BIRTH

Dear Students,

 Read the document thoroughly.

 Only the highlighted portion needs to be written in your English
Notebook

Understanding Themes present in the Birth

The summary of Birth touches upon various themes which are central to not
just medical practitioners but also to humans in general.
This story teaches us how one needs to keep his/her problems aside and focus on
the situation present at the moment. This is portrayed by Andrew excellently when
he chooses to focus on delivering Mrs. Morgan’s child rather than bothering about
his fight with his girlfriend.
This story also teaches learners about how stressful situations can be handled by
prioritizing. He chooses to save the mother and then focuses on the baby even
though he was aware that the couple had been waiting to have a baby for the past
20 years. He makes a decision, shows faith in it, and sticks to it.
Lastly, this story highlights how we should avoid instant gratification and not stop
until we have given our one hundred percent in overcoming a hurdle. After saving
the mother’s life, he turns his attention towards the stillborn baby and continues to
apply everything he has learned to bring him to life.
All these efforts finally bore fruits and he leaves Mr. Morgan’s house with a sense
of satisfaction. This shows how gratifying it is for humans to put their everything
into something which everyone else assumes to be not worth it and in the end come
out with flying colours. More than anything, putting in the effort and not giving up
matters.

A. Reading With Insight

Question 1:
“I have done something; oh, God! I’ve done something real at last.” Why does
Andrew say this? What does it mean?
Answer:
The young doctor Andrew Manson had done a commendable work. His
exclamation is justified. He had not only helped the middle-aged lady in the safe
delivery of a male child but also restored them to perfect health. Susan Morgan’s
strength was ebbing after the delivery. She was almost pulse less. Andrew gave her
an injection and worked severely to strengthen her heart.
The major achievement of Andrew was to resuscitate the stillborn child. First, he
laid the child of a blanket and began the special method of respiration. Then he
tried the hot and cold water treatment dipping the baby alternately. He laboured in
vain for half an hour. He then made another last effort. He rubbed the child with a
rough towel. He went on pressing and releasing the baby’s little chest with both his
hands. At last the baby responded. His chest heaved. Andrew redoubled his efforts.
The child was gasping now. A bubble of mucus came from his tiny nostril. The
pale skin turned pink. His limbs became hard. Then came the child’s cry.
Andrew called upon God as witness of his act which was no less than a miracle. It
was not mere theoretical talk but a practical achievement—something real and
solid.

Question 2:
‘There lies a great difference between textbook medicine and the world of a
practising physician.’ Discuss.
Answer:
Normally, the medicines prescribed in the textbooks are used by the practising
physicians. However, in extreme cases of emergency, the physician’s experience,
resourcefulness and practical approach become far more important than the
theoretical knowledge. For example, a victim of bum-injury, snakebite or
suffocation through drowning needs immediate help. The nearest available doctor
may not have all the facilities needed for the case. In such a situation first-aid is a
must to save the patient’s life before rushing him to the hospital for proper care.
With limited resources at his command, the practising physician exercises all his
practical experience to control the damage to the minimum and check the victim’s
state from further deterioration. A stitch in time does save nine in such cases. The
practical help comes as a boon.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1:
Why was Andrew Manson called in? How did he react to the call of duty?
Answer:
Andrew Manson had just begun his medical practice in the small Welsh mining town of
Blaenelly. He was called in to attend to Susan Morgan, who was expecting her first child after
being married for nearly twenty years. Her husband, Joe Morgan had been waiting for an hour
outside the closed surgery. It was nearly midnight when Andrew reached there. As Joe
acquainted Andrew with his wife’s condition, Andrew forgot his own affairs. He went inside his
house for his bag and immediately left for the driller’s place.
Since his services were not immediately needed by the expecting mother, he decided to wait
downstairs. He re-examined her after an hour. It was at 3:30 am when the nurse summoned him.
He struggled for an hour before the child was born. Then he worked feverishly to revive the
weak mother and the stillborn child. He had to use all his knowledge and experience in
discharging his duty. He did not pay attention to his own physical tiredness or mental tension.
Duty came first and he responded to it with single-minded devotion.

Question 2:
Give a brief account of the efforts made by Andrew to revive the stillborn baby.

Answer:
A shiver of horror passed over Andrew as he gazed at the still form of the newborn baby.
Though it was a perfectly formed boy, its limp warm body was white. The whiteness meant
suffocation caused by lack of oxygen. Andrew remembered the treatment given to such a case in
the Samaritan. Before the hot and cold water came he had asked for, he laid the child upon a
blanket and gave it artificial respiration. Then he dipped the child alternately in hot and cold
water. Now, the child was quite slippery. He rubbed it with a rough towel. Then he pressed and
released his chest till it heaved up. It was followed by other heaves. Andrew redoubled his
efforts. The child started gasping. A bubble of mucus came from one tiny nostril. The pale skin
turned pink. The limbs were no longer boneless. His head did not lie back spinelessly. The child
gave a cry. It came alive.

Question 3:
Compare and contrast Andrew’s emotional, mental and physical state at the beginning of the
story and at the end.

Answer:
At the beginning of the story Andrew is physically tired and emotionally upset. He has just
returned from a disappointing evening with Christine, the girl he loved. His thoughts are heavy
and muddled. The episode he had witnessed at Cardiff station still filled his mind with sadness.
Though he thought of marriage as a blissful state, he couldn’t help remembering the miserable
failure of many marriages.

At the end of the story, Andrew is physically exhausted but emotionally cheerful and mentally
alert. His mind is filled with joy and self-satisfaction. He has performed an unusual feat, no less
than a miracle. He calls upon God as witness that he has done something real at last. This sense
of achievement helps him to overcome physical fatigue. His sense of duty towards his patients
helps him to attend them whole-heartedly. He forgets his personal feelings and thinks only of
reviving the patients.

Question 4:
What impression do you form of Andrew Manson on the basis of the story ‘Birth’?
Answer:
Andrew Manson is a young man who has recently qualified as a doctor and started his medical
practice as an assistant to Dr Edward Page in the small Welsh mining town of Blaenelly. He is in
love with Christine and thinks of marriage as an idyllic state. His heart is overflowing with love.
His steady mind and reason help him see the marriages of many persons as dismal failures.
Andrew is mature enough to keep his private and professional fives apart. Once confronted with
his responsibility, he discharges his obligations to the utmost capacity. He is duty conscious. He
is not a theorist only. He believes in practical approach. He is pragmatic and is not afraid to try
unique methods.
Andrew has a tender heart. He is aware of the feelings of others. He knows how deeply Susan
loved her coming baby. He has polite manners and reassuring tone. On the whole, Andrew
impresses us as a dedicated doctor

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1:
Who was Joe.Morgan? Why had he been waiting for Dr Andrew Manson?
Answer:
Joe Morgan was a driller in Blaenelly, a mining town. He was a big, strong and
heavy middle-aged person. Joe and his wife Susan, who had been married nearly
twenty years, were expecting their first child. Joe was waiting for the doctor to
help Susan in the delivery of the child.

Question 2:
Where did Joe lead Andrew? Why did he not go in with the doctor?
Answer: Joe Morgan led Andrew to his house, 12, Blaina Terrace. His wife was
about to deliver her first child after being married for nearly twenty years. Joe was
quite tensed. He refused to go inside the house. Even his voice showed signs of
strain.

Question 3:
“Don’t fret, mother, I’ll not run away”. Why do you think Andrew say so?
Answer:
Mrs Morgan’s mother offered to make a cup of tea for the doctor. The experienced
woman had realized that there must be a period of waiting. She was afraid that the
doctor would leave^ the case saying that he would return later.

Summary of Birth

Birth Summary – Starts with Andrew Manson, recently out of medical school who
had an argument with her girlfriend. Also, his mood was very low while returning
home. At home, he saw Joe Morgan who was persistently waiting for him. As her
wife was expecting the birth of his first child after twenty years of marriage. Hence, a
doctor was therefore necessary for the delivery. On reaching Joe’s house he discovers
her wife in labour pain. And all the member were eagerly waiting for the birth.
However, Mrs Morgan was under anaesthesia, and at the break of dawn, a lifeless
child was born. The child was pale and look like had witnessed suffocation.
Therefore, Manson instantly recalls a similar case in medical school. So he started
working on the child as family happiness depends on it. After half an hour of hard
work, he manages to save the child.

Detailed Summary

The story is an extract from The Citadel. Moreover, it narrates how a medical fresher
handles a case of child delivery. Also, in a secretive way, he gets back living in an
apparently dead child. He applies all his medical knowledge and instincts for doing
so. Further, the story states the excitement of the doctor and his team.

At the start, the story describes how Andrew Manson recently out from medical
school, was returning home after a quarrel with her girlfriend, Christine. On reaching
home, he finds Joe Morgan waiting for him to attend to his wife. Despite the night he
agrees to attend her as she was expecting her first child in 20 years.

At Joe’s house, he saw midwife attending the lady who was very serious. Andrew
sees Mrs Morgan and took a pause as he could understand that it would take some
time. While sitting his mind starts to wander in the thoughts of other people. Like
Barnwell who foolishly devoted all his life to a woman who betrayed him. In
addition, he remembers Edward page who married an ill-nature Bowden and was
now living unhappily, separately from his wife. Meanwhile, Andrew had to go back
to attend the patient.
After an hour-long and harsh struggle a child was born towards the dawn but it was
lifeless. On seeing the child Andrew shook with horror. Subsequently, he looks to the
mother who needs immediate attention. So, Andrew has to choose whom to attend:
the mother or the child.

He gave the child to nurse and attend the mother first who was unconscious. Steadily,
her heartbeat strengthens and Andrew could now attend the baby. Afterwards,
Andrew inquired the midwife about the child whom she had put it under the bed
among the soaked newspaper. So, Andrew pulls out the child who was perfectly
formed. He couldn’t recognise that it’s a case of asphyxia due to lack of oxygen and
excess of carbon dioxide in the blood. Moreover, he did not lose heart and starts to
give the necessary treatment to the child. However, the midwife told him again and
again that it is stillborn but he didn’t listen. Also, he continues his treatment.

Near the conclusion, a wonder occurred, he rubbed the child with a towel crushed
and relaxed the little chest with both his hands. He tries to fill breath into the limp
body. After some time, the little chest gave a short difficult motion and the child
starts turning around.

Eventually, Andrew flung a sigh of relief and handed the child to the nurse.
Afterwards, he stated the whole story to Joe who was standing outside and walked
down the street. He has a sense of deep satisfaction that he could achieve something
great.

Conclusion of Birth Summary

Through birth summary, the writer highlights the efforts of doctors and wants to say
that we should keep on trying.