Tonight, the DeBond Company brings you The Unnatural Death, starring Lee Bowman on the cavalcade of America. First, here is Gaine Whitman. Good evening. Let's hope no one ever puts a sign in your home by a slippery rug or carpet that reads, so-and-so fell here and went to the hospital. A rug on a slippery floor is one of the most dangerous spots in any home. You can help make rugs and carpets in your home stay put and keep them from slipping with DuPont Rug Anchor, one of the DuPont Company's better things for better living through chemistry. Now, The Unnatural Death, starring Lee Bowman as Captain Bailey Ashford on the cavalcade of America. We're doing our best, General. Nobody can stop an epidemic in one day, sir. Listen to me, Colonel. The shooting part of this Spanish-American war may be over, but I still have to run an affliction of American occupation of the island of Puerto Rico. And I expect my medical office to back me up. Captain Ashford is just the man to match for. You mentioned him before, Colonel. The epidemic won't wait. Or is this brilliant young research doctor of yours? We're, we're still trying to locate him, General. Trying? An epidemic sweeping the island and you're trying to? Colonel, the natives of Puerto Rico are convinced that the American occupation forces have made the epidemic disease worse. It's a loaded cannon right in our faces, sir. As soon as I locate Captain Ashford. Captain, I find him. Get Ashford here. Well, Sergeant, well, what's the telegraph say? Have they located Dr. Ashford yet? The message ain't hardly finished, Colonel. Maybe we try again over to San Juan. San Juan, Bayamon, Mayacuers, how the devil did I ever get stationed in Puerto Rico? What's the telegraph saying now? Dr. Billy Ashford not visiting here. At present. End of message. That's the answer all over the island. Sergeant, get me a half dozen native runners. But, but sir, most of the runners are down sick with the epidemic. Well, then stay on your wire. Call Ponce, Yocco, all cavalry posts. I want a company of troopers to scout every inch of Puerto Rico until they find Captain Ashford. Yes, sir. Captain, Bailey asked, my beautiful victory party and you don't ask for a single dance. No, I don't want to dance. I want to be out here with you, Maria. Oh, Bailey, I'm so glad you could come tonight. It was almost a command performance, Maria. Your father asked me to come. He said he wanted to talk to me. My father? Yes, maybe he decided I don't have horns after all. Oh, Bailey, he's good to leave me. But he does have a little temper. Well, maybe now I can propose to him. You know, the formal Spanish tradition. Why don't we go see him right now? Now? This moment? Sure, come on, let's go in to see him. All right. Good evening, Father. Ah, Maria, Dr. Ashford. Good evening, Don Ramon. I believe you wanted to see me? Yes, yes, sit down, sit down. I thought I'd come in to see you with Maria. Dr. Ashford, the Spanish-American war is over now. Finish. Yes, sir, absolutely. I am most glad to have this victory party in my house. Oh, it's very kind of you. But please know, victory does not include my daughter Maria. Papa! A saint has lost the island of Puerto Rico, but my daughter Maria is not one of the fruits of victory. Oh, Papa, how can you say that? Maria! Yes, Papa. Sir, you're allowing your imagination to run away with you. Imagination? I want to marry your daughter. Maria, you know this? Si, si, Papa, I love Bailey. Maria, do you realize? The doctor is in the army. The war is over. How long do you think he'll stay in Puerto Rico? Well, sir, I think I'll be stationed here for quite a long while. Can you be sure? Well, no, of course not. Orders come in unexpectedly sometimes. And these orders, these unexpected orders, could they not come soon and you will leave? Papa, if you will only let me... Maria, an army is for fighting. Now the war is over. And how much do you think Captain Ashford cares for staying on this island, for the welfare of the people? It's my duty to care, sir. Why, half your population is down with tropical diseases. Ah, yes, tropical diseases, the benefits of an occupation army. Your people had a high mortality rate long before we ever came. But this epidemic, have you seen the funerals in the streets? Of course I've seen them. But surely you can't blame us. La muerte natural, Dr. Ashford, the natural death. My people say the disease is worse every day. True, but sir, your people who work on the farms in the fields have been dying of that disease for years. It is worse now. If you check the actual number of deaths, I'm sure you... I heard, I heard. Who is that? Open the door, Maria. Si, papa. Dr. Macintosh, come in. Hello, Scottie. Hello, Scottie, what's... Scottie, there's a group of cavalry outside looking for you. For me? Why? I don't know, but they want you at headquarters right away. Plunko. What does this mean? I don't know myself, Maria. What's the trouble, Scottie? What's the difference, mon? Let's get going. It's urgent. All right, come on, Scottie. Let us see what the Colonel wants. Ashford, what rock have you been hiding under? We've had to comb the island for you. Well, Colonel, I had a three-day leave. I went down to see my girl. It was a big party. I know, I know. Viva Americanos. Just remember this, Captain. There's a price for victory. The General's telling the roof down about this epidemic. Lots of Puerto Ricans are dying. It's our job to stop it. Well, here I am. What do you want me to start? That's, uh... that's what bothers me. I don't know. Nobody knows. All we have is the name, La Muerte Natural, the natural death. The, uh, the Spanish have a longer handle. La Muerte Natural de la... anemia, something. De la anemia? That's the first time I've heard the whole name. Well, a devil with a name. We've got to find out what causes it. Well, maybe I'd better do some research to follow up the anemia idea, huh? No, no, no. That's been tried already. The Puerto Rican doctors got rid of that theory years ago. Well, let's see. The, uh, the epidemic might be a blood cell problem, might be a germ, an exceptionally virulent bug, maybe a parasite. Might be a dozen things. I'll settle for one, Captain, but find me the right one. Well, Sergeant, let's see that list of research supplies. Yes, sir. It took us three days to round it all up. Shall I, uh, set the windows in? Hmm? Oh, please. Now, let's see. Auto-flav, test tube, pipette, microscope. Hello, Colonel. Hello, Captain. Sergeant. Checking our list of research equipment. Put it away, pilot. The natural death wasn't emergency sure, but now we've got a bigger one. You hear it? That wind outside. Ever see a hurricane? No, sir. Well, you will now. Warning just came over the wire. San Siroaco. A hurricane. The elements against man. War, Ashford. Cut spruces, broken bones. That means hospital. But the research work, all these laboratory supplies. Change the list. Make it a tense, operating table, first aid material, all the rest. Get an emergency field hospital set up in front of you. I'll put the microscope back, Captain. No, no, no. We'll still take it with us. A microscope for first aid? Well, I'd like to get back to the research later. Research won't stop that big wind down there. That'll blow over, Colonel, but the epidemic won't. All right, all right. Take it. But get that hospital up quick before this army blows up on them. All right, stand back, please. One at a time. In the next case, Captain Ashford. Hold that lamp closer, Sergeant. I don't want to be caught in the wire. I won't hurt you. Calumetze, amigo. Let's see now. Fracture tibia, Sergeant. Corporal, flint that first chance you get. Yes, sir. As soon as I finish here. Dr. Mackintosh will set it later in the orthopedic tent. What do you want? Don't worry. We'll fix you up. Pronto estará bien. Fabi? No more hurt. You next? Si, si, doctor. Let's see. Simple aspiration, intercepting dressing, Corporal. Yes, sir. This next man, Captain. Hello, Papi. Hello, Sergeant. Looks all right to me. Oh, yes, sir. It's his daughter. Doctor, Dr. Angelita is very bad. They used to help around the cavalry post, sir. Papi's a good man, and I thought they'd... You speak Americano, doctor. Oh, now wait a minute. Sergeant, what about this? The truth is, sir, his daughter Angelita is sick. You mean not a hurricane casualty, just sick? Yes, sir. Sergeant, in the middle of all these emergency cases, you come up... Doctor, I carry Angelita all the way here. Please, you... I'm sorry, Pepe. Too many people hurt. They come first. Next case, Sergeant. Yes, sir. Doctor, please. Angelita, she died. She died. La muerte natural. This next case, sir... Wait a minute. Wait a minute, Sergeant. La muerte natural, Pepe. Si, señor. All right. I'll see you later. Wait here. Gracias, doctor. Gracias, doctor. Sergeant, have many more sick people... I don't mean people hurt in the hurricane. I mean just sick. Have any more than trying to get in to see us? A dozen, sir. They've been taking advantage of the epidemic to get to see a real live doctor. I let only Pepe and... Well, from now on, let them all in. As soon as this blows over, I want to see them. Every one of them. Look, Papa. Look at all the tents. Remarkable, this Americano. Yesterday, nothing. An empty field. A hurricane. Today, a horseshoe. Bailey built it, Papa. Oh, Bailey. Over there. Bailey. Bailey. Maria, sit down. Such a place. Sorry, Papa. We need him. Bailey. Well, hello. Hello there. Hello, Bailey. It certainly is a nice surprise having you call at our hospital. Buenos dias, sector escort. How do you do, sir? Let me help you down, Maria. Gracias. Captain Asford. Yes, Sergeant. Excuse me, sir, but you wanted to see the next postmortem. Oh, yes, yes. Ask Dr. McIntosh to start the autopsy. I'll be along in a few minutes. Yes, sir. The hurricane has killed many. Not so many, but it did blow in a lot of sick people. La muerte natural. That's what's killing them. The epidemic is worse, baby. I'm afraid so. Modern hospital, modern science. And there are more deaths? Not a modern hospital. No, an emergency hospital. What, modern science? Yes. But more deaths from the epidemic? This I do not understand. No doctor can just wave a magic wand over an epidemic. Of course, that I do understand. No, sir, I don't think you do. If you'd come with me for a minute, let me show you the size of the problem. Well, if you think I would... It's what you think that concerns me. I want to introduce you to your people's trouble, face to face. This tender ward 3, Don Ramon. So many people. Doctor, doctor. Yes, yes, yes, just a minute. Uh, uh, esperen un momento. No, no, no, no, no, no. Doctor, doctor. Doctor, doctor. Doctor, doctor. Doctor, doctor. Doctor, doctor. Doctor, doctor. Doctor, doctor. Now, over here, the patient is Angelita. Her father, Pepe. Angelita was my first epidemic patient. Si, doctor. Oe, estoy muy perdido. Si, feel very bad, doctor. Oh, Pepe. Most distressing, doctor. Now you see, sir? The hurricane victims, the broken bones, they heal fine and walk out. Is these people here, ward 3? Not a scratch, just sick. They run downhill. And clinically, I'm helpless till I find the answer. Papa, I must stay here. They need help. Maria, what kind of... No, papa, you talk about the people, the sickness. But now you see it with your own eyes. They need help. Bailey needs help. But the young girl in the hospital. Here's where we need help most. Look, sir, all your people, especially the poor... The shepherds, the very food ones. Yes, sooner or later most of them contract the disease. Until now nothing has been done about it. It's been a mystery. Still is. I see. Papa, we must help the Americans who are helping us. Very well. Stay, my child, and help fight this unnatural death. We're listening to Lee Borman as Dr. Bailey Ashford in the unnatural death on the cavalcade of America, sponsored by the DuPont Company, maker of better things for better living through chemistry. Captain Bailey Ashford of the Army Medical Corps has orders to find the cause of a mysterious disease which is raging on the island of Puerto Rico at the close of the Spanish-American War. He is in his makeshift laboratory at the emergency hospital. Maria. Yes, Bailey? Let me have those glass microscopes, please. All right. Blood smears all look alike. I don't understand it. Here's the last blood count, Bailey. White blood cells, 15,000. Red blood cells. I know, I know the figures by heart. If I only knew where to start this research, Maria, if there was only a single clue to help me get started. Don't worry so hard, Bailey. Many of our own doctors try to learn what causes the disease and all is failure. Failure is one luxury you can't afford in the Army, Maria. Hello, hello, emergency hospital headquartered anybody home? Oh, we're over here, Dr. McIntosh. How are you today? Feeling fit, feeling fit, Maria. And how is the good Dr. Ashford? Hello, Scotty. Well, what's the matter with him? Oh, I wish I could talk to him, Scotty. He's so tired. He's up every night working. He won't rest for a minute. Well, see here tomorrow you'd better slow up a bit or you'll be needing a doctor yourself. Slow up? Slow up with the colonel screaming at me. The general wants results, results. Oh, take it easy, Ashford. The general's no doctor. He doesn't know any research problems. The only results I can show him are six feet deep. Row up one row of them. Bailey's doing the best he can, Scotty. The best anyone can do. No loss. You don't have to tell me. But they see the epidemic a little different down at headquarters. All I hear there is that Captain Ashford found what causes the disease. Has he got a cure, et cetera, et cetera? Well, I'm no miracle man. I'm against the stone wall, Scotty. Muerte natural, Muerte natural, whatever that is. Bailey, did it ever occur to you that maybe the disease is not really this mysterious thing? How about the other epidemic diseases? Typhoid, yellow fever. No, no, no. I haven't considered those. None of them fit the clinical picture. The differential blood count looks crazy. This is something new. If only they had a scientifically accurate name. Wait a minute. There's more to the name. Muerte natural de la anemia. Anemia? Well, have you considered that, Bailey? Too simple, too easy, Scotty. Well, it's worth a try, man. Yeah, maybe if I change the diet, a richer... No, no, that's science by guesswork. But Bailey White, don't you try. All right, I will. I'm not sure of anything, so we've got to try everything. Come on, let's get to work. Two commanding general headquarters biomedical officer in charge. Permission is respectfully requested for under-sign to use U.S. Army food supplies for hospital patients in connection with the research on la muerte natural. This new diet treatment will be used for health. Sergeant. Sir? All the natural death patients in ward three go on a new diet, a richer diet. No more of the other food? Give them meat, plenty of meat and fresh vegetables. Starting tonight. Ashford, the general thought I ought to come see what success your anemia diet treatment was having. Make ward rounds with you. Well, Colonel... Sir, here's ward three now, Colonel. It is very kind of you, senorita, to stay out here and help. I am most glad to, Colonel. Here's the first patient. Buenos dias, senora. Buenos dias. Colonel, I'd like to explain something before we go. How do you feel today, senora? Are you getting better here? Como si me hubiera partido. Oh, she says that she feels as if lightning hit her. And how about this next lady here? Look, sir, Ashford, Angelita feels very bad today. She feels terrible inside. Who is this man? Pepe, the woman's father. She still looks emaciated, Ashford, just like the first patient. In spite of your diet... Colonel, they all look poorly. I've been trying to explain to her. The plain truth is that the diet is not helping. Your diagnosis of anemia? Wrong, sir. Wrong? The anemia is not the cause of the death. It's only a symptom. And I told the general I was counting on you. I'm sorry, sir, if only you could give me more time. How much time? Weeks? Months? I can't say, sir. The solution might take years. Well, don't forget, Ashford, this epidemic is spreading like fire. And for the sake of a lot of these barefoot people and for the sake of the service, you've got to crack this thing and do it quick. Quick! Almost morning. Put the microscope away, Bailey. You'll burn your eyes out. I'll just finish up. Scotty, let's see that last batch of specimens. Where'd you get them? Quad three, on to leader. Bailey's favorite patient. Now, let's see the specimen under the microscope. Don't drop the slide, it's still wet. Hey, wait a minute. This is strange. Move the light closer, Maria. Yes, yes. Thanks. What did you see? Scotty, you're sure the specimen came from Angelito, ward three? Of course. What's up? Here, let me have a look down that lane. See it? You see it? Good heavens. Please, let me look too. There. There, just look at it, Maria. It's alive. Fine threads. A little tiny bone of fine threads. Scotty, get me Manson's book on tropical diseases, quick. Here, here it is, Ma, right here. Easy at all, a copy. Look, look how the little thread's smooth. It's alive. Here, here we are. Look at this drawing. The details. The same thing. What did the medical book say? The intestinal parasite, hookworm. Let me take another look. By gosh, that's it. It matches our specimen exactly. That explains the prolonged anemia. There's our diagnosis, Scotty. Right, man. Now we've got to find a cure. Here's another book, Bailey. Diagnosis and Therapy. Fine. We've got to find some drug, something that will attack the hookworm inside the body. Diagnosis and Therapy. 490 pages, life or death. Not much time. Start reading. I've just finished this book on quine-iron derivatives, Scotty. Any luck? Negative. We've got to keep searching. Scotty, I've got it. This old pharmacopeia. What does it say? Listen. Phymol. Two grains taken by mouth purges the patient of the parasite. Oh, look, the next few words. Danger. In large doses, poison. You understand me, Angelita? I understand. This medicine is good, but it has some danger. Sabe? Yes, doctor. You still want to try? I'm sure I will. Follow what I say. Remember, only one pill at a time. More is dangerous. Angelita, how do you feel today? I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm fine. Angelita, how do you feel today? Very fine. She drink a lot of water every day, doctor. That's good. Keep taking the pills. I'll come see you every morning and night. May I come in? Papa. Don Ramon. Dr. Axford. Maria, we don't see you at home for five days. She's been helping us, working like a trooper, too. Bailey found the cost of her pack. Took one. Maria, what a word to use. It's much less objectionable than your people dying. You are a doctor, fine, but such words are not pronounced in polite society. Polite society doesn't die of this unnatural death. But the hibaros do because of accident and ignorance. You see, the soil is infected with certain tiny parasites, and the people walk barefoot. The worms attack their skin and the blood and your cure. Thymol. I'm giving it to one patient only, Angelita. It's a test. I have to go slow at this stage because the drug is poisonous when taken in large. Poisonous? Do you realize the risk you're on, doctor? All medical research is a calculated risk, sir. But this patient is young, and if she dies, then what? Poison. If Angelita dies, you will frighten everybody on the island. The people have little education. They will say the American doctor experiments with the helpless. It was Angelita's only hope, don't you see? The only hope right now for thousands of your people. But poison! It's not poison in small doses. Watch the dosage carefully. Angelita and her father agree freely. Really? You, the military authority, the occupation army, you say freely? Angelita, you know I'm in at the spare. I have a friend outside, barely wants to see you right away. Scottie, if this is one of your jokes, I... No, no. Come in. Come in. Look, Dr. Ashford. Look. Angelita. Morning. Hey, you see you all there. Oh, let me look at you, Angelita. It's coming. Oh, you look fine. Fine. Dr. Ashford, you, you Americans can do this for all our people? Angelita, it's wonderful. Yes, sir. I believe we can. If they take the medicine, wear sandals, better sanitation, better food, I'm sure our army will help make these changes. If you can do this, this cure for all our people, we will be grateful. It will be like a miracle. No, no miracle, Don Ramon. We'll take hard work and good old American horse, then. And Bailey? Yes, Maria? Welcome to Puerto Rico. In just a moment, Dave Norman will return. But first, here is Jane Whitman speaking for DuPont. Who doesn't admire the gleaming beauty of a new car? Glistening in a show window, flashing by on the highway. The finishes on today's cars are as beautiful as they are because, early in the 1920s, a group of DuPont chemists pursued a course of research which resulted in an entirely new, fast-drying, and durable automobile finish. DuPont Duco lacquer. The discovery of Duco reduced automobile painting time from weeks to days. It took the paint shop bottleneck that was holding back real mass production of motor cars. Further, it meant that then, for the first time, it was possible to buy a new car with assurance that the finish would stay beautiful. 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There is a brown that seems to change from gold to deep rich bronze, depending upon how the light strikes it. Greens, grays, and a blue, ten new colors in all, are now available in Metallichrome for refinishing automobiles. We wish we could send you a color card of these different exciting new colors, but this isn't practical. You'll find them at your authorized DuPont refinisher shop. The rest of the DuPont refinisher nearest you may be found in your telephone directory in most cities. But if you can't find it there, write to the radio section, DuPont, Wilmington, Delaware, and we'll send it to you. DuCo Metallichrome is the newest addition to the ever-lengthening list of DuPont better things for better living through chemistry. Now our star, Lee Bowman. Thank you. I've enjoyed appearing on Cavalcade tonight, and it gives me pleasure as well to say a word on the 172nd birthday of the United States Marines. Men between the ages of 17 and 32 are eligible to join a new group of Marines, the citizen Marines of the Marine Corps Reserve. If you want to join, and it'll be a great experience, you can get all the dope at your local Marine recruiting office. Look into it. Thanks and good night. Along with Newt Rockme of Notre Dame, Fielding Yost of Michigan is a legend and an inspiration in American football. Next week, Cavalcade brings you the story of this great football coach, Hurry Up Yost, starring Thomas Mitchell in the title role and Bill Stern as commentator. Watch then next Monday night for this triple threat combination, Hurry Up Yost, starring Thomas Mitchell and Bill Stern on the DuPont Cavalcade of America. The music for the DuPont Cavalcade was composed by Arden Cornwell and conducted by Don Bryant. Tonight's play was based on the book Soldier in Science by Dr. Bailey K. Ashford and was adapted for radio by Bernard Victor Dreier. Lee Bowman appeared through the courtesy of Columbia Pictures, producers of It Had to Be You, starring Ginger Rogers and Cornell Wiles. This is Bill Hamilton inviting you to listen next week to Hurry Up Yost, starring Thomas Mitchell and Bill Stern on the Cavalcade of America, brought to you by the DuPont Company of Wilmington, Delaware. This is NBC, the national broadcasting company.
