episode_0196

Episode 196. The World’s Scariest Disease

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The Zodiac was always bustling. The nobility of the empire, of course, commanded the army, and worked to benefit the world with magic… … .

There were quite a few people who spent time in social circles. And now, the hottest topic in the zodiac is-

That’s the guy.

It was Professor Asterix. Nothing was known about who the healer was, where he came from, or what family he belonged to.

The theory that he was of commoner origin was strong.

Then… … . How did a healer from commoner origins become the royal healer at that age, become an academy professor, and capture the heart of the princess? No one knew.

How would you know?

Over the past few months, Professor Asterix’s exploits have grown and his rumors have become more plentiful.

Some people said that the professor was actually royalty from another country, while others claimed that he had the blood of elves or dragons.

Recently, there was a rumor going around that he was seen holding hands with the princess at the royal banquet hall, so the public’s interest has grown even more.

Elise broke off her thoughts and opened her eyes.

Elise was one of the leading figures in high society. Pollux, the head of the Aston family, who attended her tea party, spoke.

“It’s nice that you’re coming to the girls’ tea party. But I’m worried that you might be bothering us, haha.”

“Once or twice is okay.”

Elise answered simply.

How to survive in the social world. You can’t be too rude, but you can’t be too friendly either.

It was necessary to tell the other person that it was okay for them to come here, but it was also necessary to remember that the other person should be grateful to Elise.

I guess I should be grateful.

Pollux nodded.

“Professor Asterix has been mentioned a lot lately. A few days ago, a large sponsor showed up at a daycare center near the Academy.”

“Are you talking about Professor Asterix?”

Elise looked at the sleeve of the blue dress she was wearing. I told you not to wear it last time because the green dye was poisonous.

Elise thought about it for a moment.

“Are you a big donor?”

“There was a person who brought three carriages to the orphanage in the middle of the night and donated a large sum of money. There was a rumor that it was Professor Asterix.”

It seemed that way too.

At that time, Elise seemed to be cursing Professor Asterix for something.

The professor was diagnosing Elise’s illness without even listening to her. If he just told her the results, she was sick. She got better after removing the green.

At the time, I thought she was a fortune teller.

The Elise family sent a piano to Professor Asterix as a token of their gratitude for curing his illness. I wonder if he received it.

You look like you like the piano.

“A huge donation to a daycare center. It’s like a fairy tale. It must be just a rumor, right?”

Pollux smiled good-naturedly again.

“The rumors just keep getting bigger, don’t they? I’m also curious about Elise Youngae’s story. This time, the new one… … .”

The tea party continued.

Elise was worried. Judging from the current rumors, Professor Asterix would be the one who would be most valuable if he were to appear in high society.

It would be nice if you could bring me out for a tea party.

The problem is that he doesn’t show up in social circles. I heard that he only showed up at the royal banquet he was supposed to attend and then disappeared somewhere.

still.

I sent the piano, so I’ll get a reply.

****

There was an influx of patients right after the holiday.

It was a bit scary to hear, because it meant that treatment might have been delayed by a day.

I don’t know if this world has something like an emergency room, but the Academy Hospital was on duty, anyway.

It was inevitable that patients would flock to the hospital if they took a day or two off. In the past, there were places in Korea where doctors working at local hospitals were instructed not to drink alcohol on holidays.

anyway.

Still, none of the people who came after the holiday seemed to be in dire straits. At least not the patients who came before me.

Well, that’s what I heard from the nurses. You’ll have to see it for yourself to know the details.

“Come in!”

Patient one.

Winter is a cold and sad season. When the weather is hostile, the number of sick people increases.

In Korea, the number of patients increased during the changing of seasons, but in the Empire, it seemed that the most people were sick in the winter, perhaps because there were fewer patients with high blood pressure or allergies.

“What hurts and why are you here?”

“Coolook. I came here because I have a headache, a fever, and a persistent cough… … .”

The coughing sound was a bit unsettling.

You know, that deep cough you hear from people with the flu or pneumonia.

I listened to the stethoscope.

However, if there is no infection, it is reasonable to consider it as a cold. It is not a fatal illness, but it is a matter of how many days you suffer.

“Are you an academy student?”

“Yes, it’s Milo.”

“Where have you been recently?”

“I went down to my parents’ house and came back.”

I nodded.

It seemed like that. People gather during the holiday season, and diseases can spread. Someone might have caught a disease from another region.

I listened to the patient’s lungs with a stethoscope. The breathing sounds from the lungs were mostly normal. It was just a cough.

I handed over the stethoscope. Istina frowned and listened for a long time with a serious expression. You have to listen from side to side, not up and down.

“Istina. You should auscultate from side to side, not up and down. That way, you can compare and see if the lung sounds are asymmetrical, right?”

Istina nodded.

“Okay.”

“How is it?”

“It seems generally normal.”

I thought so too.

“You weren’t seriously hurt, were you?”

“Do you have any other concerns?”

The patient began to explain. He also mentioned that he usually had a headache and was tired. He also mentioned that he often caught a cold.

I wondered why you came to the Academy Hospital with a cold. I guess you are a worrier.

I looked at the patient. I didn’t forget to scratch my head with an expression of innocence, trying to put him at ease as much as possible.

“Avoid seeing people as much as possible. Rest in the dorm for a few days. It’s just a cold.”

“Yes.”

“Don’t worry too much. I’ll give you the medicine later, so go out and wait. If it hurts more, you can come back.”

If you’re an academy student, it’s like living next to the hospital. It’s easy to come.

Istina looked at the patient’s back.

“That’s unusual. That patient came in last time too. Is he prone to catching colds? Or is he prone to making himself sick?”

“Health anxiety is also a disease. You shouldn’t suspect someone of malingering without a good reason. Once you put on colored glasses, you’ll continue to see them that way.”

okay.

I looked at my graduate student.

“It’s the scariest disease in the world. It’s called Munchausen syndrome by proxy.”

“What is that?”

Istina tilted her head. It was long, so to speak.

****

It was something every doctor should hear at least once. About the attitude toward patients, trust, and the sense of responsibility that should be maintained in the examination room…

Munchausen syndrome by proxy.

It is the most extreme form of health anxiety. It is also a diagnosis that most clearly shows the harm that a hasty diagnosis can cause.

Munchausen syndrome by proxy.

Munchausen syndrome is a type of mental illness in which a person pretends to be ill to those around them, especially doctors, while Munchausen syndrome by proxy is a situation in which a person makes it appear that another person is ill.

Often parents make it seem like their child is sick. They may simply lie to the doctor. They may actually make the child sick.

The problem is this.

As with all diseases, there is a possibility of misdiagnosis. Some people actively try to deceive doctors, so some doctors get deceived.

It’s not a very rare disease.

Patients with Munchausen syndrome present to hospitals very frequently – fake cases account for 1% of all hospital visits.

This is a number that cannot be ignored.

So what happens when a patient is diagnosed with Munchausen’s disease? What if the doctor is wrong?

“What’s going on?”

Once a person is labeled a Munchausen sufferer, it becomes nearly impossible for anything they say to be taken seriously.

Isn’t that a certified lying psychopath? If it’s Munchausen syndrome by proxy, the problem is more complicated.

Taking a child to a hospital and pretending to be a patient is obviously a crime of child abuse. Diagnosing Munchausen syndrome by proxy is the same as establishing that it is a crime.

Let’s think about it from the perspective of a patient, or potential patient, compared to other crimes.

“It’s like this, if we use an analogy.”

I went to the hospital, and the doctor suddenly diagnosed me with Kim Chun-sik syndrome. Let’s say it’s a disease that causes tax evasion.

When I explained that I had never evaded taxes, the doctor responded that denying tax evasion was also part of the Kim Chun-sik syndrome.

Even if you go to the police or court, the doctor will say that you have Kim Chun-sik syndrome. Isn’t denying tax evasion a symptom of that disease?

Isn’t it terrifying just to imagine?

****

“What a scary disease.”

“That’s right.”

To sum it up,

You should not easily suspect a patient. Even if you suspect, you should consider it as not true until you have the basis for that judgment.

“Call the second patient.”

“Yes.”

I wonder what kind of patient will come next.