Doctor Goes Back to Joseon

Chapter 36: Working Together to Treat Infectious Disease [1]

Smallpox…

It was an infectious disease which could hardly be seen in the modern world. But, it was a very dreadful disease nevertheless, so all doctors had to learn about it… And Ganghyuk was no exception.

“Hu…”

It was the first time for him to see the disease with his eyes though. But, there was no chance that he could not recognize it. The patient whom he had seen in the textbook was standing right in front of him.

Heo Jun murmured with despair, “Smallpox… In this summer…”

Infectious disease was a disaster in the past; it was like a force majeure. In particular, an infectious disease like smallpox was a real disaster. People called this disease with honorific titles such as ‘You Highness’ out of fear.

There were even some shrines worshiping ‘God Smallpox.’

‘What should I do? It seems incurable.’

Ganghyuk could not find the solution either.

“Dolseok and Makbong. Go further away from him.”

“Eh?”

“Dangerous… Go away.”

“Yes.”

Ganghyuk prevented Dolseok and Makbong from going closer to the patient. The most important thing in dealing with an epidemic was to prevent its spread.

‘I am fine, though.’

Smallpox was a dangerous disease, and it was naturally designated as a first grade infectious disease. It had not been discovered since 1979, so the general public did not get shots. However, medical professionals like Ganghyuk could receive a shot.

If a medical professional were infected, it would cause great danger to a lot of people after all.

‘I did good accepting the advice of my friend working in the division of infectious disease to get the shot.’

Actually, he had rejected the shot because it could leave a pockmark on the arm. But if he had persisted, he would have been the same as others right now, afraid of coming in contact with the patient.

Ganghyuk went to the patient while feeling his pockmark on his left arm. The patient looked even more terrible when looked at from up close; his face was full of blisters, with yellow pus and water.

‘I need to isolate him.’

People could be infected by smallpox even without touching the patient. Even being in the same room was very dangerous. Therefore, the people who brought him here should be isolated; they must be already infected.

“Follow me.”

“Yes”

Ganghyuk brought them to the room which was being used as a warehouse.

“Wait here.”

“Okay. When will you treat us?”

“Wait.”

“Okay, sir.”

The patient and the guardian followed Ganghyuk’s order obediently. As it was a small village, he was already well-known for the operation in the afternoon. Furthermore, his attire showed his status.

Heo Jun had been watching Gagnhyuk without a word up till now, and came to him to ask, “Scholar Baik, it is Smallpox. What should I do?”

“Well, I really don’t know.

It might be better if it were a disease requiring a surgery. Ganghyuk could take it as a challenge if it were an operation. But, it was not the disease that needed an operation.

‘Looking at his clothes, he must be a farmer.’

In the worst case, he might have done community work. It was a busy season, so people needed help.

In that case, it could eradicate this small village completely.

‘No, no. That is the best scenario actually. If it got worse…’

If it spread to Suwon, it would be the beginning of a disaster.

Ganghyuk looked at the warehouse where the patient was placed with a depressed face. He remembered the medical history that he had learned in his schooldays.

‘The mortality from the disease is about thirty percent, but if it is a hemorrhagic smallpox, the mortality goes up to hundred percent.’

It was the worst infectious disease before Jenner’s vaccine.

‘We were fortunate not to have smallpox in that world. Hmmm… Let’s see.’

Jennerization…

It was difficult to forget his name. It was a history that was not asked in the examination, but was still dealt with significance.

“Scholar Baik, what are you thinking of?” Hoe Jun asked Ganghyuk who was staring blankly into the air.

By the time the latter recovered, Yeoni and Yeoju, who were in the room, had come out as well. It seemed that it took him quite some time.

“I think I might have a solution.”

“Really? For Smallpox?” Heo Jun looked at Ganghyuk with shining eyes.

It was the scholarly attitude expected from the author of ‘Duchangjipyo (1)’

“Give me some time to think about it.”

“Yes, sure.” Heo Jun shut his mouth.

Yeoni and Yeoju thought that it was strange, but Dolseok was already accustomed to it. He trusted Ganghyuk infinitely. Last time when Seungmun got ill, he did the same thing.

‘He murmured for some time and then found the herb.’

Dolseok believed that Ganghyuk was a man of great knowledge, although he did some strange things…

They all looked at Ganghyuk silently.

“Hmm…” Ganghyuk tried to recall his old memory while rubbing his chin.

‘It was always in the exam. It was in the pedigree.’

Pedigree…

It was the other name of previous questions from the exam. It was a rope from the heavens for the students who had a high probability of flunking.

Students like Ganghyuk who had good scores usually took the responsibility of publication. Therefore, he could remember it better than any other student.

‘Cowpox vaccination itself is not really difficult. I had heard that there was vaccination using human beings as well.’

It was said that the famous Dasan Jeong Yakyong introduced it. But, it was not spread widely because of restrictions of the method and the situation at that time.

‘That is too dangerous.’

It might result in creating trouble rather than treating it. So, he thought that creating a cowpox vaccination would be better.

The problem was how to make a cow stricken with cowpox.

“Ah!” He remembered the cow that he had met when he came into the village, the cow with oozing sores. The cow full of scabs…

“What? What is it? Did you find the solution?”

Ganghyuk responded to Heo Jun’s scream, with Dolseok and others all listening to him, “Cow. Cow!”

“What?” Dolseok asked back with puzzled eyes. Ganghyuk was thinking of the treatment for smallpox just now, but now had started shouting about cows.

“The cow that we saw when we entered the village!”

“What do you mean?” Yeoni scratched her head as well.

“No. It is alright.”

It was too difficult for them to understand, so Ganghyuk gave up explaining and started to wear gloves and a mask. He then gave them to others as well, “Wear this mask and gloves. Brother Heo Jun, you must wear these as well.”

“Why is that?”

“You may contract the disease if you touch him or breathe around the patient.”

“Ah!”

Heo Jun tilted his head sideways. In oriental medicine, prescription for infectious diseases came from the eighteenth century. It was some time later when Ming fell and Qing was established.

It seemed that they knew about the infection a little before then.

‘It is said that they did not have a festival or a meeting when there was a smallpox.’

It was because they wanted to not go against ‘God Smallpox’. Consequently, it prevented the propagation of the disease. If they did not gather together, the disease would not spread widely.

“I will follow your order.” Heo Jun did not think for too long. He had asked Ganghyuk to teach him some time ago after all.

With that, Ganghyuk put the mask on Heo Jun. It was only an expedient. But, it would keep people safer.

‘I must take care of my people first.’

They were the acquaintances that he made in Joseon. The other people would come next; he would not leave them to die, of course.

“Is it the right way?” Yeoju asked, as the mask and gloves were unfamiliar to her. But, she had a sense and put them on in the right way.

“Good!”

“But, I feel uncomfortable.”

“You must be patient. If not, you will catch it as well. Do you know what smallpox is?”

“Yes.”

“I will ask the patient if he had contacted other people. You… must stay here. Okay?”

“Yes.” Yeoju nodded her head in the face of his strong attitude. Instead of her, Yeoni asked, who was really worrying about Ganghyuk, “Sir, are you going to be fine?”

“Yes, don’t worry.”

“Why?” Dolseok asked.

“I have immunity.”

“Immunity? Another strange word…”

“Be quiet. I will let you know later. You will need it as well.”

“Yes, yes.”

With that, Ganghyuk left them there and went into the warehouse. The patient had not received any treatment yet, so he looked the same as before, if not a bit worse. He seemed quite breathless at that time.

Ganghyuk went and examined him with the stethoscope. The patient was startled because of the cold feeling.

“Take a deep breath.”

“Hugh, hugh.”

Whenever he inhaled and exhaled, a rough sound arose from the lungs.

‘It is not good.’

It was not from the phlegm, but from the damage to the pulmonary alveoli.

‘Is it pneumonia?’

It was a common complication of a smallpox. But, even though it was a common complication, it was difficult to cure.

‘This patient might die even if we use cowpox vaccination.’

If his body had already been damaged to this extent, it would not have time to fight against the virus.

Ganghyuk asked the patient with despair. “Who did you meet during these days?”

“During several days?”

“Yes, who did you meet?”

“Uhmm…”

He had a high fever and breathlessness, so he could not answer the question at all. Instead, his guardian answered. “He was at home. His friend next door, my wife and I, and…”

He listed quite a few people.

It was important for people to know about the disease. If it were the twenty first century, he would be careful or would have been isolated already in the early period.

“Is there anyone who showed similar symptoms?”

“Ah. I have a fever as well since yesterday.” The patient’s father answered while touching his forehead.

When Ganghyuk measured the temperature, it came to be over thirty eight degrees. He had already caught the disease.

“Where do you live?”

“It is near this place. May I guide you there?”

“No. You should stay here. I will go alone.”

He could not let those virus lumps roaming around.

“Then, what should we do with this friend?”

“I will give some medicine. It will help a bit.”

With that, Ganghyuk gave him the anti-inflammatory medication. It seemed that the patient had difficulty in swallowing even water because of the blisters in the throat.

In this situation, it was quite certain that he could not eat at all.

‘Heo… He will die… Ah…!’

There was a prescription that he had learned from Heo Jun. So, it was better to have the latter with him.

Ganghyuk escaped from the warehouse and went to Heo Jun.

“Brother, please make Yanggyeoksan. I need to give it to him.”

“Yanggyeoksan? For Smallpox?”

“Yes! I will let him eat something, but his mouth is in terrible state.”

“Aha, I see. Is there anything that I can help you with?”

It was Heo Jun, so he understood Ganghyuk’s intention very quickly.

“I gave him anti-fever medicine… But, it will not be sufficient. If there is medicine for pus, please make it as well.”

“Yes, I see.”

“Do not go inside. I will go to the village to see if there are other patients.”

“Alone?”

“Yes, at this moment, only I have the immunity.”

Ganghyuk left a word that could not be understood and went out of the door.

‘Let’s isolate all the people who are suspected patients and then find the cow.’

(1) ‘Duchangjipyo – Book by Heo Jun regarding everything about smallpox