Dark-Haired British Doctor Chapter 185

Episode 185: More Advanced Surgery [2]

Even though Dumas had become a successful person in Paris, he could not immediately save the craftsmen.

I wouldn't know in normal times, but these are the times.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that the entire city was destroyed… … .

Where can I find a craftsman?

Even if there had been a craftsman I knew, there was a high possibility that he would have died.

“Hmm.”

“You are very lucky to have so many patients.”

So, it was my group that ran first.

To be exact, Blundell, Liston, Joseph, Alfred, and Colin came.

The guys didn't really care about the smell since they were humans who were used to the dissection lab.

However, he showed extraordinary interest in surgery.

Blundell and Liston in particular.

“Breast cancer?”

“A bump on your back?”

The point was a little different.

As an obstetrician and gynecologist, Blundell was very interested in women's diseases.

In comparison, Liston… … .

“Why do you need anesthesia? Just cut it off.”

I was talking like this.

Actually, if you think about what he usually does… … .

It wasn't that much of a crowd.

'Most of them still hold on to it.'

It wasn't just because Liston was a thug.

General anesthesia, that is, the ether and nitrous oxide that we use, had too many risks.

It's because I didn't say anything, but maybe one in twenty or one in thirty…

Because of that, it was safe to say that something was wrong.

What I couldn't say was that people in this era had long since become insensitive to the deaths of those who were sick enough to need surgery.

“It would hurt too much if I just cut it. He’s so weak… … .”

“Have you tried asking?”

"yes?"

“You know, the anesthesia isn’t fully effective yet.”

“That… that’s true.”

A local anesthetic should be administered.

Lidocaine… … .

Wouldn't that be a problem that can be solved in one shot?

'If you think about it, lidocaine is kind of a no-brainer… … .'

I guess it's a bit much to call that a room.

It's a miracle drug, really.

Does it make sense that the surrounding area becomes paralyzed just because you get a little injection?

When it was available, it was taken for granted, but when I looked at it in the 19th century, I saw that it was literally a gift from God.

“Even I can’t stand having breast surgery. Right?”

“No. I can’t stand it. How can I stand it?”

Anyway, I continued my conversation with Liston.

It was clear that Liston believed that if she could endure it, it would be better to endure a mastectomy.

I stopped him for now because I was sure he would actually do that if I left him alone.

Fortunately, Liston was also a person who was sensitive to the patient's pain, so he was quickly convinced.

“Right. Then let’s do this. I’ll go and talk to them… … Just don’t do that.”

“Hmm.”

“And the chest is anesthetized. There’s no need to lie down.”

“That’s… … that’s true.”

Would it have sounded plausible if I had heard it when I first started practicing medicine here?

I don't know.

But now it is like that.

Yeah, I think I can tolerate that much.

Actually, it's not like… it's that bad, right?

“Patient.”

While I was lost in thought for a moment, Liston walked slowly towards Sophie Germain.

I could see fear on her face.

It was natural.

It probably felt like a death knell.

In reality, doctors at this time were no different from the dead, and among them, someone with the looks of Liston would be a real deal.

“Huh? Back? Ah… … This is it, I have to endure it. But can you get surgery on your chest too?”

“I don’t know.”

Fortunately, Sophie Germain, like a scientist, suppressed her fear with reason and continued the conversation normally.

When asked the question, Liston shrugged and pointed at me.

“If it’s Doctor Pyeong from Joseon, it would be possible. I’m sure he would explain it in a way that it’s done like this in Joseon.”

somehow…….

I feel sarcastic.

That kid definitely knows everything.

That's an excuse… … .

'But if you're letting it go, that means you're not going to make a fuss about it, right?'

thank god.

Because Liston is so generous.

“It’s true. Joseon must have been a country with unusually advanced medicine.”

“Among them all, Dr. Pyeong is the best because he received an excellent education in the UK.”

“Yes, our professor is really the best.”

Isn't it… …?

Looking at Joseph, Alfred, and Colin's reactions, I'm confused as to whether or not that's true.

And I wondered if such a reaction might help convince scientists like Sophie Germain.

“Actually, I heard that this is an incurable disease. I was about to give up… … But now that you say it like that, I’ll believe you. What else can I do but die?”

But it worked.

'From now on, I need to sell Joseon more actively.'

No, I don't mean to be a traitor.

That sounds a bit strange.

anyway.

“Yes, this is Doctor Pyeong from Joseon. Then, I will just do the back. I will anesthetize you for the chest. As for the surgery… … .”

I approached the patient and drew a picture on a piece of paper.

It wasn't a consent form.

It would be more correct to view it as an instruction manual.

Even though it is not legally specified, I think it is right to do this much, so I am doing it… … .

'Pyeong-ah. What's the point of doing something like that? You won't understand anyway.'

'That's why. Patients, unlike us, are not rational beings.'

'I… I don't understand, but I will follow what you say, Professor.'

First of all, our students' reaction was like this.

If you look closely, they are the embodiment of the sense of being chosen.

'Hmm… … .'

In contrast, Liston's reaction was somewhat different.

Surprisingly, Liston doesn't join my surgeries very often, does he?

Of course, there were important surgeries like prostate surgery… … .

Before such surgeries for the aristocracy, doctors in the 19th century also tended to provide explanations.

But during all those amputations, Liston's explanation to most of his patients was pretty much the same:

-You have to cut it. Otherwise, you'll get killed.

Simple and clear.

There was absolutely no explanation of what to cut, how to cut it, what would happen after cutting it, especially the phantom pain that often accompanies it.

I didn't dare to say anything about it.

I thought it was something that needed to be fixed, but… … .

There were more than one or two problems, so I couldn't waste my energy trying to fix just one explanation.

At that time, I was drinking water from the Thames River… … .

“There’s definitely something different about you.”

But I guess it would have been okay to say something.

After I finished my explanation, I saw Liston talking to me like this while I was checking the surgical instruments.

"yes?"

“Aren’t there cases where patients keep running away? It’s less common than before, though.”

“Ah… … yes.”

Of course, as always, it was a little different from what I thought.

But anyway, the words that followed were positive.

“I had to use brute force every time. One time, I even hit a person in the face.”

“Patient… … Patient?”

“Then would the patient have hit him? That can’t happen.”

That's usually the case.

To a patient in the emergency room… … .

It's sad, but I'm sure there are quite a few doctors who have experienced it.

“Anyway, I had to do that, but if you explain it in detail, I think they’ll give me some. Look at that patient. Isn’t he lying there just fine?”

“That patient… …is it because he has difficulty just getting up and moving?”

“Oh, really? That’s good. Good. If you still want to run away even after I explained it, I’ll have to make it hurt even more.”

“No, that.”

“Just kidding, just kidding! Hahaha! I wouldn’t believe it!”

This kid… … .

Are you kidding?

When I said that it went well, I was so sincere… … .

“Anyway, are we going to do it all in one room today?”

Liston asked me, looking at me with nothing but a knife, a pliers, and some sutures.

'Common sense… … would that be so?'

Mastectomy is… … .

It was a surgery that was considered a basic technique in modern surgery.

Of course, there are separate specialists in the field, but this is a surgery that residents can easily see.

but…….

However, this does not mean that the surgery can be done so carelessly.

First of all, we needed a few more tools.

It was more for the view than anything else.

'I wish I could get tested, but… … that's impossible. After all, dreaming of a cure… … .'

The best option is still radical resection.

But is that possible now?

Without any imaging tests, so we don't even know exactly how far the lesion has spread?

Additionally, is it possible to perform a tissue biopsy on the specimen after surgery?

That won't work either, not right now.

In other words, I can't even confirm whether there are cancer cells at the end of the area I cut off or not.

‘Even if I check… … it’s not like I’ll open it again, and it’s not like radiation therapy or chemotherapy is possible either.’

Even in the 21st century, when everything I have just listed is possible, cancer is something that has not been cured.

But are you being greedy here?

That's not right.

'We just have to move in the direction of extending lifespan even a little bit. And… … let's minimize complications from surgery.'

I made up my mind.

We also decided on the necessary equipment to do so.

It's unfortunate, but there's nothing we can do about it.

We have to go step by step.

“No. Just the back today. That alone will be difficult.”

“If you put the patient under anesthesia, they won’t know, right?”

“The patient’s body… … wouldn’t you know?”

“What are you talking about?”

“That… … condition is important, isn’t it? You saw it this time. Cholera.”

“Ah. Hmm. Certainly… … Yeah.”

Look at it now.

When I first came here, I really had a long way to go… … .

This wasn't even a road.

It felt like I was just digging through nothing, but not anymore.

Finally, it has been recognized that the state of the host is important in fighting off external factors, that is, immunity.

Although not theoretically, at least everyone here agreed.

It is a great development.

“Yeah, that’s true too.”

“Yes. Once this surgery is done, the patient will be much more comfortable. They will gain weight… … We won’t be leaving right away anyway, right?”

“That’s true. Because of the cholera, we couldn’t even hold an anatomy lecture. There’s only one problem. Many of the people who were supposed to attend our lectures died.”

"ah."

“But there will be a few more weeks.”

“Then let’s let him recover more in the meantime and then do the surgery. Maybe for a week?”

“Do whatever you want. That… …is how they do it in Joseon?”

“Ah… … yes.”

In return, I got some suspicious looks.

I think it'll be okay.

Anyway, after roughly making a plan with Liston, I headed to the patient.

Meanwhile, surprisingly enough, my disciples were lying the patient on his side and washing his back with clean water.

Clean water, wipe it.

Both of these… … are miracles.

“Hey, let me wash my hands.”

“Oh, oh. That’s right.”

Everything that happens after that is also a miracle.

“If you don’t wipe, you’ll get cholera.”

“Oh, yeah. Right.”

It turned out like that because there was a bit of a misunderstanding… … .

I didn't intend to correct it.

Even if you soak your hands in lime chloride, it was the same.

It's better to have red hands than not to wash them at all.

“Hey, flat!”

"huh?"

“You too, pickle!”

ah.

Isn't it?