Dr. Sanada is an alcoholic, in part due to the despair that constantly assails him as he tries to keep the inhabitants of a post-World War II Tokyo slum as healthy as possible. Food and medical supplies are scarce, the neighborhood is around an open sewer, and the only place to buy medicines is the black market-- controlled by the Yakuza. Matsunaga, a young yakuza with a violent temper, seeks Sanada's help to remove a bullet from his hand, but Matsunaga's cough catches the doctor's attention. What follows is a wrestling match for Matsunaga's life. Will he follow Sanada's instructions and make the smart, healthy decision, or will he let the fabled yakuza code of honor destroy him?