Script #37410; Episode #3.6; Airdate: 10/27/1973
Writer: Carroll Christensen
Director: George Fenady
Guest Cast: Richard N. Slattery, Reta Shaw, Johnnie Collins III, William
Bryant, Tony Haig, Laurie Brighton, Don Carter, Jill Chandler, Sarah Frankboner
Story: Johnny is bitten by a rattlesnake
after rescuing some joyriders whose car went over a cliff. Roy, Johnny, and Chet
attempt help the victims of a car accident in a remote area.
Goofs: (1) The helicopter engine is
winding down when it goes to p/u water (2) There was a water drop but the ground
looks awfully dry to me. (3) Just when did Roy get to change into some clean
pants? (4) When Gage is bitten by the snake, he dropped the handy-talkie and it
rolled down to the end of the car. But when they cut back, Johnny had the
handy-talkie with him. (5)
When Chet is helping Johnny in the back of the Engine, he
isn't wearing his helmet but when they change camera angles as they pull out, he is. (6) The Captain is holding the microphone backwards during the scene when
they are transporting Johnny to the hospital (Michael Norell's comment).
(7) When the engine is backing up the hill, with John and Chet on top, Chet is
sitting on the opposite side of the leg with the bite. In the next shot he is on the other
side (Did he stand up and jump over while the truck was moving?) (8) The
Tractor Driver is wearing goggles when driving the tractor, but every time they do a close
up of him, he doesn't have them on!! (9) There's no way Dr. Brackett should've skin
tested Johnny. Any time there is a severe envenomation or any sign whatsoever of
intravenous envenomation you automatically give antivenom. If there's a reaction you load
the patient up with epinephrine and steroids. Johnny's snakebite was definitely severe,
with onset of symptoms in less than 15 minutes and unconsciousness, which actually hardly
ever happens. The only time you skin test is if the need for antivenom is not known (a lot
of snake bites are actually 'dry bites' where the snake doesn't inject any venom and many
others only have local reactions). (10) You also see Johnny cut at the snakebite with a
knife while he's waiting for Hector to find a tourniquet. Then, on the tractor, you see
Chet cut again with the knife he takes from Johnny's belt. (11) Johnny put the IV in his
arm about 30 minutes prior to arriving at Rampart. When they get to Rampart the bag is
totally full, making you wonder why he even bothered. Back on the engine, John tells Marco
to get the IV ready right after he takes his BP. Marco opens the bag, but was done before
Dr. Brackett told them to use LR. How did he know which fluid to open? I was curious
during the engine ride about where that IV bag went to. IV's work on gravity, so it
needed to be higher than Johnny's arm (perhaps this explains why the bag was full when
they got to Rampart!). In fact, if you put the IV bag below the arm you get reverse flow,
with blood backing up into the IV tubing. (12) When Roy & Chet visit Johnny in the hospital Dixie says he is
in room #205 but when they go in the room you can clearly see the # is 230. (13) Look
at which side of the wrist John is taking his pulse on, wrong side. (14) As they wheel
Johnny down the hall on the gurney, his stethoscope hangs off the right side of his chest;
however, when they push him into the room, it's hanging to the left side. (15) After Dixie
sends the engine crew off for some coffee, Roy drops his hand down to his side and you can
clearly hear the sound of metal, almost as if his hip was made of metal. (16) John gets
bit by a snake on his RIGHT calf. But when they lift him to the tractor for evac he's
limping as if it's the left. Then they cut to where they are lifting him into the tractor
again and you can clearly see the wound on his RIGHT calf, and he's limping on the right
side again.
