Chapter 49

Chapter 49. The Master of Misdiagnosis (1)

We soon arrived at the Great Temple of Imentia. The temple was packed with patients, and the conditions were worse than I had anticipated.

“More crowded than expected.”

In a situation where a flu outbreak could happen, gathering sick people might have adverse effects.

There were curtains separating the hospital beds, but they didn’t seem sufficient to completely stop the spread of colds.

I wasn’t sure exactly. Since it’s a great temple, there might be something like a holy field or healing magic that has already treated some patients.

Since I don’t know how powerful the temple’s healing magic is, I looked around.

“Professor. This way.”

Then, a priest wearing white robes raised his hand toward me. I turned my gaze.

“It’s you, Anata.”

“Hello. How’s the situation?”

I stared at the priest who approached me. He wore a white robe.

Long black hair and amber eyes. At a glance, he seemed about the same age as Istina.

Anata fidgeted with his sleeves.

“Uh… so far, we’ve only had one fatality, but if this goes on for two weeks, our supplies will run out. Then we won’t be able to accommodate all these patients in the temple.”

“Only one fatality… Don’t say it that way. Anyway, I’ll check on the critical patients first.”

“Understood.”

Anata nodded.

“In about a day, the city government will start distributing lemons. Do you have any vegetables or fruits in the temple right now?”

He gave me a puzzled look.

“I don’t know… Maybe?”

“Distribute them as much as possible among the patients. If they start taking vitamin C regularly, their condition should improve in about three days.”

“What’s vitamin C?”

“A nutrient found in vegetables and fruits. It’s especially abundant in citrus fruits.”

“Alright then. Um… Do you have any other opinions regarding treatment?”

“Just keep doing what you’re doing. There’s no particularly effective treatment for colds or flu.”

Colds and flus can’t be treated with antibiotics.

You could try antiviral drugs like oseltamivir for the flu, but they’re only effective if used within 48 hours. So there are many limitations here.

And whether medicine works on this world’s flu is questionable. There’s no real way to find out. Colds don’t have a definitive cure…

Even if we use comprehensive cold medicine or antihistamines, those aren’t really cures either. Just keep doing what you’re doing.

“But is the situation very bad?”

“There aren’t as many sick people as expected. However, sailors keep complaining about symptoms like itching and bleeding from the mouth.”

Luckily, it doesn’t seem like we’re dealing with a high-fatality plague this time.

It was just as I had predicted. This epidemic seems to be a misunderstanding caused by Headwig and the bureaucrats’ misjudgment.

What do you mean?

The ship owned by the mayor’s son was the Rosaria. When the Rosaria’s crew arrived in Imentia after sailing, some of them showed symptoms like bleeding gums and itching due to scurvy.

Because of scurvy.

These people came into the city with weakened immune systems and caught colds.

The city officials mistook this for an infectious disease, quarantined the sailors, and started searching for similar cases within the city.

Fear of the Black Death probably played a role too.

Since the Black Death disappeared long ago, judging solely based on symptoms without experience could lead to mistakes.

People like Headwig might see symptoms like rashes, coughing, and bleeding from the mouth and mistake them for the Black Death when written down.

Ultimately, gingivitis patients, cold sufferers, and others ended up being suspected of having the Black Death. Fear spread, and curfews and stay-at-home advisories were issued across the city.

This is the chain of events I deduced. Things got tangled up pretty badly.

Anata led me to the back of the temple.

“The most critical patients are over here.”

Of course. Managing the most serious cases in a separate area makes sense for various reasons.

I adjusted my plague doctor mask and entered the ward. Several patients lay on beds, and coughing could be heard.

Let’s check each one.

“Go ahead and take care of your duties, Anata. I’ll examine these patients and let you know later.”

Anata nodded.

Detective work is over. Now that I understand the situation and have informed the mayor and officials, today I’ll focus on what I can do here.

Just because the epidemic turned out to be a misunderstanding doesn’t mean the sick aren’t suffering.

Quite a few people are dying from unknown diseases, possibly scurvy or flu.

Anata left the ICU, leaving Istina and me in the ward. Istina looked at me curiously.

“So, Professor, you believe the plague that came to Imentia was a misunderstanding?”

Calling it a misunderstanding feels a bit off.

“Plague? Not sure yet. But it seems like some kind of flu is spreading. Either the sailors brought it from abroad or infected the locals after arriving here.”

“So… What you’re saying is that what we’ve mistaken for the Black Death is actually a combination of scurvy and flu?”

“Yeah.”

“How did you come up with that idea?”

Istina looked curious.

There’s no way to confirm it for sure.

If this were a modern hospital, I could’ve tested for the flu, but that’s impossible here.

We can’t even definitively tell if it’s the flu or just a severe cold.

There’s only one way: examining the patients directly.

“Death approaches—gah!”

That voice again. As soon as I reached the bedside, I checked the patient’s gums. They’re bleeding. Is this uncle also a sailor?

I wiped my gloves on the towel beside the bed. The patient was hacking up phlegm nearby.

“I see blood coming from your gums. Have you been on a ship recently?”

“You scared me! I thought you were a ghost.”

“I’m a doctor.”

“I was on a ship until a few days ago, and the people on that ship—cough! cough!”

A phlegmy cough. Just as Anata said, it does seem serious. I checked the patient’s wrist pulse—it was normal.

“What’s the diagnosis?”

“Blood from the mouth, body itching, and then a few days later, a cold developed.”

“I see.”

I disinfected my gloves again and pulled two white medicine bottles from my pocket.

Two handfuls of pills were placed on the bedside tray—one was a comprehensive cold medicine, the other vitamin C candy.

“Take one in the morning and evening. Two white pills a day, two yellow ones a day.”

“Understood… Will I get better?”

“You’ll feel better soon if you eat well, drink plenty of water, and rest.”

Seasonal colds can be scary. We already had one fatality, but the others seem relatively stable.

With this patient handled, I walked to the opposite side of the ward. This person looks even worse… I furrowed my brow.

“Do you have a fever?”

Istina nodded. I removed my gloves, disinfected my hands, and looked at the patient.

“They’re sleeping. Should we come back later?”

“What if they’re dead?”

“Uh…”

“If you visit a patient and they’re asleep, wake them unless it’s dawn.”

Can’t help it.

Even if it wastes time, we need to determine if the patient is merely sleeping or unconscious.

“Patient, please wake up.”

They looked sicker than expected.

Red-faced… They seem to have a fever. I placed the back of my hand on their forehead. Yes, they have a fever. Is their consciousness intact?

“Istina, healing magic.”

“Yes!”

Istina raised her staff.

I confirmed the patient’s face. Their fever seems high, likely from the flu.

“Patient! Wake up!”

“Huh… Yes?”

The patient slowly opened their eyes. This might indeed be impaired consciousness. I shook them more vigorously to wake them.

“Wake up!”

“Yes?”

The patient rubbed their eyes and sat up on the bed.

“Ah, I was just sleeping. Is something wrong?”

“We thought you were dead, Patient.”

Hmm. Maybe they’re not as bad off as expected.

“You have a fever. Take the antipyretic immediately, and we’ll check again in a few hours. Your blanket is confiscated.”

“Ah, is the fever that serious?”

“Yes.”

With scurvy symptoms, cold symptoms, impaired consciousness, and a fever, the situation is serious. Though they might recover quickly.

I nodded.

“Alright then. Antipyretics, comprehensive cold medicine, and vitamins will be prescribed. You need to take three pills twice a day.”

We left the ward. The situation is under control. At least all the patients have been prescribed medication.

“Good job…”

“Indeed.”

“Shall we return to the shrine now?”

We still have one task left.

“We need to do that. We’ll send back any patients who can go home while checking the temples.”

“Yes… How long will it take this time?”

I don’t know.

If I can just convince the mayor that there’s no dangerous plague, we could return to the academy right away.

---