The latest intake of male patients at Lenton Sanatorium for tuberculosis are a mixed bunch: joining long-term patient Henry are weedy youth Christopher; incorrigible ladies' man Ian; contemplative Bob; goofy George; and burly Welsh miner John, who refuses to believe he is unwell for the first time in his life.

Whilst Ian follows the habits of a lifetime by instantly attempting to charm the female staff - including their ward's leading nurse, Catty - Henry's problems are quite different: a single chess obsessive and seller of encyclopaedias, his sister appears to be his only friend; she writes every day, and consequently sits in silence with nothing to say when she visits!

Chris, meanwhile, has no experience with women (or, it seems, much else) and is roundly unsure of himself, but falls head-over-heels for young nurse Dorothy - and predictably has no idea how to tell her. John, on the other hand, is put out when he is admitted for long-term treatment, forcing his wife to seek employment for the first time in her life.

The situation looks altogether less rosy for Bob: after a visit in which his girlfriend Joyce seems increasingly distracted, Catty sees her leaving and fall into the embrace of another man.

Back on the ward, the men's personalities and egos initially clash as much as their love lives, but as the months progress and their health slowly improves, a respect - if not friendship - grows amidst the group, each egging on and supporting the others. It's only a matter of time before they can make it twice around the daffodil bed without gasping for breath, and thus be discharged, but they've got to sort out their romances first!