episode_0019

Episode 19. Plague Doctor Dispatch (2)

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Keeping people from gathering together is a very modern idea. Bacterial dysentery is not a disease that can be spread by meeting people in the first place. Of course, it is not good to gather together in a hurry.

The Lord of Lapis looked at me. The eyes of the people gathered there also turned to me.

“What do you think, Professor?”

It’s simple.

“As I said before, infectious dysentery is usually caused by bacteria that live in water. The methods you mentioned are not meaningless, but they won’t change the situation.”

“Is there any basis for this?”

reason…….

You could try to culture the cholera bacteria from well water or body fluids of the patient, but it would probably be unsuccessful, assuming that it was impossible.

Use Snow’s method.

“Check the geographical distribution of the households where the patients occurred. The epidemic is clearly spreading from the contaminated well.”

Baron Lapis looked at the officials.

“Really?”

“I don’t know. I’ll check.”

A few of the clerks stood up, and the eyes of the conference room turned back to me.

“Let’s assume that’s the basis. What solution does Professor Asterix propose?”

“First of all, I think it would be a top priority to identify where the contaminated water source is.”

I thought about it for a while.

“There are several ways to do this. You could use activated carbon to improve the water quality in your well, or you could install a sand purifier.”

“Please keep talking.”

“What can you do right now?”

Right now. I looked at the Lord of Lapis.

“How much alcohol is there in the city?”

****

It was during the Age of Exploration.

When you go on a long voyage, you must carry drinking water with you. You cannot drink sea water.

Large sailing ships can carry hundreds of people, so they need a huge amount of water. In the harsh conditions of sailing, the water often becomes polluted.

The British Navy solved this problem in a simple way: add rum to the drinking water. Even 1-2% alcohol content can suppress most bacterial growth.

“So. You’re going to pour alcohol into the well?”

“Yes.”

“Will that solve the problem?”

“Yes.”

The Lord of Lapis let out a deep sigh.

“There is also a way for the government to distribute safe water. Or, they can simply make alcohol with an alcohol content of about 3% and distribute it.”

“Isn’t there another way? It seems a bit crazy, what do you guys think?”

Hedwig hesitated and then opened her mouth.

“This is the first time I’ve heard of this method. I’ve never heard of drinking alcohol curing illnesses. The idea that water causes the plague is also possible, but it differs from the majority opinion in academia.”

“Miss Hedwig, you’re against it, right?”

“I’m not against it, but this is the first time I’ve heard of it. It could be true.”

The Baron of Lapis had an anxious expression. He was fiddling with his black hair, his hands restless as if he was anxious.

“Okay, I understand. I’ll consider it, so please explain other methods besides alcohol.”

“Yes.”

Sand purifier.

“How to purify water with sand.”

“Yes.”

“It’s simple. If you pass water through fine sand, the contaminants in the water will be filtered out. You can make it easily with just activated carbon, sand, and a bucket.”

“Please explain how to make it.”

It is exactly as I said.

“Just wrap the sand and activated carbon in a clean cloth and put them in a bucket. You’ll need to drill a hole in the bottom of the bucket, though.”

“That seems feasible.”

I nodded.

“But what you said are all preventive measures, right? Even if we believe everything Professor Asterix says, isn’t there a cure for someone who is already sick?”

I was a bit worried. We could try to distribute antibiotics to as many people as possible, but it would probably not work.

The number of patients is not something that can be managed in that way, and the cause of death for cholera patients is dehydration in 100 out of 100 cases.

There is no groundbreaking treatment for this disease.

“The cause of death in most patients with epizootic dysentery is dehydration. It is of utmost importance to secure clean, safe drinking water.”

“Is that so?”

Hedwig nodded this time.

“Then, let’s do as the professor said. Please take care of the patients at the relief center. We will do our best as you said.”

It’s a shame to let it go like this. If we implement the policy more actively, we will see much greater results. Visible results-

The incubation period for cholera and other infectious dysenteries is usually one or two days.

We’ll know by tomorrow whether the measures we’ve taken are effective. Come to think of it, I wonder if we can convince them with this…?

“I, Baron Lapis.”

“Please speak.”

“The incubation period for infectious dysentery is usually around a day. If you try to solve the problem as much as possible today or tomorrow, you will see the effect of the measures you have taken within a day or two.”

“Two days.”

Baron Lapis looked at Hedwig again.

“Is that true?”

“The professor will know better.”

“… … .”

Another sigh.

“Okay. Until tomorrow. Let’s do everything we can, as Professor Asterix said. After all, no one has come up with any other plan.”

“I will do my best.”

There are about twenty wells around Lapis Castle, although it is unknown how many of them are polluted.

The most urgent thing is to clean the well.

But that’s not a task that can be done in a day or two. You have to do what you can.

Lapis assigned us some soldiers. We rode in a carriage and moved into the city.

“The goal is this. We’re going to pour vodka into all 20 wells in the city, clean the area around the wells, and disinfect the well lines, buckets, etc. ”

“Yep.”

The situation was similar for available materials.

Twenty cases of vodka stock prepared for us, and twenty cases of other liquors. It was a bit of a waste to mix the liquors to make the disinfectant, but given the circumstances, there was nothing we could do.

“But. Is this alcohol enough?”

“Maybe.”

I’m not sure of the exact dimensions of this barrel, but it’s probably around 60 liters. One of them should be able to purify about 2000 liters of water without any problems.

More importantly, ethanol is lighter than water.

Unless you mix it separately, vodka will float on top of the water. In fact, the alcohol concentration is so high that it could be a problem.

It’s a problem you’ll have to try to figure out.

We soon reached the first well. The carriage stopped immediately. Here too, there were quite a few people gathered.

“Looking at the number of people, it seems there are a lot of patients around here… … .”

“I guess so.”

First, do what you have to do.

The goal was simple.

“Everyone, step back a little! We’re here to clean the well!”

People quickly retreated.

Well, the plague doctor’s uniform is a bit scary. We cleaned the well bucket and rope with a rag soaked in alcohol.

Now is the long-awaited moment.

We poured a whole barrel of vodka straight into the well. The smell of alcohol rose as the drops mixed with the vodka.

“Are you done?”

Istina drew a bucket of water from the well. It looked like just water.

“Would you like to try it?”

“Can I try eating it? Just smell it.”

“Hmm. It smells a little like alcohol.”

Then that’s good.

****

There are twenty wells.

We finished our work and returned to the ward. We also got a lot of vodka concentrate here. We couldn’t rule out the possibility of getting sick in the ward, which is the relief center.

In particular, we need to protect medical staff working on the front lines, because they come into contact with the most pathogens. But I think this is enough.

“Everything that can be touched in the ward should be disinfected with vodka. There is a possibility that germs are being transferred within the ward. The water given to patients should also be alcohol-based water.”

“Hmm.”

There was an overwhelming lack of clean water, more than I had thought. Hedwig nodded.

“That seems right. Let’s do that.”

Few things are as unfair as the disease itself. Many diseases are closely related to the socio-cultural environment in which the patient or potential patient lives.

Cholera is the most obvious example of this fact. Where would you normally find a contaminated well? In a poor neighborhood.

Where is the most densely populated area? Obviously, it is the area where poor people live. Realistically speaking, it is also the environment where patients have the lowest level of common sense and hygiene.

Usually, when cholera appears in a work of fiction, it is often concluded with something like, “Just boil some water and drink it.” But reality is completely different.

It is difficult to take illness so lightly.

“Istina. Do you have any dead patients?”

“We don’t have any. There are some in other wards, but the problem is… … . The patients are piling up. I think the disease is still spreading. ”

“Yeah. Good job.”

“I’m dying.”

Today was so busy.

I came back from cleaning the well after visiting the ward. Judging by the patient’s condition, I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep well today.

“There are only people who are dying here, Istina. But it’s better than lying in a hospital bed.”