Question

What is Vivien’s job classification? ______maintance worker ________________
What medical procedure do Dr. Blalock and Vivien come up with to fix Blue Baby Syndrome? _________________________________________________________________
What does Dr. Blalock say about Vivien’s work on the sutures? _______________________ ___________________________________________________________________________
Who comes to talk Dr. Blalock out of surgery on the Saxon baby? _____________________
What leads Vivien to realize why Paunches’, the dog, heart gave out? __________________ ___________________________________________________________________________
How many doctors are willing to assist on the Saxon baby surgery? ____________________
Who does Dr. Blalock want in the ER with him during the Saxon baby surgery? __________ ___________________________________________________________________________
Who is left out of the pictures in Life magazine? ___________________________________
How does Vivien respond to Dr. Blalock’s remarks at the banquet? ____________________ ___________________________________________________________________________
What job does Vivien do when he leaves Johns Hopkins? ____________________________
Why did Dr. Blalock want to see Vivien? _________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________

respond to these questions from the movie something the lord made

Answer 1

I can answer these from the film. I’m confident on most items but a few details in the movie could be remembered slightly differently — I’ll mark any less-certain answers. Here are concise answers:

1) What is Vivien’s job classification?
- Maintenance worker / janitor (later promoted to surgical technician).

2) What medical procedure do Dr. Blalock and Vivien come up with to fix Blue Baby Syndrome?
- The Blalock–Taussig shunt (a systemic-to-pulmonary artery shunt — connecting the subclavian artery to the pulmonary artery to increase lung blood flow).

3) What does Dr. Blalock say about Vivien’s work on the sutures?
- He praises them, saying they are excellent — as good as (or better than) many surgeons’ sutures.

4) Who comes to talk Dr. Blalock out of surgery on the Saxon baby?
- (Less certain) In the film someone tries to talk him out of operating; I recall a hospital official/administrator coming to stop him.

5) What leads Vivien to realize why Paunches’, the dog, heart gave out?
- He notices the sutures/tie placement and that the pulmonary blood flow was being compromised (the way the vessel was handled/stitched caused the heart to fail).

6) How many doctors are willing to assist on the Saxon baby surgery?
- Very few; essentially none of the other doctors are willing — Blalock insists and Vivien is the only assistant (so zero other doctors volunteered).

7) Who does Dr. Blalock want in the ER with him during the Saxon baby surgery?
- Vivien Thomas.

8) Who is left out of the pictures in Life magazine?
- Vivien Thomas (he’s not included/credited in the photos).

9) How does Vivien respond to Dr. Blalock’s remarks at the banquet?
- He is hurt/angry by the slight, stands up and publicly objects/leaves in anger (refuses to accept the patronizing praise).

10) What job does Vivien do when he leaves Johns Hopkins?
- (Less certain) In the film he leaves Hopkins briefly and works elsewhere as a surgical technician / in a surgical lab role before eventually returning; historically he continued as a surgical technician/research supervisor.

11) Why did Dr. Blalock want to see Vivien?
- To ask him to assist in the operation and because he trusted Vivien’s skill — Blalock relied on Vivien’s technical ability and wanted him at his side.

If you’d like, I can double-check any of the less-certain items (4 and 10) and give exact scene details or direct quotes. Which items do you want me to verify precisely?