Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
The control group contains scenes of realistic violence and graphic sexuality.
It is intended for mature listeners. In the field of
(00:24):
psychiatric medicine, it was an exciting time, a time of
innovation and discovery, a time when mental health institutions struggled
to redefine themselves, to become something more than repositories of
the sick. Un Orthodox methods and aggressive therapies were not
only permitted, but encouraged. This is a record of that time.
(00:45):
This is the control group. Mm hmmm, Dr Hayes, we're
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in here. We took the liberty of creating a little
space here. The ground's current has been notified that you're
conducting a bit of special research tonight. I don't expect
we'll be disturbed. Where's ms Myers? Oh, Karen was in
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the sleep room, drug induced deep sleep. It's taken longer
than expected to get her on her feet. When can
we expect soon? And Charlotte, she's here? Who's that? Dr Hayes.
This is Morgan Hall h h how do you do? However?
(02:07):
I want to Charlotte, Okay, not really damned if I
can figure out what's going on with her. She don't
know what from down. She can't hardly talk. You sure
did a number on her. Dark I thought we could
say that she had a mental relapse, left the house,
was picked up by the police, disoriented, and they brought
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her here for observation. Yes, I suppose that could work,
but it would be messys you remember Dr Godfrey. Of course,
we just we want to just weigh our options, see
if we can determine bacon parton. Excuse me, gentlemen, I
think this might clarify things. Do you own a house?
(02:49):
Dr Hayes, You everyone a house. I own a house.
Sometimes when you own a house, it becomes damaged due
to your own negligence. In this case, I'm talking specifically
about your own negligence. Flooded basement, termites, dry rot, what
have you now? You could spend years, your entire life
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savings trying to fix it up, make it livable again.
You're still with me, yes, But at a certain point
you put down the hammer and the screwdriver. You realize
it might be better for everyone if you just burn
the house down and collect the insurance. You're not helping.
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I'm putting it in terms he'll understand. Is he suggesting
what I think he's suggests Charlotte, God bless her. She
will never be the same, I mean not after what
you've not to mention. She has been inside the safe house,
She's seen the inside of the operation. She was also
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abducted and help host goff Summer. How are we going
to explicit Listen, I can handle this situation. I can.
I can personally guarantee that word of this whole incident
will never spread beyond these walls. You would agree it
is a mess. It is mess. Yes, must at least
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consider the opportunity we have before us. Opportunity, let's not
be so hasty has to pass it. Bossum Er Hill,
please explain to Dr Gottlieb that it's Godfrey godfreed, godfreed
that that I have a longtime relationship with a family.
(04:34):
Sure you know the expression terminal studies. It's a concept
often discussed within our group. We yearn for the opportunity
to conduct them, but lament the fact that we are
forbidden to do so, at least on American soil. And
as we were planning this Litt'll get together with Mr Hall,
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we realized this is it. We hadn't planned it, but
the opportunity to conduct terminal experiments. Is standing right here
with us terminal experiment. To follow the course of an
experiment to its absolute and proper conclusion. It is every
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researcher's dream, and whether you deserve it or not, it's
now yours, summer hill. He isn't suggesting, can't deny. There's
a logic to it, a convenient solution to our little problem.
If nothing else, man, both of you, I won't be
a part of the trade. You must you see the
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nature of Charlotte's conditioning is such that she is obedient
to your command and you're alone. Shall I recite the words?
What what kind of experiment? What kind of experiment are
you suggest? Same week before? M hm h. Just through
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here and around this corner. The hospital basement is an
emergency shelter, and this is a barricaded door. From the outside,
it looks like a sewer cover. If they're watching the doors,
they'll never see it. Here. Let me help you, okay,
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My car is just over there. Let's hurry. H m
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hm hm. Where are we going to the police? Absolutely
not garret. Look, I'm getting you out of here. I
thought I could hide you somewhere on the grounds. The
Greenhouse maybe, but they are here. We have to go here.
The people who put you here, the ones who made
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Dr Hayes do those terrible things to you, that the
s I H. E. Morgan Hall. Morgan Hall is here, Yes,
Morgan Hall, Yes, and others with him. And they have
one of our other patients, Charlotte. They have her to somehow,
they have her here and and they intended I don't
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know Morgan Hall has Charlotte as a hostage to trade
for me. I don't know. It's it's it's possible. Well,
then you need to take me to them. Don't be stupid.
If you walk into that house, Karen, You're dead. There
isn't a single doubt in my walk into that house.
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What's going to happen to Charlotte? Everything? I'm trying stop?
Look at me? All right? Okay? How many are there? Four?
Two men from the s G. Morgan Hall and Dr
Hayes and Charlotte five? Okay? All right? Now what can
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I do? I'm going with you, Padre. It's too dangerous, Karen. Period.
They might be aren't. Oh they're aren't. How are you going?
I don't know. I'll figure it out. Come on, we
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can do this, okay, ye? Shall I bring her out?
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But by all means, Hello, Charlotte, I am very pleased
to meet you. You are providing us with a rare
and very special opportunity, and we thank you for the privilege.
(09:42):
All right, did my My name is Dr Godfried, and
we would like to ask you to perform some simple
tasks for us. Would you mind I surrender my will
to Dr Hayes. I allow Dr Hayes access to all
my secrets. Is that I get over all control of
the conditioning. Dr Hayes, would you mind terribly not at all?
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Begin with a pill? Sure? Hello, Charlotte, I'm so glad
you're sifted arte? Am I Charlotte? Or am I Karen?
Doctor Hayes? Which one am I? Which are you? M hm?
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In this cup? There is a pill. It is a
cyanide pill. Do you know what cyanide is? Poison? That's right?
We I I would like you to swallow this and
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i'd pill even though it will result in your certain death.
Will you do that? Why? Because I am commanding you?
Took satisfied? Now? I think she knew it was a placebo?
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How could she know? I could ready bear written on
it all the way over here. Dr Gottfried, what else
have you got on that track? Let's see pills? Flame
you a scalpel. This will leave no room for doubt.
Dr Hayes, What am I supposed to do with you her? Huh?
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Have her? Charlotte? Take that careful? This end is extremely sharp?
Got it? Well? Let's go haze quiet? Please, I am
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I want you to take the sharp end of the
blade and cut yourself with it where anywhere your arm,
just the neck? Nope, what is she's gonna do it?
She needs to actually do it? How so? You know how?
So the inside of the rest, so not the rest? Please?
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Why not? Because she wants them? She might actually do it.
Isn't that the point? Not for her to actually do it.
We're testing her willingness to comply. Isn't that enough? We
test her willingness to do something unless she actually does it.
I should slash my wrist. Is that what you're telling
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me to do? Lengthwise? And not just the surface, but deep, completely,
severing the arteries and veins. First, one wrist? Is that
what you're telling me to do? Moment of truth, Hayes,
it is cut your wrists. It's okay, do it? Quickly, Charlotte, stop,
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who's this? That's very tree. She's one of mine. Dr Hayes.
I've brought Karen. She's still a little unsteady on her feet.
So so this is Karen? That's her? All right? Are
you sure? Jesus? What are they done? Thee doesn't look
anything like her? Just you wait, pardon me? Do you
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have the same control over her as you have over Charlotte?
I believe so. Really, let's give her the knife thing.
Whoa whoa, whoa whoa? Hold up a second here, you
want to kill the other one, fine, but you can't
have Karen. She's mine. I don't care. But she don't
have been useful to you at one time. But just
put her through. She's not going to be a reliable
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source of anything anymore. Besides, she gave you up. She
exposed everything, including your name. At this point, she's nothing
but a liability. Face it, Morgan, Time to collect the insurance.
She's all used up. Let me talk to her. Karen,
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You hear me. You have getten yourself into a hell
of um as little girl? You know that. What do
you got to say about all this? If I am
ever to get better again, I must cooperate with Dr Hayes.
I can trust Dr Hayes. Only when I'm absolutely healthy
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again will I be released. And only by fully cooperating
with Dr Hayes. You don't have to let them do
this to you may become well again. Do not confuse
the issue, Charlotte. Let Karen have the scalpel, please, it's okay.
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Let her take it there. So, Karen, what I'd like
you to do is use the scalpel to cut into
your wrist, completely, severing the arteries and veins. If that's
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what you dry, you're gonna let her die then has
a favor to me. At least be a little more
humane about it. She deserves that much. Summer Hill, give
me your weapon, buck you no one takes my gun?
Please enough, gentlemen, I got it, I got it, College moy.
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Why don't we play it my way? One shell Russian roulette?
If she pulls the trigger, we consider it a success.
That sounds good to me. No one bullet? What is that?
And she can hear you, She can calculate the odds
even in her states. Sure it's a sign of her compliance,
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but it is not proof. It is weak. It is
a bad science. You got a better idea, Yes, we
got a better idea. Huh. Six bullets, one in every chamber,
one pool of the trigger. Absolute proof. I won't do it.
It's murdered, not murder, it's that's suicide. If it's Dr Hayes.
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You cannot allow this to happen, can't You can't? What observe? Gentlemen?
One shell shell number two, three, four, five six. You're
going to let them do this? You broke her. She's
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no good to anyone anymore. Are you satisfied? Satisfied? Carry on? Hayes, Morgan,
give her the gun. It's up to you, Karen ms Myers.
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We'd like you to point the gun at your head
and I'm sorry, Doctor Hayes. Will you do the honors? Karen.
Dr Hayes, take the gun that you're holding, raise it up,
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put the muzzle of the gun under your chin. No,
that's all right, Just like that. I want you to
pull the truth quiet. Dr Hayes. Yes, Karen, Why are
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you turned away? M hm? Aren't you going to watch?
I'll watch if that's what you wanted. Oh good god,
damn did you see that that son of a bitch
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did it? I watched you put the bullets in myself,
avricate daverd dem Witz should have looked more carefully. I
palmed one bullet, left one chamber empty, the one that mattered.
At least I learned something from all that. M k
ultra horseship, sneaky bastard. Is that enough proof for you,
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summer Hill. I want my gun back. One chamber who
was empty? That's right, sweet thing, I got the bullet
right here. See. I wasn't about to turn Lucy. You
you're my price pony. Now how about give him Papa
the gun? Sure you want the gun? Dr Hayes, Raw,
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Mr Myers. That was truly impressive and a plus for
for both you and the doctor. One you should never
under Don't shoot, Karen, don't shoot please. I this wasn't
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my idea. I only have if you want to shoot someone,
shoot Hayes. He's the one who did this to what.
I have plans of my own. Put down my You're right, please,
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boys and theirs, please bergery, Karen, you okay, don't worry
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about me, Charlotte, She's fine. Hayes. I'm a little shaken up,
but I'm fine. That's not what I'm asking. You have
every right to shoot me. I wouldn't blame you, but
only by fully cooperating with me. Can you ever hope
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to become well again? Give over all control, Be respectful.
I'm not going to shoot you. A doctor. God, I'm
out of bullets. Oh don't kill him, Please don't kill him,
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Carrol Christ's sake, Charlotte, I'm sorry. Stop apologizing. Karen. You
better go. You can come to me. No, I'll stay
here and look after the women on award. Why so
they can hire a doctor with half your qualifications and
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put him in charge because he's a man. You're right,
I probably can't change that, but I'm going to stay
here and do what I was trained to do, take
care of my little award in one little hospital. I'm
a nurse. Now, you please get out of here. I'm
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going with you, Charlotte. You need to stay here owing
she can come. Charlotte is not like you. I'll take
care of revergery all right. Good morning, ladies. It's so
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good to see you again after my time away from
the ward. But I know that Gloria and Debbie have
been taking good care of you, so you were in
strong capable hands. Dr Hayes's sudden departure has enabled us
to change the way some things are done here at
Central State Hospital. I was privileged to sit down with
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the Hospital Council, the Alabama State Board of Health, and
other government officials to make recommendations about the operation of
the ward. In return, I have pledged my full cooperation
to Central State Hospital, where I will remain ward head
nurse for the foreseeable future. New Ward policies are as follows,
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effective immediately. The e C T treatment cycle is suspended
pending further evaluation. The use of the sleep room and
psychic driving are now complete and immediately terminated, and Graph
will no longer be assisting on the ward. We thank
him for his months of service. I'm especially pleased to
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announce that the greenhouse is undergoing a full renovation and
we hope to be able to plant herbs and winter
greens for the fall. While the greenhouse is being repaired,
will be organizing groups to return to the orchard to
try and put it back in working order. These projects
will be overseen by the women of Ward B. I
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will be looking to you for ideas and can assure
you that you'll find the investment of your time in
these projects to be very well rewarded. The new head
of the program is Dr Hugh Loftus, whom you'll meet
sometime this week. Dr Loftus advocates pharmacological methods of treatment
and will be prescribing a regiment of improbamine and other
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antidepressants and sedatives. He has great optimism about this form
of therapy and seems to believe it will greatly accelerate
the healing process. Without going into detail, permit me to
say that sacrifices were made in order to bring about
these changes. This is a new beginning. I urge you
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not to take these sacrifices for granted. We are extremely
fortunate that things turned out as well as they have,
but it's up to us to keep striving and reaching.
We must look at this change as an opportunity, something
to build upon, and it is our responsibility to work
together to make life here, little by little, that much
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better for everyone. It's Monday, and it's going to be
a glorious day. M The Control Group is a production
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of How Stuff Works, written and directed by Brett Wood,
recorded and mixed by Rob Gal, starring John Schmid's as
Dr Hayes, Hannah Fearman as Karen Lisa Paulson as Verdree,
Jennifer Bates as Charlotte, and Daniel May as summer Hill.
Also featuring Andrew Benader, Keith Brooks, Rachel Frawley, Shelby Hoffer,
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Mary Kraft, Kelly O'Neill, Joe Sykes, and Troy Willis. Music
by Rob Gal and Brett Wood. Additional production assistance by
Paul deckend special thanks to Sherry Larson and executive producers
Ben Bolan and Josh Clark