A Triumph of Surgery

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NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Chapter 1 – A Triumph of Surgery

In the story "A Triumph of Surgery" by James Herriot, a wealthy woman named Mrs. Pumphrey adored her small, chubby dog Tricki. She pampered him with treats like malt, cod liver oil, and sweets, causing him to become overweight and ill. The narrator, a veterinarian, hospitalised Tricki to help him recover from overeating. Initially, Tricki was given only water, but soon he began playing with other dogs at the surgery and showed remarkable improvement. Mrs. Pumphrey, impressed by Tricki's recovery, credited it to the surgery's efforts, calling it 'A Triumph of Surgery.'

1. Why is Mrs Pumphrey worried about Tricki?

Mrs. Pumphrey was very worried because Tricki wasn't eating and kept throwing up. Tricki spent all his time lying on a rug, panting, and didn't want to go for walks anymore.

2. What does she do to help him? Is she wise in this?

At first, Mrs. Pumphrey thought Tricki was tired because he had no energy. She believed he was malnourished, so she gave him extra treats like malt, cod-liver oil, and Horlicks at night to help him sleep. She also gave him cream cakes and chocolates and didn't make him exercise enough. But all this spoiling made Tricki very fat and lazy. Mrs. Pumphrey felt sad seeing Tricki like this and asked a vet named Dr. Herriot to help him get better.

3. Who does ‘I’ refer to in this story?

In the story, ‘I’ refers to Dr James Herriot, a veterinary surgeon.

Read and Find Out (Page 3)

1. Is the narrator as rich as Tricki’s mistress?

In the story, it's clear that Dr. Herriot wasn't as wealthy as Mrs. Pumphrey. Unlike her, he couldn't provide luxury items like a cozy bed with cushions and toys for Tricki. Instead, he made a warm bed for Tricki in a loose box next to other dogs. Dr. Herriot also didn't have a team of maids and caretakers like Mrs. Pumphrey to look after Tricki's every need.

2. How does he treat the dog?

Dr. Herriot didn't spoil Tricki with extra food. Instead, he treated him like an overweight and lazy dog who needed to exercise and eat less. He reduced Tricki's food and watched him closely at first. Then, he slowly gave Tricki more food but with a balanced diet. He also let Tricki do more physical activities to get healthier. Tricki got better without needing medicine and recovered from his sickness quickly.

3. Why is he tempted to keep Tricki on as a permanent guest?

Mrs. Pumphrey started bringing fresh eggs and later bottles of wine and brandy to help Tricki get stronger. The narrator and his partners enjoyed having two eggs each for breakfast and the wine and brandy meant for Tricki. These days were very satisfying, starting with an extra egg in the morning, continuing with wine at midday, and ending with brandy by the fire. It was tempting for Herriot to keep Tricki as a permanent guest because of all the delicious food.

4. Why does Mrs Pumphrey think the dog’s recovery is “a triumph of surgery”?

Mrs. Pumphrey was worried about Tricki's health when she asked Dr. Herriot for help, but Tricki got better in just two weeks. She was happy to see that he had become strong and flexible. When Dr. Herriot brought Tricki back to Mrs. Pumphrey, he happily jumped into her lap. Tricki's recovery without needing medicine was impressive, and she thanked Dr. Herriot by calling it a "surgery triumph."

Think about it (Page 6)

1. What kind of a person do you think the narrator, a veterinary surgeon, is? Would you say he is tactful as well as full of common sense?

The narrator, a veterinarian, showed wisdom and compassion in handling Tricki, realizing that the dog's laziness was due to overfeeding, not illness. Instead of surgery, he changed Tricki's diet and increased his exercise, leading to a full recovery in two weeks. Dr. Herriot tactfully persuaded Mrs. Pumphrey to hospitalize Tricki for surgery, knowing it wasn't necessary. He ensured Tricki became lively again. Despite being tempted by the luxury food sent by Mrs. Pumphrey, Dr. Herriot insisted she collect Tricki after recovery, showing integrity and professionalism in his work.

2. Do you think Tricki was happy to go home? What do you think will happen now?

Tricki was happy to come back home because he missed his loving mistress and the comfort of his luxurious life. Even though he didn't have friends at home like he did at the hospital, he was still excited to see his mistress again after two weeks. Since Tricki tends to be lazy, we hope Mrs. Pumphrey will be careful about his diet and health in the future and make sure he gets the exercise Dr. Herriot suggested.

3. Do you think this is a real-life episode or mere fiction? Or is it a mixture of both?

The story mixes fiction with real-life situations. It's common for wealthy people to spoil their pets out of love, like Mrs. Pumphrey did. Her pampering caused the dog to overeat and become lazy. Rich pet owners often try to give their pets a lavish life. However, it's unlikely for a veterinarian like Dr. Herriot to lie about surgery to stop unnecessary spoiling.

Talk about it (Page 7)

1. This episode describes the silly behaviour of a rich woman who is foolishly indulgent, perhaps because she is lonely. Do you think such people are merely silly, or can their actions cause harm to others?

Mrs. Pumphrey's mistake of overfeeding Tricki had a bad effect on his health. She gave him too much fatty food because she loved him, but it made him lazy and overweight, so he didn't want to go for walks. Wealthy people like Mrs. Pumphrey sometimes do silly things like overfeeding their pets, thinking it's good for them, but it can actually be harmful.

2. Do you think there are also parents like Mrs Pumphrey?

Some parents, like Mrs. Pumphrey, spoil their children or pets by giving them too much and pampering them too often. Even though they know it's not good for their health, they still overfeed them. It's important for parents like Mrs. Pumphrey to watch closely and make sure their family members and pets have a healthy lifestyle.

3. What would you have done if you were: (i) a member of the staff in Mrs Pumphrey’s household, (ii) a neighbour? What would your life have been like, in general?

(i) If I worked for Mrs. Pumphrey, I wouldn't just follow her orders to feed Tricki a lot without thinking about how it might hurt him. Instead, I'd feed him like the vet said and make sure he got enough exercise to stay healthy and active. I'd also give him food that's good for him and not send extra things like toys and cushions to the hospital.

(ii) If I lived near Mrs. Pumphrey, I would tell her to give Tricki a healthy diet and make sure he gets plenty of exercise like playing and going for walks. If Tricki got worse, I'd suggest she see a vet and do what they say to keep him healthy. I'd also be kind and helpful when Tricki needed to go to the hospital, doing my best to be understanding and nice to Mrs. Pumphrey.

4. What would you have done if you were in the narrator’s place?

If I were the narrator, I would have treated Tricki kindly, just like Mr. James Herriot did. I would have been careful and caring, but also a bit firm when advising Mrs. Pumphrey about Tricki's diet. I wouldn't have eaten Tricki's eggs, wine, or brandy, and I would have resisted the temptation to keep Tricki at the hospital permanently.