Episode 67: Mirror Therapy [1]
Making hands.
If it were just a matter of that, it would have been really difficult. So what exactly should I make them out of? Metal?
The blacksmiths had skill, sure, but they couldn’t produce what I needed as quickly as I hoped. Besides, weren’t gloves already a thing by this time? In the Middle Ages, metallurgy for knights had already become a legacy technology. Most blacksmiths now were busy crafting more everyday items.
“With rubber…?”
But me? I was basically a prophet today. At least I wanted to believe that.
“Yes. Can you mold a hand shape out of rubber?”
“It’s easier to make it solid than hollow. I guess it’s doable. I don’t really get why you need it, but I can make it.”
“How much will it cost?”
“What, money?”
The moment I got the idea, I immediately headed to the condom factory. We were in a sketchy part of town, so I wanted to bring Alfred and Joseph with me, but to my surprise, Dr. Liston came along too.
I didn’t know if his presence helped, or if it really wasn’t a big deal, but the Chemist we met was surprisingly agreeable.
“So, how much would it—”
“Haha. This? It’ll be hitting the market soon.”
As he talked, it became clear that he wasn’t joking. The Chemist showed us a rubber Condom, far cleaner and better-made than anything I had seen before. It was still thick, sure, but I figured that kind of thickness would be more effective at preventing pregnancy or disease transmission anyway. The man looked thrilled with his creation.
“This is definitely going to be a hit. There’s already a lot of interest.”
“This? Really?”
Wait, wasn’t this still the era where most people didn’t even know what a Condom was? Especially compared to the old pig-intestine models, rubber was revolutionary. I was probably the first person to ever use one made of this material.
Dr. Liston, clearly intrigued, seemed skeptical about the Chemist’s optimism.
Still, my goal here was complete. With the Chemist’s permission, I asked him to make gloves in the approximate size of a patient’s hand. If this were Korea, I probably would have gotten the finished product today. But this was England, so I braced myself to wait.
“Ah… This is a Condom.”
“Condom…? Ah.”
Dr. Liston looked genuinely puzzled. Well, that was understandable. Things were slow here.
“But even if it’s this small… does it work?”
…What?
Excuse me?
Did I hear that right?
The “small” rubber he was holding now looked massive to me. Honestly, it needed to be trimmed down before it could be sold.
Is it because I’m Korean? Are they just… built different here?
Panic began to rise, until I saw the confused expressions on the Chemist, Joseph, and Alfred’s faces too.
“This… is small?”
“So… is it big, then?”
“No. Professor, you’re bluffing.”
“Seriously, are you?”
“Is that true?”
The Chemist looked deeply concerned.
“I thought I was making the average size… Did I overshoot it?”
You’re big too, right?
I almost said that. But no. I restrained myself. I couldn’t risk crushing the pride of my fellow countrymen.
“No, no. I thought this was big too.”
Apparently, Joseph didn’t get the memo. He was clearly imagining that size equated to some kind of superiority. The Chemist looked delighted, probably thinking the same thing.
“See? It’s not that big a deal.”
“No, seriously, I also thought it was big!”
Even Alfred chimed in, making the Chemist grin wider. As for Dr. Liston… I could swear he was sticking his chest out more than before. It must have been the validation. Honestly… it was kind of working.
Older brother… really?
“Ah. I got scolded about this.”
Alfred, merchant’s son that he was, seemed to be thinking about marketability. The Chemist looked confused.
“Why? What happened?”
“It’s about sizing. If I don’t know what size sells best, I can’t plan production accurately.”
“Ah. Oh no…”
The Chemist’s face paled. Mine did too. Of course. If he produced the wrong size in bulk, it could tank everything. No matter how good the product was, if it didn’t fit, it wouldn’t sell.
“I guess I’ll need to run a survey. For now, if it’s urgent… we’ll measure among ourselves.”
“Huh?”
Wait. What? You’re not seriously suggesting…
“That would be great. I’ll participate too.”
Professor. Professor. You don’t have to “cooperate.” Please just go home.
The words stuck in my throat. I didn’t have the guts to say them. Not here. Especially not with that face, the same look he had before the surgery at the plaza.
Are you really that proud?
How amazing are you exactly…?
I left the factory with a promise to gather more samples. Frankly, I didn’t like this new “mission” at all, but I couldn’t just grimace and do nothing. The good news was that, thanks to the delay in glove production, I could now get the rubber hand tomorrow instead of next week.
Yes, being a good doctor is important… but what else matters?
These bastards.
Anyway, we rode back to the hospital, and the carriage conversation continued, completely detached from my inner turmoil.
“So… you’re amazing, then?”
“Incredible. I thought I was average.”
“If you keep rolling up your sleeves like that, how are we supposed to live?”
“Haha… What? Is that what this has turned into?”
Not teenagers. No. Worse. Teen boys.
And Liston. You’re supposed to be the adult here!
Should I just speak up now…?
I couldn’t take it anymore and opened my mouth, trying to steer the topic elsewhere. Anywhere.
“Anyway, what’s the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases in London, Brother?”
It was somewhat related. Kind of. If you squinted.
But somehow, it worked. The others took the bait. Especially Liston, who, regardless of era, was crazy about medicine. His knowledge may have been spotty or outdated, but his passion was real.
“I don’t know.”
What.
“But I do know it’s widespread. There aren’t really any preventive methods, right? We can’t do surgery for it.”
He clearly had no idea, but I let it slide. The more I imagined specifics, the more I wanted to crawl out of my skin.
“As expected.”
“But if those Condoms get commercialized, that could be part of the solution. Definitely.”
“Right. I heard there are a lot of unwanted pregnancies too.”
“Yes. We’re seeing a rise in suicides among mothers at the hospital.”
“That’s awful…”
As Liston spoke, I looked around the carriage. The streets of London were as dirty and chaotic as ever. And when I thought about those mothers, the ugly, miserable reality hit hard.
“If we could prevent even some of that, it would be powerful. But the real problem is whether the poor can afford it.”
“Hmm… How much is it?”
“It won’t be cheap. The quality looked good, so I doubt it’ll be affordable for the poor.”
“Wait, you brought one?”
“Of course. We need to compare.”
Liston kept stretching and examining the sample he had brought. Honestly, it was a pretty incredible invention. It held up surprisingly well under strain. Durable. Functional.
“Anyway… I hope those rubber hands help you.”
“Yes, that’s the goal.”
It had been a long time since I had actually prayed for something.
The next day, the Chemist delivered four rubber hands to the hospital. We had no shortage of patients, so I figured we would test them all at once.
“Now, come this way.”
“Yes.”
“Let’s attach this here.”
“Uh… okay.”
I fastened the rubber hand to a patient’s sleeve. It didn’t look particularly realistic. In fact, it was clearly just a rubber glove. But what more could I expect from this era?
Still, it surpassed my expectations.
I stood and watched the patients with these crude rubber fingers in place of their missing hands.
I don’t remember the exact procedure…
If I had known I would be doing this, I would have studied that article more carefully. But hey, at least I knew the concept.
The patients began examining the rubber hands curiously, poking and touching them. That was a good sign. There was no sensation, of course, but I hoped their brains would realize the illusion, and maybe… just maybe… learn to let go.
Translator’s Notes:
Rubber — A flexible material used here for both Condoms and experimental hand models. In this period, rubber products were still developing and not yet as standardized as modern versions.
Condom — A contraceptive device. In the story, rubber Condoms are treated as a major commercial and public health innovation.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases — Infections spread through sexual contact. Condoms can reduce transmission risk.
Prevalence — How common a disease or condition is in a population.
Rubber Hand Illusion — A psychological illusion in which a person may begin to perceive a fake hand as part of their body under certain conditions. The narrator is trying to adapt the idea for phantom pain.
Phantom Pain — Pain felt in a missing limb or body part after Amputation.