Chapter 20
Chapter 20
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Plague Doctor Deployment Duty (3)
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Night had already fallen.
But the sick didn't sleep just because it was night, so neither could we, their opponents.
Screw the patients; I was the one about to die. I'd heard something earlier about guest rooms in Lapis Castle, but I hadn't had a chance to leave the relief station.
Aside from a short nap in a hammock-like thing in the corner, that was it. Estina had dozed off standing up.
It was the usual routine.
The emergency room always ran three shifts anyway.
How could you clock out when people were dying right next to you? My patients, thanks to my diligent efforts shoving booze down their throats, hadn't lost a single one.
Just thinking about it was enough to make you sick with disgust. Patients shouldn't be dying just because the medical staff skimped on a single ladle of water... but they clearly had yesterday.
No helping it. I might be able to skip sleep, but I couldn't use cloning jutsu.
"Ugh. Sun's up, Estina. Time to work."
"L-last night, people..."
Several people had died overnight.
Was it from staying up all night, or mental fatigue? Estina's hands were trembling slightly. I looked at her.
"None of our patients died, right?"
"Yes."
"Don't think about anything else. You'll wear yourself out."
A hospital is where dying people come. Some deaths are inevitable. We'd run around like dogs all night.
Still, with the sun up, manpower would ease up a bit. Now it was time to check today's incoming patients. I was hoping the numbers had dropped.
"Patient count should be down today, right?"
"I hope so."
Who knew?
It'd be nice if pouring vodka into every well had worked, but we wouldn't see results until we checked. This too.
Still, several of the patients I was seeing now looked ready for discharge today. If things stabilized, they might even head home.
"Professor Asterix. Could you come to the meeting room for a moment? The lord is asking for you."
A plague doctor in a white robe.
Headwick again. Had there been progress? Maybe a big drop in patients.
His beak mask hid his face, but he was probably as exhausted as us. The relief station had turned into a full-blown warzone.
"What's the matter?"
"He wants to discuss future strategies."
"I'll head over right away."
I nodded.
I had to go see. We still didn't know how much disinfection work we'd do today. And I needed to check if Lapis's officials had done their jobs.
They probably had, right?
We arrived at the meeting room in Lapis Castle soon after. It was packed with people again. They all looked worn out, meaning they'd worked hard overnight too.
A good sign, at least.
"We're busy."
His dark circles had worsened overnight, but the Lord of Lapis brightened the moment he saw me. Whatever it was, there must've been results last night.
"Then I'll get to the point. We spent all night patrolling the markets, mapping patient distributions. Just as you said, Professor, the plague centered around specific wells."
"Yes."
"We're right, aren't we? Cholera's a waterborne disease, caused by fecal-contaminated drinking water. Clean water is the solution."
"That's how it looks to me. And the policies seem effective too."
The Baron of Lapis nodded.
"Seems all true, so let's proceed as you suggested. How far did you get?"
I'd been a little worried.
When John Snow first proposed cholera's fecal-oral route, officials admitted his measures worked but wouldn't buy the theory.
Foolish reasons. Fecal-oral transmission was too disgusting for society to accept back then.
What can you do? Face reality.
Fortunately, the Baron of Lapis seemed to believe me. I was expecting a sharp drop in new patients today.
"We poured straight vodka into the wells, but that's temporary. It'll evaporate in a day or two."
"What's next?"
We needed layered solutions.
"Find the source of contamination. Dig new wells in a few spots. Tell people to boil water if possible, especially for kids. Sand filters near the wells too."
In England, there were even temporary orders against unboiled water. Whether people followed is debatable.
Brewery workers didn't get cholera, either.
"Hand out beer, order boiled water, set filters at every well. Treating cholera-like dysentery with fluids proves it."
The Baron of Lapis nodded.
"No more fundamental fix?"
"Now that we've got countermeasures and the cause pinned down, it should improve. A real fix needs more thought, though..."
Overhauling the sewage system. But would that just get me chewed out?
Dr. Ferrho scores another win today.
Of course, Ferrho pushed for democracy, tax cuts, infrastructure, roads—way more than ten shots worth.
That's why they branded him a revolutionary.
I pondered my words.
"Cholera-like dysentery comes from overlapping causes. Malnutrition, poor sewage, contaminated water, bad hygiene."
The Baron's eyes narrowed ever so slightly.
"Yes."
"There are fundamental fixes, but they'll take time and money."
Guess he didn't want to hear that.
"Understood for now."
"That's for later. Sand filters could solve most of it. Don't worry too much."
"But what's the principle behind sand filters? We prepped as you hinted."
Simple.
Filter water through sand. Bacteria are tiny particles—would sand catch them?
It does.
Why? Needs some thought. It's more complex than it seems.
Bacteria in sand form biofilms. Ironically, other bacteria can't pass through them.
A perfect semi-permeable membrane even bacteria can't breach. Weird, but that's sand filtration's power—from bacterial films.
Activated carbon adsorbs fine particles. If you don't know what that is, think charcoal.
Anyway.
We moved to the workshop inside Lapis Castle. Sand filters were no challenge for their tech level.
No special tech needed.
"Professor. Really just sand and charcoal? Filters bacteria too?"
"It works."
I'd already monologued about this in my head. Too annoying to explain again.
The officials had pulled an all-nighter for real. Several sand filters were already done. Run water through...
Clean water came out. Assuming the bucket and pipe stayed uncontaminated.
Way better than nothing.
"Looks like a success?"
"Yeah. It works."
Biofilms would take a day to form fully. Dramatic effects? TBD.
And the next morning.
As I said, cholera's median incubation is about a day. If our measures worked, patients should drop now. Had they? Seemed way quieter than when we arrived.
"Much calmer than the first day."
"Don't jinx it. Patients incoming."
We opened the relief station door—
Not a single soul lined up. No one had come overnight with sudden illness.
"What the..."
Estina freaked, but.
Too early to relax. More would come today. Just no early birds at dawn.
"Problem solved?"
"Looks like... How'd you know?"
Future knowledge.
Textbook stuff.
"Follow the logic. We hypothesized waterborne cholera-like dysentery."
"Right."
"Proved it with patient geography. Purified all city water sources. Result: this."
Estina pondered.
"Unbelievable. Countless dead from cholera-like dysentery, and it was this simple?"
Simple? After three days on duty, I could barely walk.