Chapter 47 Summary and Analysis

A paralyzed man with a paralyzed dog. That's what Herriot encounters when he arrives at the home of Ron Cundall and his wife. Cundall was paralyzed from the waist down and suffered internal organ damage from a mining collapse. However the cause of the Dachshund, Hermann's ailment was a mystery. Herriot tells the bedridden man and his doting wife that the paralyzed rear legs could be caused by anything from an injury to degenerative spinal disease. The low-slung dog might even have slipped under the fence, run into the road and been hit by a car, Herriot speculates.

The veterinarian and the paralyzed miner share a couple of bottles of ale and exchange philosophies. Ron says he got a broken back, crushed liver and other internal injuries but is fortunate to have a wonderful wife and dog.

An X-ray of Hermann...