LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 80
Episode 80: Goldfish (3)
****
It happened a few days ago. Mr. Joseph was hospitalized with tick fever, but today the patient looked very healthy when I saw him again.
Thank goodness.
Instead of sitting or lying down, he was walking around near his bed. As I approached, the patient’s gaze turned toward me.
“Are you feeling better?”
“Oh my, I feel so much better!”
“Did you find the tick?”
“I found it stuck there alright—discovered the tick bite behind my knee.”
I nodded.
Good to see it turned out as expected.
“Be careful about ticks. When outdoors, long pants are preferable, and check for any bugs after coming back.”
“I never thought of that… really.”
When I compare this to when he first came in—lying there with a pained expression—it’s clear how much better he is now. Back then, he really seemed on the brink of death, but the medicine worked well.
If Mr. Joseph hadn’t come to the Academy Hospital and kept going to other places for bloodletting, he might have died.
I understand why some people might think high fever, redness, or swollen lymph nodes could be caused by too much blood, but seriously, bleeding someone in that condition? What were those quacks thinking?
Anyway, what matters is that my patient is alive and recovering. I looked at Mr. Joseph again.
“Congratulations on your discharge, Mr. Joseph. If you feel unwell, please come to the hospital immediately.”
“Ah, I thought I was going to die when I came here, but thanks to you, I survived. Really.”
Mr. Joseph let out a sigh of relief.
****
Mr. Joseph’s discharge preparations went smoothly, and next up was Amanda. She was a young patient who came in the same day as Mr. Joseph after being bitten by a dog.
Not sure if her wound has healed properly yet. Though it’s still too early to remove stitches, I needed to confirm that the injury was being managed without infection.
From afar, I observed Amanda.
Amanda was still lying in her bed, seemingly in pain from her leg. It looked like walking was difficult for her.
On the bright side, her expression wasn’t dark or strained, so she probably isn’t currently in pain.
“Hello, Amanda.”
“Yes.”
“Is the injured area feeling any better? Your leg still seems uncomfortable.”
Amanda nodded.
Seeing her shoes neatly placed nearby made me think she might still have trouble walking. Perhaps she hasn’t even gotten up today.
“It’s still hard to walk.”
“Not moving enough can cause stiffness. It’s better to move a little bit.”
“Yes… That makes sense.”
After disinfecting my hands, I reopened the bandage. The wound appeared to be healing properly without any signs of redness or infection.
I removed the gauze carefully and re-applied fresh bandages. Ideally, they should be changed at least once a day.
But that’s not all. With messy wounds like these, it’s crucial to ensure tetanus or rabies haven’t set in.
Tetanus, rabies…
I thought about the symptoms. What are the main indicators of tetanus? And rabies?
“Have you experienced any sudden numbness or unusual sensations in your leg?”
“No.”
“Since the dog bite, have you felt discomfort in bright lights or had an aversion to drinking water?”
“No. Is that possible?”
Rabies causes those symptoms. Fortunately, it doesn’t seem like this patient has rabies, but it’s still important to verify.
I also need to consider discharge plans. There’s a special situation with this patient.
“Patient, will you be able to manage your wound properly at home to prevent gangrene?”
“Hmm…”
“If it’s difficult, I understand.”
If she were an Academy student or from a noble family, I would have discharged her already. But I don’t know if she has help at home or if her environment is unsanitary.
In the worst case, the wound could become infected right after discharge, leading to gangrene.
In a modern hospital, she’d be ready for discharge, but considering her circumstances, realistically, it’s better to keep her here a while longer.
“We’ll observe for a few more days. There are still some concerns.”
Amanda nodded.
“Thank you. They said if things go wrong, the entire leg might need amputation… Without Professor’s help, I might have lost my leg, right?”
That’s true. Once gangrene sets in, amputation is often the only treatment. Delayed surgery can even lead to death.
“That could happen. But not now.”
“Thank you so much…”
“Rest well.”
If she hadn’t come in time, it could have been serious. With that thought, I left Amanda deep in thought. What else do I need to do today?
****
Ward duties completed.
Now, I need to figure this out. Since Professor Wolfram refused to participate in antibiotic production, I need to find another chemistry lab.
Should I look for another alchemy professor?
Or maybe I need to change my approach entirely. First, I need to talk to Luciana. We had an agreement last time.
“So, Teacher Luciana.”
“Yes.”
“With Professor Wolfram refusing to participate in antibiotic production, we’re changing the plan. What do you think?”
“Well, let me take care of it first.”
“Work hard on it. I’ll pay the tuition I promised personally in advance.”
“Eh, really?”
“Yeah. It’s possible.”
There’s no need to waste time trying to convince difficult people when we can secure research funds and proceed.
“In our lab, we’ve successfully purified the substance. What did you research, Luciana?”
“Uh, I successfully separated the liquid from solid materials into distinct layers.”
“Turning it into a solid form?”
“Heating it won’t work, so I’m still brainstorming. This process is incredibly challenging. Even with hundreds of liters of culture medium, it’s tough to produce even a fingernail’s worth.”
Hmm…
A few days ago, I calculated extensively. The actual production rate of Penicillium mold can reach approximately 50 grams per liter of culture medium.
Meaning we can produce 200 pills of penicillin.
Though the extraction efficiency remains uncertain, that’s the conclusion.
The goal is extracting 50 grams per liter. If we achieve that, we can distribute penicillin across the entire empire as needed.
“Keep working hard, Teacher Luciana. Of course, if we succeed, I’ll give more money, but this is something that can save many lives.”
Teacher Luciana nodded.
“I’ll do my best.”
****
And finally… the conclusion of all discussions.
Istina, Amy, and I gathered in the lab. Regarding penicillin production, there’s only one decision left to make.
“We need to prepare for war.”
“Huh?”
Amy closed her mouth, while Istina once again wore a baffled expression.
No, I’m not talking about real war—just metaphorically speaking. The situation is this:
We’ve figured out how to produce penicillin, but the people in this world aren’t quite ready to utilize it effectively. My plan is to manufacture it myself and sell it.
“I’m lobbying the Imperial Palace through connections to invest in penicillin production. If successful, we’ll establish a production facility.”
Istina slowly nodded.
“What happens then?”
“First, we’ll announce it. In a few weeks, we’ll visit the Imperial Palace again to explain why this antibiotic discovery is significant.”
“Ah.”
“I’m determined to make it succeed. It’s necessary to help people, but even if not, it’s worth doing for personal glory.”
My two graduate students nodded solemnly. No matter what, we’re committed to making this project a success.
“The plan is this: we need a semi-public company capable of mass-producing penicillin, which can change the fate of the empire. We’ll persuade the Imperial Court and bureaucracy to invest.”
“Right.”
It’s going to be tough.
We need to demonstrate expertise while keeping explanations intuitive and emotionally compelling. We must prove this isn’t solely about profit, yet also assure them it’s financially viable.
We need to explain complex concepts clearly without oversimplifying to the point of condescension. It’s like creating a warm iced Americano—something that requires teamwork. This is what they call the “curse of knowledge.”
Even if I explain everything to the bureaucrats…
Because of the knowledge gap, I foresee a frustrating future where neither side understands each other. It’d be better to involve the graduate students in the explanation.
My knowledge and experiences differ greatly from theirs. While I may solve problems, explaining the principles in a way they can understand has always been challenging.
“Will it go well this time?”
“It should, right?”
Istina nodded.