episode_0119

Episode 119. Black Death (2)

****

The plan was set, and the explanation of the Black Death was more or less finalized. The people gathered in the conference room nodded.

“I don’t know if that’s what I should say, but the most important thing is not to lose control of the situation. We are the last line of defense.”

“Okay.”

The number of patients remaining in the temple is 50.

My guess is that half will die, half will be cured. The problem is the people in the middle.

Among the Black Death patients, there must have been some who did not respond well to treatment and did not die.

“Does anyone have any questions?”

Hedwig raised her hand.

“You think quarantine work is the most important thing? Controlling the situation.”

“Yes.”

“What can you do?”

“Pesticides, rat poison, and mouse traps. Since rats can transmit the Black Death, killing as many rats as possible will help prevent the spread.”

“Do other animals carry the plague? For example, if you release a cat to catch mice, can the cat carry the plague?”

I shook my head. It’s not impossible for cats to get the plague, but that’s not how diseases work.

The Black Death also thrives in certain conditions. Not all animals are at risk, and some are the best vectors.

“Each animal has a different ability to transmit and spread diseases. The biggest problem is rats, so using cats would also be effective. I don’t know to what extent.”

“Hmm, I guess I should try that too.”

“Kill the rat… ….”

I clapped my hands.

“Then let’s go back to the ward. There seem to be many patients with high fevers, so don’t forget to manage their fever with wet towels. The fever must be lowered to below 39 degrees.”

“Okay.”

Because we need to manage the symptoms. Istina and the other healers nodded. We left the classroom and headed back to the ward.

I returned to the ward and looked at Chris.

A patient suspected of having pneumonic plague.

Last time I saw him, he had symptoms like cough, petechial bleeding, and fever. So I gave him antibiotics and an anticoagulant… … .

I don’t know if it’s completely better.

The patient opened his eyes clearly and muttered something, just as I had told him to. It was a little scary, but I guess it meant he was trying.

Or maybe you’re just really crazy.

“Are you okay?”

“Ah. It seems better than last time.”

I nodded.

The patient’s complexion seemed to have improved somewhat since I first saw him. The last time I saw him, he was crying as he lay dying.

“Hello.”

“Oh, yes.”

“Do you have a headache, patient?”

“No, not really.”

The most serious side effects of disseminated intravascular coagulation are stroke and myocardial infarction. I didn’t think those two would have come. If they had, I would have already died.

I’m glad you don’t have a headache.

“It seems to be working. Are you breathing well? Can you show me your arms and legs?”

The patient held out his arm. Fortunately, the patient’s arm did not turn black. The petechial hemorrhages did not appear to have gotten worse.

I nodded.

“Does the patient look different than yesterday?”

“Yes, well… … . It seems similar.”

I thought about it for a while. Even if you take anticoagulants, the petechial bleeding won’t go away right away. At least it hasn’t gotten worse.

“You’re not coughing, are you?”

“Yes.”

“Did you take your medicine?”

“I ate it all.”

I nodded. It’s still too early to be relieved, but the patient seems to be getting better little by little. I hope he gets better soon…

“Doctor. How’s the situation outside?”

“Working on it.”

Things didn’t seem to be going well though.

I looked around, leaving Chris behind. A patient with blackened limbs was being carried out on a stretcher. He seemed to be dead…

It wasn’t just one or two. Two empty stretchers were brought into the ward, and two people who appeared to be barely breathing were carried out.

There were originally 50 patients in the ward, and three have just died. There are 47 patients left.

Oh, now there are 46.

45 people.

****

Director Lin knocked on the door of the quarantined house again, but no one opened the door.

The people who had been quarantined in this house were likely dead, perhaps hiding or running away in fear of the mob.

“Shall we go in?”

“Yeah.”

Captain Lin looked anxiously at the door with the markings drawn on it. The soldiers who opened the door and went in walked out of the house with serious expressions.

“Is there anyone inside?”

“All patients are dead. There are no survivors.”

“How many people?”

“There are three dead people in the house. They seem to have died from the plague a few hours ago.”

Captain Lin checked the list he had brought.

There were originally three people living in this house. If there were no survivors in this house, there would be no need to spend time on quarantine work.

Just burn it.

“Okay… … . Come out quickly. I’m going to burn down the house”

“Okay. Should I bring the body out?”

The captain shook his head.

The soldiers who had entered the house quickly left the house and stayed far away. As soon as the scene was cleared, Captain Lin immediately took the staff.

“Crater.”

bang!

The crater fell on the house, which collapsed in one room. There was some fire left in the rubble of the collapsed building, but it was not large.

Chief Lin scratched his head. He couldn’t think of a plan for what to do. They said they were doing quarantine work, but four houses had burned down.

The problem isn’t simply that people are dying and houses are burning down, although that’s also a problem.

If the state power cannot guarantee the safety of the quarantined people, how can we ask them to cooperate with the quarantine and to try to control the disease? It is a matter of maintaining order.

I wish the people who came to solve the problem would come up with a solution. It will become increasingly difficult to disinfect or burn down houses one by one like this.

A solution needs to come out quickly.

****

There were three magicians working in the lord’s castle. One of them was the Lin Commander I had seen earlier. I stared at Lin Commander.

Director Lin drummed his fingers on the desk.

“I heard there is a solution.”

“There is.”

I cleared my throat a bit. It’s easier said than done, but I’m not sure if it’s a feasible solution.

“We have to kill all the rats. The patients that are here now will either die or be cured soon, but the rats can transmit diseases.”

“Hmm. Do I have to kill all the rats?”

“Yes, is that possible?”

“It’s possible, probably.”

“How is that possible?”

Is it possible to catch all the mice?

I wondered what Captain Lin would say, but he seemed to think it was nothing. Captain Lin sat with his legs crossed.

“Well, it’s not that complicated. Have you ever heard the story of the Pied Piper?”

“Yes.”

The captain shrugged.

“I also have a flute. I can lead all the rats together and kill them all at once. That should be enough to kill most of the rats in the city.”

Still, I’m glad there is a way.

****

Preparation didn’t take as long as I thought.

In the city’s central square, a wooden barricade and a huge pyre were completed. Hedwig poured vodka on the pyre.

There were at least a few dozen people gathered there.

Several soldiers from Winia Castle were holding brooms and preparing to drive away the rats. In the center of the square, Commander Lin was holding a flute.

“Let me explain the plan again! When I blow the flute, the rats will come. When enough rats have gathered, I will lower the wooden planks to make a wall and push them towards the firewood pile.”

We nodded.

“Rats will gather later. Be careful of your legs! Rats can transmit the plague.”

I swallowed. The three lord’s wizards began to play their flutes.

A strange flute sound. It didn’t seem like a very good performance, whether it was because the players were nervous or because the listeners were nervous.

Is it not very effective?

I looked around.

It didn’t look like the mice were coming right away. I could hear crows overhead and a cat hooting nearby.

A rat passed by me.

Two.

Four.

Eight.

The rats formed a black wave. A wave of black fur and tails filled the square.

There were so many rats scurrying by during the century. I stood as still as possible so as not to attract their attention.

The wooden barricade moved. It seemed like enough rats had gathered. We drove the rats toward the firewood with wooden planks.

There were hundreds, thousands of squeaks. People started pushing the rats away with wooden barricades and brooms.

A considerable number of the rats were pushed back to the woodpile… … Lin put down his flute and picked up his wand.

“Speech.”

Hururuk.

A fire broke out in the woodpile.

The rats’ squeaking grew louder and louder until it became a terrible scream. I grimaced. The people there caught the rats with tongs and threw them into the flames. Some ran around to catch the escaping rats.

“I hope this helps?”