WEBVTT 00:00:04.292 --> 00:00:14.999 [National Library of Medicine, HF 0792. This transfer made: 03/07/06. Length: 00:18:48] 00:00:24.999 --> 00:00:29.999 [Image of the seal of the U.S. Public Health Service, 1798] 00:00:29.999 --> 00:00:41.999 [Federal Security Agency Public Health Service and American Diabetes Association present] 00:00:41.999 --> 00:00:51.417 [The Story of Wendy Hill] 00:00:51.417 --> 00:01:03.999 [A Warner News Inc. Production, Produced by... Alfred Butterfield, Directed by... Joseph E. Henabery, Photographed by... William O. Steiner, A. S. C.] 00:01:06.999 --> 00:01:18.999 [Doctor Woods:] This is Greendale. A friendly neighborly town. Maybe sort of an old-fashioned town. We've grown through the years in Greendale, but still we've kept in touch with old friends. 00:01:18.999 --> 00:01:36.501 I suppose I know our people pretty well. You're bound to in my profession and there are ever so many interesting human stories to tell about them, but I wonder if you wouldn't like to hear the story that I think is the most important one I could tell. 00:01:36.501 --> 00:01:42.999 It begins just across the street from me over in the offices of Greendale's leading law firm. 00:01:42.999 --> 00:01:52.999 Now we're not particularly interested in Bates & Bates, except that the girl I want to tell you about has been pleasantly employed there ever since she graduated from high school. 00:01:52.999 --> 00:02:01.999 Wendy Jameson, I mean Wendy Hill, I'm always forgetting to use her married name. You see she had just been married at the time our story begins. 00:02:01.999 --> 00:02:11.459 Well, Wendy Hill was about as fine and wholesome a girl as you'd find anywhere, and everything had been working out right for Wendy lately. 00:02:11.459 --> 00:02:17.999 Of course she had no way of knowing that this would be the day that would change the whole course of her life. 00:02:17.999 --> 00:02:33.501 [Wendy attempts to cross the street and is hit by a truck.] 00:02:33.501 --> 00:02:47.999 When I heard the scream, I moved fast. You can imagine how I felt when I saw that the victim was Wendy. Our town knows how to handle emergencies. 00:02:47.999 --> 00:02:57.999 Wendy hadn't regained consciousness yet and, of course, I went over to the hospital with her. 00:02:57.999 --> 00:03:05.501 It took only about half an hour to patch Wendy's bruises and send her upstairs to a quiet room. Her husband, Jim, had come over. 00:03:05.501 --> 00:03:17.999 Wendy wasn't seriously hurt thank goodness, but she was still suffering from considerable shock. I just dropped in on her for a minute in her room. 00:03:17.999 --> 00:03:19.542 Well, here you are. Hello, Jim. 00:03:19.542 --> 00:03:20.999 [Jim:] Hello, doctor. 00:03:20.999 --> 00:03:24.999 [Doctor Woods:] Hello, Wendy. Well, young lady, look what you've got yourself into this time. 00:03:24.999 --> 00:03:33.999 [Wendy:] I hope you're not going to keep me very long. I couldn't stand that. Oh, oh, it hurts. 00:03:33.999 --> 00:03:35.959 [Jim:] Is she all right, Dr. Woods? 00:03:35.959 --> 00:03:43.999 [Doctor Woods:] Of course she is; don't worry about her. And don't you worry either, little lady. 00:03:43.999 --> 00:03:49.999 Just take it easy and we'll have you out of here in no time at all. 00:03:49.999 --> 00:03:57.999 But the next morning I was almost forced to swallow those cheerful words. I had just finished dictating to Miss Malone when the phone rang. 00:03:57.999 --> 00:04:06.999 It was the hospital. Nurse Henderson wanted to give me the results of routine tests on Wendy. What she said was surprising and not so good. 00:04:06.999 --> 00:04:15.667 Wendy's urine analysis showed sugar. Of course, I asked for confirmation. Nurse Henderson said she'd make a blood sugar test immediately. 00:04:15.667 --> 00:04:25.999 Sugar. That points straight at diabetes. It might be a false alarm, but still I thought I'd get in touch with Jim. 00:04:25.999 --> 00:04:28.334 [Doctor Woods:] Miss Malone, will you see if you can get Mr. Hill on the phone right away? 00:04:28.334 --> 00:04:28.999 [Miss Malone:] Yes, sir. 00:04:28.999 --> 00:04:35.999 [Doctor Woods:] Thanks. 00:04:35.999 --> 00:04:37.083 [Miss Malone:] I have Mr. Hill, Doctor Woods. 00:04:37.083 --> 00:04:41.042 [Doctor Woods:] Thanks. 00:04:41.042 --> 00:04:53.999 Hello, Jim? Say, Jim, I wonder if you could knock off for just half an hour or so and come over to my office? No, nothing to get upset about. 00:04:53.999 --> 00:05:02.999 No, I'd rather talk to you here. Fine, Jim. No, don't rush. Just come as soon as you can. 00:05:02.999 --> 00:05:17.334 Oh, Jim, if you think you could stop by home and bring your service discharge papers with you? Fine. Thanks. Good-bye. 00:05:18.999 --> 00:05:27.999 While Jim was on his way to my office, Nurse Henderson over at the hospital was starting Wendy's blood sugar test. 00:05:27.999 --> 00:05:37.999 [Miss Malone:] Hello, Mr. Hill, the doctor will be expecting you. Come in. 00:05:37.999 --> 00:05:38.751 [Doctor Woods:] Hello, Jim. 00:05:38.751 --> 00:05:39.626 [Jim:] Hello, Dr. Woods. 00:05:39.626 --> 00:05:40.999 [Doctor Woods:] Glad to see you. Sit down. 00:05:40.999 --> 00:05:44.667 [Jim:] Has something gone wrong with Wendy? 00:05:44.667 --> 00:05:49.292 [Doctor Woods:] Well, just a second, Jim, I'll be right with you. 00:05:49.292 --> 00:06:08.209 Hello? Yes? Yes, Miss Henderson. 275. Yes, I guess that's it. Much obliged. 00:06:12.999 --> 00:06:26.999 Now, Jim, I don't want you to be alarmed. This has nothing to do with Wendy's injuries, thank goodness, but a routine urinalysis showed sugar in the urine and that's a tell-tale sign of diabetes. 00:06:26.999 --> 00:06:32.999 [Jim:] Diabetes, Wendy? It's impossible. Couldn't they have gotten it wrong? 00:06:32.999 --> 00:06:37.999 [Doctor Woods:] That's why I had the blood sugar test made for confirmation. That was the hospital on the phone just now. 00:06:37.999 --> 00:06:39.834 [Jim:] They're going to tell Wendy? 00:06:39.834 --> 00:06:44.125 [Doctor Woods:] Of course. She has to know. She has to cooperate with us. 00:06:44.125 --> 00:06:51.999 [Jim:] I just can't believe this about Wendy. She seems so well. Good appetite, plenty of pep and all. 00:06:51.999 --> 00:06:55.999 [Doctor Woods:] Well, then you can thank your lucky stars she was knocked down by that truck yesterday. 00:06:55.999 --> 00:06:56.999 [Jim:] I don't get it. 00:06:56.999 --> 00:07:02.999 [Doctor Woods:] Well, if it hadn't been for that accident, I don't think she would have had a urinalysis for months. You look okay, Jim. 00:07:02.999 --> 00:07:04.999 [Jim:] Oh, sure. 00:07:04.999 --> 00:07:07.792 [Doctor Woods:] Did you bring your service discharge papers with you? 00:07:07.792 --> 00:07:09.999 [Jim:] Yes, here they are. 00:07:09.999 --> 00:07:16.999 [Doctor Woods:] Thanks. 00:07:16.999 --> 00:07:18.167 That's good. 00:07:18.167 --> 00:07:23.626 [Jim:] As a matter of fact, I just took out some new insurance last week. I passed the exam just fine. 00:07:23.626 --> 00:07:29.999 [Doctor Woods:] And that's even better. We'll drop in on Wendy right now . 00:07:33.999 --> 00:07:36.999 [Wendy:] Hello, sweetheart. 00:07:36.999 --> 00:07:39.751 [Jim:] Hello, darling. 00:07:44.417 --> 00:07:51.999 [Wendy:] Jim, something is wrong. I can tell by the look on your face. 00:07:51.999 --> 00:07:52.999 What is it, doctor? 00:07:52.999 --> 00:07:59.999 [Doctor Woods:] Well, we made routine tests of your urine and blood here in the hospital and both tests show sugar. 00:07:59.999 --> 00:08:05.459 [Wendy:] Sugar? 00:08:05.459 --> 00:08:07.999 But that means...? 00:08:07.999 --> 00:08:11.999 [Doctor Woods:] Yes, diabetes. 00:08:11.999 --> 00:08:13.792 [Wendy:] Oh, Jim! 00:08:13.792 --> 00:08:14.999 [Jim:] [There there, dear?] 00:08:14.999 --> 00:08:19.999 [Wendy:] Oh, Jim. What are we going to do. I wish we'd never been married. 00:08:19.999 --> 00:08:23.999 [Doctor Woods:] Wait a minute, Wendy. I thought you were a sensible girl. 00:08:23.999 --> 00:08:36.999 [Wendy:] Dr. Woods, you don't understand. We wanted children. I know what diabetes means. I know a girl who has it. They told her that she could never have a baby. 00:08:36.999 --> 00:08:48.999 [Doctor Woods:] Listen to me, Wendy, you and Jim certainly can have children. The chance of diabetes affecting your children is small. We won't worry about it now. 00:08:48.999 --> 00:08:52.999 [Wendy:] But I, I feel so afraid. 00:08:52.999 --> 00:08:58.999 [Doctor Woods:] Look here. It's a fact that heredity is important in diabetes. 00:08:58.999 --> 00:09:11.999 Children in diabetic families have a far greater chance of winding up with the disease than those in families without it, but the chance is well worth running unless both parents have the disease. 00:09:11.999 --> 00:09:24.999 Now, as for you, we know about it soon enough to bring you under good control. You can live in comfort and security and you certainly can have children if you cooperate in your treatment. 00:09:24.999 --> 00:09:28.999 [Wendy:] I'll try. Oh, my arm hurts. 00:09:28.999 --> 00:09:36.999 [Doctor Woods:] Of course it does, but you know, Wendy, that accident was probably the luckiest thing that ever happened to you. 00:09:38.999 --> 00:09:51.999 Strange how surprised I'd been to find diabetes in Wendy. Hardly any symptoms that might have warned me, and yet that's often the case as 20 years practice here in Greendale has certainly taught me. 00:09:51.999 --> 00:10:06.918 Jake Wilson, for example, I never knew Jake was deliberately concealing his symptoms. He let things go so long that Dr. van Voorhies and I had to take part of Jake's right leg three years ago. 00:10:06.999 --> 00:10:17.999 And Tommy Higgins. Just couldn't seem to get a hit anymore. It was breaking his heart. Diabetes often affects eyesight. Tommy's under good control now. 00:10:17.999 --> 00:10:31.999 Emma Thorndike. Anybody could have seen she was a set up for diabetes. It strikes much often among fat people. Emma really hated giving up those chocolates, but it saved her life. 00:10:33.999 --> 00:10:42.375 It's amazing how suddenly diabetes seems to begin in children. On Thursday, a mother told me little Janey Barrett began complaining about being tired. 00:10:42.375 --> 00:10:55.999 She started asking for water every few minutes; a danger signal. Luckily Mrs. Barrett brought her to me right away. Janey is on insulin now and doing well. 00:10:58.999 --> 00:11:09.501 Shortly after sending Wendy home I stopped in to see her; it was on a Saturday. 00:11:09.501 --> 00:11:10.999 Hello, Jim. 00:11:10.999 --> 00:11:11.792 [Jim:] Hello, doctor. 00:11:11.792 --> 00:11:11.999 [Doctor Woods:] Hello, Wendy. 00:11:11.999 --> 00:11:13.999 [Wendy:] Hello, Dr. Woods. 00:11:13.999 --> 00:11:17.292 [Doctor Woods:] Jim, how is our patient today? 00:11:17.292 --> 00:11:22.999 [Jim:] She looks okay to me, doctor, but man, oh, man, is she ever a hard one to get along with. 00:11:22.999 --> 00:11:29.999 [Wendy:] Don't you believe it, doctor. This person just won't follow orders in regard to housework. 00:11:29.999 --> 00:11:35.999 [Jim:] Oh, I'll get even with you. Excuse me, doctor, I've got Wendy's lunch on the stove. 00:11:35.999 --> 00:11:38.292 [Doctor Woods:] Go right ahead, Jim. 00:11:38.292 --> 00:11:39.999 [Wendy:] Put your coat over there, doctor. 00:11:39.999 --> 00:11:49.999 [Doctor Woods:] Thanks, Wendy. Now, young lady tell me just how do you feel? 00:11:49.999 --> 00:11:55.999 [Wendy:] Well, I'm still a little sore and stiff but otherwise I'm fine and Jim has been so considerate. 00:11:55.999 --> 00:11:57.918 [Jim:] It's ready. 00:11:57.918 --> 00:11:59.999 [Doctor Woods:] [Laughter] 00:11:59.999 --> 00:12:03.999 [Jim:] Come and get it. I'll bring it in. 00:12:03.999 --> 00:12:12.999 [Wendy:] Oh, you saved my life. I'm starving. 00:12:12.999 --> 00:12:20.417 [Doctor Woods:] [Laughter] You've got the right idea, Jim, but you might let her have just a little bit more. 00:12:20.417 --> 00:12:22.334 [Jim:] Okay, doctor. 00:12:22.334 --> 00:12:30.999 [Wendy:] I should say so. I guess I just love eating. What's wrong with that anyhow? It wasn't making me fat. 00:12:30.999 --> 00:12:46.999 [Doctor Woods:] No, but it was making your diabetes worse. You see a normal person has plenty of insulin to handle a lot of sugars and starches, but your trouble is that you don't have enough insulin. 00:12:46.999 --> 00:12:49.999 [Jim:] So it stands to reason you have to go light on the starchy stuff. 00:12:49.999 --> 00:12:58.999 [Doctor Woods:] That's right, Jim. Insulin is necessary for the proper use of starches and sugars. 00:12:58.999 --> 00:13:09.375 Now, with diabetic people careful diet and other precautions are a great help, but when they're not enough we can, thank goodness, call on outside help. 00:13:09.375 --> 00:13:18.999 And here it is in this little box. Insulin, one of the greatest discoveries in medical history. 00:13:18.999 --> 00:13:24.999 We're starting you off on insulin, Wendy. I don't know whether you'll stay on it or not. 00:13:24.999 --> 00:13:32.999 Most people do. Your life and happiness are secure as long as we have insulin to give you. 00:13:32.999 --> 00:13:44.626 You look pretty good. Well, you better be getting to your lunch and I better be getting to my other patients. 00:13:44.626 --> 00:13:50.083 Wendy was getting along even better than I had expected. She had gone back to work just a week ago. 00:13:50.083 --> 00:13:56.999 [Man:] Thank you. Say, you weren't here the last time I came in. 00:13:56.999 --> 00:13:58.999 [Wendy:] No, I was home for a few days. 00:13:58.999 --> 00:14:04.999 [Man:] Oh, that's right. My wife was telling me. You had diabetes wasn't it? 00:14:04.999 --> 00:14:07.999 [Wendy:] Well, I still have it I guess. 00:14:07.999 --> 00:14:13.999 [Man:] Well, I'm glad I came in. You didn't know my younger sister, Kelly, did you? 00:14:13.999 --> 00:14:15.999 [Wendy:] No, I don't believe I did. 00:14:15.999 --> 00:14:22.999 [Man:] A couple of years ago they told her she had diabetes, but she didn't pay attention to what those doctors told her. 00:14:22.999 --> 00:14:23.999 [Wendy:] Oh, she didn't? 00:14:23.999 --> 00:14:33.999 [Man:] No, and she got it all right. She just took Witherspoon's Golden Remedy every morning and night right up until the day she died. 00:14:33.999 --> 00:14:40.501 [Doctor Woods:] Wendy seemed to be getting a lot of free advice. First, it didn't bother her. 00:14:41.999 --> 00:14:43.999 [Mrs. Barton:] Well, Wendy? 00:14:43.999 --> 00:14:48.999 [Wendy:] Why, Mrs. Barton. How are you? You never did come to see our little place. 00:14:48.999 --> 00:14:50.501 [Mrs. Barton:] Yes, I know. 00:14:50.501 --> 00:14:59.999 [Mrs. Barton:] But I heard about your trouble, my dear, and I didn't want to be getting in the way at a time like this. Diabetes is such a terrible thing. 00:14:59.999 --> 00:15:02.999 [Wendy:] Oh, I'm getting along just fine, Mrs. Barton. 00:15:02.999 --> 00:15:18.999 [Mrs. Barton:] Yes, I know but...you never can tell. Now, Mrs. Cameron, she just kept right on going downhill. I don't know how many people I've known that died -- 00:15:18.999 --> 00:15:21.375 [Wendy:] Dr. Woods says there's nothing to worry about. 00:15:21.375 --> 00:15:26.999 [Mrs. Barton:] Well, I hope he's right, but, well, good-bye, my dear. 00:15:26.999 --> 00:15:32.999 [Wendy:] Good-bye. 00:15:33.334 --> 00:15:53.999 [Doctor Woods:] Poor Wendy was becoming the target for too much uninformed talk, especially her Great Aunt Henrietta's. That old lady was inspecting Wendy's new home for the first time. 00:15:53.999 --> 00:15:58.999 [Great Aunt Henrietta:] You're going to have a baby? 00:15:58.999 --> 00:16:01.250 [Wendy:] Well, I hope so. 00:16:01.250 --> 00:16:13.626 [Great Aunt Henrietta:] Sit down, Wendy, I want to talk to you. You can't have a baby with diabetes. 00:16:13.626 --> 00:16:14.292 [Wendy:] Oh, but I -- 00:16:14.292 --> 00:16:20.999 [Great Aunt Henrietta:] -- don't you know you can't have a baby? 00:16:21.792 --> 00:16:29.999 [Doctor Woods:] Worried, unhappy and confused, Wendy and her husband, Jim, came to my office the next afternoon. I guess I laid down the law to them pretty hard. 00:16:29.999 --> 00:16:43.667 Nothing gets me madder than loose medical talk by people who don't know what they're talking about. It's dangerous. I think I cleared things up pretty well with Wendy and Jim and they are a sensible pair. 00:16:43.999 --> 00:16:47.999 [Music] 00:16:47.999 --> 00:16:49.999 [Door with sign that reads, "Delivery Rooom."] 00:16:49.999 --> 00:17:04.999 Well, the rest of the story goes pretty fast, and happily. Jim was nervous in the waiting room but it was my pleasure to announce to him that he was the father of a fine new baby boy. 00:17:05.334 --> 00:17:14.999 My, were they proud on the day they brought the infant, Jimmy, home for the first time. 00:17:17.999 --> 00:17:28.292 As Jimmy grew older, Wendy and Jim would have faced anything together for that little child. Jimmie's second birthday rolled around. 00:17:28.292 --> 00:17:34.999 There have been a couple of others since. Big Jim was always bringing something home for that youngster seems to me. 00:17:34.999 --> 00:17:45.999 I made one call on the family back during the chicken pox season when Jimmy was three. Now that he's a big grown up four, he and Wendy just drop by occasionally for a checkup. 00:17:45.999 --> 00:17:50.999 What a sturdy young fellow that Jimmy is. A nice kid too. 00:17:50.999 --> 00:17:59.999 [ Doctor gives Jimmy a lollipop. ] 00:17:59.999 --> 00:18:05.999 Well, that's about all there is to the story I wanted to tell you. The story of Wendy Hill. 00:18:05.999 --> 00:18:18.125 Oh, yes, Wendy is going to have another baby. Her husband, Jim, doesn't know it yet. He'll know before very long though. He's meeting Wendy and Jimmy downstairs. 00:18:19.999 --> 00:18:28.999 Yes, I guess the worst thing about trouble is running away from it, letting fear keep you from doing what you should do. Wendy Hill knows that today. 00:18:28.999 --> 00:18:44.999 There's no earthly reason, now that we have insulin, why people with diabetes if they act soon enough can't live long and happy lives. Lives where they can sometimes do some good for other people too. 00:18:44.999 --> 00:18:50.375 [ Background Music ] 00:18:50.375 --> 00:18:53.083 [Doctor looks at clock.] 00:18:53.083 --> 00:19:00.542 Miss Malone, I guess it's just about time for me to have my own insulin. 00:19:00.999 --> 00:19:06.459 [ Background Music ] 00:19:06.999 --> 00:19:13.999 [The End]