Chapter 40
Chapter 40
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: Heart Pounding (6)
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They called it a lecture, but this was basically a gladiator arena. What can you do? Exchanging academic opinions is a good thing.
It was the only way, too.
Once again, a professor stood up from his seat. Professor Brown. Within the Academy Healer Faculty, he was known as a traditionalist—or a stubborn old fogey.
He'd been extremely skeptical of the germ theory. He might be somewhat convinced now, though.
I'd never spoken to him directly, only heard rumors. But he did have a rather stern look about him.
Still, no need to think ill of him.
Maybe he's just a brilliant researcher who's steadfastly devoted to scientific methodology!
"Isn't this firmly outside the realm of falsifiable science? Now you're even hypothesizing invisible blood vessels for your argument to hold water?"
"Well... Think about it in principle. If we assume the existence of these invisible blood vessels, doesn't everything fall neatly into place?"
Murmurs rippled through again.
The lecture hall buzzed. Some whispered among themselves, while others raised their hands as if preparing a rebuttal.
"Blood flows out from the heart through the arteries, circulates throughout the body, passes through these invisible vessels, and returns via the veins. That explains cardiac output, fluid volume issues, blood pressure—everything."
In the end, it all came down to scale.
"So, these invisible vessels that can handle 15 liters per minute—where exactly are they?"
I gestured toward the microscope in the corner at the front of the lecture hall. I'd already prepared the capillary tissue slides. They could see it right now if they wanted.
"To cut to the chase: Tiny blood vessels run between most tissues. These connect the arteries to the veins."
"Any evidence?"
"You can observe them under a microscope."
Jeers, whistles, and more murmurs erupted. What kind of academic presentation gets reactions this wild? No, seriously, they exist!
"Come take a look. A few days ago, while examining human liver tissue under the microscope, I discovered these very capillaries."
The reaction was explosive. Violet stood up from her seat. That guy again? At this point, is he getting orders from someone?
Well, if he's just playing card games all day, he probably gets bored enough to head out for a walk-slash-business trip.
"Professor, you should've led with that."
"No, there's a process to it. You have to explain the thought process to convey why certain evidence matters."
"Dramatic staging for effect."
Violet smirked, clearly pleased with his own joke. Fine, I'll drop it.
"I think that covers most of it. Any more questions?"
Professor Brown again.
"In the end, you're just claiming blood circulates, but you haven't explained where it comes from."
Where is blood made again?
Plasma proteins are produced in the liver, and red blood cells in the bone marrow inside bones.
But I hadn't figured out an experimental way to prove it yet. At least not with the equipment we have now.
"Uh, we believe new blood is gradually produced in the liver and bone marrow. But there's no experimental evidence for this yet."
Professor Brown sat back down, looking satisfied that he'd landed at least one solid question. Fair enough—he'd been on the defensive the whole presentation.
"Alright, everyone, come observe the capillaries I found in the liver and skeletal muscle."
It was standing room only again today.
Graduate students and professors lined up at the microscope, and I sat nearby, waiting. This was going to take a while.
"Everyone seeing the blood vessels?"
"Uh, is that red thing a blood vessel?"
"Yes. Doesn't it look like stacked plates? There should be red blood cells inside the capillaries."
Anne, Professor Kropelter's graduate student, stared at me like I'd lost my mind.
"Professor Asterix. What's a red blood cell?"
"Tiny cells floating in the blood."
Anne pressed her temple with her hand.
"No, why didn't you mention something that important sooner? Blood is made of cells?"
Blood is composed of cells.
Specifically, red blood cells make up about 40% of blood volume.
Should I have started with that? I pondered for a moment. I'd planned to go in order.
Prove blood flows, then prove it's made of cells.
Well, can't take back words once spoken.
"Yes. Red blood cells are the main component of blood—they account for most of its properties and volume—and you can easily observe them under a microscope—"
The uproar started again. The gist seemed to be: Why bring up something this crucial now?
No, this is enough material for multiple papers, so I have to split it across several. Can't dump it all at once.
I waited for the murmurs to die down. After a few dozen seconds, I glanced back toward where Anne had sat.
"Anyway. Even postmortem, red blood cells often remain trapped in capillaries. So observing them under a microscope isn't hard."
If someone succeeded in making a microscope, maybe they'd succeed in observing red blood cells too. Well, the one here in the auditorium works fine.
The lecture wrapped up in a bit of a haze.
Those who'd observed the capillaries under the microscope gathered their things and left the hall.
"Shall we call it?"
Lecture over.
I waited for everyone to file out of the lecture hall. Some had arrived midway, others left early, but...
Still, a huge crowd had shown up.
Dozens of professors, grad students, and undergrads had come to listen. Today's lecture was a success, right? Reactions would tell, but.
Estina Ivyheart and I watched as people exited the hall. We'd leave once it was empty.
"Think anyone was convinced this time?"
"We can hope."
Probably some were.
If they thought my papers were nonsense, this many people wouldn't have bothered showing up. They wouldn't refute it if it seemed completely wrong.
They need my claims to be wrong to preserve the old paradigm, but they can't find a decent rebuttal, so they're swarming and fidgeting like that.
Of course, the real reason other researchers can't properly refute me is because I'm mostly right.
No hypothesis explains how up to 15 liters of blood can pump from the heart per minute. No matter how much they stretch it.
"The field's so conservative, and academia even more so. Dealing with lives means they hate any changes to protocols."
True enough.
I didn't attend the Academy here, but it wasn't much different in my previous life.
I pondered how to respond to Estina Ivyheart.
"Medicine differs from other fields."
"How so?"
"All other academic disciplines focus on the process. How rigorously you research, how well you experiment, how solidly you build your logic."
"Isn't medicine similar?"
"No. Medicine isn't evidence-centered. It deals with something far more important."
"What's that?"
"Patients."
That's the crux. Medical discoveries that affect patient outcomes can't be ignored. No matter how much other doctors might want to.
Clinical results prove everything.
Everything else is secondary.
That's why we use lithium for psychiatric treatment without fully understanding its mechanism, or certain anesthetics for general anesthesia.
Results matter most.
Not exactly something to brag about. Conversely, it means medical papers prioritize results and are relatively sloppy. Anyway.
"So, ultimately, if I can just explain why considering blood pressure helps patients, that's enough. Any counterarguments from the opposition will be meaningless."
"Ah."
Estina Ivyheart fell silent.
Blood pressure is the most vital number when assessing a patient. It instantly shows if they're tense, bleeding, or have underlying conditions.
Hypertension goes without saying. Hemorrhage, dehydration, aortic dissection—all can be suspected based on blood pressure.
"Anyway, that's how I see it."
The lecture hall emptied out, leaving just the microscope, me, and Estina Ivyheart.
Oh right, I forgot to tell Estina Ivyheart that.
"Estina Ivyheart. A letter came from the Imperial Palace."
"Why?"
"Your paper on cholera-like dysentery seems to have caught the eye of some high-ranking imperial officials."
"Pardon?"
She looked flustered.
"My paper? Why?"
I didn't know the details, but inferring from what the prince said, it went something like this.
"The gist is that those in power play a key role in plague management."
"Well, it could be seen that way."
"Some see it as increasing government responsibility, others as expanding authority... Perspectives differ, but anyway. They all find it an intriguing paper."
"Uh, ah."
My grad student had short-circuited.
She'd held up fine for a long time without breaking.
Estina Ivyheart clutched her head. Suddenly more work and major pressure, but as a researcher, isn't this an honor? Time for a drink.