The Knick

Lottie.

Lottie.

"Dearest John,

"I don't even know if you're getting these letters.

"I hope so.

"I hate to think of you in that place alone.

"I wish they'd let me visit.

"Life just goes on,

"but not for me.

"Not without you.

"The days are so long.

"I haven't seen Sister Harriet yet,

"but Mr. Cleary says she seems to be bearing up.

"I don't know when the trial is.

"The groundbreaking for the new hospital is next week,

"so Mr. Barrow has been walking around like a peacock.

"I assisted in a previa surgery the other day with Bertie and Dr. Edwards.

"It's hard with Bertie.

"He's still mad.

"They lifted Dr. Gallinger's suspension, but he still hasn't returned to work.

"That's all I have for now.

"Please, write if you can.

"I miss you terribly and want so much

"to know how you are.

"I wish I could see you, my love.

"Yours, Lucy."

And if you want, I could, uh, tattoo her lips

to make them appear more plump.

I'll only charge you four vials.

No, thank you.

Well, two, then.

- Mrs. Showalter. - There you are.

- Any luck with the mayor's office? - No.

They're more afraid of the news spreading than the disease.

Any more cases?

Not in the last five days. Those first cases were the only ones.

- Is any food getting in at all? - Nothing. They won't let anything in.

I'll try and get the health department to speak to the police chief.

Miss, I told you not to get close.

There's sickness in there.

Plague is carried by rodents and fleas.

You think your wooden barriers are keeping them inside?

Dr. Feng just said there are no new cases.

There's no need for the quarantine.

Mayor Phelan says them coolies got it, and I trust the mayor.

Mother Superior.

My child.

Did you come all the way from Ohio to see me?

I wanted to.

I brought something.

It's what you gave me your third year at the convent

on the date of our Virgin Mother's birth.

The day that you committed yourself to God.

And I always carry it with me when I travel.

I was so proud of you, how far you'd come

since that little Irish girl

abandoned by her mother on the train west.

You saved my life.

You brightened ours.

Brave, tenacious, spirited.

A heart as big as the moon.

Lost and then found.

Is it true?

I... I could say that God sent an angel down to instruct me

or there was something divine about it,

but there wasn't.

The women just needed help

and I helped them.

So it's true.

I am what they say I am.

Then what you are is a devil on Earth.

A murderer of innocents.

You have disgraced me,

the sisters who loved you,

the convent that saved you,

the nurses who taught you,

the Catholics who nurtured you,

and the God who loved you.

This is all that's left of you in my heart.

I should have let you die.

Hmm.

There are some straw-colored striae that are visible.

How's the peripheral vision?

Some issues.

Put this over your right eye.

And how do these appear to you?

Wavy on the left.

And a bit better on the right.

Have you had any blows to that eye recently?

Yes.

Well, those blows detached your retina.

Seems to have almost completely separated

from the rear wall of your left eye.

And the treatment?

Not much to recommend.

Uh, rest in a recumbent position for several weeks

may bring some relief.

So, it could heal on its own?

Or get worse. There's no way of knowing.

And any further blows could prove catastrophic.

Are there any other procedures?

Experimental?

They're all unproven and much too risky.

What about this one, Everett?

Looks to be about the right shape and color.

Dorothy?

You have a wonderful eye, love.

You're certainly lucky to have a sister

with such a wonderful set of teeth herself.

How long are you visiting from Philadelphia?

As long as she needs me.

Dorothy has been a godsend

ever since I pulled Eleanor out of Dr. Cotton's abysmal madhouse.

I often get a new batch of teeth from the morgue

on Thursdays if you'd like me to return then.

No, I want to finish now.

She'll do 14 miles an hour

and never need a drink of water or a bucket of oats.

Uh, just plug her in and she'll do the miles.

I can drive her good, too. The man who sold her to me taught me how.

And you say you own it? Legally?

Got a bill of sale and everything.

And you want me to pay you to drive this?

Ah. You put, "Knickerbocker" up there on the side,

people will be making themselves sick to take a ride in her.

Ah, she'll go perfect with the place uptown.

Show everyone that we're, uh, modern and all.

And what if it runs out of electricity?

There's places all over that'll swap the battery off the bottom in a jiff.

Bolt on a full one and I'm on my way.

No more hooves to the head. No more tacking up.

No more horse shit.

I doubt that.

I'll give you $45 a month to cover the automobile,

ten of which comes back to me,

and you pay for all repairs to keep it running.

Mr. Barrow, you just got yourself the finest ambulance

in all of New York City.

Come on.

We are in business.

It's a little dark. I'm having trouble seeing.

Nurse Baker, light, please.

Retract more, nurse.

What do you notice?

Calot's triangle.

There are two cystic arteries arising

from the hepatic instead of the usual one.

It occurs in about 15% of cases.

Nurse Baker, has our next patient been prepped?

- He has. - And the one after that? The tonsils?

- I'll make certain. - Thank you.

We'll need to separate out and ligate both arteries.

Hmm.

The inferior one is exceptionally underdeveloped.

It's hard against the hepatic.

You do it.

Me?

You've seen it done.

Now, it's time you do one yourself.

See one, do one?

Teach one.

- Dr. Gallinger. - Edwards.

Uh...

Tell me, how...

How are things at home?

I am ready to resume my duties.

I see.

Well, I must admit that having a third set of experienced hands

would be useful in picking up the slack.

But know this,

you come back,

you come back as subordinate to me,

with the full respect and deference that implies.

I think I'll come back when the chief of surgery returns.

I'm acting chief now.

And I intend to make that permanent.

You think this hospital will go along with that?

You're as dumb as you think I think you are.

Come in.

Nurse Elkins.

I miss you calling me Lucy.

It's your title in this institution.

I think a woman such as yourself would be glad to receive

any sign of respect at this point.

You don't have to be mean.

It's not in your nature.

What do you want?

It's just that it's your birthday tomorrow.

I always like to get my presents early.

Makes your special day feel longer 'cause it starts the day before.

Aren't you gonna open it?

It's a caduceus.

It's real gold.

Must have cost you a lot.

I wanted to.

I can't accept this.

Well, I've been doing my best on several fronts.

Our groundbreaking ceremony is still on schedule

and will certainly attract donors' attention.

You've all approved the architectural plans