Chapter 165 (1/2)

Chapter 165: Chapter 38

Cowpox injections was not only a preventive method but also a treatment method.

It was the only available treatment method in Joseon during those days.

‘I heard Jenner discovered this method thanks to the shepherds.'

Smallpox was a dreadful disease regardless of whether it came up in the east or the west. Accordingly, numerous medical scientists turned their attention to this. Jenner discovered an innovative treatment method by sheer chance. He learned that the shepherds milking cows didn't get smallpox, strangely enough. In fact, they have been doing this for a long time, but it was Jenner who noticed that surprising fact.

Jenner used that reckless method of giving an injection of the cow's pus to smallpox patients. At that time, that was the only available treatment.

Kanghyok gathered every drop of the cows' pus into syringes.

‘Let me give an injection on a first come, first serve basis.'

He cautiously opened the warehouse door and went in.

“Cough, cough.”

He heard coughing sounds here and there, as the warehouse only housed the most serious patients.

‘It stinks!'

Waving his hand, Kanghyok approached the first patient.

It looked like his high fever hadn't gone down even though he took anti-inflammatory drugs. His face was swollen red.

‘His condition is worse than before.'

Obviously, he was getting sicker now.

“Hey, how do you feel now?”

“It really hurts!” the patient barely said, gasping for breath.

His dry lips were chapped, from which red blood was coming out. That meant he was incredibly dehydrated now.

Shaking his head, Kanghyok gave him yanggyoksan Joon Huh gave him.

“Drink this and hold it in your mouth before spitting it out.”

“Yes…”

It seemed not to cause him any pain.

The patient rinsed his mouth well.

“Drink this.”

Kanghyok gave him sonbanghwalmyongum, some herbal medicine. As it contained rare medicinal herbs such as rhubarb and frankincense, it smelled very good.

“Yes, sir.”

“Now, let me give you a water injection.”

“Water injection?”

“Yea, it's good for you. So, stay still.”

Then Kanghyok searched for something in the bag. He took out a medical fluid set of 500 mL, the only one left in the bag. It was insufficient for hydrating his whole body, but it was the only option now.

As the needle was intended for the sap, it was rather large.

“Oh, the needle is quite large.”

“Well, it's effective, though.”

Kanghyok put the needle on the back of his hand to catch his breath.

‘The last time I did this was when I was an intern at the hospital.'

He suddenly felt he was doing a lot of things that he had never done back in modern Korea.

Fortunately, the patient's blood vessel was pretty good.

Along with the sound of the needle piercing the back of his hand was blood appearing in it. That meant his shot was injected right into it.

“Uuuuh….” the patient moaned simultaneously.

Those who had a needle shot into the back of their hands knew how painful it was.

Making a nonchalant look on purpose, Kanghyok connected the needle to the sap.

“Now, I gave you one injection. You need another one. Turn your head.”

“Yes, sir…”

This time, Kanghyok was going to give him a real injection.

He gave his forearm an injection of the cow's pus.

“What is this?”

“Well…”

Obviously, the parent must have felt different from the earlier shot he had.

“It's a medicinal injection.”

“Aha~”

Though Kanghyok answered casually, the patient nodded obligingly.

“The next patient is…” He looked around the warehouse, where there was a large number of serious patients.

He decided to treat urgent patients first.

“Rinse your mouth with this first, drink this, eat this and get the shot.”