Three Kingdoms: A Million Soldiers Grown from the Fields

Chapter 37 The Art of Eradicating Smallpox (Please continue reading)

Thatched hut.

Zhang Xian examines the symptoms of the infected death row inmates.

"Compared to dogs, cowpox infection symptoms are milder, with less coughing, and no large blisters on the skin, only a few red spots."

The medical records of the first death row inmate were kept in Gebu, and everything was progressing in a positive direction.

The smallpox virus in cowpox is diluted in the bovine body, greatly reducing its toxicity. What used to be a disease that would kill an adult now only causes the first death row inmate to feel slightly unwell.

Once the fever of the death row inmate subsides and his condition improves, we can try reinfecting him with a strain containing human smallpox. If he is still infected, then the smallpox vaccination method has failed; if he is not infected, then the smallpox vaccination method is feasible!

With the final stroke, Zhang Xian put away the cloth, smiled at the number one death row inmate on the hospital bed, and walked out.

As the first death row inmate contracted smallpox, the next day, death row inmates numbered two, three, four, five, and six also developed the disease.

The six people had similar symptoms: fever, mild cough, and a few red spots on their bodies.

Zhang Xian recorded everything.

On the third day, the first death row inmate's symptoms improved; his fever subsided and his cough stopped, but the red spots did not disappear.

Day 4. The other death row inmates are the same.

On the fifth day, most of the red dots on the death row inmate No. 1 disappeared, his mental state was stable, and there were no obvious side effects.

On the sixth day, the death row inmate number one fully recovered.

On the seventh day, the remaining death row inmates recovered, and Zhang Xian began the experiment of re-infecting the first death row inmate with the smallpox strain.

On the eighth day, the remaining death row inmates were subjected to experiments in accordance with the law.

In the spring of the fifth year of Guanghe (182), in the third month, at the end of the month.

After more than fifteen days, Zhang Xian's smallpox experiment came to an end.

The results proved that the smallpox vaccination method was completely effective, all six death row inmates survived, and none of them contracted the smallpox strain again.

Zhong Tong led thirteen guards to wait in front of the thatched hut. As the door of the hut was pushed open, six bald and beardless death row inmates were escorted out by Zhang Xian and handed over to Zhong Tong.

"Brother Zixu"

Zhong Tong looked at Zhang Xian with a hint of expectation in her eyes.

Zhang Xian smiled and nodded: "I have not failed in my mission. I will return to the county office and inform the prefect that my research has been successful and that the smallpox epidemic can be cured!"

"Excellent! Excellent! Hahaha, Brother Zixu is truly a great talent!"

Zhong Tong was overjoyed upon hearing this. Solving the smallpox epidemic would benefit everyone. Even though he was a benefactor in the eyes of the poor, benefactors could not guarantee that they would not contract the disease. Now that he knew the epidemic could be cured, how could he not be happy?

After laughing, he quickly clasped his hands in a salute to Zhang Xian: "Brother Zixu's actions have truly saved the lives of countless people. I will now take people back to the government office to request commendation for Brother Zixu!"

"Brother Yixi, you flatter me. However, it is indeed time to go back and report. I would like to trouble you to deliver this letter to my brother, Na Ziren."

As Zhang Xian spoke, he took a cloth bag from his sleeve and handed it over.

Zhong Tong accepted the gift with both hands, solemnly placed it to his chest, and clasped his hands in a fist salute, saying, "I, Zhong, will personally deliver it."

"Then thank you, Brother Yixi. Please."

"See you later!"

Having said that, Zhong Tong turned to the thirteen guards and ordered, "Escort the death row inmates and return!"

"promise!"

After half a month of living in Peach Blossom Spring, the thirteen guards have become much more skilled, perhaps because the daily, unwavering training by the Peach Blossom Spring guards has stimulated them.

These past few days, the two groups have been clashing and fighting each other quite a bit, which has actually allowed the guards of Peach Blossom Manor to grow up quickly.

Zhong Tong left with his men, and Zhang Xian's busy work over the past ten days has yielded results.

The six death row inmates gave him 360 points of medical experience, a number that exceeded Zhang Xian's expectations.

This was obtained when the experiment was halfway through; later, because there were no more symptoms, no more experience was gained. [Medical Level: 2 (97/5000)]

Sub-skill: Herbal Knowledge: You possess knowledge of most herbs and can clearly understand the medicinal effects and corresponding therapeutic effects of each herb.

Diagnosis: Through observation, you can determine the condition and type of illness of the observed person with a high probability.

Superior Medicine: Medicines that you develop, prepare, and prescribe will have a 5% increase in effectiveness during treatment.

He put all two skill points from level two into the new skill, and now Zhang Xian can finally say that he is a qualified healer.

Previously, he was merely using modern drugs and knowledge of pseudo-medicine.

In Taoyuan, the spring breeze blows and the streams murmur. The old oxen that plowed the fields were led by the children to the stream to be washed clean of mud. After more than a month and a half of hard work, the more than 360 acres of farmland in Taoyuan were finally cleared and sown with the help of more than 100 men, women and children.

One mu of pumpkin field, and 179 mu of double-field millet and bean cultivation.

Zhang Xian wasn't worried about the yield of these 180 mu of cultivated land. He only needed to take good care of it and keep the birds away every day, and it would produce a harvest in a few months.

In addition, the more than 180 mu of newly reclaimed thin land has all been planted with sorghum, which will be one of Taoyuan's sources of income in the future.

After the smallpox experiment was completed and its safety and effectiveness were confirmed, Zhang Xian began blowing smallpox powder into the noses of the people of Taoyuan that afternoon.

The village has a total of 139 people, including the village head and villagers. If he completes the smallpox vaccination and subsequent treatment for all of them, it will be a medical experience of more than 8,000 points.

It would be enough to raise his medical level to level three and much higher.

For the first time ever, he felt that improving a skill could be so simple.

Not to mention, there are still nearly 200,000 to 300,000 potential experience sources in Zhending County.

But thinking about it, it's not a big deal. Two or three hundred thousand people, even if he worked himself to death, he couldn't treat that many people by himself.

The only option is to first establish the reputation of smallpox vaccination before teaching it to other doctors.

When it comes to epidemics, we shouldn't consider profits. The best reward for someone is to prevent another person from dying from smallpox.

Besides
He didn't say he wouldn't accept payment from wealthy and powerful families.

True.

Guo Mansion.

Respectfully presented to my elder brother Ziren.

Your humble younger brother, Zhang Xian, feels as if you are seeing me in person upon reading this letter. I am grateful for your help, elder brother, and I am ashamed to say that I have achieved this today.

The handwritten note was brief and clear, and Guo Huai stroked his beard and laughed heartily after reading it.

"Haha, as expected of Brother Zixu, he actually managed to get this done!"

After laughing, he shook his head again: "Sigh, my dear brother... he's really been given a good job but will have to work hard for a while."

That's what he said, but there was no trace of annoyance on his face; on the contrary, he was full of satisfaction.

Guo Huai closed the letter and tapped the table: "Guo Fu".

"What are your orders, Master?" Guo Fu asked as he entered from the outside.

"Send someone to pack some valuables and furniture, and take Tang'er and Tang'er to Taoyuan. Also, send some maids and servants, and find some craftsmen to go with us. Zixu's manor doesn't even have a place to stay."

Guo Fu bowed respectfully and then asked, "How long will the young master and young lady be staying?"

"I will return after Zixu has cured the two of them of smallpox."

"only."

That day, a convoy set off from Guo's residence for the countryside of Zhending, while Guo Huai himself traveled among the various ethnic groups in Zhending.

Within a day, the powerful clans of Zhending learned of the smallpox epidemic.

A cure for smallpox!

(End of this chapter)