Babies & Bathwater

House (TV series) episode
episode_name = Babies & Bathwater
episode_no = HOU-118
airdate = April 19, 2005
writer = Peter Blake & David Shore (teleplay)
Peter Blake (story)
director = Bill Johnson
guest_star = Marin Hinkle Naomi


season = 1
diagnosis = LEMS secondary to Small cell lung carcinoma

Babies & Bathwater is the eighteenth episode of the first season of "House", which premiered on the FOX network on April 19, 2005. It is the first of only two episodes in the series to date in which Cameron does not appear.

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. 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 further 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 slightly negative effects on the hospital alluded to in the following episode, when there aren't enough nurses to handle a meningitis outbreak.

In the medical mystery, 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. Naomi decides to have the c-section, but Vogler interferes and cancels the procedure.

A pulmonary embolus 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.

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.

The song at the end is Happiness by Grant Lee Buffalo.

External links

* [http://www.fox.com/house/ FOX.com-"House" official site]
* [http://televisionwithoutpity.com/show.cgi?show=151/ Television Without Pity-"House" recaps]
* [http://epguides.com/House/ House Episode Guide at epguides.com]
* [http://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/house/100213/ TVGuide's Page: Full list of House Episodes]
* [http://www.housemd-guide.com/ House M.D. Guide]