MEDICAL LOGS

PHAGE
Season 1 : Episode 5

 

MEDICAL REPORT:

During an away team survey of a planetoid, an alien (later identified as a Vidiian) attacks Neelix. Neelix is transported to Sickbay in respiratory distress for which the Doctor uses blood-gas infuser, a medical instrument employed to stabilise the oxygen levels of a patient in respiratory distress. He stabilises the patient's oxygen levels for an hour or so but after that he will die as his lungs have been removed. Whoever did it used some kind of transporter to beam them directly out of his body. The Doctor uses on Neelix a cytoplasmic stimulator, a medical instrument designed to stabilise cellular toxicity levels. The Talaxian respiratory system is directly linked to multiple points along the spinal column, making it too difficult to replicate artificial lungs. The Doctor runs a respiratory series and uses a pulmonary scanner. The Doctor rejects Kes' offer of one of her lungs for transplant as no one aboard is compatible with a Talaxian. He goes on to say they will need a completely new way to oxygenate Neelix's blood supply and relay neural electrical impulses. Out of options at that moment for re-attaching the missing organs unless found within the 47 minutes, the Doctor fits Neelix with a set of holographic lungs created by using a blueprint provided by the transporter's identification matrix. The experimental lungs require Neelix to remain confined in Sickbay within an isotropic restraint for the rest of his life.

The Doctor applies the blood gas infuser to Neelix and reports: "The infuser will keep his oxygen levels stable for the next hour or so but after that he'll die. His lungs have been removed."

Holographic lungs displayed on a sickbay monitor, and the isotropic restraint chamber containing the patient.

Neelix surprises the Doctor by telling him his ceiling his "hideous" and at the patient's request, aesthetically attractive soft furnishings are added to the area around the isotropic chamber. Later, Voyager apprehends the lung thieves but with them already transplanted into a Vidiian, Janeway refuses to condemn the Vidiian to death in order for the lungs to be returned to Neelix. Kes offers one of her lungs for transplant and the Vidiians carry out the procedure in Sickbay utilising the superior medical technology that the Vidiians have developed.

a Vidiian scans the Doctor and learns he is a hologram

Neelix convalescing after receiving the transplant

DOCTOR'S LOG:

The Doctor, still serving as the ship's only medical person, confides to Kes that he is having a difficult time adjusting to the demands of a full-time physician.

MEDICAL PERSONNEL:

Paris' biochemistry classes at Starfleet Academy did not include running a respiratory series, so the Doctor does it himself. Kes' intelligent, soothing advice upon the Doctor confiding in her (see DOCTOR'S LOG) leads him to think that she might make a good medical assistant. After the transplant operation, while she is convalescing, he informs her that Janeway has granted permission for her to begin training as a medical assisant.

OTHER MEDICAL DATA:

The design specifications for a cytoplasmic stimulator are in the ship's medical database, enabling Paris to replicate the device.

ISOTROPIC RESTRAINT:

This is a medical forcefield which holds the humanoid patient totally immobile, contained within a cylinder rather longer and wider than the patient. An isotropic restraint field is used to immobilise Neelix on stardate 48532 so that holographic lungs could be projected into his body, in 2371 in this episode. It is also used to restrain the mutating body, from the neck downwards, of Paris in 2372 in order to subject his body to doses of highly-focussed antiproton radiation,  [#31 Threshold].

Neelix in isotropic restraint

DOCTOR'S QUOTE:

Sarcastically to himself about Tom Paris: "The man drives a 700,000 tonne starship so somebody thinks he'd make a good medic."