The physicians of County General Hospital are inundated with food poisoning victims including German tourists and members of a wedding party--all of whom ate at a German Hofbrdu.

Meanwhile, tough, talented medical resident Dr. Susan Lewis (SHERRY STRINGFIELD) saves the life of an infant who swallowed an earring. Later, she argues with the hospital's chief psychiatrist, Dr. Cvetic (JOHN TERRY - "Against The Grain," in a recurring role), regarding the fate of a senile man (ED CAMBRIDGE). Despite their argument, Lewis and Cvetic are lovers.

Confident surgical resident Dr. Peter Benton (ERIQ LA SALLE) can solve any medical problem in the emergency room. When Benton correctly diagnoses a case of thrombosis, which the victim's personal physician missed, he impresses the naove medical student, John Carter (NOAH WYLE).

Carter is assigned to deal with a patient, Liz (LIZ VASSEY), who is a frequent visitor to the emergency room. She constantly tries to seduce the doctors using real or imaginary maladies to get their attention. This time Liz has a rash on her buttocks, caused by poison oak, and Carter must examine it. Later, she asks him to come home with her, and Carter accepts.

Finally, Dr. Mark Greene (ANTHONY EDWARDS) and pediatric resident Dr. Douglas Ross (GEORGE CLOONEY) try to help the victims of a drunk driving accident, a father, mother and daughter. Also, Dr. Greene confronts an elderly husband (JOHN RANDOLPH) who insists on sustaining his dying wife on a respirator against her wishes.

With Dr. Greene's encouragement, Dr. Ross visits Nurse Carol Hathaway (JULIANNA MARGULIES), who is recuperating from a suicide attempt. The two behave awkwardly around each other. Meanwhile, Dr. Greene's wife, Jennifer (CHRISTINE HARNOS), announces that she passed the bar exam to practice law. Greene admits he has no intention of leaving the ER for private practice.