30min | Western, TV Series | Episode aired 26 September 1958
Dr. Baxter discovers that the cattle that saloon owner Fancy Varden plans to start her cattle empire with are infected with anthrax, and the disease is spreading from the cattle to the cowhands.
Director: Franklin Adreon
Writer: Maurice Tombragel
Stars: Rex Allen, Jean Willes, Gregory Walcott
Dr. Baxter discovers that the cattle that saloon owner Fancy Varden plans to start her cattle empire with are infected with anthrax, and the disease is spreading from the cattle to the cowhands.
Director: Franklin Adreon
Writer: Maurice Tombragel
Stars: Rex Allen, Jean Willes, Gregory Walcott
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00When the queen of a well-known dance hall decided to become queen of the southwest cattle
00:19empire, nothing stood in her way, not even the danger of a fatal disease or epidemic.
00:25But the warnings of a young doctor who was wholeheartedly devoted to the welfare of the
00:30community placed him squarely between her and her unlawful ambition.
00:35Rex Allen stars as the frontier doctor.
00:55They're turning back.
01:10How do you feel, boss?
01:30Not too good, but a lot better than them.
01:34Martin's got a broken leg.
01:36Sam's got a slug in his arm.
01:38He's sick, besides.
01:40How do these guys ever have a doctor?
01:42A hundred miles from the middle of nowhere, and you say they've got to have a doctor?
01:45There's a ranch over there behind that ridge.
01:47I saw it before the rustlers jumped us.
01:49We can figure out what to do from there.
01:51All right, man.
01:52Let's start rolling.
02:07Pat Cavity, there's been shooting over near my place at Apache Bend.
02:11You better come.
02:12Very bad?
02:13Bad enough.
02:14There's one dead rustler, but there's three cowboys still alive and kicking.
02:17Take this team over to the livery stable and get yourself a fresh horse.
02:20I'll change clothes and saddle my horse and meet you here in a few minutes.
02:23All right.
02:24By the way, nice to meet you.
02:26Nice to meet you.
02:27Same to you.
02:54This is that dead rustler.
02:56None of us know him, do you?
02:58No, I don't believe I do.
03:00The rest are inside, Doc.
03:04You the Sawbones?
03:05Baxter's my name.
03:06Redmond's mine.
03:07Sure glad you could make it.
03:09What do you got here?
03:10Ain't nothing wrong with me.
03:11That little saws and axle grease won't fix.
03:13Better tend to them first.
03:15That's Marty.
03:16Got his leg busted when his horse was shot out in London.
03:18I guess he needs something worse than Sam here.
03:26It's not my arm that hurts so much, Doc.
03:29I'm sick.
03:30I can hardly see good anymore.
03:32I can't stop shaking.
03:33Don't be such a crybaby, Sam.
03:35First time you get shot, you're always more scared than hurt.
03:38This boy's got a fever, and he shouldn't have.
03:40The wound's not gangrenous.
03:44I don't like the looks of those boils either.
03:47They're temples.
03:48A kid his age always gets them.
03:50Not those kinds.
03:57You take it easy and keep warm.
03:59Be back with you in a minute.
04:10Get a few of your men in here.
04:11Strong ones.
04:12Help hold him down while I set this leg.
04:15Get a small piece of harness that he can bite on.
04:17It'll help ease the pain.
04:30I just came from the herd.
04:31Is Redmond here?
04:32Get inside, Miss Fancy.
04:38Red!
04:40Fancy!
04:42Ha, ha.
04:48Red, what have they done to you?
04:50Now, don't go fretting, honey.
04:52You'll hurt half as bad as a hangnail.
04:54Except for Russell, Sam and Marty here got the worst of it.
04:57Oh, poor Marty.
05:00Now, don't you go fretting any, honey.
05:01You'll get your share same as the others.
05:04Sammy, poor baby.
05:06I wouldn't go too close to him, ma'am.
05:07He has a fever.
05:09And from the symptoms, it may be contagious.
05:12Who are you?
05:13He's the doc, honey.
05:14Bill Baxter from Rising Spring.
05:17Meet Fancy Varden, Doc.
05:19Prettiest and most popular citizen in the whole town of Elkton.
05:22Now, don't you believe him, Doctor.
05:23At least half the population of Elkton doesn't like me at all.
05:27Well, I can't understand that.
05:29She means the female half, Doc.
05:31Fancy owns the Golden Slipper.
05:33Biggest cafe and card house in town.
05:36Oh, and I don't get the wrong impression, Doctor.
05:38I'm a business woman these days.
05:40Strictly business.
05:41And right now, I'm concerned with just two things.
05:43Getting the best possible care for my men and getting my herd back into Elkton.
05:47How soon can we travel?
05:49Well, Redmond's all right to travel horseback now.
05:52Marty will have to go in in the chuck wagon.
05:54And I want to keep the boy here a couple of days.
05:56At least until I break his fever.
05:58Well, do what you can, Doctor.
06:01If you get my boy back on his feet by the end of the week, I'll double your fee.
06:04I can't rush nature, ma'am.
06:06All I can do is sort of help it along.
06:08Well, I suppose so.
06:09Anyway, it's nice to have met you.
06:11Pleasure's mine.
06:14Uh, I'd like a word with you outside, honey.
06:16Be good, boys.
06:17And do what the doctor says.
06:18I'll see you in town.
06:28The broker said he'd wait one more night at the price we arranged.
06:30No longer.
06:31So we'll have to hurry.
06:32I can't push that beef any faster, honey.
06:34We've lost 20 head already.
06:36What?
06:37I never saw so many drop into one drive.
06:39Well, what kind of stock did you buy?
06:41Prime beef.
06:42The only thing I can figure is they must have eaten some poison wheat or drank some tainted water.
06:47Well, then all the more reason we'll have to get them in fast.
06:49We can't afford to lose any more.
06:51I always do the best for you, fancy.
06:53You know that.
06:57Do I?
06:59Don't look at me like that.
07:01Well, I'm about to get out of hand in front of all these boys.
07:04Why not?
07:06Ashamed of me?
07:08Ashamed of you.
07:21I'll see you in Elkton.
07:32Steve, get the truck wagon.
07:35You two help me with Marty.
07:42Be careful with him, boys.
07:46Will he be all right?
07:48Wish I could find out what's wrong with him.
07:51Well, don't spare the time and expense.
07:53Fancy would want it that way.
07:55Will I be all right?
07:57Fancy's place alone could keep you in chips.
08:01I'd do that sometime, Red.
08:03Good luck.
08:04Thank you, Doc.
08:13Sorry to be such a baby, Doc.
08:15I'm sick.
08:17I think I'm going to die.
08:18Oh, don't talk like that, Sam.
08:20What's wrong with me, Doc?
08:21What have I got?
08:22I don't know.
08:23I don't know.
08:24Oh, don't talk like that, Sam.
08:25What's wrong with me, Doc?
08:26What have I got?
08:28I don't know.
08:30Those boils like this one on your neck.
08:32When did you first notice that condition?
08:34Must have been three, four days ago.
08:36About the time we crossed the border.
08:38What have you been eating?
08:40Beans, jerky, biscuits, you know, trail bit of.
08:44Any fresh meat?
08:46Redmond wouldn't let us.
08:48Losing too many.
08:49Losing too many?
08:50What do you mean?
08:51Tears.
08:52Lose three or four a day.
08:54They shake like it was 40 blow.
08:56All got fits.
08:57Next day, they're dead.
09:02It's coming, Doc.
09:04Here it comes again.
09:05Doc, tell me.
09:07Please, help me!
09:22I was hoping it wouldn't be, but it is.
09:25It's anthrax.
09:26Anthrax?
09:27Holy smokes, Doc.
09:28Are you sure?
09:30Prostate.
09:35Has all the post-mortem symptoms.
09:37Septicemia, hemorrhagic edema.
09:41What?
09:43I don't know.
09:44I don't know.
09:45I don't know.
09:46I don't know.
09:47I don't know.
09:48I don't know.
09:49I don't know.
09:50What?
09:51That's what killed Sam.
09:53You mean us humans can catch it?
09:55Sam had a light form.
09:56Cutaneous.
09:57Just under the skin.
09:58Until the bullet drove the bacteria into his bloodstream.
10:01But he died of pulmonary anthrax.
10:03Just like that spear.
10:04Oh.
10:06How catching is this stuff with humans, Doc?
10:08You can catch this only by direct contact.
10:10Either by breathing the germ or getting them in an open wound.
10:13Like Sam did.
10:15I see.
10:16But cattle get it real easy.
10:17Is that it?
10:18They sure do.
10:19Crowded together the way they are, anthrax could go through a herd like wildfire.
10:24Well, what are you going to do about it?
10:25Isn't there some way to stop it?
10:26There is.
10:28Get every ranch hand in the area together and backtrack Redmond's herd to the border.
10:32Bury every dead steer you can find and bury him deep.
10:36Tell your men to be careful.
10:38Have them work with a wet handkerchief over their mouths and noses.
10:41And tell them to wear gloves and burn the gloves when they're finished.
10:45You got it?
10:46I got it.
10:47We've got to catch Redmond before he reaches town.
10:49If this gets out of control, it could wipe the southwest cattle business off the map.
11:17I caught up with the infected herd that afternoon and told Redmond the bad news.
11:29He refused to destroy any cattle until he had authority from the owner, Miss Fancy Barton.
11:34We left the herd at Riggs Crossing and headed for town.
11:38It was dusk before we reached Elfton and the Golden Slipper.
12:02There she is.
12:08Fancy?
12:09Riggs, darling, pull up a chair.
12:12Did we see you alone?
12:18Excuse me, please.
12:28The guard, doctor?
12:29No, thank you.
12:30The doc says we've got to destroy the herd.
12:33Kill off every steer.
12:35Kill off every steer.
12:38We do?
12:41Why?
12:42They're diseased. They have anthrax.
12:44Do you know what you're asking?
12:46Yes, I do. And I'm sorry. Truly sorry.
12:50No doubt. Sorrow runs cheap when you stand nothing to lose.
12:57Do you know what that herd cost me, doctor?
12:59I have a pretty good idea.
13:00Well, let me tell you something.
13:02That herd cost me a great deal more than money.
13:05I had to put this dance hall in Hawke in order to raise enough money to buy it.
13:10And do you know why?
13:12So I could get out of this lousy business and into something decent.
13:16So Red and I can sink our profits in a ranch and start off clean, as man and wife.
13:22For the first time in my life, I'm looking ahead to some happiness and decency.
13:27And you want me to destroy it.
13:29It can be helped, honey.
13:30No. I tell you, I won't do it. I can't.
13:34Neither you nor anybody else is going to destroy that herd.
13:37I'm sorry. It has to be done.
13:39Doc's right, honey.
13:40People can get this stuff, too, you know.
13:43I've been trying to tell you.
13:45Sam died this afternoon.
13:48Sam?
13:50Sam is dead?
13:51Doc said he died of anthrax.
13:53Just like the cattle.
13:55Look, Red, why don't you go get us some drinks?
13:58What's your preference, Doctor?
14:00Nothing for me right now, thank you.
14:02Get the usual for me and one for yourself.
14:10Why don't you sit down, Doctor?
14:12I know you're swearing yourself out.
14:16I'm sorry.
14:18I'm sorry.
14:20I'm sorry.
14:22I'm sorry.
14:25Sam had a gunshot wound.
14:27What makes you think he died of anthrax?
14:29He had all the symptoms.
14:31Would the symptoms have been the same if the wound had been gangrenous?
14:34Similar, but not the same.
14:36I don't believe it.
14:38Sorry as I am about Sam. I think you're using him to get at me.
14:41I'm simply trying to be reasonable with you, Miss Farden.
14:44But if it can't be done, we'll have to handle it some other way.
14:47Oh.
14:49There are any number of ways to attack a problem, Doctor.
14:51Thanks for your hospitality, Miss Farden, but it won't work.
14:58All right, Doctor.
15:00This is my last offer.
15:02A pure and simple business proposition.
15:04I'll give you 10% of my profit if you let me sell my cattle before you condemn them.
15:08Let the buyers take the lot.
15:10They're insured.
15:12They can stand it better than I can.
15:14It's not only dishonest, but you're asking me to bring the disease right into this town.
15:17Maybe my offer's not big enough.
15:1920%.
15:21My net profit.
15:23Just let me break even.
15:25It's out of the question.
15:27I'm afraid you don't know me very well, Doctor.
15:29Maybe not, but I'm beginning to understand.
15:31It's easy to see you don't give a hoot about anyone but yourself.
15:35I've heard of people who value money more than they do human lives,
15:38but I never thought I'd have the dishonor to meet one of them face to face.
15:44The law will handle this from now on.
15:46I don't even want to be within rock-throwing distance of anybody like you.
15:52Go get him.
15:54I don't care what you do or how you do it.
15:56Just stop him from reaching the Marshal's office.
15:58Stop him yourself.
16:01Red.
16:03Red, you don't mean that.
16:05You can't.
16:07You don't believe those things he said, do you?
16:09They're not true.
16:11He doesn't know what he's talking about.
16:13You can see that, can't you?
16:15He's nothing but a stubborn, heartless quack, that's all he is.
16:17He's just trying to make a big, public hero of himself.
16:19I found out something about you tonight.
16:21Something places in you I never dreamed of.
16:24Find somebody else to sweep your gutter.
16:27Now, just a minute, cowboy.
16:29Let's get a couple of things straight.
16:31Who are you to go high and mighty with me?
16:33If I hadn't picked you off that pile of stable dirt,
16:36you'd still be nothing but a smelly, bow-legged,
16:38$15-a-month saddle tramp.
16:40And you know it.
16:42Maybe my dirt don't smell as perfumy as yours, sweetheart.
16:45But at least I can wash it off, having done this day's work.
16:48Oh!
16:49Oh!
16:54Red!
17:02Red, come back!
17:11Oh, great darling.
17:20Will he live?
17:22I don't know.
17:24How long will this take?
17:26I'll let you know when it's over.
17:28Well, looks like things are moving my way after all, doesn't it?
17:31Marshal's out of town.
17:33You're busy for the rest of the night.
17:35Makes things pretty easy for me, doesn't it?
17:38You wouldn't, not after all this.
17:40I don't know.
17:42I don't know.
17:44I don't know.
17:46I don't know.
17:47You wouldn't, not after all this.
17:49Wouldn't I?
17:51Whether Red lives or dies, my life has to go on.
17:54As I told you before, Doctor,
17:56I have no intention of starting again in the gutter
17:58and dragging myself all the way back up.
18:01I'm getting a little too old for that kind of competition.
18:04My time is running out.
18:06Do you know what that means to a woman, Dr. Baxter?
18:09If you were a woman, a real woman,
18:11you couldn't possibly be thinking the way you are.
18:13We live in different worlds.
18:15Even the words don't mean the same thing to you and to me.
18:19So you go right ahead, Doctor.
18:21Call me any name you want to.
18:23I've heard them all before.
18:25And I'm used to them.
18:39I'm offering a hundred bucks for a night's work.
18:40How about it?
18:42Okay, I'll see you outside.
18:51When the doctor's finished with Red,
18:53will you see that he stays?
18:55I don't want him to leave.
18:57Sure, Miss Fancy.
19:05I'm Marshal Dunham.
19:07I just got back to town and heard about it.
19:08Will he live?
19:10He has a chance.
19:12I'll know better in a few hours.
19:14Where's Fancy?
19:16She's out bringing in a herd of diseased cattle.
19:18What's that?
19:20I'll explain on the way.
19:31Doc, Fancy says you to stay put.
19:35Well, in that case, we'll...
19:39Go!
20:05Just in time.
20:06Another mile and they'd be in the railroad pens.
20:11Go tell the boys to keep the herd moving.
20:13Tell them to fight or we'll lose everything.
20:15I'll ride ahead and tell the buyer we're bringing them in.
20:37We'll have to turn that herd and hold it.
20:39Out of our way, mister.
21:07Turn them!
21:09Head into them and turn them!
21:36Turn them!
21:54It took some time and all that confusion
21:56to convince the rest of Redmond's cowboys
21:58we weren't rustlers.
22:00They were decent men and when they got the point,
22:02the battle was over.
22:06That is, for everybody except Fancy Varden
22:08who was streaking for town.
22:34Stop it!
22:36I'm coming, you no-good twat!
22:42Only if it's all over now.
22:45Back to your horses.
22:48The two deputies and cowboys
22:50stayed out to destroy the herd according to my orders.
22:53The marshal brought Fancy Varden back to town under arrest
22:56and I came with him to look after Red.
23:04Take it easy, Fancy.
23:06I'm scared.
23:08I wasn't half this scared when I was 15
23:10and ran away from home.
23:12Yeah.
23:14Tempted murder if he lives, murder if he dies.
23:16Not a pretty thought either way, is it?
23:19Well, he'll be all right.
23:24I wouldn't.
23:27Doesn't he want to see me?
23:29No, he doesn't.
23:32Well, tempted murder's not such a bad rap, Fancy.
23:34You're lucky.
23:36There won't be any charges, Marshal.
23:38Redman told me nobody shot him.
23:40Said he stumbled and fell on his own gun.
23:44Look, Fancy.
23:46I'm sorry you lost your cattle.
23:48I know what that meant to you.
23:50But you're gonna lose this place too.
23:52We don't want you around this town.
23:54If you're still here tomorrow,
23:56I'll dig up some charges that'll put you away
23:58for a long, long time.
24:05Redman's out of danger, Marshal,
24:07but he needs some nursing.
24:09Will you see that he gets it?
24:23Bye, Fancy.
24:35Just one more thing, Doctor.
24:38Have you got anything in that black bag of yours
24:40that's good for a headache?
24:43You might try going to church.
24:45Best relief I know.
25:04Here.
25:16Doc, on behalf of everybody in town,
25:19I want to thank you for everything you've done.
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