In the hospital, it is time for the ward round. A patient called Nemasta is recovering from a stomach operation and has been put on a special diet. The doctor has already allowed another patient, Sehnout, to eat and drink to his heart's content. Sehnout is a notorious alcoholic and takes this to mean that he is also allowed to drink alcohol. The nurse Janička brings him a bottle. Sehnout announces that his illness is terminal and this is why he no longer has any restrictions. He gets drunk almost immediately and soon collapses. Doctor Kabeš, who answers the emergency call, is Sehnout's friend, but even he cannot convince the patient that the state of his health has indeed improved.
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