I Became a Plague Doctor in a Romance Fantasy Novel

This Class is Under Our Control (2)

Episode 24. We Rule This Class (2)

This is my classroom.

Istina submitted a paper on epidemic dysentery to the academic community for cross-verification. And then.

Professors, intrigued by the controversial paper, have occupied my class without permission.

I felt it was rude, but I decided to think positively. Doesn’t this mean the future of medicine in this world is bright?

There is one thing that sets medicine apart from other scientific fields. In the end, results are more important. Treatment is not engineering or science. It’s art.

The classroom fell silent for a moment, then soon began to buzz among themselves.

“I am curious about Baron Lapis’s reaction.”

I looked at the classroom again.

“Well, it’s a bit awkward to say this, but shouldn’t a healer ask about the results before the reaction of the ruler?”

Oliver bowed his head.

“I’m sorry.”

No need to apologize to me.

“Anyway. After implementing the aforementioned quarantine measures, a week later, there were no new cases of dysentery in Baron Lapis’s territory.”

“Yes.”

Professor Kropelter raised his hand again.

“If the preventive measures against dysentery were effective, what methods did you use for treatment and what were the results?”

Although Professor Kropelter’s intention was somewhat unpleasant, it was a necessary question. It’s also good to emphasize it again.

Isn’t there a saying that even anti-fans are fans?

“The direct cause of death from dysentery is dehydration. We mixed a little salt and alcohol in water and gave it to the patients.”

“Is that all there is to the treatment?”

“There might be more needed depending on the patient, but that’s the most important part.”

“Ah…”

I could understand the reason for the sigh. Who among the people here would have known that the solution was so simple? They wouldn’t have thought that just adding a drop of alcohol to water would be all it took.

The fact that countless patients died because they didn’t know this. This is another unpleasant fact that’s hard to accept.

I quietly sighed.

“Do you have any more questions?”

I’ve done my best. I answered all the questions, and some I answered twice. I provided substantial experimental evidence.

If they still don’t believe it. I’ll have to aim for the next paper. I turned my head towards Professor Kropelter, who probably led today’s work.

“And Professor Kropelter?”

“Not particularly… nothing more.”

“Then. It seems the class is over, so I’ll be leaving now.”

My victory.

I left the lecture hall with Istina. Leaving behind the murmuring professors and graduate students, and the undergraduates who were hastily escaping.

The undergraduates left as soon as the lecture ended. Only the remaining professors and graduate students were engaged in discussion. There was no special reason.

They just started the discussion since they were gathered.

In the noisy and chaotic atmosphere, Professor Kropelter spoke up.

“That professor, what is their identity?”

“He’s just a quack. Using his experience as the royal physician to wield power, he speaks arrogantly without any respect for the academic community.”

“Isn’t it true that he cured the princess?”

Some called him a quack, some argued that he truly cured the princess, and others questioned the validity of his claims. Opinions were sharply divided.

It wasn’t just Professor Asterix’s theory that was under public scrutiny, but also his background and past, about which little was known.

“Has anyone sent a letter to Baron Lapis this time? What was his opinion? Did he say the theory had any success?”

Again, the focus of intense interest inevitably shifted in that direction. So, did the policy implemented according to Professor Asterix’s theory have any effect?

Professor Kropelter nodded. Professor Kropelter was a principled man. Naturally, he had sent letters to verify the claims.

“I sent it. Baron Lapis was full of praise. He said that thanks to the healer, hundreds and thousands of lives were saved, and the territory was protected. He was pleased that the healer had proven himself.”

Specifically:

– Are you talking about Professor Asterix? I got the impression that he is a very skilled healer.

– At first, I was skeptical, but since the incubation period of epidemic dysentery is about a day, he suggested we follow his advice for just one day.

– I couldn’t help but accept this logic. If we implement it, we should see concrete results in about a day, so I couldn’t refuse his suggestion to decide tomorrow.

– I believe Professor Asterix saved my territory. If you meet him, please convey my greetings.

– Also, ask if he has any plans to visit Lapis territory. Oh, do you have a personal acquaintance with Professor Asterix?

This was the content written by Baron Lapis.

“That doesn’t constitute evidence.”

“Hmm. Isn’t Professor Asterix the one who invented the microscope? I was thinking of making something similar for research, but I’m not sure how it will turn out.”

“It seems that there was indeed an effect.”

“Is there another professor who made a microscope? If we find the dysentery bacteria, that’s it, isn’t it? Even from Professor Asterix’s perspective.”

“Well… Anyway. This has completely overturned the academic world. Whether you agree or disagree with Professor Asterix, you must present your arguments with as much evidence as possible.”

The conclusion is this.

Even those who claim that Professor Asterix’s words are false must use his methodology to attempt to refute it, and those who claim it is true must also use his methodology to attempt to refute it.

Upon further reflection, whether one believes Professor Asterix’s words or not, the research they must conduct is the same.

This alone is Professor Asterix’s complete victory. Whether it is right or wrong has already become unimportant. Even if it turns out to be wrong, Professor Asterix will simply accept the refutation and move on.

Meanwhile, everyone here must verify the professor’s claims using his methodology.

“Are we publishing the paper in the journal? Anyway, it’s a paper that everyone has to see, one way or another. They say it actually has an effect.”

The professors gathered nodded their heads.

The lecture is over.

There are only cold patients in the ward.

There’s not much to do today.

It would be great to publish Pasteur and Lister’s papers to provide irrefutable evidence and confirm the germ theory. But the impact of the dysentery paper hasn’t subsided yet.

Shouldn’t we wait for about half a month?

“Istina. Do you think the students who were impressed by my lecture will now flock to me to become my graduate students? What do you think?”

Istina shook her head vigorously.

“If they attended that lecture, wouldn’t they wake up screaming at night just hearing your name?”

Ah. Isn’t that a bit too much, waking up screaming at night?

“Really, to that extent?”

“I think it will appear in their dreams. It felt like defending a thesis in front of hundreds of people. Even though I didn’t say a word and just stayed still.”

Ah, is that so.

I stared at Istina.

“The graduate student won’t come, right?”

“I don’t think so.”

“What should we do, should we try to find a teaching assistant?”

A teaching assistant won’t be of any help.

To assist Istina, one must be able to see the ward. If they are not a healer, if they cannot heal, they won’t be of any help in the ward…

“Istina, do you have any friends?”

“Friends? If I had friends, I wouldn’t have asked the graduate student to come-“

A cough.

“I can’t think of any friends.”

“That’s unfortunate. Alright, I understand.”

I sighed. Should I take a chloroform handkerchief and go kidnap someone?

“By the way, professor. It seems like Baron Lapis sent a letter. There was a stiff envelope with two wax seals…”

“Really? What is it?”

Istina took an envelope out of her robe sleeve. I checked the seals on the envelope. One was attached to a string and stuck in the corner, and the other was stamped on the opening of the envelope.

I tore off the seal and checked the letter.

– Hello, Professor Asterix.

– I heard you published a study on epidemic dysentery. It seems the academic community is still evaluating it, and they asked for my opinion. I praised it as much as I could.

– I heard you are acquainted with Professor Kropelter. I hope the letter I sent to the academic community helps your research and, furthermore, the advancement of medicine.

Acquainted? What is he talking about? Did he misunderstand the letter Professor Kropelter sent for cross-verification of the paper as a sign of acquaintance with me?

It was a trivial misunderstanding.

– The scout offer is still valid. If you ever think about working with me, feel free to come by anytime.

You still haven’t given up, huh? If that’s the case, why not go to the royal family instead of coming to Lapis territory?

– Even if it’s not that, you are welcome to visit anytime. You are the benefactor who saved the territory, after all.

– Sent by Baron Lapis.

I folded the letter and put it in my desk. If I need money later, I’ll borrow it from there.