Traveling back to 1977

Chapter 123 I politely decline.
Seeing that Master Liu had jumped off the cart and led the mule inside, Chen Fan also called Jiang Lili to get off the cart and follow behind with the donkey.

The veterinary station's yard wasn't large, and several handcarts and wheelbarrows were parked inside. Chen Fan was about to lead the mule over when he saw Master Liu call out to him, "Bring it to the back."

Chen Fan looked in the direction he had gone and saw that there was a passageway next to the veterinary station building.

After passing through the passage, there is another courtyard.

At that moment, a group of people were busy in the courtyard. One of them was greeting Master Liu, "How are those books doing?"

Master Liu shouted, "It will work, it will definitely work! The prescription is already written, and now we're here to get the medicine."

Upon hearing this, several busy people stopped what they were doing and hurried over.

Their gaze swept over Chen Fan and Jiang Lili's faces twice, then looked at the foal lying on the cart, and finally settled on Chen Fan. "You're Master Chen? You can read veterinary books?"

Chen Fan quickly declined, saying, "I wouldn't dare call you master, just call me Xiao Chen."

He then said, "I don't really understand it, but Xiao Ma's condition looks a lot like acute gastroenteritis. There's a prescription for treating it in the book, so I'd like to give it a try."

An elderly man, about the same age as Master Liu, hurried up to him and asked anxiously, "I've examined this little horse. Three doses of herbal medicine haven't worked. What's the prescription you mentioned?"

Chen Fan immediately walked to Master Liu's mule cart, found a book, turned to the page on treating gastroenteritis, and handed it to the man who had come with him. "This is it. The book says that gastroenteritis in animals like mules and horses is a severe inflammation of the gastrointestinal mucosa and deep tissues of equines, which clinically presents as severe gastrointestinal dysfunction and autointoxication."

After he finished reading, the man immediately nodded, "Yes, yes, this horse just can't eat or poop. After we gave it medicine, it could only poop a little bit of horse manure, and it was dry and small. It also urinated very little and it was dark in color, which is very abnormal. It's obvious that there's a problem with its stomach and intestines."

He paused for a moment, then asked, "How should this be treated?"

Chen Fan's lips twitched slightly. "I've already put the book in front of you, and you're asking me how to cure it?"
However, he still said seriously, "The book gives four prescriptions. The first is Tongguan Powder, which requires 200 to 250 grams of magnesium sulfate and 1000 ml of liquid paraffin oil, mixed and then administered orally; the second is penicillin injection, ...; the third is glucose injection, ...; the fourth is Xiaoshi Jianwei Powder, ...

The man listened carefully to what he said, and then said, "I've also used this 'passage-clearing powder,' but it didn't work."

Chen Fan said, "It's best to use them together for better results. Start with formula one, formula two, and formula three. If you have a bowel movement on the second day, it means it's working, and you can continue using these three formulas. However, reduce the liquid paraffin oil to 500 ml. When you can eat on the third day and the amount of stool increases again, remove formula one and replace it with formula four. If nothing goes wrong, you should be back to normal on the fourth day."

After listening to Chen Fan's words, the man raised his head and thought for a moment. After a while, a look of realization appeared on his face. "I understand, I understand. I'll go get the medicine now."

As he spoke, he ran into the house.

At this moment, an old farmer-looking man walked over, looking distressed, and said, "Master Wang, we arrived first, and the mules are already on the cart..."

Chen Fan looked over and saw a mule not far away, clamped in a wooden cage-like frame and secured with several wooden sticks and ropes, unable to move at all.

Before the man called Master Wang could speak, a young man suddenly rushed over, pointed at his nose and cursed, "Are you cutting in line? I'm telling you, hurry up and check on my mule first, or I'll go to the commune and report you to be 'moved upstairs'."

Chen Fan was immediately dumbfounded. Was it really that powerful?

Isn't it said that veterinarians have a very high status nowadays?
That's it?

Master Wang quickly said, "You don't know who we are, but your old man doesn't?"

Upon hearing this, the young man immediately turned to look at his father.

The old farmer hesitated for a moment, then waved his hand at his son, "Master Wang and the others aren't that kind of people." Hearing this, Master Wang's expression softened a bit, and he pointed to the foal and said, "This horse was brought in to see a veterinarian five days ago, but it hasn't gotten better. It was Master Chen who found the prescription in a veterinary book, and that's when Station Chief Zhou went to get the medicine."

Why ask Master Chen first? Because your mule, like this little horse, also has acute gastroenteritis. So when Station Master Zhou heard Master Liu say he could cure it, he naturally wanted to ask for the prescription first. Otherwise, your mule wouldn't be cured, understand?

Upon hearing this, the young man blushed deeply, but instead of apologizing, he stood silently to the side.

His father, however, was overjoyed. "So, there's hope for our mule?"

Master Wang patiently explained, "It also depends on whether the prescription works. If it does, then there shouldn't be any problem."

He paused for a moment, then looked at the nervous old farmer and reassured him, "Our Station Chief Zhou has also attended training courses at the Prefectural Committee. Judging from his expression just now, there should still be some hope. Don't be too anxious, you'll see the results soon."

The old farmer thanked him again, then took his son to stand guard by the wooden fence.

The veterinarians were also busy; some went inside, presumably to help Station Chief Zhou prepare medicine, while others went to examine the foal.

Chen Fan then asked Jiang Lili in a low voice, "What does 'going upstairs' mean?"

Jiang Lili glanced at him and said in a lower voice, "If someone reports a problem and temporarily suspends a cadre for investigation, the commune members call this 'going upstairs'."

Once the issue is explained clearly and the members' forgiveness is obtained, then it's time to "go downstairs."

Chen Fan blinked, and asked with a hint of curiosity, "They investigate all reports?"

Jiang Lili nodded. "Since the end of last year, communes across the country have been carrying out the 'Learn from Dazhai' campaign. At this time, everyone from top to bottom is watching closely. If you don't investigate after receiving a report, people will continue to press higher levels, and you will be punished if the investigation is carried out."

Chen Fan clicked his tongue, his fleeting thoughts quickly subsiding back down.

Forget about barefoot doctors and veterinarians. It's better to stay still than to do anything. I'll just stick to being a broadcaster, turning the radio on and off every day, and reading out announcements. That'll be just fine.

A short while later, Station Chief Zhou and several others ran out, carrying enamel trays containing medicine and needles. They then split into two groups: one to check on the mules, and the other to go to the pony.

Under the veterinarian's guidance, Chen Fan carried the foal to the livestock shed by the wall, then held its head to comfort it, "It's okay, it's okay, it'll be fine after taking the medicine."

Station Chief Zhou came over to treat Xiao Ma personally. Seeing Chen Fan talking to Xiao Ma, he couldn't help but laugh and say, "You've got the makings of a veterinarian. Why don't you come and attend the training course? Just two months of training will get you a 'Rural Veterinarian Certificate,' and your brigade will have a veterinarian too."

If it weren't for what just happened, Chen Fan would most likely have agreed.

But he quickly declined, saying, "Thank you for your kindness, station chief, but I'm the team's broadcaster now, and I want to do my job well first."

Station Chief Zhou didn't say anything. He prepared the medicine, took out a funnel-shaped object, and was about to put it into the horse's mouth.

Chen Fan took it from the horse again and easily got it to bite into his mouth.

As Station Chief Zhou poured medicine into the horse's mouth, he kept marveling, "It wasn't this cooperative last time I came. This horse is surprisingly obedient in your hands. It's really amazing."

(End of this chapter)