Chapter 37: Working Together to Treat Infectious Disease [2]

To speak of the conclusion first, there was no need for Ganghyuk to look for the patients. The patients came to the clinic one by one late at night. All of them had contacted the first patient and they all showed similar symptoms.

“What is this…?”

The patients seemed to be very sociable. Nearly everyone in the village had come to the clinic, so it was more than expected.

The infectious ability of the smallpox was outstanding indeed.

“What can we do?” Heo Jun asked with embarrassment. He was making Yanggyeoksan using all of his herbs. But, it was not sufficient to cover the queue of the patients.

“I should ask for help.”

“Help? To whom?”

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“The governor and my father.”

“Yes! Those two can help us for sure.”

Those were the number one and two in Suwon. They could surely supply herbs without any difficulty.

Rice for patients… Hands to isolate them…

‘I must let them know even if they cannot help us.’

He could not hide the fact that there was an outbreak of the disaster. It was not unusual for a small village to disappear because of smallpox, even though it did not happen very often.

He must make them prepared.

If it spread to other villages, then there would be no solution at all.

“Then, who will go?” Ganghyuk looked around at the fellows with the operation caps.

‘Dolseok and Yeoni had better be here to help me, and Yeoju can draw. Heo Jun should be here as well, of course.’

In that case, there was only one man left: Makbong.

When Makbong felt Ganghyuk looking at him, he bent his head. He was not very quick, but he was faithful.

“I will go and let them know.”

“Hmm…”

Ganghyuk was clearly moved by the loyalty of Makbong.

“Okay, but I will give you immunity first.”

Even a strong man could not beat a virus. He must be prepared before leaving for the long trip.

“What is ‘immunity’?” Heo Jun asked while making Yanggyeoksan. Others had the same question as well.

Why was he not afraid of smallpox? What on earth was ‘immunity’?

He let others wear a mask, gloves, and cap, and then prohibited them from going near the patients. He told them to boil water, make medicine, cook rice, and paint.

On the other hand, although Ganghyuk did wear gloves, he did not hesitate to treat the patients.

Dolseok knew that Ganghyuk was not the kind to sacrifice himself. Not only he was not the type, but he also did not show any kind of worries.

He moved like a God in this depressed situation.

“It is the strength to fight against smallpox.”

“Strength?”

“Yes. Yeoni and Makbong, help doctor Heo Jun. I am going somewhere with Dolseok. Yeoju, keep drawing.”

“Yes.”

Although they could not understand the meaning, they all followed his orders. They had not experienced any bad results after ever following his orders anyway.

Dolseok whispered with a small voice, “Where are we going? This late at night?”

“We have an emergency. Did you see the status of the patients?”

“I did. I think many of them will die.”

“Why are you not feeling sorry for them?”

“We cannot help it. It is smallpox after all.”

Dolseok had given up on the situation. He had seen people dying of smallpox constantly since his childhood, so it was no wonder.

It was not the twenty first century when youths or children hardly died of disease. There was a custom to celebrate being an adult because it was not an easy job to survive and grow up to become one.

Ganghyuk could feel the bitterness of the times.

“We can help it. We have a solution.”

“That is impossible, sir. Even you cannot do anything. It is smallpox.”

“Shut your mouth and follow me.”

“Yes, yes.”

Dolseok followed him with a torch. Fortunately, the moonlight was very bright, so it was not very dark.

“Where are we going?”

“I told you… We are going to find an ox.”

“Cows are here as well.”

“Not just any ox. I need THE ox.”

It was very difficult to find an ill ox. It is just like when they had animal experiments in that world; a mouse with cancer was thousands of times more expensive than a healthy mouse.

At least right now, the ill cow was the most precious.

“However, can we take an cow at our convenience?”

“Why not?”

“It is an ox, not a chicken anyway.”

“It is an ill ox. If they don’t want to give it away, I will buy it.”

“Buy the ill ox?”

“Yes.”

“Why do you want to buy an ill ox?”

“Wait, we are almost there.”

As it was a very small village, it did not take much time to arrive at the mouth of the village. In the stable there was an ox. It stood there unstably; it was precisely the cow that he saw last time.

“Why is it so dirty?”

“It has caught smallpox.”

“Smallpox? An Ox?”

“Cows catch smallpox as well. But, they can beat it.”

Ganghyuk did not whisper, and was speaking loudly. Furthermore, as they held a torch, they were easily spotted.

“Who is it?”

When they looked back, they saw an old man with a sickle. The latter thought there were bandits; after all, Ganghyuk and Dolseok were big and were acting with confidence.

“Are you the owner?”

“Yes.” His hand that was holding a sickle was trembling.

“I came here for the ox.”

“Ox? You cannot steal it.”

With Ganghyuk’s remark, he shook his hand that was holding a sickle. But, as he was far from them, it was of no use.

“Don’t use bad language. Do you know who he is?” Dolseok shook the torch, which got quite intimidating as flames and sparks scattered.

“Dolseok, he will misunderstand the situation. Stop it.”

“But, he called you by name.”

“Yes, you did it well. But, I will do the rest.”

“Yes, sir.” Dolseok moved aside.

With the light of the torch, the old man could finally see Ganghyuk’s face. The latter was clearly a nobleman; he could guess his status.

“I am sorry to come this late. It is an emergency… I urgently need the ox.”

“But, you cannot take it from me.”

“I will not take it for free. I will pay for it.”

If he beat the smallpox, there would be some reward for sure. And even without the reward, he could pay for it by himself.

Ganghyuk took some fans out of his sleeve. At the time, a fan was very dear, even used as currency.

His fan was decorated with silver, and it was luxurious and splendid. It could even be considerd priceless.

Seeing it, the owner’s eyes went wide.

“Will you give him them all?”

“Yes. Ah, this one is mine.”

He took back his fan with the silver decoration. He thought that it would be too much even though he needed the cow urgently.

The owner’s eyes became smaller, but he was definitely interested in the offer. Then, Ganghyuk added, “I do not want to take the cow permanently. I will not kill it. If it survives, I will return it.

“Then, will you take the fan back?”

“No, you can have it.”

“Hmm…”

Because it was too good an offer, he became suspicious.

“Where do you want to use it?”

Ganghyuk wanted to do good things with it, but the owner’s questions irritated him.

‘He is not very strong. Can I beat him by force?’

He had learned Taekyeon from Heo Jun every day. He could beat such an old man with a single blow by now.

‘No, no.’

He had come here to cure people. It was insane to use violence.

“Did you ask where I would use it?”

“Yes, sir.” The owner retreated because of the combative spirit from a while ago.

“I am a doctor. Where do you think I will use the ox? I will use it to cure people.”

“My cow does not have cow bezoar. He is ill.”

“Yes, that’s why I need it. Give it to me. I will give my fan to you.

Ganghyuk felt tired by now, so he threw the fans one by one. The old man received them quickly, leaving the sickle down.

“Ok. I will give it to you.”

“Dolseok, take it.”

“Yes, sir. But, this cow is ill as he mentioned.”

“That is the medicine. Take him and don’t talk too much.”

“It is your money, so I do not want to nag you, but it is dirty…”

“It is good because it has sores.”

“Goodness!”

Dolseok steered the cow while shaking his head. Fortunately, the cow walked well. If it could not, Dolseok might have complained.

Ganghyuk looked at the wounds that were discharging water with affectionate eyes. But, it actually made him look like a pervert.

‘That is the medicine! Now, I can inject the discharge into the group.

It might have some unwanted pathogens as well. But, the antibiotics would solve the problem. He had sixty tablets anyway, and they were replenished every day. It would be sufficient for sure.

‘If we do not have this cow… I might use a human body to obtain the vaccine through experimentation.’

It was an cow that would save the village. Ganghyuk touched the cow with warm hands. But, it was frightened because of all the strange people.

“We are here, sir.”

The group could not sleep. They did not have a room because of too many patients. The people in the room were not happy either.

He could hear continuous moaning from the room.

“What is it?” Heo Jun asked.

He had finished making Yanggyeoksan, and also some other medicine. The aroma and color were different.

“We can obtain immunity from this ox. What is that medicine?”

“It is Seonbanghwalmyeongeum. It is effective in the removal of ecthyma.”

“Oh!”

It might have antiviral effects, so Heo Jun thought he would use it on the patients with no complication first.

Ganghyuk nodded with satisfaction as he got the discharge from the wound of the cow in the syringe.

“Good, let’s get a shot.”

Hearing the word ‘shot’ Dolseok responded sensitively, “Why? I did not commit any wrongdoings.”

“It is not a hit. It means injection.”

“The thick needle? No, I don’t want it.”

Ganghyuk didn’t care as he gave a shot on the thick arm of Dolseok, who soon became pacified as it was not really painful.

“You can get immunity from this. Next. Makbong.”

“Ah, yes!”

“You have to go for an errand to the distant place, so you get a shot as well.”

“Okay, sir.”

Ganghyuk subsequently gave shots to Yeoni, Yeoju, and Heo Jun in turn.

“Good. Wait for a few days. During the period, don’t go near the patients. Makgong!”

“Yes, sir?”

“Until you arrive there, do not take off the gloves. Don’t touch your face, especially eyes, nose and mouth… Don’t touch, never ever.”

He repeated the points that he had already told them.

“Yes, sir. Don’t worry.”

“Go and get some herbs and people. I will do what I can until you come back.”

“Yes, sir.”