Episode 61: Phantom Pain [2]
Ah. People who had limbs amputated could still feel pain in the missing parts…
Phantom pain… these patients were everywhere now.
Of course. The more limbs you cut, the more often it happened. And in this era, there were no real painkillers. That just made it more likely for the brain to get confused.
“So I asked around… and this is what I was told.”
“You asked around? Where?”
“Ah, on a ship.”
“A… ship?”
I thought I had misheard. Why would he be asking questions like that while lying on his stomach? What was going on? But when I heard the whole story, I understood. No matter how absurd this time period was, there was always some kind of logic behind it.
“Do you think there are just one or two sailors who get injured on ships?”
“Is that so?”
“Oh, you’ve never been on a boat before? You said you’re from Joseon, right?”
Ah. So this was the kind of attack we were doing now? I was a bit flustered. No, I hadn’t been on a boat here. I was from Upton. Still, living in this era reminded me of one thing: how to bluff.
“Ah… yes. But I’m not a sailor.”
“Ah, so you took a steamship? You did say you were a noble. Anyway… even on steamships, the rocking is bad. I only rode a sailboat once, and it nearly killed me.”
“Right…”
I had been on a boat once, back before I died. Most cruises were short, looping around the Han River, but I also took one to Baengnyeong Island during my time as a military doctor. But did it rock that much? At worst, it was just motion sickness. Were sailboats really that different? While I was wondering, Liston continued.
“I’ve heard they even tip over and toss people into the sea. Imagine how painful it must be to fold and unfold sails while the waves are crashing. It gets seriously rough. And most of the sailors drink like fish. They basically drink alcohol instead of water.”
“Ah…”
I used to think they were all just alcoholics. Later, I realized that wasn’t entirely fair. There was no good way to store fresh drinking water for long periods on a ship, so sailors drank alcohol because it didn’t spoil. Literally, alcohol instead of water.
“And when they get hurt, well-meaning people try to help. But well-meaning doesn’t mean qualified. If someone’s a decent doctor, they’d rather stay in London or anywhere else but on a ship, right?”
“Yeah… I suppose so.”
Even in the twenty-first century, ships still scared people. Though things had improved, sailors during this period had it rough. Just hearing about it made that clear. Or at least, I could guess as much in this era.
“All they really know how to do is cut.”
“Ah… right.”
That was when I got confused again. Wasn’t he a master at Amputations? My God, where in the world could you find someone who could cut off a leg in under thirty seconds? Not even Genghis Khan could have done that.
“No matter how or where you’re injured, if it looks rotten, they cut. It’s no coincidence that many retired sailors, seasoned captains, and shipmasters are missing limbs.”
I tried to stay quiet, afraid I’d be fired if I said too much. But Liston went on shamelessly. No matter how many bad intentions a man had, I doubted they could outweigh the sheer number of limbs this man had taken in his lifetime.
And yet, as I listened, certain images came to mind.
Ah… So that’s why Captain Hook had a hook.
It wasn’t just a stylistic choice. The man probably had it cut off against his will. As a kid, I just thought he was the villain. Now I was realizing… he must have had some real trauma. They probably gave him a swig of rum and sawed it off. Took several minutes, too. He didn’t have a Liston. My condolences, Captain Hook. You were greater than I gave you credit for. How many minutes of pain did you endure?
“So, I’m quite familiar with this topic. That’s why I asked.”
“Your dedication to medical advancement really is something.”
“Haha. I knew you’d say that. I’m willing to learn from anyone if it means advancing medicine.”
“Yes, yes. Truly admirable.”
Still, it was lucky to have someone with experience. Better than clueless beginners, right? But of course, that was where I made my mistake. Even in this grim era… I hadn’t expected this.
“They say the pain is caused by nerves left at the ends of the limbs getting tangled. It hasn’t been that long since we even discovered the existence of nerves, but based on what we know, Alfred’s fleet isn’t ordinary. They’re using someone well-meaning, apparently.”
“…Huh?”
End nerves… right. There would be nerve tissue left at the stump. It had been cut, so the end of the nerve was still there.
But… they say it all gets tangled together?
Did they think nerve tissue just regrew on its own? If that were true, it would be a medical breakthrough. But it wasn’t, so it sounded like nonsense. Then again, I couldn’t outright deny the possibility either. Was I too confident? If the treatment were effective, I guess there would be no reason to argue.
“So, the idea is to just cut the knotted area again.”
“…Sorry, what?”
“You cut a little more. Then they say the phantom pain goes away.”
Ah. So that was the rationale.
“You’re saying… cut it again?”
“Exactly. And now that we have Anesthetics, what’s there to worry about?”
No… this guy was insane.
You’re going to re-amputate someone just because they’re feeling phantom pain?
“I think it’s fine to repeat the process a few times until the pain disappears. They say the goodwillers do this while giving them rum.”
You’re seriously going to keep cutting until they stop complaining? You’re calling this treatment? No. This was torture. Impressive, but absolutely insane.
“So, would you like to give it a try too?”
I was too stunned to speak. Liston gave me a hearty slap on the back. He was strong, so I staggered forward. It felt like falling into an abyss.
Cut it again…?
Ha. That was the only sound that came out. Liston just laughed.
“Don’t worry so much. You’ve got talent!”
You lunatic. Don’t smile like that. Laughing while talking about cutting people’s limbs off made you look like Satan.
“And there’s proof it works. Of course, I don’t just take the doctor’s word for it. I called in someone who actually went through the procedure.”
“…Ah.”
That, at least, was a relief. Surely any sane person would say it didn’t work. Please, say it didn’t work! I was praying.
Blundell had also agreed to my earlier request and had the two poor patients transferred to a quieter ward. To mark the occasion, we decided to go on rounds.
“Oh, I still hear the screams ringing in my ears.”
“Same.”
How many decibels was that? It couldn’t have been low.
This place will become ground zero for tinnitus and hearing loss…
My patients had only been in that ward for about an hour, and they were still affected. What about everyone else? It was a shame no one considered the damage from constant noise, but it must have been immense. As someone who had experienced hearing loss in a previous life, I really didn’t want to let this go. I needed to do something.
Knock knock.
Just then, someone knocked on the door. It was Liston’s assistant.
“Doctor Pyeong. A patient came in asking for you.”
Technically, I wasn’t officially a doctor yet. I hadn’t gone through formal approval. And since I was young, most of the assistants just acted professionally. That was better. If they were too deferential, it might breed resentment. Besides, there were already people who hated me just for being Asian. I didn’t need more reasons to be disliked.
“Ah… you mean that patient. Yes, I’ll go.”
Tinnitus and hearing loss were important, but this was more urgent. They were talking about cutting off more limbs, piece by piece. That was insane. I had to stop it. With that in mind, I ran off.
Thankfully, my other patients seemed to be doing well. Of course, you couldn’t let your guard down in this era, but for now, there was no immediate danger.
“Ah, you’re here. Good. Let’s talk.”
Inside were not only Liston but also several other doctors, including Dr. Robert, Jémel, and Blundell. They were all looking curiously at the patient who had just arrived.
Even at a glance…
The amputation site is odd. Was it cut gradually, starting from the wrist?
Judging by the scar tissue, the Amputation must have happened months ago. That meant he was cut without Anesthetic… and probably more than once. His eyes were lifeless. Completely hollow.
“This patient says the phantom pain disappeared completely after being cut four times.”
The man who brought him in had a sturdy frame and tanned skin. He looked earnest, but his red nose stood out even against his bronze complexion. Clearly, he had been drinking. Not surprising. Everyone, even the “well-meaning” doctors, seemed to drink alcohol instead of water. It made me feel like I was hallucinating.
“What do you say, Joseph? Does it still hurt?”
“Eh? No! It doesn’t hurt at all!”
The man clapped Joseph, the sailor with the missing arm, on the back. Joseph shook his head wildly. I felt so sorry for him. He was trembling.
He’s still in pain… I can tell.
I caught him unconsciously moving his left arm to reach for where his right arm used to be, as if trying to scratch it. But Jémel, Dr. Robert, and the others just smiled, oblivious.
“It’s really incredible.”
“So it is the nerves getting tangled. So, should we just cut it again whenever it happens?”
Then they said the most horrifying thing.
“With anesthesia, it’s not even hard anymore.”
“Yes! Thanks to Dr. Pyeong here!”
They even dragged me into it. Don’t do that, you lunatics! I don’t want to go down in history as that doctor!
“Hm…”
Thankfully, when things settled down, Liston came over and asked with a skeptical look.
“Didn’t that patient look scared to you?”
“I… thought so too.”
“I’ve seen more scared faces than I can count. If there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s spotting fear.”
Who could argue with that? If anything, he was the most terrifying doctor around. And who wouldn’t be scared of a man like him holding a knife?
“I think… he’s lying out of fear. Afraid of getting punished again.”
“Yeah, same. He’s definitely terrified. Just lying to survive.”
Translator’s Notes:
Phantom Pain — Pain felt in a body part that has already been amputated. The sensation comes from the nervous system, not the missing limb itself.
Amputation — Surgical removal of a limb or body part. In this period, it was one of the most common major operations.
Anesthetic — A substance used to block pain during procedures or surgery.
Nerve — A structure that transmits signals between the body and the brain. Damaged or severed nerves can cause abnormal pain sensations.
Stump — The remaining end of a limb after amputation.
Tinnitus — Ringing, buzzing, or other noise heard without an external source. It can be caused or worsened by loud noise exposure.
Hearing Loss — Reduced ability to hear, which may occur after prolonged or repeated exposure to loud sounds.
Decibel — A unit used to measure sound intensity.
Captain Hook — A fictional pirate character commonly depicted with a hook in place of one hand. The narrator uses him humorously while thinking about historical limb loss among sailors.