The Edinburgh Neurology Book Club recently read cartoonist David B’s Epileptic , a graphic novel and memoir about a childhood hijacked by his brother JC’s epilepsy and his parents’ search for an effective treatment. It is an odyssey through conventional and complementary medicine and a searing critique of both. The family repeatedly uproots as JC is subjected to a host of treatments, including novel drugs, macrobiotic communes and psychics. None provides more than brief relief from seizures. As the years pass he lapses into obesity, cognitive decline and scarring from his injuries, while David goes his own way. This novel is deliberately provocative, and the club’s discussion was heated. David’s childhood draws sharp parallels between the ‘real’ doctors and the quacks, with their cult-like devotees exalting their ineffective treatments with religious fervour. We felt the patients’ best interests seemed an afterthought; the motivation of these ‘healers’ being a blend of power, influence and convenience. JC becomes a passive agent, while David …

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癫痫患者：大卫 B

爱丁堡神经病学读书俱乐部最近阅读了漫画家大卫 B 的《癫痫症》，这是一部图画小说和回忆录，讲述了他的兄弟 JC 的癫痫病劫持了一个童年，以及他的父母寻找有效的治疗方法。这是一场穿越传统医学和补充医学的冒险之旅，也是对两者的激烈批判。随着 JC 接受一系列治疗，包括新药、长寿社区和通灵术，这个家庭一再连根拔起。没有什么能提供比癫痫发作更短暂的缓解。随着岁月的流逝，他陷入了肥胖、认知能力下降和伤痕累累的问题，而大卫则走自己的路。这部小说刻意挑衅，引起了俱乐部的热烈讨论。大卫的童年在“真正的”医生和江湖医生之间有着鲜明的相似之处，他们的邪教般的奉献者以宗教热情推崇他们无效的治疗。我们认为患者的最大利益似乎是事后考虑的；这些“治疗师”的动机是权力、影响力和便利的结合。JC 成为被动代理人，而大卫……