eurekapd Chapter 995 Smallpox (Part 2)
Chapter 995 Smallpox (Part 2)
After saying that, Hua Chang'an put on a mask first, and then put on a specially made white robe.
The selected medical officers followed suit, donning protective gear and taking precautions.
The group followed Yang Zhongsi's personal guards toward a secluded area in a corner of the camp.
The quarantine area was originally a camp, but now it has been separated by a fence, and soldiers are strictly guarding the entrance.
Upon seeing Hua Chang'an and his entourage approach, the soldiers nervously raised their weapons.
Only after the guards showed Yang Zhongsi's written order did the soldiers solemnly allow them to pass.
As soon as you step into the quarantine area, a sour smell mixed with herbs and vomit hits you.
Between the tents, suppressed coughs and soft groans could be faintly heard.
Hua Chang'an had only taken a few steps forward when he heard a hoarse warning coming from a nearby tent:
"Stop! Don't come any closer! Who are you people?!"
Hua Chang'an stopped and looked at the tent from a distance of several steps away. He spoke gently, "We are imperial physicians sent by His Majesty from the capital. We have come to treat the illnesses of you soldiers."
The curtain was slightly lifted, revealing a young face.
The soldier coughed violently a few times before finally managing to speak: "Since you are a divine physician sent by His Majesty, then stand there and ask questions. This disease is very serious... cough cough cough, if you get too close, you might infect them."
Hua Chang'an was slightly taken aback upon hearing this.
Despite being deeply afflicted by his own illness, the soldier's first thought was to remind others to be careful.
He suppressed the stinging sensation in his nose and spoke in a gentler tone: "It's alright. We've all had this disease before, and we won't be infected a second time. You don't need to worry about us."
The soldier was skeptical: "Really...really? Once you've had it, you won't have it a second time?"
Hua Chang'an solemnly replied, "I am the head of the Imperial Medical Academy, specializing in examining His Majesty's pulse. How could I possibly speak falsely or deceive you?"
The soldier seemed relieved, forcing a smile: "Good, good, sir, then... is this illness curable?"
Hua Chang'an nodded vigorously: "Don't worry, since His Majesty has sent us here, we have a way to treat you, but you need to cooperate fully."
Immediately, Hua Chang'an began to inquire in detail about his symptoms: when the illness started, how much fever he had, the extent of his headache and vomiting, when the rash appeared, and how it developed.
The soldier suppressed his discomfort and answered truthfully one by one.
After asking about the symptoms, Hua Chang'an asked again, "May I take a look at the rash on your body?"
The soldier hesitated for a moment, then slowly rolled up his sleeves, revealing his arms.
The once strong arm was now covered with countless pustules.
The large ones are as big as peas, and the small ones are as small as grains of rice. Many have already broken open, oozing yellowish-white pus, and the surrounding skin is red and swollen.
One of the accompanying physicians couldn't help but gasp, instinctively trying to pull Hua Chang'an back: "Your Excellency, you mustn't get any closer!"
Smallpox initially only causes papules, which gradually develop into blisters filled with clear fluid, and then, as in this soldier, into a pustular state.
The abscess is filled with pus, causing the patient great pain and is at its most infectious stage.
Hua Chang'an was not a reckless person. After confirming the patient's condition with his own eyes, he had achieved his goal and there was no need to risk infection by observing the patient more closely.
He nodded seriously, stopped in his tracks, and asked, "How many days have you had these pustules on your body?"
The soldier replied weakly, "Three...three days."
Hua Chang'an silently calculated the course of the illness in his mind, nodded, and said nothing more.
Three days, not yet the final stage.
Moreover, soldiers are physically stronger than ordinary people, so they are likely to be able to endure it.
Hua Chang'an said gently, "I understand. You should rest here. I will go and get you some medicine to relieve your pain."
The soldier cupped his hands and said, "We are fine. If you are preparing medicine, sir, could you please give it to our comrades first? Their condition is much more serious than mine."
Just as Hua Chang'an was about to say something, he seemed to sense something and looked around.
At some point, the curtains of several other tents in the quarantine zone were also lifted, and one by one, haggard-looking soldiers silently walked out, supporting each other.
They stood at a distance, their eyes filled with a mixture of longing for life, yet they hesitated to approach for fear of infecting others with the disease.
Looking at these young and pained faces, Hua Chang'an felt a pang of sorrow in his heart.
He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his surging emotions, and loudly declared:
"I am Hua Chang'an, the Imperial Physician, and I have come to Qiongzhou by order of the Emperor."
"Please rest assured, my lords and soldiers, His Majesty has not forgotten you, and the court has not abandoned you."
"I hereby swear that I will use all my knowledge and every means at my disposal to ensure that you will never suffer from this plague again!"
Upon hearing Hua Chang'an's words, the physicians behind him had complex expressions.
They were all well-versed in medical principles and knew perfectly well that the purpose of both traditional variolation and cowpox vaccination was prevention, to enable uninfected people to acquire immunity.
For these soldiers who have already fallen ill, vaccination is no longer effective.
All they can do is prescribe some herbal decoctions to clear heat and detoxify, strengthen the body's resistance, relieve symptoms, and help the body's own vital energy fight against the pathogenic toxins.
Whether a patient can ultimately survive depends on their own physical condition and willpower.
Of course, at such a time, no doctor would step forward to expose this hidden truth.
A patient's confidence and will to live are themselves an extremely important medicine.
Hua Chang'an was well aware of this, so he arranged for the accompanying medical officer to record the specific conditions of each patient before leading his men out of the isolation area.
He then immediately prescribed a formula that focused on clearing heat and detoxifying, cooling the blood and promoting rash eruption.
After the medicinal soup was prepared, Hua Chang'an personally led a group of people to deliver the medicine to the edge of the quarantine area.
With each bowl of medicine handed out, Hua Chang'an would encourage the soldier receiving it:
"This is a secret recipe from the Imperial Medical Academy. It has miraculous effects in clearing heat and detoxifying, and will surely cure the disease!"
The soldiers, tormented by high fever and pustules, were in a daze, but upon hearing Hua Chang'an's words, a glimmer of hope ignited in their hearts.
They all held the medicine bowls with both hands and drank it down in big gulps.
In fact, the effect of this medicine is equivalent to a placebo in later generations.
Never underestimate the power of placebos. When a person believes deep down that a certain treatment is effective, this belief can trigger powerful physiological and psychological responses, and even regulate the function of the immune system to some extent.
Supported by this belief, they may be able to sleep more soundly, have a stronger appetite, and be more determined to fight the disease.
Watching the soldiers drink the medicine with hope, Hua Chang'an silently turned around and whispered to the physician beside him, "Observe them closely and record their reactions after taking the medicine. Report any abnormalities to me immediately."