All language subtitles for Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman S03e23 The Permanence Of Change

Children, eyes front, please.

Your writing assignment for this week is
a report on one of the following men.

All of them are scientists.

Well, they're physicists or astronomers.

Thanks, Brian.

Laid many of our scientific principles.

anything from understanding how we look
at the stars

to

understanding why things

Some kind of medical book?

Oh, not quite.

The Descent of Man by Charles Darwin.

It was just published with all the talk
back east.

What's it about?

Well, it presents the theory that man
evolved from a lower life form.

Lower life form?

Yes, an animal.

Similar to an ape, but... We were once
apes?

Mom, come quick!

What is it? There's something wrong with
the reverend.

I'm fine. I just... I must have blacked
out.

That wasn't to do with me.

I'm fine.

You're burning up.

It's probably absinthe.

Afraid you won't be able to ignore that
any longer.

Are you going to pull it, Ma?

No. Jake has better equipment for that
kind of work.

You should see the pliers he's got.

It's all right. We'll use chloroform. He
won't feel a thing.

Cal, Alice, Tommy, will you take the
Reverend to the clinic?

Colleen, I want you to go with him. Get
him some willow art tea.

Now, wait a minute. I can't just leave.
What about the children?

I'll look after them. Yes, but if I'm
going to be gone for a while, then we'll

teach them.

Dorothy's been so busy lately.

It's all right. I'll teach them.

What about your practice?

I'll manage.

Besides, it'll only be for a few days,
and by then you should be as good as

Thank God.

You eat your lunch already?

Didn't bring one.

Oh, no.

She gave me blueberries.

You don't like them?

Not really.

You want them?

Sure.

Don't worry.

They're always kind of mean to new kids.

They'll get used to you.

Your pa forgot your lunch yesterday too,
didn't he?

He's not my pa.

He's not?

He's called a guardian. Means he
protects me.

Where are your parents?

They died.

My mom died, too.

But I thought Dr. Rank was your mom.

She adopted me.

Well, hello there.

You must be Mary Ann Daggett.

Nice to see new faces in town.

I found blueberries I packed for you. I
know they're your favorite.

Um, yeah.

Thanks.

Ma, don't.

Just straightened out your hair. It's a
mess.

Not here.

Let me see. I'm sorry.

I got it! I got it!

The tooth seems to have come in at an
angle.

And there's a lot of decay.

The sooner it comes out, the better.

Finally get a chance to try out them new
pliers.

Why would a tooth come in at an angle
like that?

Not enough room in the mouth.

That's the problem with wisdom teeth.
They're pretty much useless.

That doesn't make any sense. How's that?

Why would God give man wisdom teeth if
he doesn't need them?

Well, perhaps it was a time when man did
need them.

So Jake put the tooth in the jar and he
was showing it to everyone. It was huge.

How's Reverend doing?

Well, he's going to be sore for a few
days, but he should be fine after that.

Ma's filling in for him at school until
he gets back.

It's going to be great.

At least for some people.

You're a doctor, not a teacher.

I don't know, Brian.

You're not pretty smart.

Wish I had a teacher like her growing
up.

I just don't... I don't want you fixing
my hair, all right?

Or calling on me and treating me special
and making a big deal in front of

everybody.

I'm sorry for that, Brian.

And I promise you that from now on,
you'll receive no special treatment.

That's right.

Let somebody else be the teacher's pet.

Morning, Ma.

Poor Maria.

She's always late.

Maybe she's taking a bath.

I'm sure the Reverend doesn't allow talk
like that, and neither do I.

So let's begin, shall we?

Dr. Mike.

That didn't mean no harm.

Would you be kind enough to take him
outside and release him?

You should be out in the field helping
the farmers.

Helping the farmers?

How?

Well, does anyone know what a gopher
snake eats?

They eat rats.

Very good. And rats eat crops. So the
gopher snakes are very valuable to the

farmers.

They're amazing animals.

moving swiftly without legs, using their
tongues to smell, and going days

without eating.

Millions of years of evolution have made
it a very efficient creature.

What's evolution?

It's a biological process in which every
living organism is transformed.

Well, in other words, it's about change.

Over time, all living things, fish,
snakes, even people, People make changes

order to better cope with the world.

Eleven years ago, an Englishman named
Charles Darwin wrote a book titled The

Origin of the Species, in which he
discussed the evolution of plants and

animals.

And now, he's written another book that
details the evolution of man, from an

early ape -like creature to what we are
today.

We used to be apes? Well, not like any
existing apes, but from ancestors that

would be...

Recognizably apish.

Marianne, is everything all right?

Well, I suppose we should move on to
arithmetic.

No, tell us more about the apes. Yeah.

Well, all right then, I will.

Darwin felt that human ancestors had
daggle -like teeth, similar to those

in apes.

Good luck coming this way.

Mr. Daggett likes me to take the main
trail.

What's wrong?

I should go back to the main trail.

No, wait!

It's real easy.

You just step from rock to rock.

Don't let go.

I won't.

I did it!

What happened to your leg?

Nothing.

You hurt yourself or something?

Just lay me a log.

Oh, wait.

This is a tree.

A few weeks ago, I saw some tree frogs
up there.

Frogs and trees?

Sure.

Well, they're special frogs.

They got suction cups on their feet for
hanging on.

Why would a frog want to live in a tree?

I don't know.

Guess he got tired of living in a pond.

See any?

No.

Maybe he grew wings and flew away.

Okay, I'll keep looking for those frogs.

Where were you?

Nowhere. Walking home.

You're late. You've got a mountain of
chores to tend to before sundown, so

it.

It's my fault she's late.

Leave her be. I don't want to get you
around her again, or there's going to be

trouble. You hear me? Now go on. Get out
of here.

Go on.

Hey, it was true.

Isn't that what you said, Dr. Mike? Oh,
why?

You always so... Quick to believe every
crazy notion.

Many people concur with Darwin's theory,
Lauren. Not crazy.

Man did not come from apes. Look, it's
like this.

God created man.

Man is what he is and always has been.

He's permanent.

The only thing that's permanent in life
is change.

Can you send him medicine immediately,
Horne?

Your dad.

Say, what about you, Sully? You believe
this evolution talk?

I never thought much about it.

But if you did think about it, well,
then I'd believe what I thought.

Well, it's times like this, those two
deserve each other.

I finished my homework. I'm going

to go to bed.

Good night.

How did I do today?

You didn't even notice me.

Ma? Hmm?

Today, when I was walking home with Mary
Ann, I saw some marks on her legs.

Marks? What kind of marks?

Like rib bones.

Hmm. Well, I'll ask her about it
tomorrow.

And then, when we got to her house, Mr.
Day got yelled at her.

She's just shy, Ma.

Everybody's mean to her, and she didn't
do nothing to deserve it.

I know, sweetheart.

He shouldn't be yelling at her like
that.

You're supposed to protect her, not be
mean to her.

I won't let him treat her like that.

I won't either.

Where's Marianne? Maybe she's just late
again.

No, she's sick.

I pass her farm every day on the way in.
Her boss told me to tell you she won't

be coming to school today.

All right. Thank you, Stephen.

Very well. Let's begin.

Yesterday I asked you all to look around
you and see if you could find examples

of how animals adapt to their
environment.

Beavers have those big teeth for chewing
wood.

That's right. Very good.

Anyone else?

Stephen.

What about woodpeckers? They got those
big beaks for banging on trees. They

you up all night.

Actually, Stephen, the woodpecker is one
of Darwin's favorite examples of

adaptation.

Anyone else?

They got those special suction cups for
hanging on to branches.

Excellent, Brian.

Colleen, would you make sure that Brian
gets home?

Where are you going, Ma?

Out to the Daggett's farm.

See how Marianne's doing.

There's Mr. Daggett right now.

I'm Dr. Michaela Quinn. We haven't
formally met.

What can I do for you?

Well, I was about to ride out to your
farm to see how Marianne's doing.

I've been filling in as a teacher at the
school. She's fine. Just a little

cough. She'll be back at her desk
tomorrow.

I would like to ask, if I may, about the
marks on Marianne's leg.

What marks?

My son, Brian, says he saw a red mark on
her leg. Lady, I told you the girl's

fine. She'll be back at school tomorrow,
which is all you need to be concerned

about. As the town's physician, Mr.
Daggett, I'm concerned about her health.

Has she been eating well?

He never gives her any lunch for school.

Gets plenty to eat. Well, still, I would
like to examine her and see if... She's

got chores.

Chores?

Mr. Daggett, a sick child shouldn't be
doing chores. Lady, I got a farm to

The longer I stand here talking to you,
the less I'm out there tending it.

So I'd appreciate you not wasting any
more of my time. Well, I would think as

parent you'd have a little more
compassion.

Dr. Mike.

These folks come to me and say you've
been teaching the kids that evolution

nonsense. It's not nonsense, Jake.

Look. Reading a book for yourself is one
thing. But as mayor of this town, I

won't be allowing you to be spreading
that garbage to the kids.

The Lord created man in his image, Dr.
Mike. You're a Christian. Surely you

should know that. I'm not speaking to
the contrary.

I'm merely presenting a theory that
suggests that man's creation was not

spontaneous. It's blasphemy is what it
is.

Well, if you'd like me to explain it...
Man did not come from monkeys, Dr. Mike.

Read your Bible. Promise me you won't
teach them that anymore.

Sorry, but what kind of teacher am I if
I'm not allowed to expose my students to

new scientific theories? Teacher?

Your own kids are in that class. The
question is, what kind of parent are

Just take it easy, Jake.

This ain't over.

I'm taking this up with the council.

You've got some nerve telling me how to
raise my child.

Get up.

Oh, the swelling's gone down.

Any pain?

Only when I breathe.

Well, good news.

You'll live.

Amen to that.

Dr. Mike.

Jake tells me that you've been teaching
the children about evolution.

Yes, I have. Are you familiar with the
theory?

Survival of the fittest. That's right.

Where the strong crowd out and kill off
the weak.

Dr. Mike, I appreciate you filling in
for me while I've been out, but this

theory, it flies in the face of
everything I believe.

My whole life rests on the authority of
the Bible.

I believe in the Bible, too.

And the Bible says God created the earth
in six days.

Six 24 -hour days?

Couldn't the book of Genesis be like a
poem or a parable?

And each of those days actually
represent millions of years?

God created man from dust.

But perhaps he used the process of
evolution to achieve it.

Please, don't bring the subject up
anymore in my class.

Come on.

Wait!

Brian,

I thought Colleen was taking you home.
She was.

I saw it. She was past the stream.

Saw what?

A tree frog.

It was hanging there right above me on a
branch.

Are you still going out to Marianne's
farm?

I'm on my way there right now.

Can I go with you?

I don't think that's a very good idea.

Mr. Daggett isn't going to appreciate me
coming and... Please, Ma.

I promised Marianne I'd find her tree
frog, and I want to give it to her.

All right.

Everything all right?

I was just thinking about what those
people said to you earlier.

They were just upset.

Sometimes people have trouble accepting
new ideas.

To me, it's all pretty simple.

How's that?

Frog, he wants to climb up into the
tree.

So he prays to God to help him out.

And God, he answers his prayer by
letting the frog grow a suction cup by

feet.

I thought I'd drop off Mary Ann's home.
I told you, she's fine.

May I talk with her?

She's not here.

Not here?

She's in the fields, working.

Working?

Too sick to go to school, but you have
her out in the fields?

Mr. Dagon, a sick child needs rest.

She took a nap earlier.

She's feeling better.

What happened here?

That's a very good question, Mr.
Daggett.

What happened here?

She lost a lot of blood.

She be all right?

Damn.

She there?

She opened her eyes.

She has at least 30 rat bites on each
leg. Oh, rat bites!

Dorothy, please, would you bring me a
basin of water and food, please?

Sally,

would you ask Grace for a pack of soup?

The child needs nourishment.

Marianne. This is the solution of
carbolic acid.

Clean each wound with it, darling.

I'd like to speak with you in the hall.

We're not going to let him hurt you no
more.

I promise.

Don't let go.

I won't.

How soon can I take her home?

Take her home?

You have a very sick child in there. How
could you let this happen?

She'll be all right.

Or perhaps this time.

But you're very lucky she didn't bleed
to death, not to mention that she's

seriously malnourished and filthy.

You better start caring for her in a
more decent and humane manner. Don't

me how to handle my child. Because if
you don't, the next time it won't be a

matter of neglect.

It'll be murder.

I've had enough of you.

What do you

think you're doing?

Taking her home.

But she needs medical attention. Not
from you, she don't. No, I won't let you

take her.

Please, don't do this.

This child legally belongs to me, which
means I'll tend to her however I see

fit. Now I'm taking her home, and
there's nothing you or anybody can do to

me, so you step aside.

Why'd you let him take her?

You should have stopped him.

We will, sweetheart.

We will.

Mike, what's wrong?

Horace, I need you to wire the U .S.
Marshal in Denver for me.

Now? Sorry, but it's urgent.

I'd like him to investigate the neglect
that Marianne Daggett's suffering under

Mr. Daggett's care.

As far as I'm concerned, it's abuse.

Tommy got the law involved.

I'll send for him straight away.

A lot of absences today.

All right, children.

Today we'll continue working on our
writing assignments.

That's right.

As good as new.

Just like Dr. Mike said.

Are you still in regret?

No, I'm fine.

Really.

Well, children, it's been a pleasure
teaching you all these past few days.

I hope someday I can do it again.

Dr.

Mike around?

Inside.

What do you think about all this
evolution talk?

Do you believe any of it?

All I know is we did come from apes.

There's some men in town still need
catching up.

Afternoon, Dr. Mike.

Reverend.

Any word yet from the Marshal?

Not yet, unfortunately.

Dr. Mike, I'm concerned that you, as

a Christian, would believe a theory that
puts you and me and everybody else on

the same plane as animals.

I see no sin in that.

I do.

Reverend, you gave the children an
assignment on Copernicus and Galileo.

Two men who first set forth the notion
that the Earth was not the center of the

solar system.

Well, Galileo was declared a heretic by
the Church for believing this. I know

the history, Dr. Mike. But we haven't
learned from that.

I mean, why must we always immediately
close our minds to any new theories?

This theory has no proof.

No proof?

Well, what about your wisdom tooth?

You yourself said, why would God give
man teeth he doesn't need?

Unless at one time, man's jaw was
extended.

We don't always know why God does what
he does. And that is why we have faith

our foundation.

Yes. Faith in knowing that he allows us
to learn from our past and evolve into

more intelligent and compassionate
beings.

Mike, Marshall just wired back.

He's not coming.

Says the government's got no legal means
to interfere in cases of child neglect.

You mean there's no law at all?

And even if you could, he's too busy
tracking down horse thieves.

What do you think you're doing out here?

I ain't on your property.

I don't care. I want you out of here
right now.

Stay.

Anything happen to that little girl?

You're gonna have to answer to me.

do, Ma?

I don't know, Brian. It's very
upsetting.

The thought of that child having to
spend one more night in that man's

terrifies me. We gotta do something.

We can't just let her die. We gotta
protect her.

Brian, I know it's difficult to
understand, but legally, there's nothing

do. Government's got plenty of laws
protecting animals, but none protecting

children. But aren't children animals,
too?

What are you thinking of?

That's what I'll do.

What?

Matthew, Colleen, will you stay here
with Brian?

Bully, you ride into town with me.

What are you going to do?

I'm going to protect Marianne.

And Mr. Darwin is going to help me.

Ah, here it is.

Minutes from the town council meeting
last April.

Item three, what to do about Zeke
Shelton who beat his horse half dead.

You remember, Lauren, it happened
outside Hank's saloon.

Sort of.

Council voted unanimously in favor of
removing the horse from Zeke's

There, precedent has been set in matters
of cruelty to animals.

Well, now all we have to do is prove
that Marianne is an animal.

Oh, listen to you.

You don't believe all that evolution
nonsense, do you?

No, I don't.

But this ain't about that.

This is about doing what it takes to
save that child.

I'll call a council meeting for tomorrow
night.

The way I see it, you got your work cut
out for you.

You gotta convince the council, which is
Lauren here and Jake and Horace and the

Reverend, that little Marianne Daggett's
an animal. Like a dog or a cat. Or a

frog.

That ain't gonna be easy.

No, it's not.

Any luck?

I spoke to Horace.

He's not minded about it.

I tried talking to Jake, who isn't.

All I need is the majority vote.

What about the Reverend?

I tried talking to him again this
morning. I'm afraid he's firmly set on

belief.

Looks like you're one vote short.

What about you?

You haven't yet told me what your
beliefs are.

What I believe?

About evolution, the origin of life.

Cheyenne believes that people are no
different from animals.

What about you?

What do you believe?

I believe in not asking questions that
can't be answered.

Aren't you the least bit interested in
learning how it all began?

All I'm interested in is what's
happening right here, right now.

That's all that matters.

I don't know why you got to go spreading
the word to everybody.

The town has a right to be informed when
there's a meeting, Lauren. Now, leave

him be.

Go on. You've got a customer waiting.

Seems to me like Dr. Mike's always
calling too many meetings.

Looking to stick her nose in everybody's
business. Women like to meddle, Lauren.

It's in their nature.

We won't even discuss what's in your
nature, Hank.

Well, when it comes to meddling with
kids' minds, that's where I draw the

Morning, Reverend. Horace.

Gentlemen.

How you feeling, Reverend?

Better. Thanks.

The problem's all this new science.

Why, it seems like every day somebody's
dreaming up some strange idea, trying to

set the whole world on its ear.

I say it's the devil's work.

I wouldn't worry so much about it, Jake.
He asked me if anybody would be an

idiot to believe man came from apes.

I don't know. I think this evolution
idea is kind of interesting.

See what I mean.

I don't know why children have to be
studying about science anyway.

Science is part of proper schooling,
Lawrence.

In my day, it was reading, writing, and
arithmetic. That's what they need to be

thinking about.

You ask me, it's up to us to protect the
kids of this town.

Somebody's got to look after their
souls, right, Reverend?

Yes, Jake.

I always thought school wasn't about
teaching kids what to think, but how to

think.

Well, nobody asked you, did they?

How long is this going to take? Oh, it
shouldn't take long. Well, I hope.

Whatever it takes to shut that woman up.

I hereby call this meeting of the town
council to order.

Go ahead, Dr. Mike.

I'd like to start by reminding the
council of the vote it took last April

it intervened to remove a horse from
Zeke Shelton's possession in order to

its life.

I'm sure you all remember.

Tonight, I'd like to lodge a similar
complaint against Mr.

Thomas Daggett for excessive cruelty to
an animal.

What animal?

What are you doing?

Who told you you could bring her in
here?

Sit down.

We'll get you a chance to talk, Mr.
Daggett.

As you all can see, Marianne's condition
is very poor.

She's malnourished and unwashed.

And has suffered numerous animal bites
on her legs from sleeping in filthy

conditions.

Yet despite this, Mr. Daggett continues
to refuse her medical attention.

If Marianne is allowed to remain in Mr.
Daggett's custody, I fear her life is in

grave danger. And that is why I would
like the council to vote to remove her.

Wait a minute. Hold on here.

I don't think we've got the right to
interfere.

Precedent has been set.

We've intervened before.

That was simple. It was a matter of
taking an animal away from its owner.

talking about taking a child away from
its legal guardian.

That's right.

She ain't no animal. She's a human
being.

I think we're just meddling where we
don't belong.

I move we end the meeting right now.

This child is every better member of the
animal kingdom as Zeke's horse.

According to the theory of evolution
presented by Charles Darwin... Don't

with that monkey talk.

Man, like the other creatures of the
earth, descended from the lower life

Listen to this hogwash. She's crazy. No
wonder I want her treating my child.

Man, with all his noble qualities, with
his godlike intellect, still bears in

his bodily frame the indelible stamp of
his lowly origin.

God? created man separate to rule over
the animals.

That's so right in the Bible, don't it,
Reverend?

Then I'd like to read from another book,
if I may.

The Bible, Ecclesiastes 3 .19.

For that which befalleth the sons of men
befalleth beasts.

Even one thing befalleth them.

As one dieth, so dieth the other.

Yea, they have all one breath, so that a
man hath no preeminence above a beast,

for all is vanity.

All go unto one place.

All are of the dust, and all turn to
dust again.

We are all God's creatures to be treated
fairly and humanely,

especially the children.

Maybe we should put it to a vote. Hold
on a second.

If we vote to take this girl away, she's
going to need a home.

I'll find her a home. Until then, she
can stay with us.

You ain't taking this child away from
me.

I took her in when nobody else wanted
her.

I put a lot of time into her.

I gave her home and food.

She gave you free labor.

Got no right to do this. They got every
right.

Shut up and let him vote.

All right.

Those who think Marianne Daggett is an
animal and who ought to be removed from

Thomas Daggett's care because of
cruelty, raise your hand.

It's unanimous then.

Fine. You can have her.

We can all go to hell.

Never slept in real bed before.

I brought the soup. Grace made it up
fresh.

Good. How's she doing?

After some rest and nourishment, she
should be fine.

Dr. Mike, I still maintain my beliefs.

I only did what I did last night to save
Marianne.

Thank you.

Ryan, look!

I found another tree frog for you.

See the suction cups on his feet?

They're hanging onto the branches, just
like I told you.

Thanks, Ryan.

You're going to like living with Becky's
family.

It's a good home.

Looks like he wants to go home, too.

I'm sure he'll find a tree nearby he can
live in.

And if he ever gets tired of trees,
maybe he'll grow wings and fly away.

You did real good at that meeting.

Thank you.

And this evolution idea started to make
some sense to me.

Really? Except for one thing.

what's that if man evolved from another
animal it ain't an ape an

eagle maybe