The Murdoch Mysteries (2004) s12e02 Episode Script

1 (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)