Babies & Bathwater

"Babies & Bathwater" is the eighteenth episode of the first season of House, which premiered on the Fox network on April 19, 2005.

Plot

After Cameron resigns, Chase, Foreman and House attempt to solve a mystery case surrounding a pregnant woman who is having brain and kidney dysfunction. The mother, Naomi, must grapple with the dilemma to deliver her child early, and receive the treatment for her small cell lung cancer, or try to give the fetus an increased chance at survival by carrying into her 29th week. However, putting off treatment for even one week (to give her fetus a better chance) will risk her own life and survival chances. Naomi decides to have the c-section, but Vogler interferes and cancels the procedure.

A pulmonary embolism forces the father to face his own dilemma, as he must choose to try to save his wife, or his child. He chooses his wife. The procedure goes awry and she bleeds into her abdomen, but there is nothing the team can do to save her. The father hesitates over okaying the c-section, but House convinces him that Naomi would want the baby to be born. The delivery is touch and go, but eventually a newborn's cries are heard - just as it is ascertained that Naomi has died.

In the clinic, a young vegan couple is arrested for child neglect despite House's treatment plan when Cuddy goes over his head and calls social services. After finding out that the parents had gotten nutritional advice from a qualified practitioner, House orders a test that reveals a shrunken thymus (DiGeorge's Syndrome). He informs Cuddy just before the second board meeting. It highlights for Cuddy why House is valuable, and the price they will pay if Vogler continues to turn the hospital into his fiefdom.

Meanwhile Vogler tries to convince the board of directors to dismiss Dr. House. When Dr. Wilson stands up for House, Vogler calls for his dismissal from the board. Wilson chooses to resign from the hospital rather than have his reputation stained. Since the original motion to fire House was defeated, the Board must wait one business day before re-voting on the issue, as per the Board's bylaws. At the next meeting, Cuddy votes "No"; this prompts Vogler to call for her immediate dismissal also. After giving an impassioned speech to the rest of the Board, Cuddy walks out. It is later discovered that the Board, instead of voting to fire House and Cuddy, voted to dismiss Vogler as Chairman of the Board. This causes the departure of Vogler and his $100 million, which will have negative budget effects on the hospital.

External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Babies & Bathwater

• "Babies & Bathwater" at Fox.com
• "Babies & Bathwater" at the Internet Movie Database
• "Babies & Bathwater" at TV.com