Jack is rushed to hospital in an ambulance to have his appendix out and discovers speedy ambulances are not as exciting as he assumed. The staff seem a little patronising, all except one, whom he recognises just as he goes under the anaesthetic as the redoubtable Ms Wiz - witch extraordinaire. Jack has known her before as his school teacher, but she has come along this time because he is needing some 'special magic'. This she provides by leaving her pet rat Herbert with him. Of course, Herbert causes chaos on the ward and ends up freeing all the laboratory mice. There are lots of unusual happenings before all ends well. Not good hospital preparation, but a wryly funny read, nice to have if one is enduring a hospital stay. Short with big print and lots of black and white pictures.