Triumph of surgery Flashcards
How did Tricki look when Herriot saw him with Mrs. Pumphrey
He was hugely fat like a bloated sausage with legs at each corner. His eyes were bloodshot and rheumy while his tongue lolled from his jaws.
What did Mrs. Pumphrey give Tricki thinking that he might be suffering from malnutrition:
She gave him some extras between meals like some malt, and cod liver oil and a bowl of horlicks.
Why is Mrs Pumphrey worried about Tricki?
Mrs Pumphrey was worried and upset about Tricki’s health as he was not eating anything. He refused to eat his favourite dishes and had bouts of vomiting. He spent all his time lying on a rug, panting and didn’t show any interest in going for daily walks either.
Is the narrator as rich as Tricki’s mistress?
No, Herriot was not as rich as Mrs. Pumphrey. This is evident from the fact that the narrator could not provide a luxurious life such as a cosy bed stuffed with favourite cushions, toys and rubber rings along with bowls for different meals of the day, rather he made up a bed for Tricki in a warm loose box next to the one where the other dogs slept. The doctor also could not afford an entire staff of maids and caretakers just like Mrs Pumphrey to take care of the sole well-being and maintenance of her pet, Tricki.
How does he treat the dog?
Dr. Herriot did not indulge Tricki with unnecessary food items. He rather treated him like an overweight and lazy dog, which needed sufficient exercise with a controlled diet. He cut down his food intake, gave him plenty of water and kept him under strict observation for the first few days. In due course of time, he increased Tricki’s food intake with a balanced diet and set him free for physical activities like spending time with the other dogs to improve his health. Gradually, the dog’s health started showing improvement and he did not require any kind of medicinal treatment and recovered from his illness soon.
Why is he tempted to keep Tricki on as a permanent guest?
Mrs Pumphrey started to bring round fresh eggs, two dozen at a time, to build up Tricki’s strength. Later even the bottles of wine and brandy began to arrive. The narrator along with his partners enjoyed having two eggs each for breakfast, wine and the brandy. They were days of deep content, starting well with the extra egg in the morning, improved and sustained by the midday wine and finishing luxuriously round the fire with the brandy. It was indeed a strong temptation for Herriot to keep Tricki on as a permanent guest to enjoy the luxurious inflow of all these food items.
