Dr Kildare 50-03-01 05 Vernon Pendleton - Hypochondriac

Summary

Episode Summary: "Vernon Pendleton - Hypochondriac"

Podcast Information:

• Title: Harold's Old Time Radio
• Host/Author: Harold's Old Time Radio
• Episode: Dr. Kildare 50-03-01 05 Vernon Pendleton - Hypochondriac
• Release Date: June 30, 2025

---

Introduction

In this episode of "The Story of Dr. Kildare", listeners are introduced to a compelling case involving Vernon Pendleton, a wealthy and persistent hypochondriac repeatedly visiting Blair General Hospital. The narrative delves into the dynamics between the earnest young doctor, Dr. Kildare, and the seasoned, skeptical Dr. Gillespie, highlighting themes of medical ethics, patient care, and the psychological aspects of medicine.

---

Plot Overview

The episode opens with Dr. Kildare expressing his frustration over sleepless nights and his desire to make a tangible difference in the lives of everyday people. This sets the stage for his encounter with Vernon Pendleton, a prominent donor to Blair General Hospital who has been visiting annually with various ailments.

Dr. Kildare's Compassionate Approach

Dr. Kildare observes Mr. Pendleton's persistent visits and realizes the deeper psychological issues at play. At [02:32], Dr. Kildare shares his contemplations:

"Wondering how many need a doctor at this moment that don't know it, won't know it until it's too late." ([02:32])

His genuine concern contrasts sharply with Dr. Gillespie's more cynical viewpoint.

Dr. Gillespie's Skepticism

Dr. Gillespie, portrayed as pragmatic and somewhat jaded, dismisses Mr. Pendleton's ailments as mere hypochondria. This tension culminates when Mr. Pendleton returns for his annual check-up, persisting despite previous assurances of good health.

At [05:24], Dr. Gillespie remarks:

"Evidently, I wasn't able to help you too much last year." ([05:24])

The Turning Point

Determined to help Mr. Pendleton, Dr. Kildare conducts a thorough examination. Initially, he affirms that Mr. Pendleton is in excellent health:

"Given you a complete and most thorough examination, and you're in fine physical shape, Mr. Pendleton." ([09:34])

However, Mr. Pendleton is unconvinced, insisting that his myriad symptoms cannot be dismissed so easily. The skepticism intensifies when Dr. Carew intervenes, pushing Dr. Kildare to find fault to maintain the hospital's esteemed reputation and donor satisfaction.

Dr. Kildare's Ethical Stand

Faced with institutional pressure, Dr. Kildare reluctantly complies, leading to a series of invasive tests on Mr. Pendleton. Throughout these procedures, Dr. Gillespie criticizes the unnecessary medical interventions, reflecting the ongoing debate between proactive care and overmedicalization.

At [19:25], Dr. Gillespie voices his disapproval:

"It's absolute nonsense putting a man through all those tests." ([19:25])

Resolution and Revelation

After extensive examinations, Dr. Kildare uncovers the root cause of Mr. Pendleton's ailments: an overreliance on multiple medications leading to a cascade of adverse effects. This diagnosis not only resolves Mr. Pendleton's physical symptoms but also addresses the psychological aspects of his hypochondria.

In a pivotal moment at [22:35], Dr. Kildare explains:

"You are the victim of pills. Too many pills... you've been swallowing so much medicine that you've kept your whole system upset." ([22:35])

Mr. Pendleton embraces this revelation, committing to discontinue all non-prescribed medications, leading to his complete recovery. This transformation underscores the episode's central theme of understanding the balance between physical health and psychological well-being.

Dr. Gillespie's Change of Heart

Witnessing Mr. Pendleton's successful treatment, Dr. Gillespie experiences a shift in perspective. By the episode's end, he acknowledges the importance of Dr. Kildare's empathetic approach, even humorously contemplating becoming a hypochondriac himself to better understand his patients.

At [27:16], Dr. Gillespie concedes:

"You were right about Mr. Pendleton. He was sick, but somehow that never occurred to me." ([27:16])

---

Key Themes and Insights

1. Medical Ethics and Patient Autonomy:

   • Dr. Kildare's initial reluctance to subject Mr. Pendleton to unnecessary tests highlights the ethical considerations in medicine regarding patient autonomy and beneficence.

2. Psychosomatic Medicine:

   • The episode delves into the intricate relationship between mind and body, illustrating how psychological factors can manifest as physical symptoms.

3. Conflict Between Tradition and Innovation:

   • The contrasting approaches of Dr. Gillespie and Dr. Kildare represent the broader tension in medical practice between established methods and progressive, patient-centered care.

4. The Role of Donors and Institutional Pressure:

   • Mr. Pendleton's status as a significant donor introduces the complexities of balancing patient care with institutional interests and financial dependencies.

---

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Dr. Kildare on Medical Responsibility:

  "Wondering how many need a doctor at this moment that don't know it, won't know it until it's too late." ([02:32])

• Dr. Gillespie's Doubt:

  "Evidently, I wasn't able to help you too much last year." ([05:24])

• Dr. Kildare's Diagnosis:

  "You are the victim of pills. Too many pills... you've been swallowing so much medicine that you've kept your whole system upset." ([22:35])

• Dr. Gillespie's Realization:

  "You were right about Mr. Pendleton. He was sick, but somehow that never occurred to me." ([27:16])

---

Conclusion

"Vernon Pendleton - Hypochondriac" offers a nuanced exploration of the challenges faced in medical practice, emphasizing the importance of empathy, thoroughness, and ethical integrity. Through the character development of Dr. Kildare and Dr. Gillespie, the episode advocates for a balanced approach to patient care, recognizing both the physical and psychological dimensions of health. Mr. Pendleton's journey from skepticism to trust serves as a testament to the transformative power of compassionate medicine.

---

This episode not only entertains but also invites listeners to reflect on the deeper aspects of healthcare, making it a standout installment in the "The Story of Dr. Kildare" series.

Transcript

[Ben]

Ben hadn't had a decent night's sleep in a month. So during one of his restless nights, he booked a package trip abroad on Expedia. When he arrived at his beachside hotel, he discovered a miraculous bed slung between two trees and fell into the best sleep of his life. You were made to be rechargeable. We were made to package flights and hotels and hammocks for less. Expedia. Made to travel.

[Narrator]

The story of Dr. Kildare.

[Dr. Kildare]

Whatsoever House I enter, there will I go for the benefit of the sick. Whatsoever things I see or hear concerning the life of men, I will keep silence thereon, counting such things to be held as sacred trusts. I will exercise my art solely for the cure of my.

[Narrator]

The story of Dr. Kildare. Starring Lou Ayers and Lionel Barrymore. Metro Goldwyn Mayor brought you those famous motion pictures. Now this exciting, heartwarming series is heard on radio in just a moment. The story of Dr. Kildare. But first, your announcer. Now the story of Dr. Kildare. Starring Lou Ayers as Dr. Kildare and Lionel Barrymore as Dr. Gillespie.

[Dr. Kildare]

Blair General Hospital. One of the great citadels of American medicine. A clump of gray white buildings planted deep in the heart of New York. Nerve center of medical progress, where great minds and skilled hands wage man's everlasting battle against death and disease. Blair General Hospital. Where life begins, where life ends, where life goes on.

[Dr. Gillespie]

What are you looking at, Jimmy? You haven't moved from that window for 15 minutes.

[Dr. Kildare]

Just looking at the people down there in the street. Wondering how many of them are alive because some doctor somewhere went through medical school and was there to help when they needed it. Wondering how many of them will have years added to their lives because of some doctor they haven't met yet. How many need a doctor at this moment that don't know it, won't know it until it's too late. I wish it were possible to stand up here and establish some sort of contact with the man in the street.

[Dr. Gillespie]

Why don't you just go down and set up a stall on the corner and examine every man that goes by?

[Dr. Kildare]

You're not in very good humor today, are you? What's the matter? Liver acting up again?

[Dr. Gillespie]

You mind your own liver.

[Dr. Kildare]

Your color's bad.

[Dr. Gillespie]

My color's excellent. You're seeing spots in front of your eyes from staring out of that window.

[Dr. Kildare]

If I could save one man's life out of each thousand that walks by down there, it'd be worth examining the thousand.

[Dr. Gillespie]

Jimmy, if you don't have enough work to do around here, I can easily eradicate.

[Dr. Kildare]

Well, I have plenty to do, and I'm leaving to do it right now. Goodbye, Dr. Gillespie. Nice to have seen you. See you around. Oh, would you better take something for that liver?

[Mr. Pendleton]

Get out of here.

[Dr. Gillespie]

That boy's getting too smart for his britches. Get out of here and leave my liver alone.

[Nurse Parker]

What? I'm terribly sorry. I didn't realize you wanted to be alone with your liver.

[Dr. Gillespie]

What did you barge in here for, Miss Nosey?

[Nurse Parker]

I am only in here because Dr. Carew phoned out and asked me to tell you that he was on his way down with Mr. Pendleton.

[Dr. Gillespie]

Pendleton? Vernon Pendleton?

[Nurse Parker]

That's what I said.

[Dr. Gillespie]

The Vernon Pendleton that's on the board of directors of this hospital?

[Nurse Parker]

Do you know of any other Mr. Vernon Pendleton that Dr. Carew would consider of sufficient importance to personally escort down to your office?

[Dr. Gillespie]

It isn't fair. It isn't fair that I should get Pendleton again this year. I got him last year.

[Nurse Parker]

Well, I'm sure Dr. Carew wants him to have the very best attention. After all, Mr. Pendleton donates a good deal of money to this hospital every year.

[Dr. Gillespie]

Spare me the gruesome details, Vernon Pendleton. The only thing wrong with that man is that he's in the last stages of being a hypochondriac.

[Dr. Carew]

Come in. Ah, Dr. Gillespie, here you are. You remember Mr. Pendleton, don't you?

[Dr. Gillespie]

Oh, yes, yes, of course. How are you, Mr. Pendleton?

[Mr. Pendleton]

Poorly, Dr. Gillespie.

[Dr. Gillespie]

Poorly. Oh, no.

[Mr. Pendleton]

Yes.

[Dr. Gillespie]

Oh, where do you feel poorly this time, Mr. Pendleton?

[Mr. Pendleton]

Well, I'll tell you, Dr. Gillespie.

[Dr. Carew]

If you two gentlemen will excuse me.

[Dr. Gillespie]

Dr. Carew, just a moment, if you don't mind.

[Dr. Carew]

Ah, yes, Mr.

[Dr. Gillespie]

Pending. Pendleton, is it your stomach again?

[Mr. Pendleton]

It's my stomach, my back, my arms, my legs, my head.

[Dr. Gillespie]

Exactly. Just as I thought, Mr. Pendleton. Evidently, I wasn't able to help you too much last year.

[Mr. Pendleton]

Oh, I wouldn't say that, Dr. Gillespie. For a time, I may have improved.

[Dr. Gillespie]

No, no, no, no, no, no. I wasn't able to help you, or you wouldn't be back among us so soon. Now, Dr. Carew will tell you we have a special specialist on our staff much better equipped to handle your type of case.

[Mr. Pendleton]

Not better than you, Dr. Gillespie.

[Dr. Carew]

Dr. Gillespie is just being modest.

[Dr. Gillespie]

Well, now, your type of illness takes a very modern approach. And I can't think of anyone better equipped to handle someone who was having trouble with his stomach, back, arms, legs and head than Dr. Kildare killed there.

[Dr. Carew]

Now, I.

[Dr. Gillespie]

His office is right down hall. Dr. Carew will show you the way. I'm sure you'll find him more Than satisfactory. Much as I regret losing you as a patient, I sincerely feel that Kildare is your man.

[Mr. Pendleton]

Well, let's talk to Kildare karoo.

[Dr. Carew]

Very well, Mr. Pendleton. Of course, I don't know if he's in his office.

[Dr. Gillespie]

Yes, he is. Yes.

[Mr. Pendleton]

Then let's see him. Nice to have seen you, Dr. Gillespie.

[Dr. Gillespie]

Glad to have seen you, Mr. Pendleton.

[Nurse Parker]

That was not very nice of you, Dr. Gillespie. After all, Dr. Kildare doesn't know about Mr. Pendleton.

[Dr. Gillespie]

I am a dirty dog. A dirty dog.

[Dr. Kildare]

Mr. Pendleton. What seems to be the trouble?

[Mr. Pendleton]

I don't know. That's what I expect you to tell me, Dr. Kildare.

[Dr. Kildare]

That's fair enough. And tell me how you've been feeling.

[Mr. Pendleton]

Well, I've been feeling Just terribly, Dr. Kildare. Simply terribly. My stomach hasn't been right, and I've had terrible headaches and trouble with my back. And I've had a shooting pain that comes and goes in my left elbow. And my eyes have been bothering me and. And nothing I take for these things does a bit of good.

[Dr. Kildare]

You've been taking things?

[Mr. Pendleton]

Oh, my stars. Yes, I have. A pill for my liver, a pill for my gallbladder, two pills for my headaches, three pills for my back, one pill for my eyes, one pill for the shooting pain in my elbow. A half a dozen pills to help my general overall condition. And then, of course, I take practically every kind of vitamin on the market.

[Dr. Kildare]

I see. Very well, Mr. Pendleton. If you'll step into the next room in this robe, I'd like to examine you.

[Mr. Pendleton]

Oh, whatever you say, doctor.

[Dr. Kildare]

Come in. Oh, sorry.

[Dr. Gillespie]

Are you attempting to establish contact with a man in the street again?

[Dr. Kildare]

I see you haven't done anything about that liver.

[Dr. Gillespie]

Leave my liver alone. A man's entitled to some privacy.

[Dr. Kildare]

You're really in rare form today, doctor.

[Dr. Gillespie]

Well, I trust you're the same. How are you coming on with Mr. Pendleton?

[Dr. Kildare]

I thought you were supposed to take care of the board of directors.

[Dr. Gillespie]

Well, I thought it was only fair to give you a crack at some of them too. One for all and all for one.

[Dr. Kildare]

You know, I don't like the expression on your face.

[Dr. Gillespie]

I'll quit harping on my liver.

[Dr. Kildare]

This is not your liver. It's your attitude. There's something that's not quite kosher about.

[Dr. Gillespie]

All this, Dr. Kildare. You have an ugly, suspicious mind.

[Dr. Kildare]

Yes, well, I didn't have before I met you.

[Mr. Pendleton]

I'm ready, doctor.

[Dr. Gillespie]

Your patient seems to be calling you, doctor.

[Dr. Kildare]

Thank you, Dr. Gillespie. My hearing is not impaired. Oh, and thank you for recommending the patient to me, Doctor. Gillespie.

[Dr. Gillespie]

The pleasure was all mine, Dr. Kildare. The pleasure was all mine.

[Dr. Kildare]

Good morning, Mr. Pendleton. Oh, well, you're early for your appointment, Doctor.

[Mr. Pendleton]

I don't mind telling you, I had a frightful night last night. Just frightful, really.

[Dr. Kildare]

Why was that?

[Mr. Pendleton]

Well, I was so concerned about what news you'd have for me today. I want to tell you, when a man gets to be my age, things like this are very hard to face.

[Dr. Kildare]

Well, Mr. Pendleton, I have very good news for you.

[Narrator]

You have?

[Dr. Kildare]

I certainly have. There's nothing wrong with you.

[Mr. Pendleton]

There's nothing. Would you mind repeating that, Dr. Kildare?

[Dr. Kildare]

I said there's nothing wrong with you.

[Mr. Pendleton]

But that's not true. That's not true. My head, My stomach. My back. My legs. My elbow.

[Dr. Kildare]

Given you a complete and most thorough examination, and you're in fine physical shape, Mr. Pendleton.

[Mr. Pendleton]

I don't believe it. You're wrong. You've got to be wrong. I know how I feel. How could I feel like this if nothing was wrong with me? I want a more thorough examination, Mr. Pendleton.

[Dr. Kildare]

Sometimes people magnify and imagine things until they think they're sick when there's really nothing of any serious nature wrong with them at all.

[Mr. Pendleton]

Oh, and they told me you were a good doctor. They said you were better than Gillespie. Why, you. You couldn't carry Gillespie's hypodermic needle.

[Dr. Kildare]

That's quite true, Mr. Pendleton. Dr. Gillespie is one of the great men of medicine in this country. The rest of us, at best, in his presence, can merely be students.

[Mr. Pendleton]

Dr. Gillespie was always able to find something wrong with me.

[Dr. Kildare]

Oh, then undoubtedly, he also cured you of whatever was wrong with you. You. Now, you're in fine shape. Just forget about yourself. Take a few days rest if you can, and you'll be feeling fit as a fiddle.

[Mr. Pendleton]

Well, I. I'm not going to take this lying down, you know. I'm going to Dr. Carew. We'll mighty soon see what he thinks about this report of yours. And you told me he was a good doctor.

[Dr. Carew]

Well, he is a good doctor.

[Mr. Pendleton]

Well, he told me there was nothing wrong with me. He stood right in front of me and looked into these eyes. These po. Bloodshot eyes. These eyes that have suffered through endless nights. Just look at them.

[Dr. Carew]

My, my.

[Mr. Pendleton]

Well, what kind of doctors are you employing in this hospital?

[Dr. Carew]

Oh, the best. The very best.

[Mr. Pendleton]

Well, you may think they're the best, but I don't think much of them. If this is the kind of medical men my money is paying for, I'm going to take my support to some other hospital.

[Dr. Carew]

No, no, don't do that. Don't be hasty, Mr. Pendleton. There must be some mistake. Yes, some mistake. I'll get to the bottom of it. Have no fear about that. I'll get to the bottom of it.

[Mr. Pendleton]

Nothing wrong with me. Indeed, I'm a sick man. Mighty sick. Anyone can look at me and know that I'm a sick man. I can look at myself and know that I'm a sick man. And I'm not even a doctor.

[Dr. Carew]

Of course you're a sick man. Now, you go home and rest, Mr. Pendleton, and I'll look into this matter. I'll give it my personal attention, Mr. Pendleton. Kildare, I tell you, you've got to find something wrong with Vernon Pendleton.

[Dr. Kildare]

But there isn't anything wrong with him, Dr. Carew. I've examined him from head right down to his little tootsies. And believe me, you'll go a long way before you find a healthier specimen.

[Dr. Gillespie]

Oh.

[Dr. Carew]

Kildare, you've heard of the school spirit, haven't you? They must have had it at your school.

[Dr. Kildare]

School spirit? What's that got to do with Vernon Pendleton?

[Dr. Carew]

Sometimes things are done for the good of the team, for the good of the school. It's the old show must go on spirit, you know. You see what I'm driving at, don't you?

[Dr. Kildare]

Not so far.

[Dr. Carew]

Sometimes we have to shut our eyes to certain things for the good of the hospital. Sometimes we have to tell people what they want to hear for the good of the hospital. And it isn't always wrong, Gilder. Sometimes the things that people want to hear turn out to be the things that do them the most good.

[Dr. Kildare]

Well, I'm not going to tell a man he's sick when he isn't.

[Dr. Carew]

No, of course not. But Mr. Pendleton has a big body. There must be something wrong with it someplace. Dr. Kildare, as head of this hospital, I must point out to you that Mr. Pendleton is a large contributor.

[Dr. Kildare]

Dr. Carew, look at all those people down in the street. There's a multitude there that needs attention. And you insist that a doctor wastes time trying to find something wrong with Vernon Pendleton.

[Dr. Carew]

Well, at least pretend to tell him he made a mistake or something new.

[Dr. Kildare]

Very well, Dr. Carew. If you want to make a sick man out of Mr. Pendleton, all right, I'll play ball with you. I'll show you the old team spirit.

[Dr. Carew]

That's the idea, Kildare. Now you're cooking on a Bunsen burner.

[Dr. Kildare]

Hello, Sally Kildare speaking. Send out an ambulance to pick up Mr. Vernon Pendleton. And when he arrives at the hospital, I want him put into one of the isolation rooms. Have the driver that brings him here, wear a mask. And don't let anyone go in or out of his room without a mask. Got that? Thank you.

[Dr. Carew]

Well, now, that sounded like action. Dr. Kildare.

[Dr. Kildare]

Dr. Carew, I wasn't completely truthful when I said there was nothing wrong with Mr. Pendleton.

[Dr. Carew]

That's the kind of talk I like to hear.

[Dr. Kildare]

There is something wrong, something terribly wrong. And I'm going to do my best to cure him of it.

[Dr. Carew]

Oh. What is it? What are you going to do?

[Dr. Kildare]

I'm going to give Mr. Pendleton the special Kildare treatment, or hypochondriacs.

[Narrator]

We return to the story of Dr. Kildare in just a moment. Now we continue with the story of Dr. Kildare. Starring Lou Ayers as Dr. Kildare. And Lionel Barrymore as Dr. Gillespie Baby.

[Dr. Kildare]

Good morning, Mr. Pendleton. Did you have a good night's sleep?

[Mr. Pendleton]

No, Dr. Kildare. Why am I shut up here like this? Why have you got a mask on? Why does everybody wear a mask when they come in here?

[Dr. Kildare]

Just a precautionary measure, Mr. Pendleton. May be quite unnecessary. But until we find out the nature of your illness, we can't be too careful. Now, let me have a look at this chart.

[Mr. Pendleton]

What are you taking? A precautionary measure against Dr. Kildare. What do you think I might have.

[Dr. Kildare]

In the case of a mysterious malady such as yours, we can't tell without extensive tests. We have to keep you in isolation until we are positive that you are in no way contagious.

[Mr. Pendleton]

Contagious? Oh, dear me.

[Dr. Kildare]

Ah, here's Nurse Parker with your breakfast.

[Mr. Pendleton]

Oh, breakfast.

[Nurse Parker]

Good morning, Mr. Pender. Now let me crank up your bed.

[Dr. Kildare]

Yes, you're having a lovely cup of weak tea without cream or sugar. And a delicious piece of dry toast.

[Mr. Pendleton]

I don't like tea and dry toast.

[Dr. Kildare]

Well, I'm sorry, Mr. Pendleton, but that's all you can have just now. It's part of our first test.

[Mr. Pendleton]

First test?

[Dr. Kildare]

Yes. After a while, we're going to let you swallow a small, soft rubber tube.

[Mr. Pendleton]

I don't want to swallow a small, soft rubber tube.

[Dr. Kildare]

That isn't very pleasant. But it's part of the stomach test. Mr. Pendleton, you are complaining of pains in your stomach. You know.

[Mr. Pendleton]

Well, I don't. I don't have them now.

[Dr. Kildare]

Well, we want to find out why you've been having them.

[Mr. Pendleton]

Do I have to swallow a hose to have you find out?

[Dr. Kildare]

Yes, I'm afraid you do. Because through that hose we're going to remove part of your breakfast in an.

[Mr. Pendleton]

Hour and test it My appetite's gone. I don't think I can eat a thing.

[Dr. Kildare]

I'm afraid I have to insist, Mr. Pendleton. After all, you wanted a thorough examination. And I intend to be thorough.

[Mr. Pendleton]

Well, yes, I know you. You can be thorough, and then you can be thorough. There's no use getting carried away with this thing.

[Dr. Kildare]

Nurse. Nurse. After he finishes eating, I want some blood specimens.

[Nurse Parker]

Oh, yes, Dr. Kildare.

[Dr. Kildare]

I'll be back a little later, Mr. Pendleton. Hope you enjoy your breakfast.

[Mr. Pendleton]

Breakfast, Nurse. Nurse, this is the isolation wing, isn't it?

[Nurse Parker]

Yes, it is, Mr. Pendleton.

[Mr. Pendleton]

Oh, dear. I don't suppose many people leave these. These rooms alive.

[Nurse Parker]

Oh, yes, several people have.

[Mr. Pendleton]

Nurse, would you mind phoning my house for me?

[Nurse Parker]

Not at all, Mr. Pender.

[Mr. Pendleton]

And tell whoever answers to get hold of my attorney and have him come down here.

[Nurse Parker]

Oh, your attorney. You want him to talk to Dr. Kildare about springing you?

[Mr. Pendleton]

No, no, I want him to be sure my will is in order.

[Nurse Parker]

Oh, you're not going to die, Mr. Penny.

[Mr. Pendleton]

I am too. No one could swallow a rubber tube and live.

[Nurse Parker]

Now, it isn't that bad. No one's ever died from it yet. Of course, isn't very comfortable. Really isn't much fun being sick, is it, Mr. Pendleton?

[Mr. Pendleton]

Oh, don't ever give me another rubber tube to swallow.

[Nurse Parker]

Oh, now, Mr. Pendleton, Dr. Kildare wants you to drink this.

[Dr. Gillespie]

What is it?

[Nurse Parker]

It's a lovely glass of buttermilk with barium in it.

[Mr. Pendleton]

Oh, horrible.

[Nurse Parker]

After you drink it, Dr. Kildare is going to look at you behind the fluoroscopic X ray screen.

[Dr. Kildare]

Well.

[Mr. Pendleton]

Do you see anything?

[Dr. Kildare]

I see peristaltic waves.

[Mr. Pendleton]

You see what?

[Dr. Kildare]

Peristaltic waves.

[Mr. Pendleton]

Oh, is that. Is that serious?

[Dr. Kildare]

That's the contractions of the stomach.

[Mr. Pendleton]

Oh, I feel worse than I did before I got in here.

[Dr. Kildare]

It always gets worse before it gets better. I'm going to make a new man out of you, Mr. Pendleton.

[Mr. Pendleton]

Oh, I hope I live that long.

[Dr. Gillespie]

How's your patient? In isolation, Dr. Kildare. Have you found anything startling?

[Dr. Kildare]

Not so far.

[Dr. Gillespie]

It's absolute nonsense putting a man through all those tests.

[Dr. Kildare]

He wanted a thorough examination. He even went to Karoo and demanded a thorough examination. Well, he's getting one.

[Dr. Gillespie]

You've been giving him the works, huh?

[Dr. Kildare]

Blood test, ulcer test, gallbladder test.

[Dr. Gillespie]

I wish I could have been there to see some of them.

[Dr. Kildare]

Well, if he was your patient, you could have been there. But you didn't want him as a patient, remember?

[Dr. Gillespie]

How is he taking it?

[Dr. Kildare]

Like a man on the last lap of the last mile. He's had his attorneys down twice making changes in his will.

[Dr. Gillespie]

Well, he's probably cutting the hospital out of it.

[Dr. Kildare]

No, no, that's the funny part. He says this is the first efficient examination he's ever had. May not be enjoying it, but he feels it's efficient.

[Dr. Gillespie]

What's he getting next?

[Dr. Kildare]

Well, now he's going to swallow the rubber tube with the metal perforated tip.

[Dr. Gillespie]

That is one of the most uncomfortable. Yeah, I wouldn't have the heart to do that to any man that didn't really need it.

[Dr. Kildare]

How do you know he doesn't need it? You pass the rubber tube through the stomach to the duodenum where it remains duodenal juices are collected and.

[Dr. Gillespie]

Well, kindly spare me the Classroom lecture, Dr. Kildare. I don't need any refresher course.

[Dr. Kildare]

Well, then you know that this test will enable me to study the secretion of the pancreas, which plays an important part in Mr. Pendleton's digestion. And it's his stomach that he keeps complaining about.

[Dr. Gillespie]

You're going to do all these things, waste all these examinations on a healthy man?

[Dr. Kildare]

I don't think they're going to be wasted, Dr. Gillespie. I hope through these examinations to bring Mr. Pendleton back to health care to come along and have a look at the patient.

[Dr. Gillespie]

I certainly would. Good.

[Dr. Kildare]

Evening, Mr. Pendleton.

[Mr. Pendleton]

Dr. Kildare. Why, you're not wearing your mask, Dr. Gillespie.

[Dr. Gillespie]

Evening, Mr. Pendleton.

[Dr. Kildare]

Isn't necessary to wear masks any longer, is it?

[Mr. Pendleton]

Necessary?

[Dr. Kildare]

That's right. There's no longer any need for it.

[Mr. Pendleton]

Oh, you mean you've given me up for lost?

[Dr. Kildare]

No, and I have no intention of giving you up for lost.

[Mr. Pendleton]

That's right, Doctor. Keep fighting until the last.

[Dr. Gillespie]

He will.

[Dr. Kildare]

Mr. Pendleton, do you know what it's like outside?

[Mr. Pendleton]

No.

[Dr. Kildare]

There's a snap in the air when you walk. You want to put your head back and take deep breaths. The air is like. Like November wine.

[Mr. Pendleton]

I've always liked this time of year. I have a small farm in Connecticut. During the season, I like to. I don't suppose I'll ever see it again.

[Dr. Kildare]

You're going to see it before the week is over.

[Mr. Pendleton]

Alive or dead?

[Dr. Kildare]

Very much alive, Mr. Pendleton. I've completed my examinations and tests. I know everything that a medical test can tell a doctor about a patient. I know what's wrong with you.

[Mr. Pendleton]

Is it curable?

[Dr. Kildare]

It certainly is. Won't even be difficult to cure if you exert a little self control.

[Mr. Pendleton]

What is it? What is it, Dr. Kildare?

[Dr. Kildare]

Mr. Pendleton, you are the victim of pills.

[Mr. Pendleton]

Of what?

[Dr. Kildare]

Too many pills. The pills that you Took for your elbow, upset your stomach. The pills that you took for your stomach gave you those headaches. The pills that you took for your headaches upset your pancreas. In other words, you've been swallowing so much medicine that you've kept your whole system upset. If you'll throw away the pills, you're going to be a new man. That's what I found out from all those tests.

[Mr. Pendleton]

No more pills.

[Dr. Kildare]

No more pills.

[Mr. Pendleton]

Not even one pill.

[Dr. Kildare]

No pills at all. Mr. Pendleton, I realize I'm depriving you of something.

[Mr. Pendleton]

Yes, you certainly are.

[Dr. Gillespie]

Ah, but he's giving you something in exchange, Mr. Pendleton. In exchange, he's giving you evenings to walk across that Connecticut countryside of yours. Days that you'll start out brisk and invigorated and eager to work. He's giving you nights when you'll sleep. He's giving you peace of mind. And in time, a whole brand new nervous system. Dr. Kildare is giving you back all the time you've been spending in worrying to spend and enjoying life.

[Mr. Pendleton]

I know, Dr. Gillespie.

[Dr. Kildare]

Oh, Dr. Kildare, you.

[Dr. Carew]

You.

[Mr. Pendleton]

You've taken a great load off my heart. I thought these last few days, I thought I'd reached the end. Now to know that I can leave here and. And go. Go back to life. Dr. Kildare, you. You've given me a new lease on life.

[Dr. Kildare]

I sincerely believe I have, Mr. Pendleton. I hope you'll obey my instructions.

[Mr. Pendleton]

Oh, you have my word, Dr. Kildare. I'll never take another pill unless you prescribe it.

[Dr. Kildare]

Then, Mr. Pendleton, I pronounce you cured.

[Narrator]

In just a moment, we will return to the story of Dr. Kildare. And now, once again, the story of Dr. Kildare. Starring Lu Ayers as Dr. Kildare and Lionel Barrymore as Dr. Gillespie.

[Dr. Gillespie]

Pardon me if you're back establishing contact with the man in the street again, I wouldn't dream of bothering you.

[Dr. Kildare]

Oh, no?

[Dr. Gillespie]

Come and look at me.

[Dr. Kildare]

That's the world down there.

[Dr. Carew]

Our world.

[Dr. Kildare]

You and I and all the other men of medicine in the universe are all that stands between them and death. There's our world to protect, to heal, to care for.

[Dr. Gillespie]

You know, Jimmy, you were right about Mr. Pendleton. He was sick, but somehow that never occurred to me.

[Dr. Kildare]

Say, your liver must really be acting up. I think I'll take you downstairs and examine.

[Dr. Gillespie]

No. Keep away from me. Now, my liver's fine.

[Dr. Kildare]

Couldn't be this milk of human kindness comes from you only when your liver is getting very acute.

[Dr. Gillespie]

My liver's all right. Now, that's funny.

[Dr. Kildare]

What's funny?

[Dr. Gillespie]

Well, I really did feel a little pain in that region just now, but.

[Dr. Kildare]

Uhhuh.

[Dr. Gillespie]

Confounded. You're going to end up making a hypochondriac out of me. Amen.

[Dr. Carew]

Well, gentlemen, it's been a good day for the hospital. Gild, you did a fine job and I'm proud of you.

[Dr. Kildare]

Thank you, Dr. Gu.

[Dr. Carew]

In fact, you did such a good job that from now on, we're going to send all the hypochondriac cases to you.

[Dr. Gillespie]

Oh, no, that's a fine idea, Dr. Garou. A splendid idea. Because I never saw a man handle a Hypochondriac better than Dr. Kildare. And speaking of hypochondriacs, Jimmy, maybe you better have a look at that liver of mine.

[Narrator]

You have just heard The Story of Dr. Kildare, starring Lou Ayers and Lionel Barrymore. Dr. Kildare is presented by arrangement with Metro Goldwyn Mayer, producers of Key to the City, starring Clark Gable, Loretta Young, Frank Morgan and Marilyn Maxwell. This program was written by Gene Holloway and directed by William P. Russo. Original music was composed and conducted by Walter Schumann. Supporting cast included Virginia Gregg, Ted Osborne and Joseph Kearns. Dick Joy speaking.

[Nurse Parker]

Sam.