Quacks

Storyline

In 1840s Britain, before anaesthetics, cocky surgeon Robert Lessing is in disgrace after sawing off rather more than a patient's leg, causing his death whilst fledgling psychiatrist - or alienist - Tom Agar recommends kindness therapy, rather than beatings, to asylum inmates, not very successfully. Tom's demonstration of phrenology to help Robert's wife Caroline leads to Caroline's own decision to try and enter the all male world of medicine whilst impoverished dentist John experiments with the use of anaesthetics. Robert's chance to redeem himself occurs when lordly Royal physician Dr Hendrick orders him to operate on the Duke of Bedford's tumour. His success will depend on two medical innovations provided by John and himself.