Editing 2161: An Apple a Day

[[Megan]] is giving a talk, starting with the common proverb, before continuing with "At least, used to." In a normal scenario, this may be to imply that eating apples is no longer enough to stay healthy (or that apples is not enough by itself). However, in this comic, this expression is reinterpreted to mean that apples are to doctors what {{w|antibiotics}} are to {{w|bacteria}}. It also suggests that keeping doctors away is of great importance, presumably because doctors in this scenario are threatening.  

Megan continues with her reinterpretation, humorously mentioning that doctors have become resistant to apples so two or even three may be needed (analogous to resistant bacterial infections that can be killed off with greater concentrations), and in the worst cases doctors have become completely immune to apples (ie. {{w|superbugs}}). A poster behind Megan shows [[:Category:Doctor Ponytail|Doctor Ponytail]] with three apples above her. This references situations where creatures can adapt to deal with threats, especially how some bacteria are becoming resistant to antibiotics. In this case, the comic advocates only using the 'finest' apples in case all others prove unsuccessful (a reference to {{w|Multiple drug resistance|multidrug-resistant}} {{w|pathogens}}, where some antibiotics are only used as a last-resort to reduce the development of resistance to them).

This comic is a clear reference to the overuse of antibiotics in modern medicine, leading to an increase in {{w|antimicrobial resistance}} ("Superbugs"), which has seen increasing awareness in the last few years. The {{w|World Health Organization}} had the first [https://antibioticawareness.ca Antibiotic Awareness Week] in 2015, where a talk similar to the one in the comic would seem very appropriate.

In the title text this is taken further: Gran-negative is a pun on {{w|Gram-negative}}, a type of bacterium. A well-known technique called {{w|Gram staining}} distinguishes two types of bacteria (Gram positive versus Gram negative) on the basis of properties of their cell walls. In this case, Granny Smith apples are supposedly Gran-positive (since the name begins with "Gran"), making them ineffective against new Gran-negative doctors.

Mentioned in the comic and title text, {{w|Honeycrisp}} and {{w|Granny Smith}} are two different cultivars of apples. Granny Smith apples are a sour green apple, which have mixed feelings among apple eaters. Conversely, Honeycrisp is considered "an ideal apple for eating raw", and is the state fruit of Minnesota.