Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet Page #2

Synopsis: Dr. Paul Ehrlich was the German physician who developed the first synthetic antimicrobial drug, 606 or Salvarsan. The film describes how Ehrlich first became interested in the properties of the then-new synthetic dyes and had an intuition that they could be useful in the diagnosis of bacterial diseases. After this work met with success, Ehrlich proposed that synthetic compounds could be made to selectively target and destroy disease causing microorganisms. He called such a drug a "magic bullet". The film describes how in 1908, after 606 attempts, he succeeded.
Genre: Biography, Drama
Director(s): William Dieterle
Production: Unknown
 
IMDB:
7.5
APPROVED
Year:
1940
103 min
156 Views


To stain a microbe

and nothing else on the slide?

It would be possible,

I think.

Then, this is very important.

I mean, really important.

Well, you... you make me

very happy.

- Goodnight, Dr...

- Ehrlich.

Ehrlich.

- Let's see each other soon.

- The sooner, the better.

Good morning. I must see

Professor Hartman right away.

You'll have to wait.

Dr. Wolfert is with him.

I hope you'll understand,

Herr geheimrat

That I wouldn't have spoken

in this way

If I hadn't considered

it absolutely necessary.

I have nothing against

Dr. Ehrlich personally.

Although, I must confess

to a certain feeling

Against people of his faith

in our profession.

I quite understand.

Thank you, Herr geheimrat.

Tell Dr. Ehrlich to come

here at once.

'Yes, herrgeheimrat. '

Good morning, herrgeheimrat.

'Ehrlich. '

I have an unusually long list

Of complaints about you

this morning.

First, in the case

of the patient Merk.

You disregarded the instructions

about the sweat baths.

Yes, sir.

'Second, you were wanted in

ward, and you were not there. '

Well, I was busy working

in the laboratory.

So Sensenbrenner informed me.

I have an idea or two

Which might to lead

to something, Herr geheimrat.

My staining experiments.

I am not interested

in your ideas and experiments.

I am only interested

in your conduct

As a member of the staff

of this hospital.

I want to know, are you

going to mend your ways?

Do you intend to fulfill duties

according to the regulations?

Tell me, Ehrlich?

Yes, Herr geheimrat.

I've been lenient with you.

Far too lenient.

But let me tell you this.

Any further breach

of discipline on your part

And your connection with this

hospital will be severed.

'That's all. '

'One moment. '

Listen to a word of advice

from an older man.

Men like you usually have

a very difficult time

In this world because they

do not know how to conform.

You must learn, Ehrlich.

It's conform or suffer.

Give number 11

his regular bromide.

Yes, Herr doctor.

Number 15 may sit up

for half an hour.

- That's all.

- 'Herr doctor. '

By the way, have we

plenty of bandages?

Yes, Herr doctor.

Kunze, look!

Look what just came.

An invitation to go to a meeting

at the Koch Institute.

That's wonderful!

However did you get it?

Through a Dr. Behring, one

of Koch's younger assistants.

It's for Friday evening.

Friday, you're on duty.

On duty?

Oh, yes, I'd forgotten.

What a pity!

Well, I'm going, no matter what.

This is too important.

- Use your head...

- No, I'm going.

You're finished

if the old man discovers...

He needn't. I'll find a way.

'Dr. Ehrlich!'

I'll be delighted

to see you, Dr. Ehrlich.

It was very kind

of you to ask me.

Well, shall we go in?

Oh, wait.

Is the stout man with

the flower in his button hole

Professor Virchow.

Oh, yes, that's he alright.

The man he's talking to is

Althoff, Minister of Science.

- Althoff.

- Hm.

I've already succeeded

in getting the cabinet

To increase my budget

for scientific purposes

For next year.

- So, there's no way on that...

- Oh.

Huh!

Professor.

- What's the matter?

- Hartmann.

- Where?

- He mustn't see me.

- Why not?

- I'm not supposed to be here.

I'm supposed

to be at the hospital.

Oh.

We'll get seats

in the back. Follow me.

It has long been my belief

That tuberculosis is caused

by a living microbe.

And for the past several years

My work in the field

of bacteriology

Has been devoted to research

For such a microbe.

And today, I am able to announce

That the search has come

to a successful conclusion.

I have discovered

the cause of tuberculosis

In the sputum of persons

Suffering from this disease.

It is a living germ

Which, henceforth, I shall call

Tubercle bacillus.

And now

I invite you to come forward

And view a specimen

of it under the microscope.

'The bacillus has a long

rod-like shape. '

I can't see anything.

Yeah, unfortunately the bacilli

do not standout clearly.

Only those of you whose eyes are

trained to use such microscope

Will be able to see it.

And that, of course

Makes my discovery of little or

no value to the average doctor

In diagnosing

cases of tuberculosis.

It may be possible to see

the bacilli clearly by...

By staining them.

What, what's that?

Who spoke?

It was I here, professor.

Ehrlich!

What did you say?

Well, in the anilines

we-we have a group of dyes

Which offers an infinite number

of chemical combinations.

It's possible, one

of these may have an affinity

For the tubercle bacillus.

Ah, affinity, did you say?

Ah, come down front.

I can't hear you.

What did you say? Affinity?

- Did you?

- Yes, affinity.

The phenomenon

of chemical attraction.

The will to combine in nature.

Now, we must compound a dye

which will combine

With the chemical substance

of the microbe.

Then, the microbe

will be plainly seen

For it and nothing else

on the slide will be stained.

Did you ever...

Ever what, Herr professor?

Ever stained a tubercle bacillus

and nothing else on the slide?

Well, no, as a matter of fact.

But I have reason to believe

it's possible.

If it possible,

I advise you to do so.

Your fame in science

will be secured.

Uh, may I have a culture?

By all means.

Be careful of the contents

of this tube, young man.

They're very dangerous.

Thank you.

- Ehrlich!

- Yes.

You seem in a great hurry.

Well, I must get back

to the hospital.

If I were you,

I wouldn't bother.

Why not?

Because you're no longer

employed there.

- 'Paul. '

- Yes.

How long will it be before you

succeed with your experiments?

Well, another month

or two, I think.

Why?

Oh, nothing.

We will manage somehow.

- Who's there?

- 'Behring. '

Ha ha.

- I'm so happy to see you.

- Hey, how are you, Paul?

'Don't you miss your work

at the hospital?'

Oh, no, no, no.

Making progress in your

experiments?

Something's the matter,

I don't know what.

I've tried dozens

of dyeing experiments. Dozens.

Without any success.

That's bad a cough

you have, Paul.

Oh, too many cigars.

Hedi tells me you're seldom

out of this room.

You've gotta look

after yourself, Paul.

'Come and get coffee. '

That's an idea.

Cup of good coffee.

Come. Come. Come.

'Ah, that smells good. '

Two, isn't it? And no cream?

- Three.

- Oh, yes.

I remember.

There must be something

technical, that's the matter.

Something in my method.

Out of all the combinations

I've tried there must be one

Which has an affinity

for the tubercle bacillus.

Is it possible, Paul, your lack

of success is fundamental?

I mean, can it be that

you're mistaken in your theory?

My theory is right.

- I know my theory is right.

- I only...

No matter what you or anybody

thinks, my theory is right.

'Hedi, you shouldn't let'

'Paul work

in that cold laboratory. '

- It's warm now, I lit a fire.

- Good.

This change of a weather

is very trying.

What did you do?

Did you say you lit a fire?

'Yes, Paul. '

What's the matter, Paul?

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John Huston

John Marcellus Huston (; August 5, 1906 – August 28, 1987) was an Irish-American film director, screenwriter and actor. Huston was a citizen of the United States by birth but renounced U.S. citizenship to become an Irish citizen and resident. He returned to reside in the United States where he died. He wrote the screenplays for most of the 37 feature films he directed, many of which are today considered classics: The Maltese Falcon (1941), The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948), The Asphalt Jungle (1950), The African Queen (1951), The Misfits (1961), Fat City (1972) and The Man Who Would Be King (1975). During his 46-year career, Huston received 15 Oscar nominations, won twice, and directed both his father, Walter Huston, and daughter, Anjelica Huston, to Oscar wins in different films. Huston was known to direct with the vision of an artist, having studied and worked as a fine art painter in Paris in his early years. He continued to explore the visual aspects of his films throughout his career, sketching each scene on paper beforehand, then carefully framing his characters during the shooting. While most directors rely on post-production editing to shape their final work, Huston instead created his films while they were being shot, making them both more economical and cerebral, with little editing needed. Most of Huston's films were adaptations of important novels, often depicting a "heroic quest," as in Moby Dick, or The Red Badge of Courage. In many films, different groups of people, while struggling toward a common goal, would become doomed, forming "destructive alliances," giving the films a dramatic and visual tension. Many of his films involved themes such as religion, meaning, truth, freedom, psychology, colonialism and war. Huston has been referred to as "a titan", "a rebel", and a "renaissance man" in the Hollywood film industry. Author Ian Freer describes him as "cinema's Ernest Hemingway"—a filmmaker who was "never afraid to tackle tough issues head on." more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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