it.
The best we can do for your mother is make her feel as comfortable as possible.
Various opiates to ease her pain.
I know a very good private nurse who could stay with her at your home.
Thank you, that's very kind.
But I'm not prepared to surrender her just yet.
I came in early this morning and read what I could find on procedures that have showed promise.
Promise is not proof.
It's all still more hope than anything else, I'm afraid.
Well, I would at least like to look into it further.
Of course.
As long as it doesn't take you away from your duties here.
She's your mother.
But I caution you, Dr.
Chickering.
Don't let that cloud your judgment.
Cornelia, there's something Phillip wants to tell you.
There is? I have to do some travelling for my father.
Well, where are you going? Allen County, Ohio, near a place called Lima.
We have an oil refinery and the kerosene we're producing isn't selling like it used to.
Edison's killing us with his electric bonanza.
Nobody's lighting with kerosene anymore.
Yes, we need to find a use for all that oil or shut it down.
Well, how long will you be gone? A few weeks.
A month, maybe.
Well, you can rest easy, Phillip, knowing that we'll take delicate care of your sweet Cornelia while you're away.
I'll be back shortly.
Just have to run a few errands and then we'll have lunch.
That's fine.
Come on.
Spare some change, miss? - I can't.
- We haven't eaten today.
- Just a penny.
- No, leave me alone.
Temperature is 103.
That's up two degrees since this morning.
Vomiting? Four times already.
Headaches are constant.
She's in the throes of it now.
My big concern is the jaundice.
Do you think it's cirrhosis? That's incredibly rare.
Afraid so.
We thought all we had to deal with was a hurricane, but now we've added a twister in the mix.
Dr.
Gallinger.
There's an urgent call for you downstairs.
I tried to get away, but then I tripped and I fell.
And they came towards me, so I started screaming.
- Are you hurt? - I don't think so.
Where were you? I had an appointment.
I didn't know she had gone out.
I'm sorry, Everett.
I just wanted some fresh air.
No, it's all right.
What happened to the thieves? One slipped into a sewage drain and got away, but we got the other one right here.
Let me see him.
Name's Paulo.
Dago.
Born over there.
Come here a little while back.
We've picked him up a time or two before.
Mostly kid stuff.
Stand up.
Filthy little bastard.
Not so brave, are you now? Let's go.
- Where's Mr.
Whitting? - He ain't coming.
What do you mean he's not coming? I had a bit of trouble with the finances.
I'm sorry, Harry.
I'm sorry.
Where's your attorney, Miss Dolan? He's sick, Your Honor.
He's got the flu.
I don't think he'll be defending me, Your Honor.
And I can't rightly defend myself.
I know you think little of me, but If you'll just shut your trap, Miss Dolan, I'm dismissing the case.
Dismissing the case? I've reviewed everything and found there to be no more reason to proceed.
Your Honor, the state strenuously objects.
We have evidence, corroborating witnesses, a good warrant.
Used for the purpose of entrapping a citizen.
Miss Dolan is to be released and her record expunged.
I think we deserve more of an explanation than that.
I don't.
You are free to go, Miss Dolan.
Case dismissed.
Oh, that son-of-a-bitch spirochete is still wiggling away.
- What's her temperature? - Holding at 106.
Needs to go higher.
She's cooking to death as it is.
Given her other complications, we can't wait any longer.
I know, I know.
Just let me think.
What is there to think about? Show her some mercy.
You're frying her brain.
Give her the quinine.
Edwards, wait.
- Get the door.
- Jesus Christ.
This will get her fever higher.
What drugs are you taking? - Nothing.
- Bullshit.
No sane person would do this will kill her.
What's the alternative, huh? More seizures.
More spasms.
Headaches that feel like knives twisting in her skull.
I know about living on the edge between life and death.
It's a matter of will and she has plenty of it.
I won't stand here and watch her die.
We swore to first do no harm and we violated that the moment we began this.
It's over.
Not until I say.
Quinine now.
So this is your famous truck.
This is her.
Hop on in.
We'll go for a proper celebration.
No more cornmeal mush.
What you need is a nice big T-bone with some suds to wash it down.
I'm buying.
You don't have to do that.
Ah, I want to.
What's better than being free, huh? And after that, we'll go for a nice warm piece of pie on the way home.
- Home? - Yeah.
You're staying with me.
I got my place all fixed up.
Put an extra bed in the parlor for you.
Had a lady down the hall make a curtain to go around it.
You want me to live with you? You're joking.
No jokes, Harry.
You need a place to live and I'm offering.
Besides, I owe you for keeping me out of it with the cops.
I need a place, but not with a man.
Aw, come on, it's on the up and up.
Besides, the church ain't watching you no more.
They may not be, but I won't bring any more shame to my faith.
And I won't be sharing any home with a man.
It's not a fucking lovebird's nest.
We'd be roommates is all, sleeping in different rooms.
It doesn't matter.
Well, where will you go, then? There's a home for fallen women run by the Little Sisters of Mercy on Bank Street.
Could still go for that slice of pie.
All right.
I'll get the apple, you get the peach and we'll share.
Deal.
Well, it's getting late.
I'm going to go to bed.
Are you staying up? For a bit.
Good night.
Good night, dear.
You get one meal a day.
You'll have a week to find a job and start paying towards your keep.
You'll also be responsible for 20 hours of work around here every week.
I'm a decent cook and I was a nurse.
You're on toilets.
We didn't want you here.
I'm getting that.
It's only by the grace of our charitable Christian hearts that you were allowed to come here.
- And I'm grateful.
- I don't care what you are.
Here's your bed.
It'll have to do you for now.
Are there any sheets and pillows? Dreadful.
What kind were they? Italian.
Dark-haired, dark-skinned? Yes.
And small.
Southern most likely, then.
An entirely different breed than what comes out of Florence or Milan.
Criminals, all of them.
They see vulnerability in someone good and decent like Eleanor and they can't help themselves.
Why aren't people outraged? Eugenics is a new science.
It's up to us to sound the alarm and spread the word.
However, it is not enough to get the people to see the problem.
It's getting them to have the will to do something about it.
Closing the ports to all immigrants would be an excellent place to start.
It would be, but that requires political power and the courage to act and not be taken in by the pitying handwringers.
We know we need a more permanent approach, a medical solution to stop the growth of what has already passed through our doors.
How? They breed like animals.
And how do you stop an animal from breeding? You neuter it.
Sterilization.
On a mass scale.
Excuse me.
I was told that the Speight family lived here.
Inspector Jacob Speight.
Oh? He's dead.
I know, but the family? Up and left all of a sudden right after.
Maybe off to her family somewhere.
They got out so fast, I didn't have time to ask.
Thank you.
John? John.