[Coniin, in Five Little Pigs].

In this manuscript, I provide some insights into the novel Five Little Pigs (US title: Murder in Retrospect) by Agatha Christie, and overview the neurotoxin coniine that plays an essential role in that story. Coniine is a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist, and induces a slowly spreading effect of paralysis by acting directly on the peripheral nervous system. This agent has been used as a poison for thousands of years; indeed, the philosophical text Phaedo describes that coniine was used to put Socrates to death. Based on this background, Christie's views on human nature and her creative powers are also discussed.

[Thallium, in The Pale Horse: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Considerations].

Thallium poisoning is described in Agatha Christie's mystery novel, The Pale Horse. Thallium, a tasteless, odorless, and water-soluble element is known to be associated with many accidents and adverse events. Although thallium is not easily available in recent years, thallium poisoning continues to occur. However, diagnosis of thallium poisoning is challenging. In this article, we discuss diagnosis and management of thallium poisoning.

[Nicotine, pesticides, and tobacco, in Three Act Tragedy].

Since one of the main characters in Three Act Tragedy was an actor, the three murders described in the book have been likened to a curtain. The three seemingly unrelated murders were connected at the end of the story, a thrill unique to the author, Agatha Christie. Nicotine was used in all three murders in this book. Nicotine is highly toxic and was one of the main pesticides used until the mid-20th century. Although its use is currently prohibited, neonicotinoid pesticides, which have reduced toxicity, are still being used. Problems with nicotine intoxication include accidental ingestion by young children, green tobacco sickness, and suicide attempts. When nicotine enters the body, it binds to acetylcholine receptors and causes various symptoms.

Normality and Disability in H. G. Wells's "The Country of the Blind".

Describing someone as disabled means evaluating their relationship with their environment, body, and self. Such descriptions pivot on the person's perceived limitations due to their atypical embodiment. However, impairments are not inherently pathological, nor are disabilities necessarily deviations from biological normality, a discrepancy often articulated in science fiction via the presentation of radically altered environments. In such settings, non-impaired individuals can be shown to be unsuited to the world they find themselves in. One prime example of this comes courtesy of H. G. Wells's "The Country of the Blind." This paper demonstrates science fiction's capacity to decouple disability's normative quality from classical medical models stemming from the medical Enlightenment movement by challenging the idea of the biologically normal. It first provides a brief account of disability before exploring the concept of medical normality. It then problematizes the biologically consistent being, arguing that health is only understandable when environmentally situated. Next, the paper provides an overview of "The Country of the Blind" before analyzing how it challenges the idea of biological normality, framing it as a social product rather than a universal constant. Finally, the paper concludes that science fiction narratives effectively interrogate our world's seemingly consistent trends by envisioning (un)desirable alternatives.

A autora e os bichos: a vida íntima de Ulisses / La autora y los animales: la vida íntima de Ulisses / The author and the animals: the intimate life of Ulisses

RESUMO. O objetivo deste estudo teórico é problematizar a presença do cachorro Ulisses como alter ego de Clarice Lispector no livro infantil Quase de verdade (1978). Ulisses era também o cachorro da autora, mencionado por ela em diversas entrevistas e no livro Um sopro de vida (1999) em termos de sua humanidade, que o habilitaria a compreender Clarice de um modo particular e mais próximo, quase cúmplice. Essa humanidade se concretiza quando ele assume a narração em Quase de verdade, posicionando Clarice como sua intérprete. A relação com o bicho revela-se de modo simbiótico, recuperando tanto uma experiência mais instintiva da autora como permitindo a fruição das emoções presentes no animal, em um processo de complementaridade. Como vértices de um mesmo eu, discute-se em que medida Ulisses também funciona como um intérprete de Clarice, propondo a ela uma experiência concreta de viver que ultrapassaria a construção de uma inteligibilidade racional. A dimensão do viver, sensorial e corpóreo, desse modo, apresenta-se como superior à atividade compreensiva, aproximando Clarice do universo íntimo, básico e igualmente selvagem tão bem vivido e corporificado por Ulisses, capitaneado à posição de um alter ego puro capaz de ensiná-la a viver com a sua própria animalidade.

RESUMEN. El objetivo de este estudio teórico es problematizar la presencia del perro Ulisses como el alter ego de Clarice Lispector en el libro para niños Quase de verdade (1978). Ulisses también era el perro del autor, mencionado por ella en varias entrevistas y en el libro Um sopro de vida (1999) en términos de su humanidad, lo que le permitiría comprender a Clarice de una manera particular y más cercana, casi cómplice. Esta humanidad se materializa cuando asume la narración en Quase de verdade, posicionando a Clarice como su intérprete. La relación con el animal es simbiótica, recuperando una experiencia más instintiva del autor y permitiendo el disfrute de las emociones presentes en el animal, en un proceso de complementariedad. Como vértices del mismo yo, se discute en qué medida Ulisses también funciona como intérprete de Clarice, proponiéndole una experiencia concreta de vida que iría más allá de la construcción de la inteligibilidad racional. La dimensión de la vida sensorial y corpórea se presenta así como superior a la actividad integral, acercando a Clarice al universo íntimo, básico e igualmente salvaje tan bien vivido y encarnado por Ulisses, capitaneado por la posición de un alter ego puro capaz de enseñar ella para vivir con su propia animalidad.

ABSTRACT. The aim of this study is to problematize the presence of the dog Ulisses as alter ego of Clarice Lispector in the children's book Quase de verdade (1978). Ulisses was also the author's dog, mentioned by her in several interviews and in the book Um sopro de vida (1999) in terms of his humanity, that would enable him to understand Clarice in a particular and closer, almost accomplice way. This humanity materializes when he assumes the narration in Quase de verdade, positioning Clarice as his interpreter. The relationship with the animal is symbiotic, recovering a more instinctive experience of the author and allowing the enjoyment of emotions present in the animal, in a process of complementarity. As vertices of the same self, we discuss to what extent Ulisses also functions as an interpreter of Clarice, proposing to her a concrete experience of living that would go beyond the construction of rational intelligibility. The dimension of sensory and corporeal living thus presents itself as superior to comprehensive activity, bringing Clarice closer to the intimate, basic, and equally savage universe so well lived and embodied by Ulisses, captained by the position of a pure alter ego capable of teaching. her to live with her own animality.

Diversidad familiar en el full time laboral. Reflexiones sobre la serie New Amsterdam / Family Diversity in Full Time Work Reflections on the New Amsterdam series

El presente escrito entrecruza la ficción con la vida cotidiana, en el encuentro con lo no tradicional de las configuraciones familiares y el trabajo de tiempo completo, con jornadas laborales extensas. Ambas situaciones se encuentran e influyen mutuamente en la vida cotidiana. La serie New Amsterdam es el punto disparador para analizar las diversas circunstancias por las que atraviesan estas personas y sus familias. Familias, en este caso, diversas, constituidas por fuera de la norma pero que se ven afectadas por los mismos dilemas que atraviesan quienes planifican este proyecto. La ficción nos permite ver algo de este sentir y vivir en privado por medio de los personajes. Se toma para el análisis, al psicólogo del hospital, Iggy con su familia homoparental, y Helen, médica oncóloga, decidiendo ser madre soltera por elección. Este escrito tiene por fin tratar de comprender y empatizar con quienes, por diversos motivos, se embarcan en el camino de formar familias diversas y enfrentarse al encuentro con sus propias verdades

This document blends fiction with daily life. It includes the encounter of the non-traditional areas of the family structure and the full-time work with extensive working hours. These two merge and influence each other in daily life. New Amsterdam tv show is the trigger point to analyze the various circumstances that people and their families go through. In this case, these families are diverse, constituted outside the norm, and affected by the same dilemmas that go through those who plan this project. Fiction allows us to see some of their feelings and live through the characters privately. The subjects of this analysis are the hospital psychologist, Iggy who has a homoparental family, and Helen, the oncologist who decides by her choose to be a single mother. The intention of this paper is to try to understand and empathize with those who, for various reasons, embark on the path of forming diverse families and facing the encounter with their own truths.

A cultura do estupro na ficção seriada: os mitos representacionais no seriado Justiça / The rape culture in serial fiction: the representational myths in the series Justiça / La cultura de la violación en la ficción seriada: los mitos de representación en la serie Justiça

Este artigo se propõe a analisar a representação e repercussão do estupro na minissérie brasileira Justiça (2016), produzida e exibida pela Rede Globo e de autoria de Manuela Dias. O artigo discute o papel que a representação tem na construção do imaginário coletivo em relação a esse crime, abordando a noção de cultura do estupro, o modo como o crime de estupro é representado na mídia, bem como os mitos perpetuados pelas abordagens feitas. A presente pesquisa apresenta então três momentos de análise: 1) análise da representação do estupro na série; 2) análise da repercussão de tal representação; 3) análise da presença ou ausência dos chamados mitos da cultura do estupro na trama de Justiça.

This article aims to analyze the representation and repercussion of rape in the Brazilian miniseries Justiça (2016), produced and aired by Rede Globo and written by Manuela Dias. The article discusses the role that representation plays in the construction of the collective imagination concerning this crime, addressing the notion of rape culture, the way this crime is represented in the media, as well as the myths perpetuated by the approaches made. This research then presents three moments of analysis: 1) analysis of the representation of rape in the series; 2) analysis of the repercussion of such representation; 3) analyzes the presence or absence of the so-called myths of the culture of rape in the plot of Justiça.

Este artículo tiene como objetivo analizar la representación y repercusión de la violación en la miniserie brasileña Justiça (2016), producida y televisada por Rede Globo y escrita por Manuela Dias. El artículo discute el papel que juega la representación en la construcción del imaginario colectivo en relación a este delito, abordando la noción de cultura de la violación, la forma en que el delito de violación es representado en los medios de comunicación, así como los mitos perpetuados por los enfoques adoptados. A continuación, la presente investigación presenta tres momentos de análisis: 1) análisis de la representación de la violación en la serie; 2) análisis de la repercusión de dicha representación; 3) análisis de la presencia o ausencia de los llamados mitos de la cultura de la violación en la trama de Justiça.

[Neurology in The Adventures of Tintin]. / La neurología en Las aventuras de Tintín.

INTRODUCTION: The presence of disease is a recurring theme in Herge's famous saga, The Adventures of Tintin, and has been reflected in a number of publications. However, the appearance of neurological disease in the work has received little attention from scholars. DEVELOPMENT: A review was conducted of the neurological symptoms that appear in the work published from 1930 to 1976 and their interpretation from a neurological point of view. The possible neurological symptoms in the main characters of the series have been analysed. Head trauma, the neurological sequelae of alcohol and dementia could explain some of the characters' behaviour. This study outlines these cases and their probable interpretation from a neurological perspective. CONCLUSION: Hardly any analyses and interpretations have been carried out on the presence of neurological disease in The Adventures of Tintin series. The work can be used as an informative example of neurological disease.

TITLE: La neurología en Las aventuras de Tintín.Introducción. La presencia de la enfermedad es un hecho recurrente en la famosa saga del autor Hergé, Las aventuras de Tintín, que se ha reflejado en algunos trabajos publicados. No obstante, la aparición de la enfermedad neurológica en la obra ha sido un hecho poco analizado. Desarrollo. Revisión de los síntomas neurológicos en los álbumes publicados desde 1930 a 1976 y su interpretación desde un punto de vista neurológico. Se han analizado los posibles síntomas neurológicos en los principales personajes de la serie. El trauma craneal, las secuelas neurológicas del alcohol y la demencia podrían explicar algunos comportamientos de los personajes. En este trabajo se exponen éstos y su probable interpretación desde un punto de vista neurológico. Conclusión. La presencia de la enfermedad neurológica en la serie Las aventuras de Tintín ha sido poco analizada e interpretada. La obra puede usarse como ejemplo divulgativo de la enfermedad neurológica.

A mirror in fiction: drawing parallelisms between Camus's La Peste and COVID-19.

COVID-19 represents one of the most challenging global health issues in modern times. However, as epidemics have affected humans since our origins, many before us have described how significantly they compromise human lives. Leaving apart the aspects more linked to medicine and health sciences, we focus here on analysing how epidemics force people to change their habits, what type of emotions and behaviours they promote, and which roles are played by different social actors. For such a purpose, especially if we wish to draw some parallels between past epidemics and COVID-19, historical records seemed to be more suitable than literary works. Nonetheless, we have taken this approach relying on La Peste (Albert Camus, 1947), a novel based on a fictional epidemic of plague in the Algerian town of Oran. Far from creating a barrier separating fiction from reality, this reading allowed us to establish several links with our current situation. Recognising that context and solutions vary widely between the two scenarios, core matters concerning epidemics seemed to remain invariable. The important role of data and statistics, the leadership acquired by health authorities, the separations of relatives or the negative effects on trade and business are some issues which took place in Oran as well as nowadays. Besides that, epidemics also affect humans at an individual level, and certain thoughts and feelings in La Peste's main characters may make us identify with our own fears and desires.

Anaesthesia in Indian Detective Fiction; The curious case of Byomkesh Bakshi.

Spinal Anesthesia; Procaine; Fictions.

Horace Wells as a classic tragic hero.

Horace Wells is discussed in a literary manner as a classic tragic hero. Wells' apparent failed end is not the ultimate truth concerning him. His story helps us see and confront life. Many of the scientific, personal, and social issues he grappled with are relevant to us today such as human experimentation and drug addiction. His idealism and romantic pursuit are to be admired. We benefit today from the achievements of his daring and fateful quest.

Apes in fiction: does the content of novels reflect primatological knowledge?

Novels about great apes and humans continue to be consistently popular with the reading public, sometimes reaching best-seller status. Media reviews of these books rarely comment on their primatological roots, nor do primatological journals review them. In a non-quantitative, pilot study, I scrutinize six prominent novels, in terms of three questions: How do the novels make use of primatology? What aspects of primatology do they use? How accurate is their use of primatology? Such novels overwhelmingly concentrate on language, with intelligence and sexuality lagging far behind; other topics, such as culture or technology, receive little or no attention. Apes in nature are rarely mentioned. Inaccuracies abound, even at the most basic level of primatological knowledge that easily could be remedied. Both authors and primatologists would benefit from more informative interaction before publication.

Writing cancer.

PURPOSE: Novels and autopathographies that employ cancer as a central theme offer a wealth of opportunities for researching the way patients with cancer make sense of their illness and its treatment. Such literatures can also inform clinical care, because they can support patients in living with their illness. The use of novels and autopathographies for research and care in persons with cancer fits within the framework of 'Health Humanities', the interdisciplinary field where medicine and social science meet. This paper presents a concise overview of novels and autopathographies that explore cancer as their theme. METHODS: Literature searches were conducted using PubMed, major scientific journals of medicine and clinical oncology, and databases in the Health Humanities. Searches focused on novels and autopathographies where cancer is the central theme, which are available in English, and which can be considered to represent 'high literature'. RESULTS: Twenty-nine books were identified. The majority of the books were written originally in English, and breast cancer and lung cancer were the most frequently discussed types of cancer. The core themes identified were giving meaning to illness; coping with medical treatment; and the psychological and social consequences of illness. CONCLUSION: Novels and autopathographies about cancer represent an innovative base for research on living with cancer and offer rich data on how people make sense of cancer and its medical treatment. Clinical implications of this review pertain to interventions based on bibliotherapy and expressive writing. Novels and autopathographies are just part of the Health Humanities context: a wide range of art genres may prove helpful in improving the quality of life of persons with cancer.

A encenação da violência obstétrica: (dis)junções entre ficção e realidade / The representation of obstetric violence: (dis)junctions between fiction and reality / La representación de la violencia obstétrica: (dis)yuncións entre ficción y realidad

Este artigo se propõe a analisar cenas de parto exibidas em telenovelas brasileiras, criteriosamente selecionadas, com o objetivo de identificar as representações de diferentes formas de violência obstétrica, explícitas ou veladas. Para tanto, optamos por dois métodos complementares: a análise de conteúdo e a análise de imagens em movimento. Como resultado, identificamos três eixos que abarcam as diferentes expressões midiatizadas da violência contra a parturiente: violência pela situação, violência pelo abandono e violência direta. Na discussão, pontuamos consonâncias e dissonâncias entre ficção e realidade, além da falta de problematização acerca do tema, o que, de forma sintomática, contribui para a sua naturalização.

This article proposes to analyze scenes of childbirth broadcasted by Brazilian soap operas, carefully selected, aiming to identify the representation of different forms of obstetric violence, explicit or veiled. Therefore, we selected two complementary methods: the content analysis and the analysis of moving images. As a result, we have identified three axes that include the different expressions of the violence against the parturient by the media: violence by situation, violence by abandonment and direct violence. Through the discussion, we pointed consonances and dissonances between fiction and reality, as well as the lack of problematization regarding the theme, which, symptomatically, contributes to its naturalization.

Este artículo se propone a analizar escenas de parto exhibidas en telenovelas brasileñas, criteriosamente seleccionadas, con el objetivo de identificar las representaciones de diferentes formas de violencia obstétrica, explicitas o veladas. Para eso, optamos por dos métodos complementares: el análisis de contenido y el análisis de imágenes en movimiento. Como resultado, identificamos tres ejes que abarcan las diversas expresiones mediatizadas de la violencia contra la parturiente: violencia por la situación, violencia por abandono y violencia directa. En la discusión, puntuamos consonancias y disonancias entre ficción y realidad, además de la falta de problematización acerca del tema, lo que, de forma sintomática, contribuye para su naturalización.