Dark-Haired British Doctor Chapter 181

Episode 181: The Great Disaster [3]

The Paris medical community was split exactly in half.

The so-called Hippocratic school, centered around Corai of the Montpellier Medical School, a prestigious school with a long tradition.

And the Sword Master faction, or rather the Surgeon faction, represented by Dr. Liston from London, myself, and Dr. Jean Pierre.

It's half true, but since it was a time when the perception that internists were the real doctors was widespread, there were more of them.

I felt bad, but… … .

Rather, it seemed like Liston and Blundell were doing well.

“Imagine if this disaster had happened in London.”

“That's what I mean.”

The two took advantage of the break they had and came out of the sickroom to wash their hands with soap and water they had prepared in advance.

I'm not doing this because I told you to.

I'm just doing it voluntarily.

‘A day like this has come… … .’

I was so moved that I took a sip of the wine next to me.

If you ask me if I drink alcohol while working at a hospital, I would respond by saying that there is nothing I can do about it.

The water in Paris is now… … reaching a point where it is simply unreliable.

Usually, cholera is a waterborne infectious disease, so it tends to spread from a certain area to the neighboring areas, but now it seems like the problem has spread to the entire Seine River.

As a result, things were really going crazy everywhere.

So, we first leave all the water under the sun for a few days, even if it is primitive, and when the sediment inside settles, we take it out and distill it… … .

'ha.'

How could that be easy?

Time is of the essence, and it was very difficult to obtain sufficient water.

They said they were busy giving it to patients who were suffering from diarrhea and were on the verge of dehydration or shock.

Because of this, most of the medical staff consumed most of their fluids in the form of alcohol.

“Uh… … I’m drunk. I was thirsty so I drank a lot and now it’s coming up quickly… … .”

Joseph, who was standing next to me, stumbled with a flushed face.

Looking at that sight, even if there is no water, I feel like this is not right… … .

But that doesn't mean the patient can drink the water.

Or give the patient alcohol?

That was also not right.

The city was now in the grip of disaster.

I don't know if I can say it was thanks to this, but a scene that would have been unimaginable in the 21st century was unfolding.

“If it were London, there would have been more deaths.”

“I feel bad, but… … I guess that’s what it’s like.”

Colin and Alfred were both absorbed in the treatment, even though they were still in good health.

Fortunately, the rest of the medical staff and assistants have long since become proficient at giving water, so it was okay to just have those two.

Thanks to this, Liston and Blundell were able to continue their conversation at their leisure.

Of course, this sight was not very appropriate for Paris as a whole.

Right away.

Even now, a horse-drawn carriage is passing in front of the hospital.

A cow was dragging a horse while groaning, and the reason was simple.

There were too many corpses in the back.

Is that all?

No it wasn't.

A similar carriage was going over there too.

Fortunately, the corpses that were loaded onto the carriage were okay.

I heard that some houses were just completely destroyed and there were many corpses just rotting away in the houses.

“We have a lot more people than here… … and the Thames water is terrible. I don’t know if my memory is right, but the amount of miasma I saw under the microscope back then wasn’t that different from what I saw here.”

“I remember that too. It’s creepy, yeah. Have you received any calls?”

“There’s no contact… … Well, is it possible to have a proper contact?”

“Well… … that’s why.”

Paris was now a giant cemetery.

Those around him were not even approaching.

In this situation, which brave person would be able to deliver here?

You can just see it as something that doesn't make sense.

“Anyway, I have to do something when I get back.”

“What are you going to do, anyway?”

“We have to convince Parliament. The Thames water… … We have to do something about the sewers. That water… … It wasn’t like this when I was a kid.”

“That’s true. That’s true. That’s true, that’s true.”

The two looked in opposite directions while chatting away.

There was a hospital there too.

Now, it has gotten to the point where I can't tell if it's a hospital or a funeral home.

I heard from people over the phone that patients who go to that hospital are being neglected and not receiving any treatment.

There was nothing I could do about it, since there were many people who claimed that it was a cure.

They say that if you eat it, you'll get diarrhea…

“Anyway, let’s go.”

“That’s right. Oh, it’s really hard, yeah.”

“Even if it’s hard, we have to do it. But now the number of cases has decreased a bit. We just have to take care of the people who were sick before.”

“Yeah… … Pyeong was muttering earlier. It’ll only take 3 or 4 days at most.”

“I guess you have experience in Joseon.”

“That seems to be the case. What kind of place is Joseon? It must be much more developed than the Qing.”

“That’s what I’m saying. My lifelong wish is to set foot on Joseon soil once.”

Oh, you heard me mumbling.

It's something I could say because I knew the natural course of the disease called cholera, so that's fortunate.

Now, if I say something strange, people probably think I said it in Joseon.

It is true that Joseon is becoming more and more mysterious, unintentionally… … .

"uh."

Blundell put his gloves back on and went back into the sickroom with a defeated look on his face.

By the way, I forgot my mask when I went in… … .

“I think it went into my mouth.”

“Huh? What?”

"that."

What could have gone into it?

I felt like the alcohol had completely sobered up.

I immediately put on gloves and a mask and ran to Blundell.

“Did you swallow it?”

“Huh? No. Isn’t it? I don’t know… … What should I do?”

Blundell pointed to the patient in front of him.

I was trying to see what it was like when he suddenly took off his pants and flew away.

They say that when monkeys or tigers insult someone, they spit out feces… … .

I don't think that was done on purpose.

I guess it's just a bit of a cultural thing.

Anyway, that wasn't the important thing.

Blundell was important.

“First, gargle with water!”

“Uh huh.”

“No, no. Alcohol! Bring alcohol!”

“Why, why? Are you trying to cut it?”

“Huh? What are you cutting?”

"I don't know either."

“That’s not it… … .”

Alcohol has a disinfecting effect… … .

I don't know yet.

“In our Joseon.”

"shipbuilding?"

“I disinfect the wound with alcohol. I didn’t know it then, but now that I think about it, I think I knew from experience that alcohol kills miasma.”

“Aha. Then I can believe it. Joseon liquor isn’t the only one that has such effects, right?”

“Probably not.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

I wiped Blundell's face, which was covered in brown splatters, and offered him a drink he had been sipping on the street.

Fortunately, there was not only wine but also cognac, so there were some with strong alcohol content.

It may not be at a level where it can be set on fire, but… … .

It would have been possible to kill the bacteria that had been in the slightly dirty stool.

"hurry!"

“Ugh.”

Anyway, Blundell's face became very fearful and he started rinsing his mouth with alcohol.

Just like washing my hands earlier and gargling now… … .

Something remarkable was happening, and in a way, it was to be expected.

Aren't they now completely redefining the concept of miasma?

Because of this, I became extremely reluctant to come into contact with germs, and there was one incident that added fuel to the fire.

It was a medical staff infection.

I think he was Jean Pierre's disciple… … .

It seemed like he wasn't very pleased with our teachings.

-Gloves? Huh?

-Wash your hands? Why?

After making a fuss like that, he eventually contracted cholera and is now in the cemetery.

If I had seen this before, I would have just thought it was just bad luck.

Or maybe I thought it was because the air was bad.

But now it was different.

Even though I didn't say anything, everyone here realized that it was a miasma that had been in the toilet and entered the body.

'Hoo hoo.'

Thinking about that, a smile came to my face without me realizing it.

“You… … are you laughing?”

“Oh, no.”

Blundell looked at me with a flushed face after seeing that smile.

Looking to the side, Liston was also standing there with a look on his face that said, “You can’t win.”

That's not what I meant, but I feel like the misunderstanding keeps piling up.

I'm such a nice person!

“Anyway, Professor, it’s time to get some rest.”

“Rest? Why?”

"that……."

In fact, several conditions are necessary for a person to become infected with a pathogen.

First of all, of course, there had to be exposure to the pathogen.

Whether it enters the mouth like it does now, or the nose, or through a cut on the skin… … .

But will it work if I just go in?

Then our species would have already gone extinct.

Fortunately, our bodies have the power to fight germs… … .

Both saliva and stomach acid kill it chemically.

However, if the invasion is successful, then the immune cells must fight from then on… … .

'It's hard to explain that it's so closely related to your physical condition… isn't it?'

Immunity, huh?

To some extent, the concept was actually starting to take hold.

We've known for thousands of years that after an epidemic, people who survive it are less likely to contract it again.

It's already been decades since Dr. Jenner developed the smallpox vaccine.

but…….

Immunity is still a somewhat veiled field of study.

“In Joseon, if someone is sick, they first make them rest. Although, there is no evidence that it is better that way.”

“If that’s the case in Joseon, then it must be so.”

Fortunately, if we sell Joseon, things will be more or less okay.

Besides, I saw it.

Blundell is smiling.

How much does this guy want to rest… … .

It won't be too hard… … .

I'm having a hard time too… … .

Blundell is older than me.

Even though it's an obstetrics and gynecology job where you don't have to die, you came here for no reason, did experiments, and even ate poop…

“Okay, go and rest.”

“Oh, yeah. Thank you.”

“Drink water instead of alcohol.”

“Okay.”

So Blundell ran away to his room.

Didn't go to the hotel.

Paris is now dangerous not only because of disease, but also because public safety has been destroyed.

I don't know about Liston, but if Blundell leaves, he'll be robbed and killed within 10 minutes.

And this was the cleanest.

Once we became aware of miasma, we started to sweep and clean as if we had developed a group obsession or something.

You mean those crazy guys put soap on the floor and it was so slippery that you almost fell over?

“Okay, let’s go.”

"okay."

“There are only a few days left.”

"okay……."

“Please wear a mask.”

“I got two.”

Anyway, we went in to prepare for the final battle.

So far, our hospital's mortality rate has been around 10%.

It is already overwhelming compared to other hospitals.

Once this situation is over and analysis begins, it is clear that the medical landscape itself will change.