Editing 1471: Gut Fauna

{{incomplete|First draft, needs editing and expanding}}

The {{w|microbiome}} is the collection of "good" bacteria that reside in the human digestion tract and help digest certain foods. It is sometimes referred to as {{w|gut flora}}. The title "Gut fauna" is a play on words. ''Fauna'' means animal life in Latin, and ''flora'' means vegetable life. However, in this context ''flora'' means bacterial life.

In this comic, [[Cueball]] is visiting a doctor ([[Ponytail]]) for some unknown problem. The doctor informs him that his gut macrobiome is out of balance, which Cueball responds to with confusion over whether or not she meant the microbiome or macrobiome. A macrobiome, instead of being composed of small organisms such as bacteria, would be composed of larger organisms such as mammals. The phrase "gut fauna" would refer to any animals living inside a gut (as the word fauna refers to animals living in an ecosystem).  

Cueball is right to be worried by the doctor's reference to his macrobiome, as normal humans shouldn't have large animals living inside them. This fear is compounded when the doctor prescribes one wolf for Cueball to swallow, which is normally impossible for humans and would, at the very least, result in major interior damage when the wolf resists being swallowed. The choice of a wolf echoes the reintroduction of the animals into the macrobiome of {{w|Yellowstone National Park}} in the United States, where they have improved the balance by, in part, preying on elk and reducing the damage caused by their grazing.

The dialog between the characters ends with the doctor asking the patient whether he needs a glass of water, a typical question asked by health professionals to help patient with swallowing the oral medication being administered. This last phrase further extends the humorous nature of the proposition to swallow the wolf by displaying a confidence of the doctor in her choice of the treatment modality. In reality, of course, drinking a glass of water while attempting to swallow a wolf would make the latter procedure neither easier, nor more feasible.

The title text suggests that swallowing the wolf is not the worst situation that could have occurred, as the doctor refers to "another way" that the wolf could be administered. One typical way that microbiome's are restored is through {{w|fecal bacteriotherapy}}, most easily described as a "poop transfer". The worse "other way" that the doctor is referring to is thus likely the rectal route, which is definitely less preferable than attempting to swallow a live wolf. Both ways, even if they were physically possible, would, however, be likely lethal. {{Citation needed}}

If we are to take the doctor at her word and there is indeed some sort of macrobiome inside Cueball's gut, then perhaps he has some kind of matter compression ability that would make [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/There_Was_an_Old_Lady_Who_Swallowed_a_Fly introducing a live wolf a legitimate therapeutic option].

Randall has referenced wolf reintroduction programs before, in comic [[819]].

:Cueball: I think you mean ''micro''biome... Right?