Ep 20. The Great Crash Diet

The show Emergency! season 5 episode 20 titled The Great Crash Diet is an American medical drama television series that aired on NBC from January 15, 1972, to May 28, 1977. The episode follows the lives of doctors and paramedics working at the fictional Rampart General Hospital in Los Angeles County, California.

At the beginning of the episode, fireman Chet Kelly (played by actor Tim Donnelly) is feeling overweight and out of shape. His colleague, paramedic John Gage (played by Randolph Mantooth), jokingly suggests that he go on a crash diet to lose weight quickly. Chet takes the advice seriously and begins a strict diet, consisting of nothing but grapefruit juice, black coffee, and hardboiled eggs.

Meanwhile, John and his partner Roy DeSoto (played by Kevin Tighe) respond to an emergency call for a man who has fallen from a ladder while trimming trees. The man, named Mr. Walker, is conscious but appears to have a broken ankle. As John and Roy prepare to lift Mr. Walker into the ambulance, they notice that he has a large, painful-looking lump on his abdomen. They quickly transport him to Rampart General Hospital for further examination. Upon arrival, Mr. Walker is diagnosed with a hernia and is scheduled for surgery.

As the episode progresses, Chet's crash diet begins to take a toll on his health. He becomes irritable, lethargic, and weak, and is unable to perform his duties as a firefighter. When the men are called to an emergency, Chet is unable to do his job and John and Roy are forced to intervene. They realize that Chet's extreme diet is the cause of his problems and urge him to stop before he causes himself serious harm.

Back at the hospital, Mr. Walker undergoes surgery to repair his hernia. The operation is successful, but the patient's recovery is complicated by a post-operative infection. The doctors and nurses work tirelessly to treat the infection and stabilize Mr. Walker's condition. Meanwhile, Roy and John respond to another emergency call, this time for a woman who has been bitten by a rattlesnake. They rush her to the hospital for treatment, where she is stabilized but remains in critical condition.

Throughout the episode, the doctors and paramedics deal with a range of medical emergencies, from minor injuries to life-threatening illnesses. They work together under the pressure of constant emergencies, displaying bravery, compassion, and professionalism in the face of adversity.

In The Great Crash Diet, the characters demonstrate the importance of maintaining good health and the dangers of extreme weight loss methods. The episode also highlights the dedication and skill of emergency medical professionals, who work tirelessly to save lives in high-stress situations. Overall, The Great Crash Diet is a gripping and action-packed episode that showcases the best of American medical drama.