Dr. Stevens seems to miss the fact that Dorothy has a constant sore throat, swollen glands, and fevers which don't suggest anything to do with depression or, as Dr. Budd calls it, getting old. Yet, that actually happened often when chronic fatigue syndrome was first discovered. It wasn't until 1988 that the CDC first defined the disorder.
Written by the show's creator, Susan Harris, this is based on her own battle she was going through at the creation of the show.
Rose's $6 glass of tomato juice would be ~$12.00 in 2019, adjusted for inflation.