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Cursed (House)
Encyclopedia
"Cursed" is the thirteenth episode of the first season of House
, which premiered on the Fox
network on March 1, 2005. After consulting a Ouija board on his life, a young boy thinks that he is going to die.
) is taken to the Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital after he collapses with a rash on his arm and a developing pneumonia
. Foreman
suggests the presence of chlamydia, while Chase
believes it is caused by tick bites. While the team collects fluid from the rash, Gabe's father Jeffrey (Nestor Carbonell
), a notable donor to the hospital, bickers with his separated wife, Sarah (Tracy Middendorf
). Chase takes Gabe aside to ease the tension, and asks if he went to anywhere in particular. Gabe states a week ago after school, he went to a secret clubhouse meeting in an attic of an abandoned house and slipped on something, developing the rash. As Chase prepares to leave to investigate, his estranged father, rheumatologist
Rowan Chase (Patrick Bauchau
), comes in and hopes to speak with him. Chase immediately brushes him off, sparking interest from House
.
Chase returns with the sample from the attic and upon examination, the team is bewildered to discover Gabe is infected with anthrax
. He is quickly put on Levaquin but immediately develops an allergic reaction and goes into arrest. Rowan suggests sarcoidosis
, but Chase is still determined that it is anthrax. The rest of the team sides with Rowan, until necrosis
presents itself in Gabe, indicating anthrax. House
believes they're both right, and deduces anthrax triggered a dormant sarcoidosis. Gabe is treated with antibiotics for the anthrax and methotrexate
for the sarcoidosis, but skin lesions begin spreading throughout his body.
The team now diagnoses an autoimmune disease, although Chase states this is suggested because Rowan is a rheumatologist. To prove his father wrong, he runs various autoimmune tests, as he argues with Rowan that it cannot be autoimmune. House questions Rowan about his presence at the hospital. Rowan replies he is here to see his son, but House thinks otherwise, knowing that Rowan abandoned him and his alcoholic mother years ago. Chase shows the tests to House, who sides with Rowan's theory of autoimmune. At the same time, House asks if Chase knows the reason why Rowan is here, which Chase believes is a conference. House confronts Rowan, noting his macrobiotic diet and neck tattoo for guiding radiation treatment, suggesting cancer. Rowan confirms stage 4 lung cancer
, and tells House it is none of his business, knowing that he will eventually inform Chase, due to his curious nature. House takes notice and does not reveal this to Chase.
When Gabe's right hand and forearm are paralyzed, with a returning high fever, the team and Rowan diagnose neurofibromatosis
, but scans show no signs of it. House recalls Jeffrey suggesting leishmaniasis
and filariasis
, which are exclusive to Southeast Asia
and confronts him, asking if he has ever been there. Jeffrey confesses he spent two years in India
, where he lost all his money after joining an ashram
and was too ashamed to tell anyone. House immediately diagnoses Gabe with leprosy
, which he deduces Jeffrey also has, evidenced by damage to his ulnar nerve which was misdiagnosed as carpal tunnel syndrome
. House states when the Levaquin staved off the leprosy, Gabe's body produced antibodies to finish off the dying bacteria. These antibodies then attacked the neural and fat cells, leading to the rest of his symptoms. Both father and son are treated for leprosy.
As Chase checks in with Gabe, who is angry his father lied to him, he assures the teenager that fathers always love their children, even when things seem bad. When Gabe answers that he does not love his father, Chase replies, "Yeah, you do. There's nothing you can do about it. He's your dad. It doesn't matter what he does; you're going to love him." Heeding his own words, Chase heads to Rowan's hotel to catch him before he leaves for the airport, hoping for a drink to catch up, but Rowan must return to Australia
. Chase promises to visit him in the next year, and hugs his father.
House (TV series)
House is an American television medical drama that debuted on the Fox network on November 16, 2004. The show's central character is Dr. Gregory House , an unconventional and misanthropic medical genius who heads a team of diagnosticians at the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in...
, which premiered on the Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
network on March 1, 2005. After consulting a Ouija board on his life, a young boy thinks that he is going to die.
Plot
Twelve-year-old Gabe Reilich (Daryl SabaraDaryl Sabara
Daryl Christopher Sabara is an American film and television actor. He is perhaps best known for playing Juni Cortez in the Spy Kids film series, as well as for a variety of television and film appearances, including Wizards of Waverly Place, Father of the Pride, The Polar Express, Keeping Up with...
) is taken to the Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital after he collapses with a rash on his arm and a developing pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
. Foreman
Eric Foreman
Eric Foreman, M.D., is a fictional character on the Fox medical drama House. He is portrayed by Omar Epps.-Background:A neurologist, Foreman was a member of Dr. Gregory House's handpicked team of specialists at Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital's Diagnostic Medicine Department...
suggests the presence of chlamydia, while Chase
Robert Chase
Dr. Robert Chase is a fictional character on the Fox medical drama House. He is portrayed by Jesse Spencer. His character was a part of the team of diagnosticians who worked under Gregory House until the end of the third season when House fires him. However, he was then re-hired in season 6...
believes it is caused by tick bites. While the team collects fluid from the rash, Gabe's father Jeffrey (Nestor Carbonell
Nestor Carbonell
Nestor Gastón Carbonell is an American actor, known for portraying Richard Alpert in ABC's drama Lost and Mayor Anthony Garcia in the film The Dark Knight...
), a notable donor to the hospital, bickers with his separated wife, Sarah (Tracy Middendorf
Tracy Middendorf
Tracy Lynn Middendorf is an American television, movie, and stage actress.-Personal life:Middendorf was born in Miami Beach, Florida. She attended Pickens High School in Jasper, Georgia. In 1987, during her senior year, she left Jasper to take drama classes in Miami, and later attended SUNY Purchase...
). Chase takes Gabe aside to ease the tension, and asks if he went to anywhere in particular. Gabe states a week ago after school, he went to a secret clubhouse meeting in an attic of an abandoned house and slipped on something, developing the rash. As Chase prepares to leave to investigate, his estranged father, rheumatologist
Rheumatology
Rheumatology is a sub-specialty in internal medicine and pediatrics, devoted to diagnosis and therapy of rheumatic diseases. Clinicians who specialize in rheumatology are called rheumatologists...
Rowan Chase (Patrick Bauchau
Patrick Bauchau
Patrick Nicolas Jean Sixte Ghislain Bauchau is a Belgian actor.-Early life:Bauchau was born in Brussels, the son of Mary , a Russian-born school administrator and publisher, and Henry Bauchau, a school administrator, publisher, writer, and psychoanalyst who served as an officer in the Belgian...
), comes in and hopes to speak with him. Chase immediately brushes him off, sparking interest from House
Gregory House
Gregory House, M.D., or simply referred to as House, is a fictional antihero and title character of the American television series House, played by Hugh Laurie. He is the Chief of Diagnostic Medicine at the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital, where he leads a team of diagnosticians...
.
Chase returns with the sample from the attic and upon examination, the team is bewildered to discover Gabe is infected with anthrax
Anthrax
Anthrax is an acute disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Most forms of the disease are lethal, and it affects both humans and other animals...
. He is quickly put on Levaquin but immediately develops an allergic reaction and goes into arrest. Rowan suggests sarcoidosis
Sarcoidosis
Sarcoidosis , also called sarcoid, Besnier-Boeck disease or Besnier-Boeck-Schaumann disease, is a disease in which abnormal collections of chronic inflammatory cells form as nodules in multiple organs. The cause of sarcoidosis is unknown...
, but Chase is still determined that it is anthrax. The rest of the team sides with Rowan, until necrosis
Necrosis
Necrosis is the premature death of cells in living tissue. Necrosis is caused by factors external to the cell or tissue, such as infection, toxins, or trauma. This is in contrast to apoptosis, which is a naturally occurring cause of cellular death...
presents itself in Gabe, indicating anthrax. House
Gregory House
Gregory House, M.D., or simply referred to as House, is a fictional antihero and title character of the American television series House, played by Hugh Laurie. He is the Chief of Diagnostic Medicine at the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital, where he leads a team of diagnosticians...
believes they're both right, and deduces anthrax triggered a dormant sarcoidosis. Gabe is treated with antibiotics for the anthrax and methotrexate
Methotrexate
Methotrexate , abbreviated MTX and formerly known as amethopterin, is an antimetabolite and antifolate drug. It is used in treatment of cancer, autoimmune diseases, ectopic pregnancy, and for the induction of medical abortions. It acts by inhibiting the metabolism of folic acid. Methotrexate...
for the sarcoidosis, but skin lesions begin spreading throughout his body.
The team now diagnoses an autoimmune disease, although Chase states this is suggested because Rowan is a rheumatologist. To prove his father wrong, he runs various autoimmune tests, as he argues with Rowan that it cannot be autoimmune. House questions Rowan about his presence at the hospital. Rowan replies he is here to see his son, but House thinks otherwise, knowing that Rowan abandoned him and his alcoholic mother years ago. Chase shows the tests to House, who sides with Rowan's theory of autoimmune. At the same time, House asks if Chase knows the reason why Rowan is here, which Chase believes is a conference. House confronts Rowan, noting his macrobiotic diet and neck tattoo for guiding radiation treatment, suggesting cancer. Rowan confirms stage 4 lung cancer
Cancer staging
The stage of a cancer is a description of the extent the cancer has spread. The stage often takes into account the size of a tumor, how deeply it has penetrated, whether it has invaded adjacent organs, how many lymph nodes it has metastasized to , and whether it has spread to distant organs...
, and tells House it is none of his business, knowing that he will eventually inform Chase, due to his curious nature. House takes notice and does not reveal this to Chase.
When Gabe's right hand and forearm are paralyzed, with a returning high fever, the team and Rowan diagnose neurofibromatosis
Neurofibromatosis
Neurofibromatosis is a genetically-inherited disorder in which the nerve tissue grows tumors that may be benign or may cause serious damage by compressing nerves and other tissues...
, but scans show no signs of it. House recalls Jeffrey suggesting leishmaniasis
Leishmaniasis
Leishmaniasis is a disease caused by protozoan parasites that belong to the genus Leishmania and is transmitted by the bite of certain species of sand fly...
and filariasis
Filariasis
Filariasis is a parasitic disease and is considered an infectious tropical disease, that is caused by thread-like nematodes belonging to the superfamily Filarioidea, also known as "filariae"....
, which are exclusive to Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
and confronts him, asking if he has ever been there. Jeffrey confesses he spent two years in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, where he lost all his money after joining an ashram
Ashram
Traditionally, an ashram is a spiritual hermitage. Additionally, today the term ashram often denotes a locus of Indian cultural activity such as yoga, music study or religious instruction, the moral equivalent of a studio or dojo....
and was too ashamed to tell anyone. House immediately diagnoses Gabe with leprosy
Leprosy
Leprosy or Hansen's disease is a chronic disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Named after physician Gerhard Armauer Hansen, leprosy is primarily a granulomatous disease of the peripheral nerves and mucosa of the upper respiratory tract; skin lesions...
, which he deduces Jeffrey also has, evidenced by damage to his ulnar nerve which was misdiagnosed as carpal tunnel syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is an entrapment idiopathic median neuropathy, causing paresthesia, pain, and other symptoms in the distribution of the median nerve due to its compression at the wrist in the carpal tunnel. The pathophysiology is not completely understood but can be considered compression...
. House states when the Levaquin staved off the leprosy, Gabe's body produced antibodies to finish off the dying bacteria. These antibodies then attacked the neural and fat cells, leading to the rest of his symptoms. Both father and son are treated for leprosy.
As Chase checks in with Gabe, who is angry his father lied to him, he assures the teenager that fathers always love their children, even when things seem bad. When Gabe answers that he does not love his father, Chase replies, "Yeah, you do. There's nothing you can do about it. He's your dad. It doesn't matter what he does; you're going to love him." Heeding his own words, Chase heads to Rowan's hotel to catch him before he leaves for the airport, hoping for a drink to catch up, but Rowan must return to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Chase promises to visit him in the next year, and hugs his father.
External links
- "Cursed" at Fox.com