Dark-Haired British Doctor Chapter 69

Episode 69 Mirror Therapy [3]

Things went smoothly until we decided to use a mirror.

Although Dr. Liston is known to be quite cautious, he is also a man of action who carries out his plans with determination.

Isn't that why the hair expert kids started coming in in the first place?

The problem was that they were also quite serious practitioners, if not too serious.

It was obvious that they were trying a treatment that shouldn't be done even at this time.

Especially that… … .

That electrician guy.

What should I say before that guy fryes the patient?

“First, we need to quickly decide on a format and place an order.”

“Yeah, that’s right. But is there anything we can do that quickly? The rubber hand treatment we’re doing now is somewhat effective, isn’t it?”

No, this guy… … .

We are not the problem.

The other kids are going to do something stupid.

If everyone else was there, I might not have said anything more.

There are just the two of us now, right?

At least Liston treats me like a real brother.

So I decided to muster up my courage and open up a bit.

It's not that I didn't want to, since I was in the city, I had to do something. It was obvious that once I got in, it would take a while to get out.

“The other bird… … no, those. I’m a little worried about the treatment the hair specialists are trying.”

“Anxiety? Why?”

“Is there a need to… …let electricity flow unnecessarily?”

“Ah, haha. That’s a very unfamiliar concept. I don’t like it that much either, but it’s not without basis.”

No way, Inma!

I've heard that electric therapy… is effective for depression… … but they don't use electric eels there either!

Among the YouTube videos I was watching, there was a video of a crocodile getting electrocuted while trying to catch an eel, so that video kept playing in my head.

Of course, I couldn't say that to Liston, so I continued talking about something else.

“But… … There are many reasons why patients are flocking to us now, but isn’t it also a big reason that we provide treatment that doesn’t hurt? I think we need to keep the patients’ pain in mind more in the future.”

“Ah… … Hmm. That’s… … .”

Treatment that does not cause pain to the patient.

Is this something to be so worried about?

Apart from my shock, Liston seemed quite shocked by those words as well.

Well, isn't it true that we live in a time when not only hospitals but the entire society is indifferent to pain?

For example, our workers… … .

I don't know the details of how they are doing, but I only know the general details, and yet tears welled up in my eyes.

“Well… … they only use anesthesia for surgery… … but it would be nice if it didn’t hurt.”

Fortunately, Liston was an open-minded person, unlike the person he had caused the most pain to.

So we found a dramatic compromise.

We started to share the idea that 'let's do something quickly!'

Of course, I was the only one who had to think.

I'm sure Liston has his own concerns, but I'm the only one who clearly understands the concept of tricking the brain.

'The most important thing is to make sure that you can see the hand, but… … not feel anything. To do that… … first, um… … .'

To be honest, I thought I was pretty smart, so I believed something would come out of it soon.

But could it be that my head has been slightly influenced by the savagery of the 19th century?

I couldn't come up with any ideas, let alone any plausible results.

Even the simulation of what it would look like when a mirror was placed couldn't come out properly.

“Shall we look in the mirror and think about it, Professor?”

“Uh… … I guess so. Yeah, that would be good.”

So we headed to the mirror store.

In Korea, mirror stores were quite unfamiliar, but at the time, mirrors were considered a valuable piece of furniture, so there were places that sold them separately.

Anyway, the store we arrived at had a huge variety of mirrors.

The professor and I both scattered around and began to explore the mirror.

'Yeah, I guess coming here just makes my mind wander.'

I was confident.

I feel confident that I can accomplish something soon.

“Ah… … Hey, Doctor Pyeong.”

Then Liston called me.

I thought the employee was picking a fight with me.

Liston was a man who got very angry when someone he thought was his own was treated rudely, so he ran to stop him.

But there was only Liston there.

Well, there was one employee in the first place, but he was far away and completely naked.

“What's going on?”

Anyway, I asked without much expectation.

Unlike me, Liston's face was flushed red.

It seemed like a 19th century person was trying hard.

“Look at this.”

Of course, I joined in the excitement.

Isn't it rude to be indifferent when someone comes out like this?

Rudeness should be treated with consideration for the person, but it should never be done to someone like Liston.

“Look carefully. Let’s say that he is a person without a right hand.”

"yes."

“Let me look at my left hand in the mirror. Now, what does it look like?”

“Oh… … it looks like a right hand.”

“But if we just leave it like this, it seems a bit odd. Wouldn’t it look more realistic if we didn’t show our left hand at all?”

“Ah… … Wait a minute. Oh… … .”

oh…….

Liston… …

Is this gentleman someone who left his name in history?

Well, wasn't he the best doctor in London?

It was because it was an era where people didn't know anything, but it was okay to see him as the best doctor within the limitations of the era.

Basically, he's smart… … .

‘You understand it so quickly and come up with an idea so quickly… …?’

I felt like the professor was a professor.

Even if the times are a mess, intelligence is alive!

“What are you thinking so deeply about?”

“No, no. This is too convincing. How about hiding the left hand… or something… and putting it in a box? Just make it look like a mirror? I think it would be really convincing.”

“Aha. Right, with a box… … Right. Good. Actually, this would be much easier to make than a rubber hand, right?”

“Yes. Really… … You are so amazing.”

I have always been a person who is good at flattering others.

It was because I was very trained while living in the hospital.

To some extent, it was possible to flatter someone even when I was completely ignoring them.

But what if it's not that, but a situation where I'm actually admiring it?

“I have never seen such a genius idea in my life.”

“Heh heh, that’s about it… … .”

“No, no. You should be proud. From now on, Professor, you will be remembered as the father of medicine who cured this unknown pain.”

“You were the one who thought of using the mirror in the first place… … ?”

“This might have been an idea that I would have discarded if I had been racking my brain. This is really… … wow… … Professor, you are a light in the medical field.”

“Hahaha. This is it. This feels good!”

It was possible to keep tinkling nonstop so that the opponent couldn't even come to his senses.

Even Dr. Liston was a bit hesitant at first, but now… … .

"ha ha ha!"

The store was laughing as it left.

Then the employee approached me with a fearful face.

I'm not that scary looking, but I guess I'm an Asian passive who's in charge of London's watercraft at this time.

Liston was a general or a national gangster face regardless of the era or culture.

Wouldn't it be unsettling to see these guys laughing?

When I turned my head, I saw that I was armed.

Even so, he looked like he could fly away at Liston's slightest gesture.

“Okay, bring me a mirror.”

To such an employee, Liston still asked for a mirror with a hearty face.

“No, not money?”

The employee looked very confused.

“Money? I have to pay.”

“Ah… … Yes, yes.”

Of course, this wasn't the first time Liston had been through something like this, so instead of getting angry, he just said what he had to say.

Fortunately, the employee also saw Liston like that, escaped the misunderstanding, ran inside, and came out with several mirrors in the shape that Liston had requested.

“Ha, I’ll give you a discount.”

Of course, the misunderstanding was not completely resolved, but there was an advantage in terms of price.

“There are times when it is advantageous to be like this.”

Liston chuckled as he got into the carriage carrying several mirrors.

I also thought that it was not always advantageous, but rather more advantageous, but I just smiled faintly in agreement.

“Okay, let’s make it. Bring a hammer and a saw!”

Anyway, when Dr. Liston returned to the university, the first thing he asked for was tools.

Then the assistants answered in a loud voice.

“Yes! Where is the patient?”

“What kind of person should I arrest!”

“Whose leg should I cut off?”

If you just listen to their names, they sound like gangsters rather than doctor's assistants, but in reality, they were all good people.

Even though I heard that it wasn't that, I brought it anyway.

With the tools he had brought, Liston manipulated the wood with an almost familiar dexterity, creating several objects that fit perfectly in his hand.

Perhaps because he was a person with really good hands, all the objects looked the same size, as if they had been measured with a ruler.

"and……."

“But why.”

“As expected, the professor is amazing!”

“Hahaha! This guy, this!”

After I had first lifted people's spirits with praise, I called over the people who were originally undergoing treatment.

Some people already had rubber hands attached, while others had just arrived.

Anyway, this phantom pain is spreading in London at the moment, almost like a plague, so it was possible.

I thought that perhaps no other doctor in the world had ever had a patient group of this size dedicated to phantom pain.

I felt like I could even write a thesis.

Since when has there been a NEJM (New England Journal of Medicine, an academic journal of medical papers)?

I think it should be there by now… … .

'Even so, all the papers that go in there are probably a mess, for now.'

Isn't this the time when people pretend to be scientists?

Anyway, I started mirror therapy, which looked much more realistic than the rubber hand.

If I could, I would call the hair experts right now and tell them to do this… … .

The problem was that they also called themselves scientists.

They are acting like they have no basis whatsoever, and when you ask them to change their behavior, they suddenly ask for evidence as if they are great scientists.

'Okay… let's see what happens.'

I don't know if it's because this is such a desirable outcome, but somehow the patients' reactions seemed much better than before.

No, it's not what you see… … .

“Did you just see that?”

“Yes, I saw it too.”

“It definitely works.”

“Yes, yes. Really.”

As Liston agrees, when patients move their existing hand while looking at their absent hand, it feels like a real illusion.

When I actually pretended to hit with my left hand, he quickly took his nonexistent right hand out of the box… … .

At this point, it could be certain.

It may not guarantee a 100% cure, but it seems like the best treatment available under the current circumstances.