Erika and Rüdiger Dörge, both doctors, had had a long happy marriage. One day an incident occurs in the clinic where they both work, which Dr. Erika Dörge shows all of this in a new light: a seriously ill patient is struggling with death. The responsible doctor on duty, Dr. Hartke is not present, as it would have been her duty. Head physician Professor Dörge judges this misconduct, contrary to Erika's expectations, rather mildly. Erika suspects her husband is in love with the young doctor.