BIRTH

REVISION
 Introduction
• This chapter is an extract from A.J Cronin’s novel “The Citadel”. This
extract describes how a young doctor revives a child that is born lifeless.
• Joe Morgan and his wife are a middle -aged couple. They have been
married for 20 years, but have not get any child so far. Now Mrs.
Morgan is expecting her first child. Both her husband and her mother are
feeling very nervous because the delivery of the child is going to be
before time. A young doctor named, Andrew is called in. The doctor has
to put in hard labour in the delivery of the child. When the child is born,
it seems to be still-born. This shock could be too much for the Morgans
to bear.
• While the doctor is attending to the mother, the nurse places the baby
under the bed among dirty newspapers. After assuring himself that the
mother is safe, the doctor looks for the baby. Finding it under the bed,
he at once pulls it out. It was a boy, perfectly formed. The body was
warm but was not breathing. At once the doctor sets to revive the child’s
breath. After half an hour’s terrible effort, he is at last successful. He
thanks god and hands the child to the nurse.
 Characters
• 1. Dr. Andrew Manson – Newly qualified, takes a job as assistant to Dr. Page in
a small mining town. On arrival, he finds to his surprise that Page is partly
paralyzed and will never work again. This means Dr. Andrew Manson will have
to do most of the clinic’s work in this mining town at a meagre pay.
• 2. The Midwife – an experienced nurse to help in the birth of the child. The
midwife and Andrew are contrasting personalities. The midwife is a foil to
Andrew. She feels hopeless, resigned, helpless, fearful and untrained. On the
other hand, Andrew proves to be more optimistic, diligent, efficient, self-
sufficient, spontaneous and well-trained.
• 3. Joe Morgan – a well-built person in forties, lives in a small Welsh town of
Blaenelly, works as a driller at the mines, he has been married for 20 years,
but have not got any child so far.
• 4. Mrs. Morgan – wife of Joe Morgan, is expecting her first child, Both her
husband and her mother are feeling very nervous because the
delivery of the child is going to be before time.
• 5. Christine – a school teacher, Andrew falls in love and contemplates
marrying her.
• 6. Morgan’s mother – a tall, grey-haired woman of nearly seventy.
 Summary in Points
• 1. Andrew returns home after a disappointing visit with his lady love, Christine Barlow.
• 2. Exhausted, he finds Joe Morgan, anxious and somewhat scared, waiting for him.
• 3. Morgan’s wife was in labour, before the expected date. This is their first child in a
marriage of nearly twenty years.
• 4. Andrew reaches the house of Morgan and waits in the kitchen.
• 5. The labour leads to a stillborn baby.
• 6. He instinctively decides to save the mother first, handing the baby over to the
midwife.
• 7. The midwife, who has had no medical training, sees the body in her arms as a lifeless
lump and places it under the bed among sodden newspapers.
• 8. Andrew draws the baby out from under the bed and quickly diagnoses the most
probable cause for the still birth i.e. Asphyxia, pallida.
• 9. He recalls a method he had once observed through which a child had been
successfully resuscitated.
• 10. He tries the simultaneous hot and cold dips to shock the body and get the heart to
jump start, then rubs the baby’s body with a rough towel crushing and releasing the
little chest.
• 11. On the verge of giving up, a miracle happens.
• 12. The child breathes. Andrew redoubles his efforts till the baby breathes freely.
• 13. While leaving the house, he feels that he has done something ‘real’, at last.
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.