Class Xth English Notes for Chapter 1 (Footprint without feet)

A Triumph of Surgery | NCERT Class 10 English Footprint without feet

Key Points – A Triumph of Surgery

  1. Tricki was a small dog and was excessively loved by his mistress, Mrs. Pumphery.
  2. He was greedy & loved food, but no exercise.
  3. As a result he became fat & Mrs. Pumphery believed that he became lazy because he suffered from malnutrition.
  4. Mrs Pumphery was a wealthy woman. She loved her dog too much.
  5. She gave him some little extras between meals to build him up, malt, cod-liver oil and a bowl of Horlicks at night.
  6. She gave him lot to eat but no exercise.
  7. Once he became ill & she was worried & made a frantic call to Harriot who was a vet.
  8. James already had given suggestions regarding Tricki’s balanced diet. But she never followed it.
  9. He was a vet. He was shocked to see Tricki hugely fat.
  10. He advised her to cut down on the sweet things.
  11. He expected call came within a few days & it happened. He was called by Mrs. Pumphery as Tricki refused to eat. 
  12. He told her that Tricki needed immediate hospitalization for keeping under observation at his surgery for a fortnight.
  13. There he gave him no food no medicine but plenty of water.
  14. Gradually he mixed with other dogs & started playing with them.
  15. He had a lot of exercises & fun at the surgery.
  16. He was completely recovered & transformed into a hard muscled dog.
  17. James Harriot treated the dog without medicine or surgery.
  18. She was happy & filled with gratitude.
  19. She thanked Harriot & said it was a triumph of surgery. 

Summary of a Triumph of Surgery

Mrs. Pumphrey was a rich and emotional lady who has a cute pet called Tricky. She loved him so much that she overfed him. Tricki had put on a lot of weight which made him lethargic. When doctor Herriot saw the fat dog like a bloated* sausage he was shocked. He made a plan and told Mrs. Pumphrey that Tricki needed treatment for a ailment which was possible only in hospital. The doctor knew that Mrs. Pumphrey would not be able to keep the dog on a proper diet. When the greedy dog went to the hospital he had to remain hungry if he was slow to approach for food. He was given food at fixed intervals. Soon he shed off a lot of his body weight and became quite active. 
When Tricki was at home he was pampered by Mrs. Pumphrey. He had a luxurious life when he was served with cream cake chocolate and horlicks. But when he came to the doctor he became all right. When Mrs. Pumphrey saw her active dog she thanked the doctor and felt that it was a triumph of surgery.

Meaning:
Bloated – swollen with fluid or gas;
Ailment – illness;

For Video Explanation click here – https://youtu.be/PAhJYl4lW4E

Extra Question Answers

Q.1: Why is Mrs. Pumphrey worried about Tricki ?
Answer: Mrs. Pumphrey has a fat dog named Tricki. It becomes listless and seem to have no energy. It falls ill so, Mrs. Pumphrey gets worried about Tricki.

Q.2: How does he (Harriot) treat the dog?
Answer: He kept an eye on him for two days and gave no food but plenty of water. At the end of the second day he started to show sum interest in his surrounding and on the third day he began to whimper when he heard the dog in the yard.

Q.3: Why is he tempted to keep Tricki as a permanent guest?
Answer: He is tempted to keep Tricki on as a permanent guest because Mrs. Pumphery started to bring round fresh eggs to dozen at a time. He also sends bottles of wine and brandy for Tricki’s health. But that is consume by Mr. Herriot and his colleagues. It is not given to Tricki.

Q.4: Why does Mrs. Pumphery think the dog’s recovery is a triumph of surgery?
Answer: She thinks that the dog’s recovery is a  triumph of surgery because of the dog’s plight. When Tricki brought to the surgery it was very ill. But at the end of story Tricki is full of energy and has no ailment. So she says this. 

Q.5: Do you think Tricki was happy to go home? What do you think will happen now?
A: Tricki was happy to go back home as he really loved his mistress and the comfort of his lavish life. He didn’t have any friends at home like in the hospital, but he seemed equally excited at the sight of Mrs Pumphrey. I think that Mrs Pumphrey will now be careful about Tricki’s diet and health. She may also give him exercise daily as prescribed by the vet earlier.