Birth By A J Cronin

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

Ans: Andrew, the protagonist of the story "Birth," says these words after successfully resurrecting a stillborn kid, which seemed impossible at first. The infant is stillborn to Joe Morgan's wife. The child is the couple's first child after nearly two decades of marriage. The baby is born in a critical state. Both the infant and the mother are very ill and require immediate medical assistance. The nurse disposes of the baby, believing it to be stillborn. But Andrew prioritizes the mother, and once she is on the mend, he turns his focus to the child. Andrew removes the child from the situation. He's a well-built young man. Its delicate and silky body is limp and white. Its head hangs slackly from the slender neck. Andrew recognizes the symptoms of asphyxia pallida right away.

He tells the nurse to provide him cold and hot water, as well as basins. He wraps the infant in a blanket and begins the specific breathing technique. After fifteen minutes, the child's body still hasn't taken a breath. He strokes the infant with a towel in desperation, crushing and relaxing the chest with both hands. Then something miraculous happens. A brief, convulsive heave is followed by another from the small chest. Andrew doubles in on his efforts. The infant is now struggling for air, and it's getting deeper and deeper. Then there's the child's scream. He turns the child over to the nurse and descends the stairwell. He says the aforementioned lines with a sense of genuine satisfaction at having completed the seemingly impossible feat. It implies that Andrew has accomplished something remarkable. He was able to use everything he had learned in medical literature and even more. The aforementioned statements imply that a doctor serves as a conduit via which God or the Almighty bestows life on his or her patients. The miracle was made possible by the Almighty's favour. In the above-quoted comments, Andrew admits this truth. These phrases emphasize the fact that preserving a patient's life is a doctor's most cherished achievement.

2. There lies a great difference between textbook medicine and the world of practising physicians. Discuss.

Ans: The world of textbook medicine and the world of practising physicians are vastly different. Medicine as taught in textbooks is purely a science, whereas treating a patient is an art. The realm of medicine necessitates a unique combination of abilities and expertise. Although textbook medicine provides a conceptual framework for treatment, no clinician can treat a patient without relying on his or her intuition. The way Andrew brings a stillborn kid back to life in the narrative Birth is a testament to this fact. The nurse initially discards the kid, believing it to be dead. Andrews, on the other hand, takes a chance and the miracle occurs. He uses his textbook knowledge at first, but the child does not recover. He never loses hope. The miracle occurred after he applied his intuitive way. Treatment is based on science as well as other factors. It's a science as well as an art. Birth is a realistic fiction story. In other words, the story's elements were weaved into the fabric of fiction from real-life events.