All language subtitles for The Great Moment

Here he comes now!

This one?

Yes.

That's solid silver.

I know all about it.
What do you want for it?

I'll take its weight
and a dollar more.

Weigh it up.

$14.60 plus a dollar is $15.60.

That includes the case?

I'll have to charge you
two bits more for that.

One bit is plenty.

All right,
I won't bargain with you.

Now give me the address
of the man who hocked it.

Is he a friend of yours?

Yes, only he's dead now.

It's so good to see
you, Eben. So good.

Now that it's all over.

I'm sorry I couldn't be there.

By the time I heard
about it, it was too late.

It doesn't matter. There was
nobody there but the children and me.

You'd think the Medical
Society could have...

They probably
didn't know about it.

Anyway, none of
that matters now.

While he was still alive

we hoped he'd get
justice, I mean, for his sake.

You know how we felt about him.

Now it's only a question of
how long it will take the world

to accord him the honor
he deserved during his life.

He ought to have a monument in
every city and a park called after him

and a Morton Boulevard and...

That might be
a little too much, Eben.

Maybe one hospital someday.

One hospital! Every hospital
ought to be called after him.

This is what I came
to bring you.

Eben, how very kind of you.

This was the last one.

He hated to part with it.

"To the benefactor of mankind"

"with the gratitude
of humanity."

I'm sorry I stirred
everything up.

I was just thinking
how happy we were.

It was the only time he
was really happy in his life.

We thought he was all
through worrying about things.

He was happy with the farm.

You know he won all
the prizes one year?

Best-kept farm, most
improvements, best sow.

$3 for his admirable geese.

Daddy! Daddy!
Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!

Daddy!

Whoah! Daddy!

Daddy!

Letter.

I wonder what this is?

I carried it all the
way and then I tripped and...

I got it.

Washington, D.C.

That's where
the President lives.

Washington crossed the Delaware.

What is it, William?

Listen to this, Lizzie.

Dr. Warren and the staff
of the Massachusetts General

addressed a memorial
to Congress.

Daniel Webster supported it

and now they're going to
vote me a $100,000 award.

How wonderful, William. At last.

I'll have to go to
Washington right away.

How are you going to do it?

Borrow on the place, I guess.

I did so want to hold on to this

for the children's sake.
They're so helpless.

But, Lizzie, you don't
seem to understand.

It's already passed Congress and
only has to be ratified by the Senate.

The money's as good
as in the bank

and all our years
of worry are behind us.

Everything I've ever promised
you will be yours with interest

and love and gratitude for
the patience you've displayed.

This is a memorial to the President,
signed by 20 United States...

It must be delivered to him before
he signs what he's about to sign.

Will you come in, please?

Do you say "Mr. Pierce"
or "Mr. President Pierce?"

Just "Mr. President."

This bill has
passed both Houses.

It requires only your signature.

This man has been
waiting for years.

I can't sign this yet.

Now, don't look as if you'd
lost your last friend, gentlemen.

As a man, I'm entirely for you.

As a lawyer, I must grant
your opponents some merit.

As the President, I'm forced
to lean over backwards.

However he may feel personally,

the President of
the United States

must always conduct
himself like Cautious Charlie.

That's his mission.
For that he was elected.

Now, I'm going to sign
this amendment, of course,

but first I want
you to do one thing.

I want you to bring
a little suit

against some army
or navy surgeon

for invading your patent.

He's bound to lose, that
will establish a precedent

and these gentlemen
will have to quit hollering.

But, Mr. President...

I won't wish you luck.
You won't need it.

You're a fine man, Doctor.

Believe me, I'd rather be
you than President any day.

Well, thank you, Mr. President.

All right,
Mr. President, I'll do it.

But I hate to have it
look as if I were trying

to make the government pay

to relieve wounded
soldiers from pain.

The government pays
for the guns, don't it, huh?

Well, good day, good day.

Shame that
the citizens of Boston

watch the progress
of this trial.

Vilified by every newspaper
in this country and abroad,

expelled from the American
Medical Association,

disowned by his fellow dentists,

burned in effigy by
his fellow townsmen,

this avaricious little dentist,

this money-grubbing
little opportunist

walks in shame, alone, unhailed.

Period.

Whatever the results
of this trial,

and we pray that Morton
will lose, hands down,

let this be a lesson to the...

How's this, sir?

Not bad.

I think I'd make
the fingers a little longer,

more claw-like,
more vulturesque.

Yes, Mr. Greeley.

Now where was I? Oh, yes.

Let this be a lesson
to the future Shylocks

who attempt to prey
upon the misery of man.

A discovery is not patentable.

A discovery is not patentable.

It is only where
the explorer has gone

beyond the domain
of mere discovery

and has laid hold
of the new principle

and connected it with
some mechanical contrivance

by which it acts
on the material world

that he can secure exclusive
control of it under the patent law.

The patent is invalid, but its
discoverer is entitled to be classed...

You're no good!

You never was
and you never will be!

Among the greatest
benefactors of mankind.

How do you do?

Is this the same as
bought by the government?

Yes, sir, it's the
same that we sell

to the government,
guaranteed in every respect.

Is this the same
as Dr. Morton's?

Well, this is an ether inhaler,
guaranteed to work perfect.

Whether it's the same as
Dr. what's-his-name's, I wouldn't know...

Well, I would, because I
happen to be Dr. what's-his-name

and I happen
to have invented these!

So you invented bottles, huh?

People have been using
them for a long time.

They'll be very glad to know
that you've invented them at last,

and maybe you invented the wheel,
too, and the needle and thread...

You know what I'm talking about!

What's this hole for?

To stick flowers in.
Look, I sell bottles.

People can keep schnapps
in them or maple syrup

or anything they
want to for all I care.

Well, you'll care when I get
through with you, you dirty swindler!

Now wait a minute...

Trying to rob me, huh?

You invented them, did you?

Now, wait a minute...

Wait, wait, wait!

Help! Stop it! Stop it! Help!

Well, you're going to get it
whether you want it or not.

You must rest both for
yourself and your family.

I tell you I can't
afford it, Doctor.

My practice has
all gone to pieces,

I neglected it while it was good

and now my assistants have gone

and taken all the
patients with them.

I got so wrapped up
in that ether thing.

I'm so mad most of the time.

I mean, all those people

saying I stole their
ideas from them.

You know I discovered
the use of ether, don't you?

Of course I know it.

That's what killed him, you
know, that trip to New York.

It was that last article of
Dr. Jackson's calling him a charlatan,

saying he'd stolen his discovery

and bringing back all
the misery of 20 years,

reopening the wounds.

We got him into bed,

but in the middle
of the night he got up

and started sorting his papers

to prove Jackson was a liar.

On the 15th he seemed better.

It was very hot.

We went for a drive
in Central Park.

He insisted on holding
the reins himself

even though he said
they were very heavy.

Suddenly he pulled up the horses

and got off to the ground and
just looked into the darkness.

I said, "What is it, dear?"
I said, "William, answer me."

But he just smiled.

As if suddenly he'd understood
something, at long last.

Then pitched forward
on his face.

The papers spoke of him
as the man who claimed

to have discovered
the use of ether.

They dug up
the whole nasty business.

That Dr. Jackson had
told him how to do it.

That he, Jackson, had
known about it for years.

Can you imagine anyone
keeping a secret like that?

And then they brought in poor
Horace Wells' claim that he did it first,

and Dr. Crawford Long's claim
that he had done it four years before.

Well, maybe they all
did do it first,

maybe they all did
discover the use of ether.

I guess they did, all right.

Why should they lie about it?

But it seems so cruel to have
let people go on suffering so long

after they knew how to stop it.

All I know is that three months

after my husband
discovered anesthesia,

the whole world was using it.

Supper's ready, Mama.

All right, dear.
Come along, Eben.

Won't you have still
another piece of pie, Eben?

Oh, I...

No, thank you.

You're going to make some
man very happy someday.

Thank you, Mr. Frost.

My, how your father loved pie.

I really think that's
why he married me.

Oh, Mama.

He ate so much, my mother wanted

to throw him straight
out of the house.

Oh, dear, I do declare.

I do declare, Lizzie,
I'm going to have to ask

that young Mr. Morton to leave.

He pays his board regularly,

but he's just eating us
out of house and home.

Tonight he had
three plates of soup

and 12 slices of bread,
not that I counted them,

four helpings of roast
beef, six potatoes,

almost a whole
bunch of sparrowgrass,

a hatful of beans, peas and
beets and three wedges of pie.

Now, I can't do
that on $3 a week.

Mrs. Bidon charges
$4 a week and...

Why, Lizzie.

Honey child.

I had no idea you
were fond of him.

You know I don't mean
half the things I say.

I wouldn't ask him to leave if he
ate twice as much, heaven forbid.

If you didn't want me to.

He's leaving anyway.

Why? Now, don't
tell me I indicated

by so much as the
slightest look or glance...

He hasn't got any money.

He can't be a medical
student anymore.

Oh, the poor lamb.

Well, there are plenty
of other businesses.

Maybe he'd do well
in the meat business.

He seems to like it.

He's going to be a dentist.

And he seemed such
a nice young man.

You may not like the idea,

but you're going to have a
dentist in the family just the same.

A dentist?

I'm certainly going to
miss you, Miss Lizzie.

I'm certainly going
to miss you, Mr. Morton.

It's not going to be
very cheerful in Boston.

It's not going to be
very cheerful here.

You really mean that,
Miss Lizzie?

Now, don't do that.

I can't help it.

Miss Lizzie, if I thought you'd
wait for me, I'd work so hard

that in almost no time
at all, I venture to say

I'd be in a position
to support a...

Not in luxury maybe,

but to support a family
of reasonable size.

Oh, William!

And I know you're going
to be rich and famous

and I'm going to be
so proud of you, darling.

And Father won't be able to
talk against dentists anymore.

And we'll have a big house

and while you're at
the office I'll be at home

taking care of my end of things.

Elegant around here, isn't it?

Oh, but this is so beautiful.

Won't you try it?

With pleasure.

Oh, it's deliciously
comfortable, William.

One would be
reluctant to leave it.

I hope the patients
feel that way about it.

Now, just lean back.

Open your mouth. Uh-uh.

Will you open your mouth?
Don't be a child.

What are you trying to do,
ruin my business?

What are you
trying to do, ruin me?

I've bored bigger
holes in children

and they smiled while I did it.

They must have been half-wits.

Open your mouth. No!

Open your mouth and
keep your trap shut.

Why don't you try and show a
little courage? This won't hurt a bit.

If I could lie like you,
I'd take up fortunetelling.

Now, open your mouth.

Don't be in a hurry. I'll be
with you in just a moment.

Now, you sit down.

I'll be with you in a moment.

All right.

Be a man.

Now...

Aren't you going to have
another piece of pie, dear?

Hmm? Oh, no, thank you, Lizzie.

Are you sick?

What?

What are you frowning about?

The dental profession.

Oh, I'm sorry, dear.

It can't be helped,
but they yell so, Lizzie.

It's bloodcurdling.
It gets on your nerves.

You can't put in a nice inlay
like you did in dental college

with them screaming
bloody murder in your face

or trying to bite you.

It's impossible.

Unless you're deaf or a demon or
somebody that likes to see people suffer.

Why don't you try
stuffing up your ears?

If there could be some way to...

Like your leg goes
to sleep sometimes

when you're resting
your elbow on it.

Only it must be pretty hard
to put your head to sleep.

There ought to be a way
to desensitize a nerve.

Say, didn't Dr. Jackson
say something about that

one night after supper?

I don't remember, dear.

Somebody had
the toothache and...

Oh, yes, it was Horace
Wells. His face was all...

That's right. And Jackson said the
only way to desensitize a nerve was...

What?

I don't remember.

Some kind of drops or something

and it was supposed
to help some.

Why don't you go and ask him?

Because I despise him so,
the sarcastic old blowhard.

It would be better
than hearing people yell.

I don't think it worked, anyhow.

I remember Horace said...

Yes, but you're not sure.

You might try to find
something for that, too.

Is Professor Jackson in?

Sorry, sir, he's not at home.

Thanks.

But you might
try Costello's, sir.

Oh. Thanks.

Good evening,
Professor Jackson. How...

Why don't you look
what you're doing?

Oh, I'm sorry.

Say, do you remember what
you used on Horace Wells

the night he had the toothache?

Do I know you?

Yes. W.T.G. Morton.

I was a student of yours
at Harvard Medical.

His face was swollen
out and you said...

Oh, yes, Morton, of course.

As I remember, you
were a rather dull student.

You didn't keep us
in stitches, either.

I suppose now you are
a successful physician?

No, I didn't finish. I didn't
have enough money.

Well, you shouldn't have gone
in for medicine in the first place.

One of the cankers
of our profession

is the number
of youths without funds

or proper background who
try to worm their way into it

for the rich rewards
they imagine it holds.

Thanks. I'm glad to see the
years haven't changed you.

How are you getting along?

Pretty well.

Rum punch.
Yes, sir.

It could be a lot better,

if there were only some
way to deaden the pain a little.

They get in your chair
and they start to yell,

and the first thing you know...

You say your chair?
Are you a barber now?

No, no, a dentist. Oh.

You say your patients yell?

They certainly do.

Well, the remedy for that
is very simple.

It's been known
since the 15th century.

They still do it
at county fairs.

You merely provide
a small orchestra

and when your patient screeches,

you outscreech him.

I suppose you think
that's very funny.

I see your sense of
humor hasn't improved.

Neither have your jokes.

I thought that was pretty good.

Ah, well. Have you
tried oil of cloves?

I've tried oil of cloves, I've tried
camphor, I've tried peppermint,

I've tried whiskey, I've
tried brandy, I've tried gin.

None of those are any good.

There's only one way to
desensitize a nerve, that's to freeze it.

You might fill your patient
full of ice. What with?

How do I know? A funnel.

I thought you were serious.

Well, of course there is
another way of producing cold,

that's by evaporation.

You might try something
with a low boiling point.

But I didn't come here to
deliver a lecture on chemistry.

Bartender, give me a drink.

Let me buy you one.

Well, unaccustomed as I am
to imbibing with dentists...

What has a low boiling point?

One of the ethers, I suppose.

You might get yourself
some ethyl chloride drops.

That's all the shop
I want to talk.

I think that's it.

What's ethyl chloride?

What's ethyl chloride?

He goes to school
with me for years

and now he doesn't know
what ethyl chloride is.

Morton, you are the living proof

that plowboys belong
behind the horse.

Well, what is it?

What's what?

Ethyl chloride.

C2 H5 CL.

Known to corn doctors
as chloric ether.

Where can I get some?

Well, you might
try a feed store,

and if you can't get it there,

then you might try
Burnett's Pharmacy.

My pupil.

Here's to you, Professor.

The same to you, Doctor.

My pupil.

Oh, my! That's it.
Put it in. Hold it.

Yes?

I want to get
some ether, please.

Do you have to have it tonight?

I'd like to.

Oh, well. Hold
it there, Charlie.

Do you want chloric
or sulfuric? What?

C2 H5 CL or C2 H5 OC2
H5? Now, just a minute.

Do you want it
for corns or asthma?

Why don't you come in
in the morning?

Give me a bottle of each.
An ounce?

A pint. A pint?

Hold it, Charlie.

Hello, Nig.

Is that you, William?

Yes, dear. I'll be
up in a little while.

All right, dear.

William?

William?

William!

You're drunk.

You ought to be
ashamed of yourself.

What the matter
with you, Lizzie?

I had two drinks.

Two small drinks,
no more, no less...

You won't make it any
better by lying about it.

You reek of cheap liquor.

Now get up. I'll help you.

Who asked for any help?

What's the matter with
you, Lizzie, you crazy?

Get up.

Why should I get up?

I'm not down anyplace.

Then what are you
doing on the floor?

Who's on a floor?
Where's a floor?

Get up. That's funny.

Lizzie, I tell you
I've not been drinking.

I had two small drinks.

Why should I lie to you?

If I'd had three drinks or
four drinks or even five drinks,

I'd just as soon...

I don't know, but I tell
you I was not drunk.

Tell me something.

Was I drunk when I
came in here last night?

You're the young man
who wanted the ether.

That's right. Would you say
that I was drunk at the time?

Not particularly. What do
you mean "not particularly"?

I had two drinks, two with
Professor Jackson down at Costello's.

I came in here cold sober,
went straight home,

and at midnight my wife found
me rolling around on the floor.

Well, your liver must be torpid.

You see, the poisons are
normally dissipated through the liver,

but when this organ
becomes congested...

Now I have here...

Yes, well, I happen to have
been a medical student myself

and right now I'm a
practicing dental surgeon.

My liver works
like a buttered eagle,

and if anybody was drunk in
here last night, it wasn't me.

Now, there are
two things possible.

Either I had a stroke, which
I don't appear to have had,

or somehow that bottle of ether

that I found
empty this morning...

Which one was it?

The sulfuric, I think.

Well, there's your answer.

You don't have
to go any further.

The fumes of sulfuric ether
are extremely noxious.

We have to keep
it tightly sealed,

and I'm always
telling my assistant.

If I've told him once I've
told him a thousand times,

I've said, "Charlie..." Well,
that solves that mystery,

although I don't suppose
my wife will ever believe it.

Thanks. Do you
want another bottle?

I should say not.

Wait a minute.

Give me another bottle of it.

Yes, sir.

Well, at last.

Why, Horace Wells. How are you?

What are you doing in Boston?

I just got in from Hartford.

Come in.

I have something very
interesting to tell you.

What is it?

You remember when
we were students,

we used to try to figure how
to pull a tooth without pain?

I'm still trying.
I just got a bottle down...

Forget it. That's what I
came to tell you about.

I've made the most important
discovery in the world.

Fine. I can extract teeth

or fill them or do anything I like with
them without any pain whatsoever.

No.

Absolutely. That's
what I'm here for.

I'm giving a demonstration
at Harvard Medical at 10:30.

I want you to lend me a key
and act as my assistant.

That's wonderful. Well, how do
you do it, or is that your secret?

I wish it were my secret,

but the stuff is so well-known

you can't stop them
from recognizing it.

I'll just have to be the
father of painless dentistry

and let it go at that.

What is it?

Nitrous oxide, laughing gas.

Laughing gas?

You mean like they
use at the county fairs?

I do. For the
entertainment of the yokels.

For heaven's sake.

That's where I got the idea.

I saw this lout leaping around

and making a fool of himself
and laughing his head off,

and all the time he had a
gash that long in his shin

he'd got falling off
the platform.

He never even knew it.
He hadn't felt it.

That's very interesting.

But how can you work on
them when they're laughing?

But they're not laughing.

I give them a little more
and they fall asleep.

But they must be
half-asphyxiated.

That can't be very healthy.

I had an experience
just last night...

Naturally, you
have to be careful.

How many times have you done it?

Four times.

You're not ready for any
demonstration at Harvard Medical.

What if it didn't work?
It has to work.

I'm not going to stand around and
wait till somebody else does this first.

If you don't want to help me, I'll
borrow a key from someone else.

I'll help you on one condition.

We go by Dr. Jackson's first
and he says it isn't dangerous.

What's that old moss-head
know about it?

He doesn't know
anymore about it than I do.

Poppycock! What do
you mean, "poppycock"?

I tell you I've done it.

And I tell you that you're
endangering the lives

of the fools who trust you.

Certainly you can
render a man unconscious

by asphyxiating
him or drowning him

or hitting him on the
head with a dornick!

That's no discovery.

Henry Hill Hickman went all through
that. Priestley found laughing gas

and Humphry Davy tried
all that stuff 50 years ago.

Faraday experimented
with every type of inhalant

he could lay his hands on.

In the end, all these
men abandoned the idea.

Do you expect to succeed

where the greatest scientists
in the world have failed?

Discoveries are still
being made, aren't they?

They're not being made by
any half-educated schoolboys.

You'd better give up this
nonsense before you kill somebody!

And that goes for you,
too, Morton!

Go back to your tooth-yanking,

and leave science
to the scientists!

Thanks.

Nevertheless, at 10:30 this
morning at Harvard Medical School,

I will pull a tooth
totally without pain

by the use of the Wells Method.

"The Wells Method."
The half-asphyxiated method!

And now, young gentlemen,

we are to assist at a very
interesting experiment.

Dr. Horace Wells of
Hartford, Connecticut

and his assistant
are about to demonstrate

the Wells Method of
painless extraction

on your fellow student,
Homer Quinby,

who has volunteered
to be the subject.

Are we nearly ready?

Yes, sir. That'll be enough.

Then if you'll kindly
step up here, Homer.

Yes, sir, Dr. Warren.

Don't let them give
you too much of it.

No, sir, Professor Jackson.

Sit right here, Homer.

Now this isn't going to
hurt you a bit, Homer.

You just sit back and...

Now, don't you give
me too much of that stuff.

Don't you worry about that.

Now I think we're
just about ready.

Now, open your mouth, please.

Now breathe deeply.

Keep on breathing, Homer.

Keep on breathing.

Again.

Once more.

It's all very funny, but
they're apt to kill him!

Now behave yourself, Homer.

Homer, behave yourself!

Now, open your mouth
and breathe deeply.

What are you trying
to do, kill that boy?

I know what I'm doing!

Maybe he's had enough, Doctor?

Yes.

Well... All right.

Hold his head, please.

Homer!

Faker!

Quiet, please! Quiet!

Stop that! Gentlemen!

Any man who goes by me
will be expelled immediately!

I know every one of you!

That's because he
didn't get enough of it!

I wanted to give him more
until that old mealy-mouth...

I tell you this is the greatest
discovery in the world.

I'm the father
of painless dentistry.

I can extract teeth or pull
them or do anything I want...

Take it easy, take it easy.

It may be all you say, but
you've still got to experiment.

You've got to try
it out little by little.

You've got to creep
before you can walk.

I tell you I've done it four
times without a failure.

All right, I'll mix up
some of the stuff.

Go get me a cat or a dog or a
horse or a lion and I'll show you.

I'll get you a rabbit.

You'll learn something.

I'll be very glad to,
Horace, believe me.

Is anybody in?

I'm in terrible pain, dearie.

Some faker broke my tooth
and then couldn't yank it.

Could you do
anything for me, dearie?

Come in.

I suppose it'll hurt
something terrible.

It isn't going to hurt a bit.

Come in.

There you are.
No pain whatsoever.

The tooth's gone.
She didn't move a muscle.

You shouldn't have
done that, Horace.

What are you talking about?

This is
the greatest discovery...

She's a mighty funny color.

That doesn't mean anything.

They turn all kind of
colors. She'll be all right.

I tell you this
is the greatest...

How long has this woman
been unconscious?

I don't know.
I didn't notice the time.

She'll be all right... Shut up!

Get a doctor, quick.

There's one at
the end of the hall.

Get some smelling salts and
some brandy and hurry up about it!

She's dead or so close to it.

Come on, old girl.

Give me the
three drops of strychnine.

Yes, Doctor.

Be careful, you dumb dentist!

The salts again.

Yes, Doctor.

How is she?

I don't know yet.

If she lives,

I'll never experiment
with human life again,

so help me, God.

If she doesn't live...

You won't have the chance to!

I'll put you both in prison.

The idea of a couple of
half-baked dentists endangering...

Just a minute!

That's wonderful, dearie.

I never felt a thing.

Didn't take a second, did it?

Hello, Nig.

Nitrous oxide...

Hello, Nig, old man.

Come here, Nig, old man.

Come here, Nig, old boy.

Come on, old boy.

We're not afraid
of a little experiment.

Come here, Nig.

Come here, Nig, old boy.
Come here.

Come here, Nig, old boy.
Come on.

Come here, Nig. Here, Nig.

Come on, old boy.
Come on, Nig, old boy.

I'm not going to
hurt you, old man.

Come on, Nig, old man.

I'm not going to hurt you.

Come on, Nig. Come on, old boy.

That's a good old man.

Come on, Nig. I won't hurt you.

There you are.

All right, old man.

Come on, Nig, old boy. Come on.

Nig!

Come on, boy.

William!

Drunk again, I suppose.

Who's drunk? Lizzie, for heaven's
sake, what's the matter with you?

What's the matter with you
would be more to the point.

You stay away from dinner.
You don't even send word.

It was the baby's birthday
and you didn't even remember,

and now, in the middle of
the night, I find you groveling...

I've had enough
irritations today

without standing
any more from you

when I come home
tired and weary.

I just want to catch
that blasted dog.

What are you doing to that dog?

What have you got
on that handkerchief?

I'll protect you, Nig!

William Thomas Green Morton,

if you harm a hair of this dog's
head! This is my dog, you know,

I'll go straight home to Mother!

Is that a promise?

You brute!

Talking that way to the
mother of your children!

You may regret this night,
William Thomas Green Morton!

He can't talk
that way to us, Nig.

Talking that way to the
mother of his children.

I'll protect you.

I'll protect you.
We'll go home to Mother.

We'll take the
babies and we'll take you,

and we'll take the furniture.

Because after all, Daddy
gave it to me, anyway.

William?

William!

All I can say is...

William.

Never felt it.

Went through by itself,
when I was asleep.

Take a good look
at that, Lizzie.

That's the first painless...

The first absolutely painless...

William. Darling.

How's that?

Fine, but underline
that word "Double."

All right, Doctor.

Good.

You didn't go to Burnett's?

No, I went to Brewer, Stevens
and Cushing, on Washington Street.

You didn't mention
my name? No, dear.

What's that?

The new sign,

"Completely painless extractions
or double your money back."

Let me do it.

We'll keep buying it at different
places, until I get my patent.

It's bound to cause
a lot of talk, Lizzie.

Every dentist in town will
try to find out what I'm using.

What're you going tell
them when they ask you?

I figured out
a pretty good name.

Did you ever hear of the
river Lethe in mythology?

I never even heard of mythology.

It was the stream of oblivion

that banished all
earthly sorrows.

Letheon!

But are you sure it
will work, William?

Why, of course
it'll work, Lizzie.

I've tried it on myself
I don't know how many times,

and on the goldfish and
on a cat and on another cat.

But not on Nig.

Not on Nig. But if I
could have caught him...

Then we'll really be rich.

How can we help it, Lizzie?

I've got the dental business
right by the nose.

I've applied for a patent.

Either they get their license
from me or they go out of business.

I can do things in dentistry that
have never been done before.

For instance, the lute.

Now, there's a way
of crowning teeth

with a lute, that's wonderful,

but it's so painful, nobody's
ever been able to stand it.

All right, I can use the lute.

And consider impactions,
the horror of the business...

William. Huh?

Come right in, sir.

You guarantee twice the
money back if I feel anything?

I do, sir. Step right in.

I'll take $10 of that bet.

You'll never regret it.

Have a seat.

What's that stink?

That is the Letheon, my friend.

That is what Kills the pain.

I don't like the smell of it.

Nevertheless,
you'll be grateful for it.

Now the hat,
and if you don't mind...

Look out, that's
a very delicate violin.

I'll take the best care of it.

Double my money back
if I feel anything?

Guaranteed. Now the towel.

And now let's have a look
at the tooth, please.

That's it.

In a few moments,
it'll be just a memory.

Double my money
back if I feel it?

Double your money back
if you feel anything.

Now, if you'll just put
this end in your mouth,

and inhale deeply
for a few moments.

What happens then?

You will then sink
into a gentle slumber,

a sort of cat nap, from which
you will awake without pain,

and without the tooth.

On the level? On the level.

It's a little
invention of my own.

Now, if you'll
hold that, please.

Put that end into your
mouth and inhale deeply.

No, no, not at me.

Just suck it in. Now.

Now again.

Now, don't you begin to feel
a little bit drowsy?

No.

Well, then again.

Double my money back?

Double your money back.

Now, don't you begin
to feel a little...

Here they come, boys!
Here they come!

They're coming in the window!

Stop that!

Ready! Aim! Fire!

Avast!

You would, would you?

Charge! Charge!

Come on, boys, follow me!

Give me liberty!

Follow me! Follow me!

Here, you are! Here, you are!

Ah, so there you are, General!

I've been looking for you
all over the battlefield.

Well, you won't have
to look any further.

You've found me. Come on.

Do you think maybe he was crazy?

He didn't seem crazy
when he came in.

Maybe it affects
people in different ways.

You're sure you got
ether, sulfuric ether?

Of course I did, dear.
Here's the bill.

Yes, well,
if you're all through...

When you told me to
try ether the other night,

I got a bottle
of sulfuric ether...

I told you to try chloric ether.

Haven't you any memory at all?

You go fooling around
with sulfuric ether

and you'll blow your head off.

Well, I can put
myself to sleep with it.

What for? How did you do it?

By inhaling it.

I wanted to see if I
could extract teeth with it.

I was sure I could.
I'm still sure I can.

I know it's just around
the corner, but I'm stuck.

Something went wrong.

I want you to help me out
and I'll pay you for your help.

My regular fee is $500.

I haven't got $500, but I'll tell
you what I'm prepared to do.

Here's a 10% interest in my
patent, if it's worth anything.

What are you patenting?

The use of Letheon.

Well, that's what I'm calling it

so that people won't
find out the secret.

"I hereby assign
to Dr. Charles T. Jackson,"

"one-tenth of my
interest in this discovery"

"for his assistance
in its perfection."

If I make $500 on this,
I'll die of a syncope.

Now, what is this
deep problem, Professor?

Well, the ether's been working
perfectly ever since I started,

then this morning I gave some to a
patient and he jumped out the window.

There goes my $500!

Have you a sample of your ether?

Yes, sir.

Where did you get this?

Brewer, Stevens and Cushing,
on Washington Street.

The trouble with you is
you can't remember anything.

I told you to go to Burnett's.

That's the only place in town where
you can get highly-rectified ether.

Highly-rectified.
Paste that in your hat.

This is cleaning fluid.

You mean that was the trouble?

That was the problem, Professor.

Thank you, Doctor.

You'll be a rich man for this.

You wouldn't care to settle
for $50 cash, would you?

Thank you just the same, Doctor.

Are you sure you got
the right one this time?

I'm as sure, Lizzie, as
anyone can be sure of anything.

Hey.

Well, well, I'm glad to see you.

And I'm not glad to see you.

I'll have my coat and fiddle
please, and no horsing around.

Won't you let me explain?

I'll have no explanations,
thank you.

Just give me my instrument.

Won't you let me have
it repaired for you?

What are you talking about?

Come in and let's talk it over.

I will not. You know where I've
been for the last eight hours?

In the jug,
charged with drunkenness.

Me, who has never touched
anything stronger than sarsaparilla.

Now, get me my fiddle
and don't try any pranks.

How's your tooth?
I'll take care of that.

Will you listen to me, please?

No!

All right. There's your fiddle.

What did you do to that violin?

I'm gonna have you
arrested and put...

You keep it away from me now.

I'm going to have
you put in jail...

No, no, no. You keep
away from me now.

I just want you to
smell it to convince you.

I gave you the wrong
mixture this morning.

Well, try it on somebody else.

I don't want to try it on you.

I just want you to smell it,
to be sure it isn't the same.

You remember what it
smelled like this morning?

I'll remember it
till the day I die.

Did it smell anything like that?

Exactly.

Well, it must be drying off.

Actually there's no
similarity at all. Smell it now.

It smells the same to me.

How can you say
it smells the same?

Don't you notice the
faint odor of peaches?

Peaches? Yes, peaches.
Can't you smell that?

Peaches? What're
you doing? I'm sorry.

Look, how dare you?
I got it all over you.

Peaches! Where do you
get the smell of peaches?

It'll evaporate in no time.

Peaches?

Peaches? I don't
notice any peaches.

Smells more like...

Like...

Why don't you sit down?

Don't you start anything now.

No, no, no. There.

Don't you start anything now.

You're the most
suspicious man I ever saw.

If you think I care anything
about your tooth, you're crazy.

All I want to know is, does
this smell like peaches or pears?

Now, give me your
answer like a man.

Pears.

No... Peaches.

There you are.

There you are.

As easy as falling off the roof.

I could have sawed his
leg off without his feeling it.

Lizzie.

What is it, dear?

If I could make this sleep last,

say, 10 or 15 minutes longer...

Oh, no, that's too
much to hope for.

No, it isn't.

I tell you I can do it.

You mean fill teeth?

Nothing to do with teeth.

I got it. Persimmons.

Hey!

I can. I'm sure I can.

Tell the Doctor to hurry and
dress for dinner, Roberts. He's late.

The Doctor sends all his
apologies, madam, and to the guests,

but regrets that he will
not be home for dinner.

But he just came in.

He sent word, madam,
through the coachman.

Thank you, Roberts.

Very good, madam.

How do you feel now?

I feel terrible.

And you know something else?

You know how long
you were under this time?

I really don't care.

Nineteen minutes. And I jabbed
you every 15 seconds with this.

Ouch! I'm getting to
feel like a pincushion.

Come on, we'll go right
down and see him now.

We'll get a bite
to eat on the way.

Here you are.

So there you are! You've been
dodging me as long as you're going to.

You and your new discoveries.

Who are you? Go
down and get me a cab.

I'll join you in a moment.
Now what is it?

You swindled me.

I'd be a little more careful of my
verbs, if I were you, Professor...

I'll use any verbs I like, and that
goes for adverbs and adjectives.

You swan-dangled me into
accepting 10% of this Letheon,

or whatever you call it...

You wanted $500. You're
going to get much more.

What are you complaining about?

You didn't reveal its
possibilities to me.

You pretended to be a poor
little dentist trying to get along

and when I suggested ether...

You suggested chloric
ether drops. That didn't work.

Maybe I did, but that's
what gave you the idea.

Did it give you the idea?

I've known all about
sulfuric ether for years,

and why you should come along
and profit by my discovery...

The only trouble
with you, Professor,

is that you're a little
bit cracked in the head.

You did not discover
ether narcosis. I did.

Now, is there anything else?

I'll have 25% of that patent
I signed, or by Joseph...

Well, you'd better
take it up with Joseph.

Because as far as I'm concerned,

you're already getting
more than you deserve.

I could have gone to
any chemist in the city,

to find out what
I wanted to know.

It happened I came to you.

That is your ultimatum?

If that means what I
think it means, it is.

Very well, sir. Yes, sir.

We'll see. We certainly shall.

You know,
this could go on all night.

I'm going down
to the Massachusetts General

to ask Professor
Warren to try the Letheon.

Do you want to come along?

You mean in a surgical case?

Don't you know
the difference between

a serious operation
and yanking a tooth?

You'll kill somebody yet with
this murderous nonsense of yours,

as sure as my name is Jackson.

Then I take it you
don't want to come along.

Come along? If you
even mention my name

to Professor Warren
as co-discoverer...

Well, make up your mind.

Are you in or out
or on the fence?

You'll find out,
young man! All right.

You'll see!

All right, I'll see.

Yes, yes, yes,
but Professor Warren

is performing
an emergency operation.

Then I'll wait.

You don't seem to understand
that after an operation,

a surgeon is completely
enervated, exhausted.

All the more reason.

My dear Dr. Martin... Morton.

Morton. As Professor
Warren's assistant,

part of my duty is to shield
him to the best of my ability,

from the many well-meaning,
well, I won't say cranks,

but let me say,
amateur inventors

who come here every day with
every kind of gewgaw and gimcrack

for every purpose imaginable.

Now only yesterday...
But you don't understand.

My methods are being used
by all my assistants

on hundreds of people
all day long.

In dentistry, my dear sir,

but what has dentistry
to do with medicine?

But here is the living proof.

It was the night
of September 30th.

I was in excruciating pain...

I know, you told me all about
that when you first came in.

Now, if you will be so good
as to write to Professor Warren,

you will very probably
receive an answer.

Thank you.
You're entirely welcome.

I was in excruciating pain...

Very interesting. Very,
very interesting. Yes.

Not that one, the big one.

Pad.

There. How do you feel, old man?

I... I...

Now this part's the bad part.

I'll do it as fast as I can.

Wedge. Try biting on this.

It helps a little sometimes.

Now!

Will you finish
up for me, Doctor?

Certainly, Professor Warren.

Behave now, will you?

This is no time
to act like a woman.

What's all this?

I guess it was
the sound of the...

Oh, Professor Warren.

Stretch him out. Let
the blood get to his head.

Oh, I'm so sorry,
Professor Warren.

I tried to keep these
people away from you,

but now, they seem to have
attracted your attention by...

Go get some smelling
salts. I beg your pardon?

Smelling salts.
Ammonium carbonate.

Professor Warren,

I've been waiting to see you.

If you'll listen to me, never
again will you have to go through

what you've just
gone through in there.

As God is my judge,

I swear by all that's holy,
you can operate without pain.

I do it every day.

For any length of time you want.

Why, only tonight, I had
this man out for 19 minutes.

He's still out.
Yes, but that was...

What's your name?

W. T. G. Morton, the dentist.

Oh, yes. Didn't you
take part in that fiasco

at the Harvard Medical School?

I did.

Are you proposing
I use that same remedy?

What I'm proposing is
something entirely different.

It's been thoroughly tried
out, tested and proved.

It cannot fail
and it will not fail.

I'm sorry, it took a moment.

They were using
it on the patient.

Hold his head up.

Be here Friday morning at
10:00 and bring your bag of tricks.

You mean you'll try it?

I'll try it on my
first operation.

I don't know how to thank
you, Professor Warren.

You don't have to thank me,
because I don't think it's going to work.

But someday, somebody's
going to find something.

That must come.

Now, sit him up.

That's better, old man.

And when that
somebody comes along,

I want to be there
to open the door for him.

It was the night
of September 30th.

I was in excruciating pain...

So were a lot of other people.

Everybody kept
asking where you were,

and Mrs. Burroughs
leaned over and said,

"I know exactly
how it feels, dear."

And, of course, everybody
knows that her husband

is the biggest soak in Boston.

I never had such an evening.

And, of course, I couldn't
understand a word the Consul said,

and the Mayor's wife
kept looking at the silver

as if she thought it was stolen.

And then, the sherbet
came in ahead of the fish.

That must have been terrible.

And for the finale,
you really came in

looking as if you'd been
rolling in the gutter.

Well, I guess it was kind
of dusty at the hospital.

They're going to try it out
on Friday morning at 10:00.

Try out what?

Oh. I'm sorry, dear.

Just think, Lizzie,
it won't hurt anymore.

Surgeons will be able
to take their time.

They'll be able to do things that
have been impossible up to now.

And people will choose
operations willingly,

instead of waiting
till it's too late.

But suppose it
doesn't work, William,

and people hear about it,
won't it hurt your business?

It will work.

Anyway, that's the risk
you have to take.

But why? Why must
you take that risk?

You've made a wonderful success.

You've helped so many people
already, why endanger that?

Did you ever see an amputation?

Something special today?

The old man's going to try
another painless operation.

Give you 2-to-1 for four bits.

I'll give you 3-to-1.

Who asked you to horn in?

I'll give you 10-to-1.

Who said that?

I did and I'll
take all you've got.

What do you know?

Hurry up, will you!

You promised it at 8:00
and it's 9:10.

Hold your horses,
will you. It's only 9:09.

Fill that half full of Letheon

and I'll meet you in a minute.

And a quart bottle of it.

Oh, Dr. Morton,
just a moment, please.

Not now. I'm
just going to tell...

This is a matter of the
greatest importance.

What is it? What is it?

About those lutes, do I
crimp the crown a little first

or bind it entirely
with the lute?

Dr. Morton, about
those additional offices...

Don't bother me with
things like that, will you?

I've got something
else on my mind.

What did he say? He didn't.

Everything ready?

We've got exactly 30 minutes.

Thirty-one.

The inhaler's in
here? Half full.

Is it tightly stoppered?

Because if it should happen...

Certainly it is.

I'd better take
a look at it myself.

I tell you it's...

Beautiful. Now you
can wrap it up again.

What is it now?

Dr. Morton, there's a
Dr. Horace Wells to see you.

He said he was...

Yes, I wrote to him.
But not now.

Tell him...
Tell him anything you like.

Yes, sir. I'm very
sorry, Doctor Well...

Oh, hello, Horace.
I'm glad to see you.

I wrote to you because I wanted
you to do some field work for me.

I think you can make
yourself a lot of money.

Can you come back
and see me tomorrow morning?

I was here yesterday.
Oh, you were?

I'm sorry, but I've
been so terribly busy.

I came as a patient.

I said I wanted some work done

and I asked them to give
me "The Morton Method."

Well, what about it?

You stole it from me
lock, stock and barrel!

You're just
using it differently!

Don't talk like a child, Horace.

I'm using something
entirely different.

I'm sorry you feel this way.

You'll be sorrier still.

I'll never be sorrier than I
am at this moment, Horace.

All right,
let's get out of here.

Why, you dumb...

Look out.

It can't be helped now.

We'll use one of
the regular ones.

We've still got 27 minutes left.

Twenty-eight.

You understand the risks involved
in this experiment, Mr. Abbott?

And you give your full consent?

I do.

Thank you.

Good morning, gentlemen.

The patient is ready,
Professor Warren.

He fully consents
to the new experiment.

Is Dr. Morton here?

He doesn't
seem to be, does he?

Well, we'll give him
a couple of minutes.

Count the instruments.

I beg your pardon?

I said count the instruments.

Personally, I'm just as glad.

I don't care to see medicine
invaded by dental practice.

I echo your sentiments
with enthusiasm, Doctor.

There are 117 instruments,
Professor Warren,

the same amount we brought in.

Strap the patient down.

We were gathered here today,

you to witness, I to
perform, an experiment,

in which I had, if not confidence,
at least a grain of hope.

We were to try
a method advocated

by a young dentist of this city,

Dr. Morton.

It seems that Dr. Morton
is otherwise engaged.

Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!

Come on, hurry up there.

It's just one minute past.

No, it isn't, it's only...

Don't say it
or I'll strangle you!

Quiet! Silence!

This is not a minstrelsy,
gentlemen.

I doubt that the patient
is enjoying your laughter.

I'll work as fast
as I can, Mr. Abbott.

The less you move
or jerk or scream,

the better it will be
for us both.

I'm going to hurt
you considerably.

If I can offer any consolation,

it is that pain
carries no memory.

You will forget it.

Hurry up!

Hold his head, John.

Thank you. All right, John.

Yes, sir.

Wait.

This operation
seems to be accompanied

by an unusual amount of levity.

Not that I exactly blame you.

No more, gentlemen, please!

Well, sir, your
patient is ready.

Thank you, sir. So am I.

Don't be afraid.

You don't have
a thing to worry about.

It was the night
of September 30th.

I was in excruciating pain...

But agonizing...

I ain't afraid.

Just breathe in deeply.

That's right. Keep on breathing.

Time.

Dr. Warren, your
patient is ready.

Thank you.

Will he feel this?

He won't feel anything.

Shall we hold his head?

That will not be necessary.

The Velpeau. Thank you.

Pinch it. Another sponge.

Now the next one.

Can you hear me, Abbott?

Yes, sir.

Did you feel any pain?

I said, did you feel any pain?

When?

"When?"

Gentlemen,

this is no humbug!

Very pretty.

Very pretty indeed, Doctor,

but I think that Professor
Warren has forgotten

a little rule
of the Medical Society.

Of course.

That we shall see him about
and remind him of.

I'm proud of you too, William,

more than you will ever know.

And if I haven't
always appreciated

exactly what you've been doing,

it's only because
I didn't understand.

I hope you'll forgive me.

Oh, but there's nothing
to forgive, Lizzie.

I'm the one who
needs forgiveness.

It can't have been much fun

to have a husband who
always reeks of chemicals,

who works all night
and never comes home,

forgets dinner parties
and birthdays,

and everything else
a husband ought to remember.

As if any of that mattered.

Thank you, Lizzie.
Anyway, it's all over now.

They've got their painless
operations and I can get back to work.

And the first thing you need
is a good night's sleep.

I think that's
a very noble thought.

What does it matter
so long as it works?

It matters very much
indeed. Enormously.

The principle involved is basic.

Permit this one exception
and our doors are wide open

to every form of quackery
and charlatanism.

When we took our
Hippocratic oath...

My dear sir,

Dr. Morton is a dentist.

He's not bound by
the Hippocratic oath.

He doesn't have to share
his discoveries with others.

Dentists all have secrets
and they don't share them.

They're not obligated to.

Nor are we obligated
to use their secrets.

This man wants our endorsement

for the purpose of making money.

Already he's received
columns of free advertisement,

on the front page
of every newspaper,

where no dentist
has ever been before.

Now he wants more limelight,

a graver operation,
more notoriety,

to further the sale
of his patent remedy.

It's called an interview.

The fat one's from
the New York Herald.

He came all the way.

Are you
amputating the right or the left leg?

The right leg above the knee.

You're using
the regular Letheon,

the same as you use
in your office?

There is only one Letheon.

Do you anticipate
any pain, Doctor?

Where there is Letheon,
there can be no pain.

Do you expect a
distinguished audience?

Everybody will be there.

Are you the co-discoverer?

Mr. Frost's contribution
has been invaluable.

He was the first patient
on whom I operated,

and he's offered himself since
for countless experiments.

I cannot thank him enough.

It was the night
of September 30th.

I was in excruciating pain...

There isn't time, Eben.
I really have to go.

Thank you, gentlemen.

Madam. Thank you. Remarkable.

Good day. Good day, gentlemen.

Good day, Doctor.

No, no, it's mine,
entirely mine.

I merely allow Morton to
use it in his dental business.

But the papers
distinctly said...

My dear Bigelow, you don't
believe what you read in the papers?

I'll have something
to say about that.

Cards, please. No admission
without your cards, gentlemen.

But he came to me
of his own free will.

He ran the risk of ridicule
and injury to his business.

Don't you think
the odds are worth it?

From the pinnacle of your
generosity, Professor Warren,

from the loftiness
of your own viewpoint,

you're apt to overlook
the meanness

and avariciousness
of these little people.

You mean you intend
to ignore the protest

of your colleagues
in the Society?

The men who put you
in charge of this hospital?

You know very well that I can't.

I only wish I could.

What do you want me to do,
ask him what the stuff is?

That's all. Nothing more.

And if he won't tell us?

In that case,
we shall have to operate

in the good old-fashioned way.

After all, people have been
operated on for centuries,

without any assistance
from the dental profession.

Dr. Morton is here,
Professor Warren.

Ask him to come in
here for a moment.

By all means.

Will you step in, Dr. Morton?

Uh-uh, just the
doctor, if you please.

Who do you think you are?

You wanted to see me,
Professor Warren?

A very disagreeable situation
has arisen, Dr. Morton.

My colleagues of the
Massachusetts Medical Society

have protested against
our operation this afternoon.

What?

These gentlemen
are their delegates.

As you probably know,
Mr. Morton,

physicians may not use nor
prescribe patent medicines,

the ingredients of which
they ignore.

In other words, they
think you're trying

to make money out of your stuff.

I don't care whether
you do or not.

My only interest lies
in the fact that it works.

Well, you had me worried for a
moment. Believe me, gentlemen,

I've never had the slightest
intention of making money out of this.

Letheon is yours,
freely and in perpetuity.

Not only your property,

but that of all other hospitals
and charitable institutions

in this country
and in all other countries.

That's very generous
of you, Mr. Morton.

But I'm not sure you quite
understood what I said.

Physicians may not use nor
prescribe patent medicines,

the ingredients
of which they ignore.

Unfortunately,

we still ignore the
ingredients of your mixture.

Of course you can understand
why I can't tell you that,

can't you, Professor Warren?

It's the secret of my business,

the one advantage
I have over my rivals.

Why, if I were to tell
you what Letheon was,

in no time at all,
everybody'd be using it.

Would that be
such a catastrophe?

I'm afraid it might be for me.

You see, my patent
hasn't been granted yet.

It's still pending.

Maybe if you'd use the
Letheon this way for a little while,

why, later after my
patent had been granted...

You could sell
it for more money.

What? Why, you stuffy little...

Morton...

You've been splitting fees and
robbing your patients so long that you...

Stop it!

The ethics of our profession have
done much more good than harm.

They don't happen
to fit this case.

That is regrettable, but
there's nothing more to be said.

I thank you for
your good intention.

You mean you're
going to continue

to let people be tortured,
when it isn't necessary?

That's a very
high-handed interpretation

to put on the matter, my friend.

No.

We will share the
blame, Dr. Morton.

You and I.

Make the patient ready.

Yes, sir.

I shall operate
in the usual way.

Preposterous.

I'm sorry to disappoint
you, gentlemen,

but this operation will be
performed in the old way.

All right.

"And the prayer of faith
shall save the sick,"

"and the Lord shall raise him up"

"and if he have committed
sins, they shall be forgiven him."

Our Lady of Sorrows is
watching down over you, Alice,

and will send an angel
of mercy to protect you.

Thank you, Father.

Are you the girl?

The girl for the leg operation?

Yes, sir.

I'm terribly, terribly sorry.

It isn't as bad
as it sounds, sir.

Some gentleman has
made a new discovery

and it doesn't hurt anymore.

That's right.

It doesn't hurt anymore.

Now, or ever again.