Chapter 113: Dead [3]
These guys… So, the doctors of the nineteenth century, by my standards, seemed incredibly ignorant. But was that really because they lacked intelligence? No. It was simply a matter of accumulated knowledge. I had studied material built on nearly two hundred years of further advancement. And let’s be honest, the knowledge gained in the twentieth century alone probably outweighed the total sum of all the centuries before it. The twenty-first century? It was in a league of its own.
“If we do it like this, things might really change.”
“Right. If you can diagnose someone just by listening closely to their breathing or heartbeat… This isn’t something you use once and throw away.”
They caught on to my meaning right away. If we created an object shaped like an ear that amplified sound, it could transform medicine. Blundell, in particular, was visibly excited. Of course he was. This man was terrified of Premature Burial and already stressed from various medical dilemmas.
“How did you come up with this?”
“It’s the Lord’s grace.”
“Why does that grace only go to you?”
“Maybe because my parents abandoned their homeland to serve Him?”
“I heard your mother was supposed to be a nun, then ended up giving birth to you.”
“Still admirable, no?”
“Well… I suppose. From what I’ve heard, Joseon seems like a highly developed country.”
That… might be funny later. Actually, even now it was kind of funny.
Wasn’t this the peak of the Andong Kim clan’s corruption?
The country was already falling apart, and it was only getting worse. In 1811, Hong Gyeong-rae’s rebellion broke out. Civil unrest followed. Total chaos.
“Yes. The Lord is showing us grace.”
“If I ever get the chance, I’d love to visit… But it’s so far. Just amazing that you came all the way here.”
Not that they would actually go. Did they even know where Joseon was? Even with a steam locomotive, the journey would take ages. And once you got there, could you even get in? This was still long before Heungseon Daewongun opened anything up. Joseon was a closed kingdom.
“If the chance comes, let’s go together.”
“Sure, sure.”
I played along. But back to the real issue. Shouldn’t we start building this thing now? Wouldn’t it take a day or two? These people really lacked technical skills. And to be honest, I was not even sure how to construct a Stethoscope using only nineteenth-century technology.
“All right, to make it using this principle… We’ll need some paper.”
“Ah, here.”
Joseph handed me a sheet. He seemed even more respectful after my earlier speech. Originally, he was the kind of guy who would keel over from a cold. He was not exactly tough. And what I said probably sounded like pure genius to him, since it went far beyond this era’s knowledge.
“Okay, first, the part that touches the chest needs to be concave, like this. Then we can connect tubing to amplify the sound.”
“Yes. If it works like that, it’ll definitely amplify. But… how would it sound?”
Liston mimed putting the tube to his ear. It was crude, just words and pictures for now, but the concept was getting through.
“Yes, that’s it.”
“You’re practically a professor already.”
“Haha.”
Still, something felt off. When I looked it up later, I learned that even hearing loss in one ear could impair cognitive function. My best friend back in medical school had hearing loss in one ear. He could have chosen any specialty, but he went into ENT. A genius, really. He always said humans did not have two ears for nothing. So then, why did Stethoscopes only go into one?
“Wait. Why do people have two ears?”
Maybe the Lord did not give us two ears for no reason. Maybe it helped us hear better.
“Don’t you think the Lord created two ears so we could hear more clearly?”
I waved my arms like a preacher. Liston and Blundell nodded, visibly impressed.
“Oh, that makes sense.”
“The Lord doesn’t do things without reason.”
“If we just split the tubing and let both ears hear…”
“Hm. That’s a good idea.”
They were eating it up. And honestly, in theory, it was completely sound.
“Then let’s send in a request like this. Do you know any craftsman who can help?”
“Huh? Of course.”
Liston pulled out his knife in response. Not a scalpel, but something huge. A surgical blade designed to cleave limbs clean off.
Still, not just anyone could have made it. It took real craftsmanship to forge a blade that could sever limbs without dulling.
“I get it sharpened every month.”
“Every month?”
“Lately I’ve been cutting a lot. If you cut through one hundred twenty limbs, the blade breaks.”
“Ah… yeah…”
With thirty days in a month, that was at least three or four surgeries per day. Probably more, since he did them in batches.
“Let’s go together. We’ll be able to communicate better if you’re there.”
“I’ll come too!”
“Why are you tagging along?”
“Hey! I made this popular in London. When it comes to determining death, I’m the best.”
“…That helped?”
Well, to be fair, he had caused more than one Gravedigger to faint. Liston grumbled but did not object. Blundell was a doctor, after all. This involved him too.
I’ll bet he just doesn’t want to split the cost.
I saw right through him. Still, Blundell had a certain charm. So we followed along, and naturally, so did the students.
“Oh, by the way. The director said your qualifications as a doctor will be reviewed soon. Just a formality, really.”
As I climbed into the carriage, Liston spoke casually. That was when I realized I was not technically a doctor yet. Everyone called me one, but it had not been made official.
Well, eighty percent of the so-called doctors outside London are unlicensed quacks anyway.
But then again, just having a license did not mean you were not a quack. Still, this review would let me work openly in London, which was important.
“Thanks.”
“No need. If you can’t become a doctor, who could?”
“Still… it hasn’t even been a full year since I started formal training.”
“Haha! No one’s going to complain. Right, guys?”
“Yes, sir!”
The students, my friends and seniors, all nodded. At this point, denying my skills would have been stranger.
After a bit more conversation, we arrived at the blacksmith’s shop. He was the kind of man you could trust. Sharp eyes, powerful arms, no shirt. He looked like the last true artisan of a bygone age. Even though this was the age of steam, the work was still done by hand.
“Oh, already back this month?”
“No, no, haha. I’ve got a special request today.”
“A new order, huh? You’re always asking for trouble. Come on in. It’s hot, but we’ve got a spot to sit.”
Despite his gruff exterior, the middle-aged man welcomed us warmly. Maybe it was just because of Liston, but still, it put me at ease. As soon as we stepped in, I was hit by a wave of heat.
Whoa…
Even in the twenty-first century, I had never experienced anything quite like this. As I stared in awe, Liston yanked me forward.
“What are you doing?”
“It’s my first time…”
“Save the sightseeing for later. Get to work.”
“Yes, sir.”
As I stumbled forward, the blacksmith glared at me like, “What’s this yellow brat doing here?” That was fine. A true craftsman would understand what I meant soon enough.
“Hm… interesting. So this is the kid everyone’s talking about. I thought you’d be older.”
“I’m still learning.”
“Don’t sell yourself short. London’s best surgeon… and this sounds like a fun job. Drilling a thick pipe? Easy enough.”
“You can do it?”
“Of course. But you need it by next week?”
“Yes.”
“Damn it…”
He cracked his neck and shoulders, then stood up.
“I guess I’ll make this one first.”
“Thank you.”
“No thanks needed. Just consider it repayment.”
Only then did I notice that he had a prosthetic leg. One leg was gone below the knee. Liston must have amputated it. The man got around just fine, though.
“Great.”
“Thanks.”
“Wait. Why am I the one paying…?”
Just as we were about to leave after placing the order, a commotion started outside.
“What is it?”
“Police?”
Seeing police in a London alley was not that unusual. Accidents happened daily. But…
“Doctor Liston? Doctor Pyeong?”
That was surprising.
“What’s going on?”
“There’s been an incident. We need you both as witnesses.”
“Witnesses?”
“Yes. We’ll explain on the way. It’s… a painful case. You haven’t done anything shady, right?”
“Nothing, except being a fan of a bad guy.”
“Then there won’t be a problem.”
Footnotes
Translator’s Notes
Andong Kim clan — Powerful Korean clan that dominated Joseon court politics in the nineteenth century, especially through royal in-law politics.
Hong Gyeong-rae’s rebellion — Major peasant rebellion in northern Joseon in 1811, caused by regional discrimination, corruption, and social unrest.
Heungseon Daewongun — Korean regent and father of King Gojong, known for strengthening royal authority and enforcing isolationist policies in the nineteenth century.
Closed kingdom — Refers to Joseon’s restrictive foreign policy before forced openings to foreign powers in the late nineteenth century.