Chapter 4: Unconventional Methods of Healing
Zhang Yao nodded decisively and said, "That is only natural; we will do everything as the young master says." Tuberculosis was an incurable disease in this era. Zhang Yao was a successful candidate in the imperial examination and had served as a magistrate in Henan. Officials during this time were quite interesting; if they wanted to work, they would, and if they didn't, they would simply hang up their seals and leave without a second thought. Scholars of the Ming Dynasty were indeed so impressive and so irresponsible.
"Master, what are your instructions?" The old butler stepped forward to speak, his questioning gaze never leaving Chen Xie, and he kept signaling Zhang Yao with his eyes. Upon noticing this, Zhang Yao immediately said, "Let us step outside to talk; please wait a moment, young sir."
The skin test showed no issues. It was only when I took out the infusion bottle from the bag that I realized it contained penicillin and streptomycin. The solution had been prepared, but I found there was nowhere to hang it. The solution was rather crude; I simply grabbed a subordinate and had him hold the bottle up.
The light in the front hall was much brighter, allowing Chen Xiecai to clearly see the appearance of this young married woman. She had a petite figure and a charming face, resembling a typical delicate beauty of modern times. As she walked, she swayed slightly, a result of her bound feet
With this statement as a foundation, Chen Xie could feel at ease. He immediately pointed to the window and said, "Have someone open the window; tuberculosis is contagious. If the air is not circulating, even healthy people inside will be infected. I wonder which quack doctor advised this; isn't this quackery tantamount to murder?"
Without any detection methods, it is very difficult to be 100% certain that it is tuberculosis. The symptoms mentioned by this woman, apart from chest pain and coughing up blood, do not provide much assistance. As for that Dr. Liu, he may not necessarily be a quack, but when it comes to the treatment of tuberculosis, he is certainly a quack.
Mr. Zhang, I do not concern myself with how other doctors treat tuberculosis. You must follow my instructions. Otherwise, if the condition worsens, I will not be held responsible. Chen Xie felt that explaining to Zhang Yao, a person from the Ming Dynasty, what tuberculosis is and how it spreads would certainly be futile. He was not knowledgeable about traditional Chinese medicine and did not know how to use its terminology to explain.
"Uncle Laifu, you can say this in front of me and let it go, but please do not mention it to Brother Chen. Didn't you see that the bottle containing the potion is transparent? I see that you are worried and confused, so I won't blame you for it." Zhang Yao remained very polite, but this remark completely struck Laifu down. Indeed, he had not noticed this, and just thinking about it made him break out in a cold sweat
Zhang Yao sighed and shook her head, turning to walk back. At that moment, Chen Xiean remained still, holding a teacup and taking a sip. The teacup was a bit small, and he found it unsatisfying. After being busy for a while, he felt thirsty; the hot tea was not refreshing. He reached into his bag and pulled out a bottle of mineral water, opened the cap, and drank half the bottle in one go. Only after putting down the bottle did he notice that Zhang Yao was staring at him in a daze.
After finishing his tasks, Chen Xie stepped out, and Zhang Yao hurried to follow. Just as he was about to speak, Chen Xie had already said: "Mr. Zhang, once the old master wakes up, we will move him to a different place for treatment. Everyone who has entered this room must take a shower and change their clothes. The clothes that are changed must be boiled in a large pot of water for half an hour. All the utensils in this room must be taken out and thoroughly cleaned, then left to sunbathe for a day. The bed sheets, mosquito nets, and so on must be boiled in water before they can be reused. The new residence should be arranged accordingly; I will handle the arrangements later. You and the *图*书 just need to prepare the people and items neatly."
Zhang Yao watched silently, truly adhering to Chen Xie's wishes in every aspect. Having come from a scholarly background and having held an official position, his composure was not to be underestimated. Although his face showed little expression, his heart was actually in turmoil. The methods of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine for treating illnesses are indeed vastly different.
Chen Xie did not speak too definitively; this is a cautious habit. A child who has grown up reading people's expressions to eat has no habit of being reckless. As long as it is not lung cancer, for a patient who has not been exposed to antibiotics, using penicillin and streptomycin together makes it very difficult to die. Zhang Yao's ears were left with only the words "there is treatment," and she did not hear anything else.
Chen Xie nodded slightly, sitting in the chair and feeling a sense of quiet reflection. It was not surprising that the old steward was suspicious; if it were not for Zhang Yao standing by to maintain order, his method of treating illnesses would surely have led to him being beaten by the Ming people and taken away to be handed over to the authorities.
The old steward is actually only in his forties; in these times, people age quickly, and he looks nearly sixty, with a face full of wrinkles
These married women were indeed startled, momentarily taken aback. Seeing that Zhang Yao showed no reaction, one of them quietly said: "My name is Su Xin, and I have been by the old master's side for three years. A few days ago, the old master suddenly felt chest pain and had a persistent cough. I sent someone to invite the most renowned Doctor Liu from Dengzhou to examine him, who diagnosed him with tuberculosis and prescribed medication before leaving. Last night, the old master coughed up blood continuously and fell asleep this morning at the hour of the rabbit."
He took out the medicine box, hung up the stethoscope, and then took out two masks, handing one to Zhang Yao and saying, "Follow my lead." As he spoke, he put on the mask, knowing that even if tuberculosis could be treated, being infected was not a good thing, and Chen Xie could not afford to be careless.
Chen Xie, who has had a period of experience as a barefoot doctor, has a certain understanding of the thoughts and feelings of patients and their families. He does not rush to speak, continuing to conduct examinations with caution. He takes out his stethoscope to listen, but it is still uncertain whether the current illness is tuberculosis. The patient has fainted, so he can only ask others for information.
During the Ming Dynasty, contracting tuberculosis meant waiting for death, it was merely a matter of time. Filial piety was one of the foundations of governance, and Zhang Yao was also a well-known filial son in Dengzhou. Amidst the sudden rise and fall, Zhang Yao grasped Chen Xie's hand and rushed inside.
The impact of these words became significant. Although the term "infection" was somewhat unfamiliar, Zhang Yao still understood it literally. As soon as he urged someone to open the window, Chen Xie removed his large backpack. When the servants attempted to take it, he declined. This was a matter of his life and livelihood, and he wouldn't allow anyone to touch it.
Bypassing the pond, he came across another house with wooden pillars and brick walls. Chen Xie, in a daze, followed inside, only to feel a sudden darkness before he could adjust. Upon looking around the room, he noticed that all the windows were tightly shut, which immediately furrowed his brows. Someone had contracted tuberculosis, yet dared to close all the windows; wasn't this a fear of tuberculosis not being transmitted
Zhang Yao seemed to dislike this woman. Upon seeing her, she merely nodded slightly and said, "Second Mother." Then she turned to Chen Xie and said, "Brother Chen, this is my father." Chen Xie stepped forward a few paces and saw that the elderly man on the bed had no color in his face and had already fallen into a deep sleep. He hurriedly approached, reached out to feel his neck, and found that the pulse was still relatively normal, indicating that he would not die in the short term.
Although it felt quite awkward, Zhang Yao had no choice but to comply with Chen Xie's request. As Chen Xie entered the main room, he saw an elderly man lying on a large wooden bed, presumably Zhang's father. Two maidservants were attending to him, while a woman in plain clothes sat nearby, weeping.
At this moment, Chen Xie was able to calm down and organize his thoughts. Overall, today had been quite fortunate. Thanks to the fact that the old master suffered from tuberculosis, and the doctors of the Ming Dynasty were at a loss, this provided him with an opportunity to showcase his abilities. Moreover, he was grateful that Zhang Yao had an open-minded disposition, as she did not react with surprise to what he presented, nor did she treat it as something monstrous.
Zhang Yao was dissatisfied with his position as a judge, which is why he abruptly left. (Note: Zhang Yao, a native of Shandong, was a successful candidate in the imperial examination and served as a judge in Kaifeng. He was captured during a military coup when the city fell, and he fought back with stones but was ultimately killed. His wife and four children all committed suicide by jumping into a well. This is all the historical material that can be found; there are no biographical records of him in the Ming History, and only a few mentions in local chronicles. The rest is left to your imagination)
The old gentleman lies in a deep sleep, and attempts to inquire yield no results, so it is decided not to ask any further. Treatment is initiated; the advantages of Western medicine in dealing with acute illnesses are clearly evident due to its rapid effectiveness. A skin test is conducted first, while simultaneously administering an antipyretic injection, as the old gentleman has a low fever that has persisted for three days.
"This elder sister, could you please tell me about the old gentleman's situation?" Chen Xie was unsure how to address her, so he simply referred to her as elder sister. Zhang Yao, standing nearby, opened her mouth but did not seem inclined to correct him.
"Who has been taking care of the old master? Let her come out; I have a few questions to ask." With that, Chen Xie stepped into the main hall, while Zhang Yao lagged a step behind, bringing the young woman with her.
In Zhang Yao's view, everything happening before her is utterly incomprehensible. The bottle containing the medicine is actually made of glass; could it be any more extravagant? She initially wanted to ask a few questions, but upon seeing the glass bottle filled with glucose, Zhang Yao gave up. Why? In this day and age, while there is no shortage of glass, this kind of transparent glass simply cannot be produced. Using such a fine glass bottle to hold medicine, how could it be inferior? Let alone glucose, even if it contained just water, Zhang Yao would not question it. Undoubtedly, in Zhang Yao's eyes, this precious transparent glass bottle contains divine medicine. Otherwise, why use such a fine glass bottle? This favor is a significant debt; saving her elderly father is a kindness akin to being reborn.
Uncle Laifu!" Zhang Yao turned around to greet the old butler who had been following her closely, speaking very politely, completely unlike how one would address a servant
Stepping out of the front hall and standing in the courtyard, the old steward Laofu approached and said: "Sir, where did this young man come from? He certainly doesn't look like a doctor." With no facial hair, he is unreliable in his duties. Chen Xie did not notice at all that after traveling through time and space, his height remained unchanged, but his complexion had become much fairer; he used to be somewhat dark, and now he appeared fair and clean, looking several years younger.
The transparent glass bottle ... after murmuring softly, with a sudden clap, Laifu slapped himself.
At this moment, Zhang Yao also felt tired. She tugged but could not pull him, and turning back to look at Chen Xie, whose brows were tightly furrowed, she was startled and asked, "Brother Chen, is there something wrong?"
The courtyard of the Zhang family is indeed quite large. Chen Xie does not understand what is meant by three entrances or four entrances; he only knows that after passing through three arched doorways, a garden appears. A winding path leads through the garden, which features a pond surrounded by bamboo. Chen Xie does not grasp the artistic conception of the sound of bamboo swaying in the wind at all. Zhang Yao is also not in the mood for such thoughts; she pulls Chen Xie along at a brisk pace, ignoring the maidservants along the way as if they were invisible. It is truly a challenge for him to walk so quickly with his belly, as beads of sweat soon cover his forehead, and his breathing becomes labored. Zhang Yao is also not in the mood for such thoughts; she pulls Chen Xie along at a brisk pace, ignoring the maidservants along the way as if they were invisible. It is truly a challenge for him to walk so quickly with his belly, as beads of sweat soon cover his forehead, and his breathing becomes labored.