Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Plague Doctor Dispatch Duty (2)
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Preventing people from gathering—now that's a very modern idea, but bacterial dysentery isn't a disease that spreads from person to person in the first place. Of course, crowding together wouldn't do any good either.
The Lord of Lapis looked at me. The eyes of everyone gathered in the room turned my way as well.
"What do you think, Professor?"
Simple.
"As I said on the way here, infectious dysentery is usually caused by bacteria living in water. The methods you mentioned aren't meaningless, but they won't change the situation."
"Do you have any evidence?"
Evidence...
I could try culturing cholera bacteria from well water or patient fluids, but it'd probably fail. Assuming that's not possible.
Use Snow's method.
"Check the geographic distribution of the affected households. The plague is surely spreading from a contaminated well at the center."
The Baroness of Lapis glanced at her officials.
"Is that right?"
"We don't know. We'll check."
A few clerks stood up, and the room's attention shifted back to me.
"Let's say that's your evidence. What's your proposed solution, Professor Asterix?"
"First, we need to identify the contaminated water sources."
I thought for a moment.
"There are several options we can use. We could improve the well water with activated charcoal or install sand filters."
"Keep going."
"What can we do right now?"
Right now. I looked at the Lord of Lapis.
"How much alcohol do you have in the city?"
It was the age of great voyages.
On long sea journeys, they had to carry drinking water since seawater wasn't potable.
Large galleons carried hundreds of crew, requiring massive amounts of water. But in the harsh conditions of a voyage, plain water would inevitably get contaminated.
The British Navy solved this with a simple trick: mixing rum into the drinking water. Even 1-2% alcohol suppresses most bacterial growth.
"So, you're saying pour alcohol into the wells?"
"Yes."
"Will that solve the problem?"
"Yes."
The Lord of Lapis let out a deep sigh.
"The government could distribute safe water instead. Or we could brew 3% alcohol beer and hand it out."
"No other options? This sounds a bit crazy. What do the rest of you think?"
Headwick pondered before speaking.
"It's the first I've heard of it. Never heard that drinking alcohol cures disease either. The idea that water causes the plague has potential, but it goes against the majority academic view."
"So you're opposed, Headwick?"
"Not opposed, but it's new to me. It could be true."
The Baroness of Lapis looked anxious, fidgeting with her hands and black hair.
"Alright, we'll consider it. Explain the other methods besides alcohol."
"Yes."
Sand filter.
"A method to purify water with sand."
"Yes."
"It's simple. Run the water through fine sand, and it filters out contaminants. With activated charcoal, sand, and a bucket, it's easy to make."
"How do you make it?"
Just as I said.
"Wrap clean sand and activated charcoal in muslin and put it in a bucket. Drill holes in the bottom, though."
"That sounds feasible."
I nodded.
"But these are all preventive measures, right? Even if we believe everything you say, Professor Asterix—what about treating those already sick?"
I pondered. We could try distributing antibiotics to as many as possible, but it wouldn't work well.
The patient numbers were beyond that scale anyway, and for cholera patients, death comes from dehydration in every case.
I don't have any miracle cure either.
"The cause of death in cholera-like dysentery is dehydration in most patients. Securing clean, safe drinking water is the top priority."
"Is that so?"
Headwick nodded this time.
"Then let's do as you say, Professor. Stay at the relief station and monitor patients. We'll implement your suggestions as best we can."
I hated to let it end there. More aggressive policies could yield much bigger results. Visible outcomes—
The incubation period for cholera and similar dysenteries is usually one or two days.
We'd know if our measures worked by tomorrow evening. On second thought, maybe I could convince them with that...?
"Baroness of Lapis."
"Yes?"
"The incubation for cholera-like dysentery is about a day. If we push hard today or tomorrow, we'll see results in one or two days."
"Two days."
The Baroness looked at Headwick again.
"Is that true?"
"The professor would know better."
"......"
Another sigh.
"Fine. Until tomorrow. We'll try everything Professor Asterix suggests. No one else has better ideas anyway."
"We'll do our best."
There were about twenty wells around Lapis Castle. We didn't know how many were contaminated.
The most urgent task was cleaning them.
But that wouldn't finish in a day or two, so we had to start with what we could.
Lapis assigned us a few soldiers. We rode in a carriage into the city.
"Our goal: pour vodka into all twenty city wells, clean around them, and disinfect ropes, buckets, everything."
"Got it."
The supplies were similar. Twenty barrels of vodka distillate and twenty of other alcohols prepared for us. A shame to mix them for disinfectant, but needs must.
"Will this much alcohol be enough?"
"Probably."
I wasn't sure of the barrel size, but maybe 60 liters each. One should purify 2,000 liters of water easily.
More importantly, ethanol is lighter than water.
Unless mixed, the vodka would float on top. The concentration might even be too high.
Only trying would tell.
We soon reached the first well. The carriage stopped, and a crowd was gathered here too.
"Lots of people means lots of patients nearby..."
"Probably."
Time to work.
The goal was straightforward.
"Everyone, step back a bit! We're here to clean the well!"
The crowd backed away quickly.
Our plague doctor outfits were pretty intimidating, after all. We wiped the buckets and ropes with alcohol-soaked cloths.
Now for the main event.
We poured a full barrel of vodka distillate straight into the well. Bubbles formed as it mixed, and the smell of alcohol wafted up strongly.
"Is that it?"
Estina drew up a bucket of water. It looked like plain water.
"Want to taste it?"
"You think tasting works? Just smell it."
"Hmm. It smells a bit like alcohol."
Good enough then.
There were twenty wells.
We finished up and returned to the ward. We'd brought plenty of vodka distillate here too. Couldn't rule out infection risk inside the relief station.
Especially frontline medical staff—they face the most pathogens. This should be enough, though.
"Disinfect everywhere hands might touch in the ward with vodka. Bacteria could spread inside too. Water for patients should have alcohol added."
"Mm."
Clean water was overwhelmingly scarce. Headwick nodded.
"Sounds right. Let's do it."
Few things are as unfair as disease. Many illnesses tie closely to the social and cultural environments of patients or potential victims.
Cholera is the prime example. Where are contaminated wells usually? Poor districts.
Where are the most overcrowded? Obviously the poor districts. Realistically, the lowest hygiene and common sense levels too.
In fiction, cholera often ends with "just boil the water." Reality is different.
Can't take it lightly.
"Estina, any dead patients?"
"None on our side. Others have some, but the problem is... patients keep piling up. The disease is still spreading."
"Good work."
"We'll die."
Today was hectic.
Ward duty, well cleaning, back to the ward. Judging by patient numbers and states, no sleep tonight.
"This place is full of goners, Estina. Still better than a hospital bed."