The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse
Act I, Scene 1 Nurse Ann is in love with Dr. Clitterhouse. She has been waiting for him to return to the office at one in the morning. When he arrives he immediately wants to check his blood pressure and other vitals. She discovers some white paint on his coat. She gets a bottle of ether from his bag and discovers that he has stolen jewels from Cranston Lodge in his bag, which she promises to keep a professional secret even though she doesn't like it. Detective-Inspector Charles sees the lights on and drops in for a visit, being friends with Dr. Clitterhouse. Lady Challing, one of the previous burglary victims, has involved Scotland Yard based on the value of the stolen jewels as 2,000 pounds, and because each crime was committed four days apart, the Yard expects the next one to follow quickly. Over coffee, Charles and Clitterhouse, who know each other affectionately as Charley and Clit, discuss the burglar's methods in the Challing burglary, which Charles dismisses as the work of a rank amateur, identifying the use of the gardener's ladder, a table-knife, and a tyre-lever. As casual conversation, Clitterhouse asks Charles how one gets rid of his "swag," and Charles tells him about fences, saying that there wouldn't be any crime without them. He tells him that fences aren't very smart except for one named Benny Kellerman, who has a club of Theobald's Road. Charley is soon called at Clitterhouse's by the constable in the police box to let him know that Cranston Lodge, the home of Councillor Anderson, has been burgled and leaves to investigate. After Charles leaves, Clitterhouse explains to Ann that criminals need to be caught much earlier through investigations of their medical state and has begun studying crime by committing crimes himself in order to experiment on himself in order to learn the pathology of crime. Ann reiterates her promise to keep what he us doing confidential and promises to unload the loot at Benny Kellerman's in the morning.