Animal magic

Last week I took the cat to the vet. I am not in the habit of rushing animals off to be seen, but this little kitty had been lying limp in his basket for 36 hours, only getting out once to vomit. I thought that he had probably caught cat flu and was going to die. I had tempted him with tasty morsels, all to no avail, and finally tried to syringe 1 ml of water down his throat to ease his dehydration. I had cradled him in my arms and thoughtfully carried him around the garden showing him the birds and the trees for his last time. However, as he is only seven months old, I decided there should at least be a second opinion before he died. So I made the phone call.

I'm racking my brains to think of the last time I cured a patient with one consultation

It was answered within three rings and an efficient but sympathetic voice suggested that I could bring him straight away. I was given an appointment for half …