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00:00My name is Conrad Steiner. I'm a doctor of medicine. Tonight's story is the title, Time
00:08to be Alive.
00:09Guardian of birth, healer of the sick, comforter of the ancient. To the profession of medicine,
00:24to the men and women who labor in its cause, this story is dedicated.
00:39Tonight's presentation, the field of hematology, science of blood. The object in point, a piece
00:44of jagged glass. The case in point, David Carter Stinson. He's 11 years old. From the
00:52day he was born, his life's been in constant jeopardy. A simple cut, an unlucky fall,
00:57a bruise, any of these could mean death for him. His condition is sometimes referred to
01:01as the royal disease, the malady of kings. But David's not a king. He's just a young
01:07boy in a lot of trouble.
01:08David, tell the class who captured Mexico City at west. David? David, are you listening?
01:20In November 1519, Fernando Cortez marched on the Aztec capital, Mexico City. The emperor,
01:26Montezuma, thinking he was a descendant of the sun god, offered no resistance. And in
01:31a short time, Cortez controlled all Mexico. Say, Miss Walker, did they ever find those
01:38little men that landed near Cuernavaca?
01:40Little men? David, is that in your copy of Mexico, Land of Sunshine and Mañana?
01:48No, it's in Science Weekly Report, Miss Walker. They came by saucer.
01:51Class, David tried to stay with the text. Anyway, they couldn't have come to Cuernavaca.
01:59There isn't an airport within miles. And now, class, David, tomorrow we'll cover the principal
02:07industries in major cities.
02:09This is David Stinson. And this room has been the boundary of his world for more than two
02:14decades. No great disaster put him there. He simply fell off a bike and bumped his knee.
02:21For most boys, the treatment would have been a piece of adhesive tape and a chocolate soda.
02:26But for David, it meant two weeks in a hospital, four pints of blood, an orthopedic brace,
02:32and agonizing pain whenever he moves his leg.
02:35But David Carter Stinson is a hemophiliac. He's a bleeder. When he cuts himself, it doesn't
02:41stop, and it takes all the arts of medicine to keep his heart from pumping his life out
02:45through the open wound.
02:48And this is his mother. From the day David was born, it's been her job to say no.
02:53No bicycle, no baseball, no football, no running, no jumping.
03:00Almost every normal interest the boy could have, it's been her job to say no.
03:05But she watches over him fiercely, torn with two emotions, love and guilt.
03:10The guilt, she blames herself for her son's disease.
03:40Knock, knock, knock.
04:10♪
04:33An hour later, David Stinson is brought into surgery.
04:36The radial artery in his left forearm has been cut, and he's sustained lacerations around
04:40the mouth and chin.
04:43The impact of his fall has also re-injured his left knee, causing internal hemorrhage
04:47around the joint.
04:50He's lost considerable blood.
04:53On arrival at the hospital, he was given two units of antihemophilic plasma.
04:57He's approaching shock.
05:01Blood pressure, 70 over 40. Pulse, 160.
05:06The cut in his arm is sutured, and a pressure bandage with fibrin foam applied.
05:10His face presents another problem.
05:13The lacerations are not as deep and can be easily sutured, but the application of a pressure bandage
05:17is extremely difficult in this area.
05:20Because the patient is a known hemophiliac, a cross-match is run immediately,
05:24and six units of fresh blood are ordered.
05:27The blood must be fresh, for the vital protein antihemophilic factor,
05:31which is lacking in the patient's blood, the same protein which causes normal blood to coagulate,
05:35loses its effectiveness 24 hours after it's taken from the donor.
05:39In order to ensure a sufficient supply of fresh blood on hand,
05:43a call is sent out to all available sources in the area, requesting blood of the patient's type.
05:49Meantime, outside in the hospital corridor, David's family waits, hopes, and prays.
05:55His father, mother, his sister.
05:59Her name's Flora, she's 21 years old.
06:02She's engaged to be married.
06:04Like her parents, this is hardly a new experience for her.
06:07She's been through it time and again.
06:09And with each new episode, a growing fear takes hold in her mind,
06:12a fear not only for her brother, but for herself.
06:20Three hours later, the patient is on his third unit of blood and is still bleeding.
06:24At this moment, the transfusions have removed the danger of shock.
06:45This makes 1,500 cc's.
06:48Sick boy.
06:50Seems there's enough AHF in the blood we've given him to induce clotting.
06:54Well, it's not quite that simple, Carl.
06:56Hemophiliacs not only lack the AHF factor in the blood, they tend to resist it.
07:01Sometimes one of them will build up antibodies that fight it,
07:04the one thing that can save their lives.
07:06Heard about a patient that took 30 transfusions but was still bleeding when he died.
07:10What about isolating the AHF?
07:13I mean, so it could be administered in massive doses.
07:15Has anybody tried it?
07:17Well, it's been tried experimentally. It's not too reliable yet.
07:21So far the best we've got is fresh blood and plasma.
07:25All we can do is what we are doing.
07:27I talked to George Fletcher, the hematologist.
07:29He agrees with the procedure we're following.
07:32If you want me for anything, I'll be outside getting a history from the parents.
07:37Tell them I'll be out as soon as I can.
07:39Right.
07:42Dr. Steiner, look at this.
07:47♪
08:04Doctor, is there any change?
08:06Well, he's shown some improvement since he came in, Mrs. Stinson.
08:09Nothing conclusive, but it's encouraging.
08:11I'd like to review David's record, if I may.
08:14It's for the hospital records.
08:15Surely.
08:16Won't you sit down, please?
08:22Let's see now. Full name, David Carter Stinson.
08:25That's correct.
08:27When was he born?
08:28March 10th, 1943.
08:31Any childhood diseases?
08:33Chicken pox, measles.
08:35He never did have the mumps.
08:37And when was he first diagnosed as hemophiliac?
08:39When he was five days old. We nearly lost him.
08:42Didn't we, Rose?
08:44What about some of the other episodes?
08:48There were so many.
08:51The next time was when he was a year old.
08:53He began to walk.
08:55For most mothers, it's quite an event.
08:58I dreaded it.
09:00I watched him every second.
09:01Never let him out of my sight.
09:04It happened anyway.
09:06He fell and cut his lip.
09:10He bled for three weeks.
09:12Do you remember how many transfusions he received, Mrs. Stinson?
09:16Quite a few. I don't remember how many.
09:18I know it was a lot.
09:22When we took him back home, I was scared to death.
09:24Scared every minute that he was awake.
09:27Scared to pick him up. Scared to touch him.
09:29Scared even to kiss him.
09:33After that, it seemed to get better.
09:36For two or three years, he was acting like most kids.
09:41Dr. Steiner said that's the way it was.
09:44Sometimes it was better, sometimes it was worse.
09:49I thought maybe it was over.
09:52Do you know of any hemophilia in your family?
09:55I mean, did you ever know of any relatives that had it?
09:57No. No, I'd never even heard about it until Davey was born.
10:03They said it came from me.
10:06I gave it to him.
10:08I didn't know about it.
10:09I'd never even heard about it.
10:11That's true, Sam, isn't it? I didn't know anything about it.
10:13Oh, of course not, darling. How could you?
10:15It wasn't your fault. It just happened. It's nobody's fault.
10:19When was the next time it showed up, Mrs. Stinson?
10:21Can you remember?
10:24When Davey was four, Sam bought him a rocking horse.
10:28It was beautiful.
10:30His eyes rolled.
10:33It had skin like a real pony.
10:35Davey loved it.
10:38Then, one afternoon, he fell off.
10:41He got a bruise, a bad one.
10:44Was he hospitalized for that?
10:47He was in for over a month.
10:49He had to wear a brace.
10:53And five years ago, he had a very bad one.
10:57We went to Yosemite.
11:00Davey fell off a rock. He sprained his ankle.
11:02Oh, I know we shouldn't have gone there.
11:04I know we shouldn't have been on the rock.
11:07But how do you keep a kid chained up when he wants to run and jump with the rest of the kids?
11:14All you can do is hold him down until he looks at you like you're a policeman.
11:21Then you take a chance.
11:25You take a chance, and then you're sorry for it.
11:31Flory saved his life.
11:33She was there when he fell.
11:35She was only 16, but she carried him all the way back to camp.
11:38Got a doctor.
11:40Rushed him to the small hospital in the park.
11:43Flory and I took turns sitting up.
11:47She nursed him as though he were her own child.
11:51Like a brother.
11:53Always surprises you.
11:56Kids understand more than you think.
11:58Excuse me.
12:01Excuse me, is there a phone?
12:03No, on the other side of the elevator.
12:06I'll be right back.
12:23Jimmy?
12:25This is Flory.
12:27I'm still at the hospital.
12:30Yeah.
12:32I've got to see you, Jim.
12:34I've got to see you right away.
13:03Flory.
13:05What's doing?
13:07Hi.
13:08How's Davy?
13:10We don't know yet.
13:12I'm sorry to call you out so late.
13:14That's okay.
13:15You sounded so funny on the phone, kind of scared me.
13:18What's it all about?
13:22What's the matter?
13:24Jimmy, are you really thinking about marrying me?
13:28Is that what you brought me down here for?
13:30Answer me.
13:31Do you really want to marry me?
13:33Well, I think so, Flory.
13:35I mean, we talked about it, you know.
13:37Later on.
13:38Gee, do we have to set the date right now?
13:41Do you really know what Davy's trouble is?
13:44Sure, he's kind of sickly.
13:46He gets hurt easy.
13:48He's a hemophiliac.
13:50Hmm?
13:52He's a bleeder.
13:54If we get married, if we have a baby, a boy,
13:59he could be just like Davy.
14:02Well, how come?
14:04You're from the same family.
14:05You didn't get it.
14:06No.
14:07I give it.
14:08Women aren't affected by it.
14:10They only give it.
14:12I'm a carrier.
14:14Well, how do you know?
14:16There's no way of knowing for sure.
14:18Not until I have a baby.
14:20But there must be some kind of a test.
14:22There must be some way of telling.
14:23There isn't.
14:25All I know is it's in the family blood.
14:28And it could be mine.
14:30If I've got it, I could pass it on to my kids.
14:41Flory.
14:46You're probably worrying about nothing.
14:48You're probably perfectly all right.
14:51And if I'm not, would that be all right with you?
14:55Spend your life in a hospital hallway?
14:57Have a kid you can't have any fun with?
14:59Watch him every minute of the day and night?
15:02Is that all right with you?
15:04Talk to my father.
15:06Ask him what it's like.
15:08Ask him how many times he's gotten phone calls at work.
15:11How many times he's come home and seen a crowd around the house
15:14and an ambulance waiting out in front.
15:16Ask him how many nights he's slept in the hospital waiting room
15:19like he's doing tonight.
15:22Sure, he wanted a son.
15:24It's what he always wanted.
15:26We finally got one.
15:28Davey.
15:30And what is he?
15:33A little kid.
15:35Almost like a glass doll.
15:37I'm propped up in a bed most of the time.
15:41I guess you're even afraid to touch him
15:43because you might start him bleeding.
15:46Is that the kind of life you want?
15:48You want kids like that?
15:50Would that be all right with you?
15:52Do you want me that much?
15:56You better go home, Jimmy.
15:59I said you better go home.
16:08You're all wrong.
16:12♪
16:23Seven hours later and there's still no great change in the patient's condition.
16:27By now there's every indication that this patient is a refractory case
16:30and may continue to bleed indefinitely.
16:32Blood pressure, 120 over 80.
16:34Pulse, 90.
16:36Both stable for the last four and a half hours.
16:39Transfusions of whole fresh blood continue.
16:42If they were to be stopped, it would be only a matter of time
16:44before the patient went into shock and died from loss of blood.
16:48♪
17:11The pressure bandage is changed at regular intervals.
17:15♪
17:30♪
17:50♪
18:19Never mind that, Carl. We won't need it now.
18:22What is it?
18:25He stopped bleeding.
18:36He's so pale. He hardly seems to be breathing.
18:39He's all right. We have him under pretty heavy sedation.
18:42There's no need to wake his mother, is there?
18:44I don't think so. Not unless you want to.
18:48Eleven years old. He's the top of his class in school.
18:52They want him to make a speech when he graduates.
18:54He's a bright boy, Mr. Stinson. You ought to be proud of him.
18:57Is he going to live, doctor?
18:59Well, he came out of it this time.
19:01If he's careful, no more accidents, no major cuts or bruises,
19:04he ought to make out pretty well for the time being at least.
19:07Well, what about the future?
19:09Well, that's pretty hard to say.
19:11Well, what isn't hard to say?
19:13What can you tell me that I can take to his mother
19:15so she wakes up with a smile for just once in her life?
19:19Your boy's alive, Mr. Stinson. Twenty years ago, he'd have been dead.
19:22Alive? Alive for what?
19:24So he can spend his life in hospital beds with braces and wheelchairs?
19:28Would you like to come outside, Mr. Stinson? We can talk about it at that.
19:31What can you tell me outside that you can't tell me in here?
19:34I can tell you the truth.
19:38There's a man in Michigan and another one back in Massachusetts.
19:42They've isolated the protein in normal blood that your son lacks.
19:46There are a lot of problems with it.
19:48It may be months, it may be years before it can be used clinically,
19:51but there it is.
19:53Somebody's doing something about David's trouble.
19:56Maybe tomorrow they'll find the answer.
19:58Maybe the day after.
20:00But they're going to go on looking for it.
20:03That's all I can tell you, Mr. Stinson.
20:05You've got a sick boy, but you're not alone with him.
20:08There are people working.
20:11They're only humans.
20:13They've got to do a lot of work before they finally hit on the right answer.
20:16But when they do, they come up with insulin,
20:20sulfa, penicillin, the mycin drugs.
20:24Tomorrow, or maybe a year from tomorrow,
20:27the man in Michigan or...
20:30Maybe the man back in Massachusetts.
20:33Maybe they'll finally hit on the right answer.
20:35Kids like David can jump on their bikes and not worry about bumps, bruises.
20:39How about David? Does he have five years, doctor?
20:42Maybe five, maybe 50.
20:45You know, the graduation's in two weeks.
20:47He's supposed to make the speech.
20:49It's a big thing for him. Can he go?
20:53David Stinson, I, Wanda Mead,
20:56is vice president of the graduating class of Jefferson Grammar School
21:00and proud to congratulate you on your achievement
21:03as honor student of the class of 1954.
21:06I now present our class president, Michael Elliott.
21:09Congratulations, Michael.
21:19I now present our class president, Michael Elliott.
21:24David Stinson, I, Michael Elliott,
21:26as president of the graduating class of Jefferson Grammar School
21:30am proud to congratulate you on your achievement
21:32as honor student of the class of 1954.
21:35Even though you were in attendance only 72 days during the school year,
21:39your record was outstanding and you were chosen valedictorian
21:42by the students and teachers of the class.
21:44It is my...
21:47It is my privilege to present you with this award
21:50in token of your achievement.
21:54Thank you, Michael.
22:00And now I'd like to present our valedictorian, David Stinson.
22:07Thank you, Miss Walker.
22:10Miss Walker, fellow students,
22:13first, let me thank you for your gifts
22:16and for having elected me valedictorian.
22:20What does valedictorian mean?
22:23Valedictorian means the one who gives the valedictory.
22:28What does valedictory mean?
22:31Valedictory means of or pertaining to leave Dickey or saying goodbye.
22:37And we are saying goodbye.
22:39Goodbye to childish thoughts.
22:41Goodbye to childish thoughts and actions.
22:44To jungle gyms and sandboxes.
22:47Hello to a new life of work and play at junior high.
22:51But we must be thinking of what kind of men and women we will want to be
22:55in the far future of 10 years from now.
22:58We must ask ourselves, what does the future hold for me?
23:07Flora, I've been waiting for you.
23:09It's all right, Jimmy. It's Davy's graduation.
23:11I wish you'd listen to me first. It's important.
23:13It's been two weeks, Flory. I haven't seen you. I haven't called you.
23:16I suppose you thought I was trying to ditch you.
23:18Well, I'm not.
23:19You gave me a lot to think about, Davy and all this female theater stuff.
23:23Well, I thought about it. I thought about every angle.
23:26It's time, Flory. I guess we've got to grow up.
23:28A month ago, we were kids. We're not kids anymore.
23:31We both know the score.
23:33Well, that's all there is to it.
23:35I love you. I want to marry you.
23:37I want to have kids. I want to be with you.
23:40That's all I've got to say.
23:43What do you think?
23:46Well, I'm glad we got that settled.
23:48Which way is Davy's room?
23:50Come with me.
23:54And so, fellow students, I say this is the most exciting time to be alive.
23:59Each of us, in his own way, is prepared to face his own future.
24:04Yes, nothing is impossible for those who have faith in the future.
24:09Fellow classmates, the world is our oyster.
24:18At the present time, research teams at hematological centers all over the country are at work
24:22attempting to find the cause and cure for hemophilia,
24:25the hereditary disease which lies passive in the female genes of a family for generations
24:30and then strikes the innocent with tragic force.
24:33Through the steps made by modern medicine to date,
24:36by transfusion of whole fresh blood and antihemophilic plasma,
24:40the lifespan of a hemophiliac has been increased from a few short years
24:44to an almost normal and useful period.
24:47There is no cure for hemophilia yet,
24:50but someday in the near future,
24:52a hemophiliac may be able to control his disease by injection,
24:55much like the injection of insulin for diabetes.
24:59♪
25:27♪