Bi

rt
h
ByA.
JCr
oni
n
I
ntr
oduc
ti
on

Bir
th’i
sa ne x
tractfr
om‘ TheCitade
l’byAJCroninwhichwa spubli
shedin1937.
I
tisthebi r
thoftwo–t hebi rt
hofac hi
ldandthebir
thofawonde rf
ulphysi
ci
a nwhobroughtthesti
ll
bor
nba byt
oli
fe.
Dr.Andr e
wMa nsonwa srecentl
youtoftheme di
calcol
l
egea ndhewa sastr
ug g
li
ngprac
ti
tioner.
Onenig hthereturnedlat
ea ndwa i
ti
ngforhimwa sama n–J oeMor gan–themos tst
res
sedoutma nintheworl
da tt
hatt
ime
.
HiswifeSusanwa sabouttog ivebi
rt
ht oababytoni
ght,aft
ert he
ir14y e
arsofwa i
t.
Thought i
redtode ath,
Dr. AndrewMa nsonagr
e e
dtoa t
tendt hecasebutinspit
eofpray
ersa ndatt
empts,
thebabywas
l
ifel
esswhe nitwa sborn!
Cha
rac
ter
s

Dr.Andre
wMa nson–Adoc t
orwor ki
ngintheminingt
ownofBla
ene l
ly
 Opt imisti
c–
 Doubt f
ul–Aboutma rr
iag
es
 Ana lyti
cal
 Hi ghlypatie
nt–Hes howe dextr
e mepat
iencedur
ingt
helaborandl
ate
r.
JoeMorgan–Ami ne-worker
 L oving
 Ca ring
 E scapis
t
 Re spons i
ble
 Opt imisti
c
 T rusti
ng
SusanMorga n–JoeMor gan’swif
e
 L oving
 Ca ring
 S acrif
ic
ing
Susan’
smot her–JoeMor gan’smother-
in-l
aw
 E xpe r
ienced
 Di ploma t
icortac
ti
c
 Pr esenceofmi nd

①
Ane
lde
rlymidwif
e(nurs
e)
 Pe ss
imis
tic
 Di s
couragi
ng
 Conde sc
ending
S
umma
ry

ThestoryBir
thisa nexc
erptfr
omT heCita
de l
.I
trel
ateshowame dic
alfr
esherhandl
esachi
lddel
ive
rycaseinamy st
eri
ousway
andbringsbacklif
einaseemingl
ydea dbornchi
ld.I
ndoingsoheappli
eshismedica
ltex
tbookknowle
dg easwell
asintui
ti
on.
Hefindsthatt
e xtbookknowledg
ea l
oneisnotsuff
ic
ienttohandl
esuchcases
.Thestor
yexpre
ssest
hea nxi
etya
nde xci
tement
ofthedoctor,AndrewMa nsonandhisteam.

I
nt hebeginningofthes t
ory,i
tisnarr
ate
dhowAndr ewMa nsonwhohadrecent
lypas
sedoutfr
omame dic
al s
chool
,was
ret
urninghomea fte
radisappoi
ntingeveni
ngwit
hhisgi
rlf
rie
nd,Chr
is
ti
ne.Itwasmidni
ghtandwhenhereachednearhi
s
househewa srequestedbyJoeMor gantoatt
endtohi
swif
ei mmedi
atel
y.S
hewa sexpec
ti
ngherfi
rs
tchi
ld.Andrewagre
edt
o
gode s
pitelatenight.

Atthepati
ent’shouse ,
Andr ewsawtha tthel
adywa sbe
ingatt
ende dt
obyamidwife.Mrs.Morganwasver
ys er
ious.Andre
w
examine
dt hepa t
ientandc ouldundersta
ndthatitwoul
dtakesomet i
mefort
hede l
i
verytotakepla
ce.Hetookabr e
a k
.Inthi
s
per
iodAndr ew’sminds t
artedwa ver
inginstr
aythought
s.Hestar
tedthi
nki
ngaboutBarnwellwhowasfool
i
shlydevotedtoa
woma nwhode ce
ivedhimme anly
.Thenhet houghtofE
dwardpa gewhowasma r
ri
edtot heil
l-
nat
uredBowden, a
ndwa snow
l
ivi
ngunhappily,apartfr
omhi swife.Andrewthoughtal
lmarr
iageswereadi
smalfai
l
ure.Inthemeanti
meAndr ewha dtogo
backtoatt
e ndtothepa ti
ent.

T
hesubsequentsec
ti
onnarra
teshowa fte
ra nhourlonghar
shst
ruggl
eachil
dwa sborntowar
dsthedawn.Butt
hechi
ldwa
s
s
ti
ll
born.Whe nAndrewgaz
eda ttheli
fel
essfor
m, heshi
ver
edwithhorr
or.T
he nhelook
e da
tthemother.
Sherequi
red
i
mme di
ateat
tenti
on.Andr
ewwa stodeci
detowhomt oat
tend:
thechi
ldorthemother.

Andre
wg av
ethechil
dtothenurs
eandturne
dhisa
ttent
iontot
hemothe
rwhowa
sunc
ons
cious
.Gr
adua
ll
y,he
rhe
art
st
rengt
henedandAndre
wc oul
dnowlea
v ehert
oatt
endt ot
hebaby
.

Andr
ewa sk
edaboutthec hi
ld.Themi dwif
ewa sthoroughlyfr
ightened.Ta
kingitasas t
il
l c
hil
d,shehaddumpe di
tbeneat
hthe
bedamongsts
oakedne wspaper.Andrewpulledoutt hechil
d.Thec hi
ldwasperfectl
yforme d.Andrewcouldunders
tandthati
t
wasacaseofs
uffoc
ati
onduet olackofoxygenande xcessofcarbon-di
oxi
deint heblood.Andrews ta
rtedgi
vingt
hene c
essary
tr
eat
ment.Hedidnotlosehe a
rt.Themi dwif
ea g
a i
na ndagaintoldhimthatitwa sasti
llbornchil
d.ButAndrewdidnotheed.
Hecont
inuedwit
hhistreatment.

Towardstheendofthestory
,amirac
lehappenedherubbedt
hechi
ldwi
thatowel
crus
hedandrel
axe
dthel
i
ttl
eches
twit
h
bothhishands.
Thus,hetri
edtoi
nfusebr
eathintotha
tli
mpbody
. T
heli
tt
lec
hestg
aveashor
t,c
onvol
ute
dheave.
Thechi
l
d
st
arte
dt urni
ngaround.I
twasnolongers
ti
llborn.

Atl
astAndr
ewhea
vedasi
ghofre
li
ef.
Hehandedt
hechi
l
dtothenurse
.Hetoldt
heent
ir
estor
ytoJoes
tandi
ngout
sidea
nd
wal
keddownthes
tre
etwi
thsomeminer
swit
hasens
eofde
eps a
tis
fact
iont
hathec
oul
da c
hie
vesomet
hinggre
at.

Ans
wert
hef
oll
owi
ng:
-

1.
Wha
tdi
dthee
lde
rlymi
dwi
fet
hinkoft
hey
oungdoc
tor
?

Themidwif
einthes
tor
yremai
nsdoubt
fulaboutt
heyoungdoct
or’ss
uccessthr
oughoutthest
ory
. S
hewa sskept
icabout
modernme di
ci
neononesi
deandqui
teworri
edaboutthegl
owingdemandformode rndoct
orsi
nfrontofhereyes
,quit
e
expe
rienc
edandnotre
adytoa
c c
eptacha
ng e.He
ractofpl
aci
ngthesti
l
lbornunde
rt hecotcement
sthissus
pici
onabouthe
r
②
c
har
act
er.
Shewa
sindi
rec
tl
yes
tabl
i
shi
ngt
hef
ail
ureofmode
rnme
dic
inebydoi
ngs
o.

2.
Whywa
sSus
an’
sca
set
heonet
hatc
all
eda
llofAndr
ew’
sat
tent
ion?

SusanMor ga
nwa sabouttobr
ingf
orthherf
irs
tbabyaft
erfi
ft
eenyea
rs’
ofma rr
iedli
fe.
Susa
nhe r
selfwaske
enlypart
icul
ar
thatthebabyshoul
dsurvi
veanydangerdur
inghe
rlabor,
evenatt
hecostofherl
ife
.Theminerfami
lyhadbeenawa i
ti
ngthi
s
chi
ldbir
thandthere
fore,f
romtheoldwomant ot
herest
,every
onetr
ust
edDr .
Ma nson’
senti
repote
ntia
landski
llf
orthe
baby’ssaf
ety.

3.
‘Hehadnopremoni
ti
ont
hatt
hisni
ghtc
all
woul
dpr
oveunus
ual
,st
il
ll
esst
hati
twoul
dinf
lue
ncehi
swhol
efut
urei
n
Bl
aenel
l
y.’Comment.

 Susa
nMor gan’
scas
ewa sv
erycompl
i
cated.
 Thebabywasborn‘st
il
lbor
n.’
 Dr.Morga
ne xhi
bi
tedunparal
le
ledpa
tie
nc ea
ndhope
.
 Thebabygotres
usc
itat
e d.

4.
Whyha
dSus
ani
nst
ruc
tednott
ogi
vehe
rchl
orof
orm?

Susanha
dhe rl
ifespentinanti
ci
pati
onofababyf ortwent
yyearsandsowashe rmother,J
oeandsomanyothers.Hav i
ng
grownol
d,sheonlywi s
hedifshecoul
dleavebehindherababyforthefami
l
y .
Be si
des,
inhers
ocie
ty,i
nfe
rti
l
itywa sconside
red
tobeacurse.F
orfearofc hl
orof
ormharmingtheba by,
asbel
ie
ve dbytheminers,
shewa nt
edtoma k
esurethatnothing
harmedthebabyag a
instanyamountofphysi
calpain.

5.
Wha
tdi
dAndr
ewf
eel
whe
nhes
awt
hel
i
fel
essba
by?

I
nit
ial
ly
,Andrewwa sl
ostf
orawhi l
e.Hedidn’
tknowwha twa stheretodo.Hef
eltli
kehisdr
eamsme l
ti
ngint
othi
na i
r.Hehad
twoobli
gati
ons–onetoSusanMorg a
nwhol aycol
laps
eda ndtheot hertot
hest
il
lbornbaby
.Bot
he qual
l
yworthsavi
ng.He
smashedaglas
sampuleandinje
ctedame di
ci
neintoSusan’sbl
ood. Throwi
ngt
hes yr
ingei
nhast
e,hema deal
lat
temptsto
bri
ngSusantobre
athi
ng.Sus
a nbegantobrea
thethoughstil
lhalfa
live.

6.
Sus
an’
smot
herwa
swi
sei
nex
per
ienc
e.Wha
thi
ntsdi
dsheg
iveofhe
rwi
sdom?

Sus
an’smotherwasata
ll,
grey
-ha
iredwoma nofnear
lysev
enty.
Fromherper
sona
lexper
ienc
e,s
heknewtha
tthec
hil
dbi
rt
h
wouldta
kesometime.Shewaswiseenoug
ht ofea
rthatDrAndr
ewmightnotwai
tforl
ong.S
oshet
rie
dtoma k
ehi
ms t
ayon
byoff
eri
nghimteaandsit
ti
ngbes
idehim.

7.
DrAndr
ewf
ace
dthebi
gge
stdi
l
emmaofhi
sli
fet
hatni
ght
.Howdi
dhea
cta
nds
avet
wol
i
ves
?

Andrewwa sc a
ll
e dtosuper
vis
et hefi
rstandcruc
ial
deli
ver
yofSusanMor ga
n.Hewa st
enseandshortofs
leep.
Sti
ll
,hedeci
ded
towait.
Heg a
veapr omisetoJoeandhi swif
ethatal
lwoul
dbewe ll
.Buthebecamenervoustof
indboththemotherandher
babyintrouble.Hefi
rstgav
ea ninj
e c
tiontoSusa
ntostabi
l
iseher
.Ne x
t,heli
ft
edthest
il
lbor
nbaby.puthi
mi nhotandcol
d
wateral
te r
natel
ya ndpress
edt hechi
ld’sche
st.L
ucki
ly
,hesavedbothofthem.

8.
Comme
ntont
hebe
hav
ioura
ndr
oleoft
hemi
dwi
fea
tte
ndi
ngonS
usa
nMor
gan.

T
hemidwif
ea t
tendi
ngonS usanshowedla
ckofex
peri
enceandpr of
essi
onal
att
it
ude.S
hedecl
aredatoncetha
tthebabywas
s
ti
ll
bor
n.Shepusheditunderthebed.E
venwhenAndrewwa stry
ingtobri
ngbackl
i
feint
othebaby
,sheshoweddis
beli
efa
nd
e
vendi
scoura
gedAndr ewfromma ki
ngsuchf
eve
ris
heff
orts
.T hecryoft
hebabymadeherexcl
ai
mwi t
hjoy.

9.
Wha
tdi
dAndr
ewdot
ore
stor
eli
fei
nthes
ti
ll
bor
nchi
l
d?

③
Andre
wrecal
ledasimi
larc
a s
einthepa s
t.Hegavethesametr
eatmenttothestil
l
bornbaby
.Heask
edf
orhota
ndicyc
old
water
.Hepla
cedthebabyintocol
da ndwa r
mwa te
ra l
ter
nat
ely
.Herubbe dthechil
dwit
harought
owe
landpr
ess
edand
rel
eas
edtheli
tt
leches
twithhishands.T
hemi r
acl
eha ppe
ned.I
tssk
inturnedpinkandi
tcri
ed.

10.
Wha
twa
sAndr
ew’
sgr
eat
esta
chi
eve
menta
nds
ati
sf
act
iona
shewa
lke
doutofHous
eNumbe
r12Bl
ameT
err
ace
?

Andre
wwa scal
l
edtohandl
eacr
it
ic
alcaseofde
li
ver
y.Hewasti
red.
Hefel
tdef
eat
ed.Hewa
sinadi
l
emmabe c
auseofthe
si
nki
ngcondi
ti
onofSus
anandt
heli
fel
essfor
mofherbaby
.Buthesave
dbotht
heli
ves.
Hecal
l
edi
thisg
rea
tes
tre
wa rdand
suc
cess.

11.
Comme
ntont
het
it
leoft
hes
tor
yBi
rt
h.Whydi
ditbe
comes
osi
gni
fi
cant
?

T
hetit
leoft
hest
oryBir
thi
sa pta
nds i
gnif
ic
ant.
Thee nt
irest
oryr
evol
vesaroundtheca
seofS
usan’
sfi
rs
tdel
ive
rya
ndhe r
s
ti
ll
bornchi
l
d.I
tisaver
ytensedramaofdefeat
,fev
eris
he f
for
t,l
ongi
ng,hopeandfi
nal
lys
ucc
ess
. T
hehandl
i
ngofthec
ase
g
aveDrAndrewafee
li
ngthatheha ddonesomethi
ngrealatl
ast
.