Dr. med. Job Prätorius enjoys great popularity among patients, doctors and students alike thanks to his kindness and philanthropy. Only his colleague Prof. Speiter begrudges him his success. When his patient Maria Violetta wants to commit suicide because of an extramarital pregnancy, Prätorius takes care of the young woman. When he tries to gently prepare her father for the news, the latter considers Praetorius to be a more than welcome admirer of his daughter. As a deep affection develops between the doctor and his patient, the two eventually marry. Their private happiness fuels Prof. Speiter's envy. With the help of Praetorius' mysterious factotum Shunderson, he finally believes that he can uncover some dark secrets from the doctor's past. But Praetorius manages to refute all the accusations in a court of honor with wit and astonishing revelations.