The program opens with the TV Guide citation and medal awarded to The Johns Hopkins Science Review, the first university program on the air, for its outstanding educational programming. Mortimer Loewi, Director of the DuMont Network; Kenneth Carter, general station manager of WAAM; and P. Stewart Macaulay, provost of The Johns Hopkins University, express thanks to TV Guide and pay tribute to the scientists who make the shows possible. Dr. John Spence demonstrates heart percussion, developed in 1761 by L. Auenbrugger, to outline the position and shape of the heart, which can now be done by x-ray. Dr. Francis Schwentker uses a model of the heart and a water pump to demonstrate heart activity and uses diagrams of the heart to explain the route of blood circulation, which is also shown on a human model. With the use of the heart model and diagrams, Dr. Schwentker explains the problems caused by congenital heart malformations (and the blue baby operation by Drs. Taussig and Blalock to correct it), rheumatic fever, high blood pressure, and coronary heart disease. He then demonstrates how the heart functions are studied with percussion and x-ray, stethoscope, blood pressure monitoring, electrocardiogram, heart catheters, and angiograms. Finally Dr. Schwentker notes the different ways heart problems are being prevented. An ad at the end of the show encourages viewers to contribute to their local heart fund during Heart Month.

Dermatologist Maurice Sullivan discusses the benefits of sunlight in treating some diseases; however, he notes that many diseases are caused by or aggravated by the sun. He shows a light spectrum chart and draws a diagram of the layers of the skin as they would appear under a microscope and then explains the effects different wavelengths have on the biologic activity of the skin. Ultraviolet rays, not filtered out by the stratum corneum, create the first stage of sunburn. Dr. Sullivan explains how tanning occurs then compares the stratum corneum depth and pigment of five studio models with different skin types. He shows a graph of major U.S. cities and skin cancer cases, which parallel the hours of sunlight and exposure in different geographic locations. To protect against sun damage, Dr. Sullivan recommends limiting exposure to the sun; using drugs such as quinine, zinc oxide, etc.; reapplying protective creams; and being aware of environmental conditions that filter or reflect the sun's rays.

Lynn Poole invites members of the Federal Communications Committee, meeting in Washington, DC for hearings on the use of television as an educational medium, to watch this program as a practical example of how educational institutions can bring educational programs to the American people. This is the first public showing and demonstration of a combination of x-ray photography and fluoroscopy picked up by a television receiving tube, affording both dynamic and clear internal views of patients. The equipment was constructed at The Johns Hopkins University with funds from the U.S. Public Health Service and developed by Dr. Russell H. Morgan. Dr. Morgan shows and explains the dim images of a standard fluoroscope and the static x-rays of a chest, colon, and kidney produced on a radiographic table to compare the strengths and weaknesses of each procedure. With physicist Ralph Sterm at the controls and assisted by Vernon Bowers, Ed Custer, and Roy Collier, Dr. Morgan then demonstrates his new invention, which amplifies images 300-3,000 times, and x-rays the movement of the chest and hand of Joan Hunter for viewers to see. Finally, in the first live television, inter-city diagnosis, Dr. Paul C. Hodges, at the University of Chicago, and Dr. Waldron Sennott, at the U.S. Marine Hospital in New York, observe the x-ray/fluoroscopy images broadcast on their televisions and consult with Dr. David Gould, at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, and together diagnose and prescribe treatment for a patient, machine operator James Carter, who has metal particles clearly lodged in his chest and possibly his lungs.

Celebrating the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Johns Hopkins University, this program highlights the scientific research and accomplishments of several Johns Hopkins scientists including: William Welch, whose work in pathology and bacteriology led to advances in the understanding of hog cholera, diphtheria, pneumonia, and gangrene; William Halstead, a surgeon who used cocaine as an anaesthetic and was the first to use rubber gloves in surgery; William Osler, who developed a new method of correlating medical research with clinical studies. Also highlighted are work in gynecology by Howard Kelly, embryology by Franklin Mill, hormones by John Jacob Abel, spectroscopy by Henry A. Rowland, brain surgery by Walter Dandy, fluoroscopy by Russell Morgan, and high altitude photography by Clyde Holiday. The president of Johns Hopkins University, Detlev W. Bronk, delivered an address on the importance of scientific research, explaining how curiosity for and exploration of the unknown, drives the scientist to discover new facts about our world through observation and experimentation.

This program defines biological warfare, its basis being what has happened experimentally with animals and accidentally with people, such as the Q fever epidemic. Dr. Langmuir, from the Communicable Disease Center in Atlanta, describes how an attack might contaminate air with infectious material or water supplies with contaminants spread throughout the distribution center. He also enumerates the agencies and organizations included in the public health safety net. Norman Kiefer of the Federal Civil Defense Administration suggests that we need better sampling and lab methods, vaccines, and investigation procedures to combat communicable diseases. The viewers were urged not to spread rumors but rather to request the pamphlet "What You Should Know About Biological Warfare."

Using diagrams, Dr. Lowell J. Reed first describes the history of epidemics, the origins of disease, using measles and small pox as examples, and means of transmission. He then demonstrates the epidemic theory where St is the number of people susceptible to the disease over time multiplied by 1 minus qct (the probability of a person with the disease meeting a susceptible person) equals C t+1(cases over time). Also factored into this equation is the number of people who develop an immunity to the disease after recovering from it. The theory is then tested against experience. Dr. Reed sets up an experiment demonstrating the practical application of the theory using a model. He then discusses epidemic control focusing on isolation of people who already have the disease, and immunization of people who are susceptible to the disease.

Lynn Poole discusses the work of an industrial hygienist and notes that although there are many aspects of industrial hygiene, this program focuses on atmospheric contamination and its remediation. Dr. Anna M. Baetjer describes dusts (especially silica dust) and solvents (especially carbon tetrachloride) and the research being done to determine their effect on human workers. Charles E. Couchman, a Baltimore city industrial hygienist, demonstrates how carbon monoxide testing can be done with an instrument. Hopcalyte, developed at Johns Hopkins University and University of California, is used to reduce carbon monoxide levels. Allen D. Brandt, an engineer for Bethlehem Steel, shows photographs of exhaust systems at local industries and the collection and removal of particulate matter.

The program begins with a tour of the Children's Hospital School of Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Raymond Lenhard describes the symptoms of poliomyelitis, or infantile paralysis, and treatment of the disease. In the exercise room, a physical therapist demonstrates the muscle test for fingers and shoulders and how patients progress from simple to complex exercises. Patients are shown in crutches and leg braces, in the rocking bed, and in the treatment pool doing underwater exercises. "Iron lung" respirators are demonstrated and explained. Lynn Poole interviews two patients who recovered from polio, and he alludes to research being done in polio immunization.

Volcanoes are found in certain areas of the earth that are also susceptible to earthquakes. Pressure beneath the crust of the earth forces lava and hot rocks up through the crater of volcanoes. Various types of lava and volcanic rocks are discussed.

Research in human engineering affects many operations of everyday life. Experimentation with sizes and shapes of numbers, knobs, and traffic signs can make driving safer and machines easier to operate. The first eight or nine minutes are missing from the videorecording of this program.