Medical Mentions are a group of graphic works. The graphic works reviewed here are books whose primary topics are not medical, and yet they cover a medical topic with some depth at some point in the work. The rest of the work might be fictional or nonfictional, while the medical portion is often technical and five pages or more. The reviewer will usually neither recommend nor discourage reading the work, except when the rest of the work is deemed outstanding or terrible, respectively. Typically, six graphic works will be part of the review with one paragraph for each. Prior Medical Mentions can be found at I, II, III, IV, V, VI , VII, VIII, IX, X – Comic Strip Edition #1, XI. With that in mind here’s Medical Mentions XII.
Book Reviews by Kevin Wolf
Hidden Systems: Water, Electricity, the Internet, and the Secrets Behind the Systems We Use Every Day by Dan Nott; especially pp. 145 – 227 on the water supply and sanitation; ISBN: 978-1984896049; RH Graphic (imprint of Penguin Random House); March 2023; paperback; 272 pages; author’s website: https://dannott.com/
Hidden Systems is a fascinating book about public services that we take for granted, which results in them being hidden. Not only are the subjects interesting, but their presentation (maps, charts, objects, timelines, among others) provides an entertaining narrative with a good mix of simple, uncluttered imagery. And it is mostly narrative, with a rare word balloon provided. Dan Nott, the author, through his research provides a public service by explaining these systems in a readily understandable form (i.e., as an educational graphic novel). The systems are the internet, providing electricity via power grids, and—most medically applicable—supplying sanitary water in urban and rural settings. Other than vaccines, sanitation has probably saved more human lives—from preventing the spread of waterborne disease and providing an essential liquid to everyone as a public utility—than any other public health service on earth. The seven most common waterborne diseases are typhoid fever, cholera, giardia, dysentery, Escherichia coli (E. coli), hepatitis, and salmonella; and “Each year, waterborne diseases afflict hundreds of millions of people, primarily those living without safe, accessible water in developing countries [according to waterforgood.org].” However, systems can have some deleterious effects (side effects, perhaps?), especially from their production (e.g. pollutants (including greenhouse gases as a fossil fuel by product), lung irritants for everyone (especially miners in collecting fuel), as “a source of inequality and environmental harm [p. 5].” To its credit, the good and the bad are covered in Hidden Systems. Except for one public health issue, I won’t discuss here the first two hidden systems (internet or power grids), but they make very worthwhile reading; both now becoming essential for the water supply. That public health issue is climate change, “After 100 years, the way we make and use energy needs to change. Our systems are creating catastrophic changes in the climate, … threatening entire populations and upending the lives of the planet’s most vulnerable people [and animals, 77, emphasis in original].” Over several pages, Nott begins the water sanitation system with
“Of all the systems we’ve built … none compare to the ones we didn’t. … Earth’s systems involve infinite interlocking pieces … from the core to the atmosphere … all pushing and pulling on each other …The effect of these … is what we experience as climate … a system in perpetual motion powered by the sun’s energy … made mostly of air … and water … for some … the most boring thing … and also a force of immeasurable weight and destruction … at the root of all life … and a scarce resource used by every industry … to generate electricity … and to carry waste somewhere else [150 – 155].
Nott speculates on water’s accumulation on earth (perhaps 3.5 to 1.0 billion years ago). According to Nott, 97% is salt water and only 3% fresh (21% of the world’s freshwater is found in the U.S.’s Great Lakes according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; and 69% of the world’s freshwater is ground ice and permafrost according to the U.S. Geological Survey). Nott explains, “… daily water use in [the] U.S. per person …” is about 80 – 100 gallons “… for basic chores like flushing, bathing, washing dishes, and drinking [162].” Missing from Hidden Systems is an explanation of how water is treated (including fluoridation) to assure that it’s potable. Taking frozen core samples (164) provides a picture of historical climates (e.g. “~2,000 years ago high lead levels from Roman industry … 1800s – 2000s … drastic …increases [of] carbon in the atmosphere [164].” At other times, Nott gets down to the molecular level.
Humans and other animals evolved near water; around 10,000 BCE there were ~2.5 million humans (175). Some cultures now or in the past move to where water resources are available, while others modify the environment to access water not otherwise available. Some of those modifications have been long buried and are being resurrected (184 – 189 for a timeline). We’ve had rapid human population growth (from less than 1 billion in 1800 to over 8 billion now), and, per the UK’s Royal Society, small but fast-increasing decline and extinctions of other animal species. Nott explains, “In the 18th and 19th centuries, growing European and American cities were dirty and disease-ridden [194]” where people dumped their chamber pots of fecal matter out their windows into street gutters. There were cholera pandemics in the 1800s; from drinking contaminated water when people didn’t know about bacterial causes. Slowly countries learned to drink uncontaminated (distant) water and to move fecal matter away from populations with underground sewers (or by horse carried “soil men,” 197). Water movement was also energy generating, required for farming, industry, and populations. Governments through taxes financed public works, such as dam-building, to redirect water for energy, flood control, farms, urban populations, and sanitation (204 – 211); including negative effects of flooded land, destroyed ecosystems, and displaced communities. Bringing it to the present, Hidden Systems concludes the water supplies section with “Scarcity and Abundance [212 – 225). There are still equity issues with respect to drinkable fresh water (217); and someday, there might be wars over water resources, essential to all life on earth. Not all populations have access to water systems and for these people they are still often subject to waterborne diseases and the ebb and flow of water supplies; and for those trying to control the water supply … well it still doesn’t always work out for desirable effects. There have been movements toward reclamation (222). Please read Hidden Systems for the education you’ll gain about our interconnectedness with the systems required to survive.
Very – Bad at Math by Hope Larson; pp of medical mention; ISBN: 978-0063311282; HarperAlley (imprint of HarperCollins); January 2025; paperback; 240 pages; author’s website: https://www.instagram.com/despairlarson/?hl=en
“Very” is Verity Nelson’s nickname. She’s very good at most of her school subjects and is very popular at French Broad Middle School (FBMS), so much so that she’s been elected class president for three years in a row, including her current year with 99.996% of the vote. Why so many decimal places? Could it be that math is important in Very – Bad at Math? Very’s nemesis is math because she has dyscalculia, a neurodivergent characteristic of one’s brain’s ability to recognize and process math problems. As explained at the Cleveland Clinic website: “Dyscalculia is a learning disorder that affects a person’s ability to do math. Much like dyslexia disrupts areas of the brain related to reading, dyscalculia affects brain areas that handle math- and number-related skills and understanding. Symptoms of this condition usually appear in childhood, but adults may have dyscalculia without knowing it.” Symptoms can include anxiety and depression when thinking about or working math problems. And it affects 3% – 7% of all people. In Very’s case, she often transposes numbers (i.e., changes the order of them). This results in quantity errors (e.g., in recipes), when writing the number code for a school t-shirt order, and during math quizzes. Very will fail her math class and have to give up being president of her class, if her test scores don’t improve. She’s put in a math tutorial, which is a project for Mr. Brook-Garcia’s college math degree. Very’s hard work with persistently poor results reminds me of my periodic math struggles (being in remedial math in second grade; nearly flunking my first exam in college calculus; thereafter, I spent hours with my TA or at the library working problems over and over again until the process made sense in my mind; and I went on to be a health actuary, which emphasizes statistical analysis of health data.) When her math difficulties are humiliatingly outed by a school blogger, Very has to figure (pun intended) out what to do. This book might be the start of a series. I recommend Very – Bad at Math.
Tiffany’s Griffon by Magnolia Porter Siddell & Maddi Gonzalez; ISBN: 978-1250757821; :01 First Second; August 2024; paperback; 288 pages; author’s website: https://www.magnoliasiddell.com/, https://quasimaddi.com/
Not being the “Chosen One” is hard for Marnie to accept, especially since she’s read and reread all of L. L. Fabray’s Griffon Rider’s (invented) series many times. So, when visited by Orion, the Messenger Fairy, who mistakes Marnie for Tiffany Rodriguez, and hands Marnie the Griffon egg, Marnie claims the Chosen One title for herself. Tiffany isn’t even willing to read Fabray’s series. Marnie fantasizes caring for and riding the Griffon to come. We learn that Tiffany’s father has serious, but unknown, health problems, making even short walks a struggle. After surgery his X-rays are “much better [139].” We learn his treatments are very expensive “even with insurance” and Tiffany’s tearfully struggling (“Even though we need help, he still won’t let me get a job. He wants me to ‘have fun’ and ‘focus on school.’ He … He just doesn’t get it [143].”) Marnie starts having doubts about her own “Chosen One” status. Tiffany’s mom had died when Tiffany was young. After the Griffon egg hatches, the Griffon clearly has more of an affinity for Tiffany than for Marnie. There are confessions and anger, twists and turns, including entering a book within a book, and learning about family connections. I’m not going to give any more away, accept to write Tiffany’s Griffon has a satisfying culmination.
Tidesong by Wendy Xu; ISBN: 978-0062955791; Quill Tree Books (imprint of Harper Alley/HarperCollins; paperback; November 2021; 240 pages; author’s website: https://www.artofwendyxu.com/ ; see also Infinity Particle.
Tidesong by Wendy Xu is a subtly brilliant example of the mental health imposter syndrome, where a person doubts their abilities. It’s a fictional story of magic and dragons. Sophie is learning about her magical ability and like any new students makes mistakes. Sophie has a stern Auntie Lan who’s always on Sophie’s case for any missteps. This leads to Sophie questioning any of her abilities and creating more mistakes. Sophie is rescued by a water dragon, Lir, which accidentally causes the dragon to not be able to return to the water. The rest of the story covers Sophie’s need for independence, learning magic in her own way, and Lir returning to the sea. Sophie’s doubts pile on and are only resolved after we learn more about Auntie Lan’s background and family relationships. And if you ever wondered what causes sea storms … well maybe a dragon’s simply looking for their son.
Doña Quixote (vol 2) – Flight of the Witch by Rey Terciero (text) & Monica M Magaña (art); ISBN: 978-1250795519; Henry Holt and Co. BYR Paperbacks; September 2024; paperback; 240 pages; author’s website: https://www.rexogle.com/about, https://www.monicamart.com/
Rex Ogle (Free Lunch, Four Eyes, Pizza Face and many others) also rewrites “classics” as graphic novels under the pseudonym Rey Terciero (including Meg, Jo, Beth, & Amy, and Northranger (nominated for both Harvey and GLAAD Media Awards)). Rey does it again with childhood characters in Doña Quixote and illustrated by Monica M Magaña. There’s a lot of humor in this remake, along with actual magic, when Doña (along with her sidekick/best friend Sandro) uses her grandfather’s enchanted, damaged jousting lance, sword and helmet to rescue her community from an “evil coven of witches.” There is a formerly evil witch, Ramona, that supports Doña. What does this have to do with medicine? Only loosely. Doña breaks her arm when she falls from the grip of a giant bird (transmogrified witch) and is treated in a hospital. Romona was embittered because her son, Emilio, was killed in a car accident. (Spoiler alert) We meet the god of death and rebirth, who resolves the battle with the latter.
Pawcasso by Remy Lai; 107 – 111, 136 – 137, 144 – 145, 159 – 163, 171 – 175, 189+ medical mention pages; ISBN: 978-1250774491; :01 First Second (imprint of Henry Holt & Company); May 2021; paperback; 240 pages; author’s website: https://remylai.com/
The medical aspects don’t get started until late into the middle school graphic novel Pawcasso by Remy Lai. This story is built on two premises: first, that a dog is trained to shop on his own for his “owner,” and second, the community, where the dog shops, wrongly assumes his owner is 11-year-old Jo (short for Joanie). Jo doesn’t immediately correct the misunderstanding which much later causes seemingly disastrous results. I loved this book. Now let’s get into a few specifics; the rest you should learn for yourself by reading Pawcasso. A dog goes into town carrying a basket with a note and some money in it. Jo is the first to see the dog and read the note and follows this dog around. The note provides instructions of what to buy as the dog travels from store to store and purchases are then put in the basket. A dog trained to shop isn’t farfetched (pun intended). The name Pawcasso comes from the dog showing up at a summer kid’s art class and the kids then wanting to use the dog as a model. The instructor was teaching the kids about Picasso … leading to Jo providing “Pawcasso” as the dog’s name. One young boy in the art class has PTSD from strange dogs because, he says, “A stray dog bit me when I was little … [145]” and he’s still pretty little. An animal control officer wants to kennel the unleashed dog, but Jo—as alleged owner—and a gathering crowd has the officer give Jo only a warning. The community then becomes active to try to have the city council change its leash law for Pawcasso. The half of the community that doesn’t want the change gets the nickname “Duchamp’s,” an artist contemporary of Picasso. Jo’s (initial) “ownership” unravels when she “frees” Pawcasso from a veterinary collar and his actual backyard (on the other side of town). We later learn Pawcasso wore the collar because of a skin irritation, which likely came from Jo having a young kid working at an animal grooming shop accidentally splashing Pawcasso with some turpentine while cleaning Pawcasso, who had rolled around in poo. There’s a lot more to this story, including a father/daughter estrangement after a tragic car accident that caused the death of the father’s dog, which became the raison d’être for the father to be part of the Duchamp leash-your-pet camp. Though somewhat convolutedly and serendipitously, when the actual owner appears, confession and honesty on Jo’s part leads to a satisfying resolution.
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