NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 53
Episode 53. Threshold of Pain (1)
Morning commute.
Today was unusually tiring. Still recovering from the trip to Imentia, plus there’s an evening appointment with the Imperial Princess… and a gift to prepare too?
No idea. Just give me a break with your royal grace!
“Hey, Mr. Hedwig. What’s this symposium everyone’s talking about? If it’s making you stick around the Academy, it must be a big deal.”
“I’m even thinking of switching my gown to black for it.”
Why are we sidetracking?
“Dirt really shows on dark clothes. Dust turns gray, grime turns brown… but anyway, what’s this symposium about?”
“Not entirely sure myself. Some professors mentioned something about bacteria, hand hygiene, blood circulation—stuff like that.”
“I see.”
“Apparently, it’s not just theoretical discussions. They’re aiming for practical, clinical applications this time. That’s why they invited so many people.”
If that’s the topic, isn’t this practically a review session for my papers? Not that they invited me…
Oh right, the author shouldn’t be present during reviews. Makes sense. But still, should I attend or stay away?
Maybe staying away is better…
“Uh… can you tell me how it goes after you come back? And if there’s a guidebook, could you spare one for me?”
Hedwig nodded.
Guess there’s no real prep needed for this symposium. Maybe I’ll send Istina later just to observe? Might pick up something useful.
“Alright then, Professor.”
“Yes?”
“Can I observe your ward rounds or outpatient consultations over the next few days?”
“Uh…”
Hmm, that’s a tricky question.
Having her follow along isn’t a huge problem, but she’s not exactly a grad student, and I’m unsure how much help it’ll be…
“Well… do your thing, and if you have questions, ask Ms. Istina. We can discuss patients later.”
“Could you answer a few questions now?”
I nodded.
***
Hedwig slumped onto the lab sofa, holding a small booklet.
Is that my papers?
“Alright, let’s start with bacteria.”
“Yes.”
“What do you think bacteria are?”
“Microscopic particles. I believe they breed inside the body and cause problems.”
Hedwig nodded.
“Have you considered the specific mechanism by which bacteria cause disease?”
“Ah, just possibilities at this point.”
“Yes?”
“In blood microscopy tests, you don’t just find red blood cells, right?”
“Mentioned briefly in the blood paper.”
“Right. Personally, I think white blood cells resist bacteria, causing reactions like fever and redness.”
Hedwig tilted their head slightly.
“Really? Never heard that before.”
“Just a theory.”
With some luck, we might catch white blood cells devouring bacteria under the microscope—but I doubt our equipment is sharp enough. The white blood cells themselves look blurry.
“There’s that dysentery plague paper, right?”
“Yes.”
“Why does alcohol kill bacteria? I noticed you use it for sterilization in the wards too.”
All living cells have lipid bilayer membranes, which dissolve in high-concentration alcohol, breaking down bacterial cell walls.
To simplify:
“Bacteria die when soaked in booze. They’re living organisms after all.”
“That… could actually make sense.”
Hedwig gave a tentative nod.
“About blood circulation—you said blood moves mechanically through the body. Any experimental ways to verify this?”
“Several methods.”
The paper mentions cardiac output and capillary observation under the microscope. But there are countless ways to prove blood circulation exists.
“Cut open a vein in a live animal. You’ll confirm that venous blood only flows toward the heart.”
“But since you argue the liver doesn’t produce blood, the organ responsible for creating it seems to vanish in your theory.”
Hedwig scribbled something seriously while I shook my head. No, wait.
Femur. I pulled out a femur Istina recovered from the execution grounds long ago, already pre-cut with a saw.
“Look. Red, right?”
“Brown, actually.”
“Fresh, it’s red.”
Hedwig gave me a skeptical glance. Well, it’s true, what can I say?
“If you examine fresh human bone marrow under a microscope, you’ll likely see cells producing red and white blood cells.”
***
“Professor! It’s an emergency!”
This is a hospital. A place where emergencies pile up. Do we really need to shout “emergency” every time?
Anyway, let’s see what today’s crisis is.
Istina burst into the lab.
“What is it?”
“A patient just arrived!”
“Report.”
“A male healer in his twenties, brought here by carriage from the city temple. The temple priests thought he was possessed by a demon.”
If they truly believed it was possession, they’d never have let him leave the temple. This is just them admitting they don’t know what’s going on.
“Demons at the temple? What demons?”
“Exactly, so they brought him here.”
“Any similar symptoms nearby? Any clues to the cause?”
“No one else has shown similar symptoms, and the cause remains unclear. Nothing suspicious detected…”
“How’s the patient doing?”
“Unconscious, breathing normally but drooling and foaming at the mouth.”
“And you call that ‘normal breathing’…?”
Ah, frustrating.
I sprinted toward the ward. Hopefully, it’s nothing serious, but judging by the usual pattern, this might be another interesting case.
“Do we have any restraints or straitjackets in the ward?”
“Is it really a demon?”
No, it’s not.
There could theoretically be demons in this world, but if it were one, the temple would’ve handled it. This isn’t demonic possession; that’s why he’s here.
“Go fetch the restraints. I’ll head to the hospital.”
“Where are they kept?”
No clue. That’s my job, apparently.
I left Istina behind and rushed to the ward. She’ll figure it out eventually.
The reason I asked for restraints is because I suspect a certain diagnosis…
A priest-healer means medical professional. Traveling by carriage from the temple probably took several hours.
Possible illnesses coming to mind… well, if someone collapses suddenly, you’d first suspect stroke or heart attack, but considering the patient’s age, that’s unlikely.
Epileptic seizure?
Though technically, that’s a symptom, not a disease. So maybe start with anticonvulsants?
Still, no guarantee this patient’s condition involves seizures. There are plenty of reasons someone might collapse suddenly. But…
Too many possibilities. Need a proper report: How are the pupils? Oxygen saturation? Blood pressure?
Alright. No other options.
***
Arrived at the ward.
Sometimes I wonder…
It’s tough here because there’s no one to discuss treatments with. No one understands the medicines I use, and hardly anyone can offer meaningful counterarguments.
In a modern hospital, things wouldn’t be this bad. You could consult colleagues, or swallow your pride and ask experienced nurses what previous doctors did in similar situations. You could request consultations or transfer patients to other hospitals if needed.
But not here. If I don’t know or can’t solve the problem, that’s it. Game over.
The patient dies.
At the bedside stood one nurse, Teacher Hedwig, and a priest. On the bed lay a man in clerical robes.
He was unconscious, occasionally twitching his limbs, but still breathing.
“When did this start?”
“Three hours ago.”
“Any ideas why?”
“Absolutely none.”
I checked the patient’s pulse, which was surprisingly stable. His blood pressure seemed fine too. After doing this repeatedly, I might become as skilled as a traditional doctor in diagnosing pulses.
I made a diagnosis but decided to ponder it for a few more minutes. Sure, it probably fits, but due diligence requires careful observation.
I examined the patient.
“Gag.”
“Excuse me?”
“Do we have a gag?”
The patient was still breathing steadily with a stable pulse. All I need to do now is administer treatment. The nurse quickly handed me a gag.
Hospital gags have holes so the patient can breathe even if biting down.
Thankfully, the patient remained still, making it easy to insert the gag.
“What are you planning?”
The patient is a strong young man. Treating him without restraints could be risky.
“If we wake him up, he might go ballistic. I’ll secure him with restraints before treatment.”
“What do you mean-“
Istina rushed into the ward.
“Professor! I brought the restraints!”
Everyone in the ward stared at me. I awkwardly scratched my head. Look, restraints can sometimes be necessary for treatment!
Is that so strange?