Chapter: Birth

Chapter: Birth

Author: A. J. Cronin

Word Meanings (Single Words)

Word / Phrase	Meaning (Single Word)
Exhausted	Tired
Reluctant	Unwilling
Premature	Early
Agitated	Disturbed
Pallor	Paleness
Drenched	Soaked
Desperate	Hopeless
Perspiration	Sweat
Astonishment	Surprise
Unconscious	Senseless
Flabby	Loose
Lifeless	Dead
Instinctively	Naturally
Revival	Recovery
Trembling	Shaking
Effortlessly	Easily
Hesitation	Doubt
Muttered	Whispered
Urgent	Important
Assistance	Help
Incessantly	Continuously
Apprehensive	Fearful
Exclaimed	Shouted
Encounter	Meeting
Gratitude	Thankfulness
Admiration	Praise
Miracle	Wonder
Intense	Strong
Overwhelmed	Greatly moved
Renewed	Fresh again
Triumph	Victory
Struggle	Fight
Conscience	Inner voice
Determination	Firmness
Exhaustion	Fatigue
Compassion	Kindness
Courage	Bravery
Responsibility	Duty
Miracle	Magic
Relief	Comfort
Overjoyed	Very happy

Summary 

This excerpt is all about Andrew Manson who is newly out of medical college and has just commenced his practice under the supervision of Dr Edward Page as an assistant in Blaenelly. It also highlights the efforts made by Andrew Manson in saving the life of a newly born dead child who finally gets to live because of him.

At the beginning of the chapter, we find Andrew Manson very sad and monotonous after having a disappointing evening with Christine, the girl whom he loves a lot. On reaching his home, he finds Joe Morgan, waiting for him, whose wife in pains and expecting her first baby after a long time. On a special request of Joe Morgan Andrew Manson goes to his home to help his pregnant wife. Although he is dead tired, yet he picks up his bag and reaches Joe’s home with even complaining once.

Joe refuses to enter his house as he can’t see his wife in pains and decides to wait outside until the good news comes. But Andrew Manson enters the home and finds two other women over there as helping hands i.e. Mrs Morgan’s mother and an elderly midwife who is sitting beside the patient waiting for the right time. Meanwhile, Andrew is given a cup to tea and he starts waiting for the moment whence he has to start his work on the patient. While waiting, he gets lost in the imagination of the episode that happened at Cardiff station and other married people’s life which is worthless and unreasonable.

At half-past three, he is called by the nurse on the top floor. Andrew Manson, without delaying, starts working on the patient incessantly. In spite of working so hard on the patient for such a long time, he finds the child born as lifeless when it is born. He hands over the dead child to the nurse and draws his entire attention to Susan Morgan who is breathless as well as desperate seeing the lifeless child. He manages to help her retain her breath after injecting the medicine through a hypodermic.

Now, Andrew Manson pays his all heed to the child who is lying lifeless. He kneels down & finds the child who is perfectly formed with the skin of lovely texture but dead. He feels out of wits as he has no idea how to save the lifeless child. Soon he is reminded of the same incident wherein a boy was resuscitated by the team of doctors born in the same scenario at Samaritan. Without wasting a single second, he begins the special method of respiration which makes no difference. He asks the nurse to bring two basins of cold and hot water each. When the water is brought, he starts dipping the child from one basin to another incessantly.

Despite his untiring efforts, the child doesn’t breathe. Andrew Manson doesn’t give up and continues his efforts until the lifeless child is brought to breathing. At last, the boy gets back to life which is seen and announced by the midwife. The child starts crying and the efforts put in by Andrew Manson bring fruit. He, though worn and tired, takes his jacket and goes out of the home without worrying about his bag. He gives this good news to Joe Morgan who has been expecting a child for a long time. Finally, he takes a sigh of relief that he has done something good at last.

Question and Answers 

Lesson 7 – Birth

Author – A. J. Cronin

Q1. What does the author refer to as ‘a miracle’?

Ans.
The author calls it a miracle when Dr. Andrew brings the stillborn baby back to life. The baby was not breathing, but after long and careful effort, Andrew made it cry. Everyone was surprised and happy at this wonderful success.

Q2. How did Andrew try to save the child?

Ans.
Andrew worked very hard to save the baby. He first put the baby in cold and hot water one after another and then rubbed its body with a towel. He pressed its chest again and again to make it breathe. At last, the baby started breathing and cried.

Q3. How did Andrew save Susan Morgan?

Ans.
Susan Morgan became very weak after delivery. Her pulse was almost gone. Andrew quickly gave her an injection and stopped her bleeding. He looked after her carefully until she became safe and her heartbeat became normal.

Q4. How did Andrew feel at the end of the story?

Ans. At the end, Andrew felt very happy and proud. He was tired but peaceful inside. He felt that he had done something truly good and meaningful. He was proud to be a doctor who had saved two lives that night.

5. What was the condition of Mrs. Morgan when Andrew reached her house?
When Andrew reached Mrs. Morgan’s house, she was very weak and tired. She was in great pain because the delivery was difficult and long. The old woman there was worried and nervous as Mrs. Morgan’s condition was serious.

6. Why did Andrew feel elated at the end of the story “Birth”?

Andrew felt very happy and proud at the end because he had worked hard to save both the mother and her newborn baby. The baby had stopped breathing, but Andrew did not lose hope and finally brought it back to life. He felt that his efforts as a doctor were truly successful.

Q5. How was Andrew feeling before the delivery?

Ans. Before the delivery, Andrew was very tired and sad. He had just met his girlfriend, Christine, and was thinking about unhappy marriages of other people. But when he reached the Morgans’ house, he forgot his own worries and focused on his duty.

Q6. Why was Joe Morgan waiting for Andrew even though it was nearly midnight?

Ans. Joe Morgan was waiting because his wife Susan was going to have their first baby after many years of marriage. He trusted Dr. Andrew completely and wanted only him to help during the delivery. That’s why he waited even though it was very late.

Q7. What were Andrew’s thoughts as he waited for the childbirth?

Ans.While waiting, Andrew thought about love and marriage. He remembered his girlfriend Christine and also some unhappy marriages of his friends. He was sad but decided that he must do his duty sincerely as a doctor.

Q8. What was Andrew’s view of marriage?

Ans. Andrew thought that marriage should bring happiness and love between husband and wife. But he had seen many unhappy marriages around him, which made him feel sad and worried about his own future.

Q9. What dilemma did Andrew face when the child was born?

Ans. When the baby was born, it was lifeless. Andrew was confused about whether to save the baby or the mother first. He decided to save Susan Morgan first because her life was in danger, and after that, he tried to save the baby.

Q8. What kind of relationship did Andrew share with Joe Morgan’s family?

Answer: Andrew had a friendly and respectful relationship with Joe Morgan’s family. They trusted him completely and depended on him in their time of need.

Q9. Why is the story titled “Birth”?

Answer: The title “Birth” is suitable because it not only refers to the physical birth of the baby but also symbolizes the birth of hope, courage, and confidence in Dr. Andrew.

Q10. What qualities of Dr. Andrew are seen in the story?

Answer: Dr. Andrew is kind, patient, responsible, intelligent, determined, and dedicated. He never gives up until he saves both mother and child.

 Long Ans

Q1. “I have done something; oh, God! I’ve done something real at last.” Why does Andrew say this? What does it mean?

Ans. Andrew says these words when he finally brings the stillborn baby back to life. He feels proud and thankful to God because he has done something truly meaningful. He had worked hard for many minutes to save both the mother and the child.

Susan Morgan was almost pulseless, but Andrew gave her an injection and saved her life. Then he tried many methods to make the baby breathe — hot and cold water treatment, rubbing with a towel, and pressing the chest. When the baby finally cried, Andrew felt great happiness and satisfaction. He felt that he had done something real and valuable in his life as a doctor.

Q2. “There lies a great difference between textbook medicine and the world of a practising physician.” Discuss.

Ans.
Yes, there is a big difference between what we read in textbooks and what happens in real life. Textbook medicine teaches theory, but in real life, a doctor must use quick thinking, courage, and experience to save lives.

In emergencies like accidents, burns, or suffocation, there is no time to look for perfect equipment or medicines. The doctor must act fast with whatever is available. In such moments, his experience and practical knowledge are more useful than book learning. Andrew showed this in the story when he used simple methods to save the baby even without hospital tools.

Q3. Do you know of any incident when someone has been brought back to life from the brink of death through medical help? Discuss medical procedures such as organ transplant and organ regeneration that are used to save human life.

Ans.
Yes, there are many real-life cases where doctors save people from death with modern medical help. Today, science has made great progress in treatments like organ transplants and organ regeneration.

People now donate their eyes, heart, kidneys, and liver after death to help others live. These organs are kept safely in hospitals and used for patients who need them. Doctors also use machines like ventilators and CPR to bring people back from near death. Organ regeneration and artificial organs are also being developed. These medical miracles show how science and human effort can save precious lives.

 

Short Answer Type Questions

 

Q1. Why was Andrew so serious and tense that evening?
Ans. That evening Andrew was tense and serious. He had a disappointing evening with his girlfriend Christine. Moreover, he had seen some painful incidents of husbands’ suffering at the hands of their wives. He was short of sleep as well.

 

Q2. Who was Joe Morgan? Why was he so tense and waiting anxiously for Dr. Andrew that night?
Ans. Joe Morgan was in dire need of Dr. Andrew’s help. His wife Susan was in labour. She was going to deliver their first child after 20 years of marriage. Joe and Susan were keen to have the child delivered safely. So, he stood waiting anxiously for the doctor.

 

Q3. That night proved unusual and it influenced Dr. Andrew’s whole future in Blaenelly. What miraculous thing happened that night?
Ans. Dr. Andrew had first begun his medical practice in the mining town of Blaenelly. The successful handling of Mrs. Joe’s case proved a turning point in his life. It was no less than a miracle. He restored life in a stillborn child.

 

Q4. Why were Susan and her old mother equally so tense that night?
Ans. Susan was in labour after 20 years of marriage. It was natural for her and her husband Joe to be tense. Susan’s old mother also stood beside her tense and hopeful.

 

Q5. Susan’s mother was wise in experience. What hints did she give of her wisdom?
Ans. Susan’s mother was a tall, grey-haired woman of nearly seventy. From her personal experience, she knew that the childbirth would take some time. She was wise enough to fear that Dr. Andrew might not wait for long. So, she tried to make him stay by offering him tea and sitting beside him.

 

Q6. Why and when did a shiver of horror pass over Dr. Andrew?
Ans. Dr. Andrew was shocked and horrified as he looked at the lifeless newly born baby. He also noticed Susan sinking. He was in a dilemma, whom to save first.

 

Q7. Dr. Andrew faced the biggest dilemma of his life that night. How did he act and save two lives?
Ans. Dr. Andrew was called to supervise the first and crucial delivery of Susan Morgan. He was tense and short of sleep. Still, he decided to wait. He gave a promise to Joe and his wife that all would be well. But he became nervous to find both the mother and her baby in trouble. He first gave injection to Susan. Next, he lifted the stillborn baby, put him in hot and cold water and pressed the child’s chest. Luckily, he saved both of them.

 

Q8. Comment on the behaviour and role of the midwife attending on Susan Morgan.
Ans. The midwife attending on Susan showed lack of experience and professional attitude. She declared at once that the baby was stillborn. She pushed it under the bed. Even when Andrew was trying to bring back life into the baby, she showed disbelief and even discouraged Andrew from making feverish effort. The cry of the baby made her exclaim with
joy.

 

Q9. What did Andrew do to restore life in the stillborn child?
Ans. Andrew recalled a similar case in the past. He gave the same treatment to the stillborn baby. He asked for hot and icy cold water. He placed it into cold and warm water alternately. He rubbed the child with a rough towel and pressed and released the little chest with his hands. The miracle happened. Its skin turned pink and it cried.

 

Q10. Describe the moments when the stillborn child gave a short heave and slowly revived.
Ans. Andrew for a while felt beaten and disappointed. But he made one last effort. He pressed the baby’s chest gently and then released. The technique was successful. He felt the little heart beating. A bubble of mucus came from one nostril. The child was gasping and then came a cry.

 

Q11. What was Andrew’s greatest achievement and satisfaction as he walked out of the House Number 12, Blaina Terrace?
Ans. Dr. Andrew was called to handle a critical case of delivery. He was tired. He felt defeated. He was in a dilemma because of the sinking condition of Susan and the lifeless form of her baby. But he saved both the lives. He called it his greatest reward and success.

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