Coma

Anesthesia's the easiest job in the world until something goes wrong. It's 99% boredom and 1% scared-shitless panic.

Coma (1978 film), CC BY-SA 4.0

Doctors make the worst patients. They know too much.

Coma (1978 film), CC BY-SA 4.0

Dr. Bellows: Honey, come on. Dr. Wheeler: Don't call me honey. Dr. Bellows: I'm trying to tell you about my day. Something that happened. Dr. Wheeler: Your days are always the same. Dr. Bellows: What is that supposed to mean? Dr. Wheeler: Just politics, that's all. Who said what to whom. Who's rising, who's falling. Who's made a good move, a bad move. Politics! Dr. Bellows: Somebody has to be interested in hospital politics. You certainly are not. Dr. Wheeler: I thought you were a surgical resident, not a political one. Dr. Bellows: I like politics. They interest me. Just because you're always looking for... Dr. Wheeler: You want me to heat up the dinner, is that it? I want some respect. Dr. Bellows: Susan, come on. Don't leave again. Dr. Wheeler: Why can't you share half the responsibility? Dr. Bellows: I share more than half the responsibility! Dr. Wheeler: No need to shout. Dr. Bellows: Why are you running off? You think I want this? Let me tell you something. I make concessions for

Coma (1978 film), CC BY-SA 4.0

Dr. Cowans: Okay, Mrs. Greenly, it's time to wake up. Okay, Nancy? Mrs. Greenly? Wake up. Nance, can you give me a cough, please? Nancy? [checks her eyes] Oh, Jesus Christ! Her pupils are fixed and dilated. Dr. Richards: What? Dr. Cowans: The pupils. They're fixed. Dilated. Dr. Richards: Oh, my God!

Coma (1978 film), CC BY-SA 4.0

Dr. Wheeler: Nobody else here seems to care. Dr. Bellows: Nobody else cares? Dr. Wheeler: Listen. There have been 10 cases of unexplained coma in young, healthy patients in the last year. Now, don't you find that surprising? [Mark shakes his head] You don't. Dr. Bellows: Susan, this hospital does 30,000 operations a year. I'm not surprised a few turn out with serious unexplained side effects. Medicine isn't perfect. We all accept that. Don't we?

Coma (1978 film), CC BY-SA 4.0

Dr. George: We have a happy lab here. It's precise. There's nothing left to chance. There are no mistakes. The charts are right here. There's no mystery. They're right here. What is it you wanted? Dr. Wheeler: I'd like to look at them. Dr. George: For what reason? Dr. Wheeler: I'm interested in unexplained coma following routine surgery. Dr. George: You're interested? Dr. Wheeler: I'm more than interested. Dr. George: My anesthesiology staff is more than interested. We're deeply concerned. Dr. Wheeler: I understand. Dr. George: I'm not sure you do. Dr. Wheeler: Perhaps something was missed? Dr. George: Missed? Every professor of anesthesia, most of our staff, more than 40 experts have gone over these charts. You think something was missed? Dr. Wheeler: But if anything links them together... Dr. George: If anything linked them, we'd know it. Here they are, 10 cases. Dr. Wheeler: There are now 12. Different ages and sexes. Different surgeons and anesthetists. Different methods of inducti

Coma (1978 film), CC BY-SA 4.0