Travels of a Female Physician in the Ming Dynasty

Ever since the successful improvement of the surgical light, Zhu Yuan has become very arrogant. He hangs around in front of me every day, as if he is afraid that others don't know that we have made another great contribution.

The most exaggerated incident was when he went to the imperial kitchen in the palace and boasted to the eunuchs, "What's so great about your oil lamps? The surgical lamp designed by our Miss Yang is a true miracle! It shines brightly and illuminates the future!"

I almost laughed out loud.

Lighting up the future? He used that phrase in a rather modern way.

However, it must be admitted that the success of the surgical lamp did make the imperial doctors of the Imperial Medical Bureau feel relieved, especially for those emergency surgeries at night, where lighting problems have always been their biggest headache.

Now, with a stable light source, the accuracy and efficiency during surgery have been greatly improved.

"Miss Yang, what should we do next?" One day, Zhu Yuan came to me excitedly, his face full of anticipation.

I glanced at him, already having an idea in mind. "Next, we need to improve the medical tweezers."

"Tweezers?" Zhu Yuan looked confused, obviously not understanding.

I nodded and patiently explained, "Yes, tweezers. You know, doctors often need to use tweezers to pick up small objects during surgery, such as foreign objects in wounds, broken bones, or to hold needles and threads when suturing wounds. The tweezers we use now are okay, but their design is too simple and not suitable for delicate operations."

Zhu Yuan touched his chin and nodded thoughtfully: "Oh, I see. Just like the chopsticks we use when cooking, they are easy to drop when picking up beans, but they are no problem when picking up a big steamed bun!"

I almost laughed at his analogy. "That's quite apt. Yes, we need to design a pair of tweezers that are more flexible and precise, so that doctors can perform complex surgeries more easily."

Zhu Yuan immediately perked up when he heard this: "What are we waiting for? Let's quickly draw the map and get started!"

A few days later, the design drawings of medical tweezers were completed.

"Miss Yang, your painting is so detailed!" Zhu Yuan came over to look at the picture, his eyes full of admiration.

I pointed to the blueprint and explained in detail: "Look, the jaws of these forceps should be thin and flat. This will make it easier to grasp small objects. And the handle can be designed to be slightly curved to fit the natural gripping posture of the palm, making it easier for doctors to use."

Zhu Yuan nodded. "Oh, it's just like when we improved the scalpel. It has to be comfortable for doctors to use. Otherwise, their hands will be numb after a surgery."

I continued, "Also, the material of the tweezers is crucial. We need to use stronger metal to ensure that the tweezers don't deform easily. During surgery, the doctor needs to precisely control the force. If the tweezers are too soft, they will easily slip when clamping objects."

Zhu Yuan was filled with admiration when he heard this: "Miss Yang, you are truly a skilled doctor. You've even studied the medical equipment so thoroughly!"

I smiled and said, "This is just the basics. The real difficulty lies in turning these designs into physical objects. We have to go through repeated polishing and adjustments to ensure that each piece of equipment meets our requirements."

After several rounds of proofing and improvement, the first batch of medical tweezers samples finally came out.

The craftsmen carefully made several new pairs of tweezers according to my design.

The handle of the tweezers has been specially designed to be ergonomic, and the clamping part has also become more refined, making it easy to clamp extremely small objects.

Zhu Yuan picked up a pair of tweezers and tried them out excitedly. "Wow, these feel good! They're quite stable when I use them, unlike the old tweezers I used to use. My hands would shake for a long time just to pick up a small thing."

I smiled and nodded. "Yes, that's exactly the kind of stability doctors need. During surgery, even the slightest tremor can have serious consequences, so the forceps must be designed to ensure maximum precision during operation."

"What are we waiting for!" Zhu Yuan slapped his thigh, "Let's rush to send him to the Imperial Hospital and let the imperial doctors try it!"

The next day, we went to the Imperial Hospital with the improved tweezers.

As soon as the imperial doctors saw the new tweezers, they immediately gathered around.

Several senior imperial doctors picked up the tweezers, examined it carefully, and then began testing.

"These tweezers are much finer than the ones we usually use!" An old imperial physician picked up a small piece of herb with tweezers, a look of surprise in his eyes. "It feels very stable and feels good in the hand."

Another imperial physician nodded. "Yes, the clamp head is very thin and won't slip easily after clamping something. It's perfect for delicate surgeries like removing foreign objects and suturing wounds."

Zhu Yuan was gloating on the side: "Of course! This was carefully designed by our Miss Yang, specially prepared for you genius doctors!"

I quietly observed the reactions of the imperial doctors and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Although the improvement of medical tweezers seems simple, it can greatly improve the doctor's operating accuracy during surgery. Especially in some complex operations, good tools can directly affect the success or failure of the operation.

"Miss Yang, these tweezers are amazing!" a young imperial physician exclaimed. "When we perform surgery, our biggest fear is that the tools aren't precise enough. Especially when the operation is long, our hands will shake, and it's easy to make mistakes with old tweezers."

Another elderly imperial physician also said with a smile: "With these forceps, our surgical success rate will definitely increase significantly!"

Zhu Yuan was so proud of what he heard that he couldn't help but patted my shoulder: "Miss Yang, you are really amazing! If it weren't for you, these imperial doctors would still have to use those old antique tools and work themselves to death!"

I smiled. "While the quality of the tools is certainly important, the most important thing is the doctor's skill. These improvements we've made are simply to make their work easier and more efficient."

With the promotion of improved forceps, the success rate and efficiency of operations at the Imperial Medical Service have been significantly improved.

The imperial doctors all said that these new instruments greatly reduced their workload, especially when dealing with complex surgical operations. The improvements to tweezers and other surgical tools made their operations more precise and reduced errors in surgery.

"Miss Yang, you've truly accomplished something!" Zhu Yuan excitedly came running up to me one day. "The imperial doctors all say that the success rate of surgeries is much higher now, especially for those requiring delicate manipulation. When the emperor heard about this, he was so delighted that he specially rewarded us!"

I looked at the reward in his hand and couldn't help but laugh. "You're always thinking about rewards. But this time it's worth celebrating. After all, our improvements have really helped a lot of people."

Zhu Yuan chuckled: "Of course! But the credit is still yours. I'm just an errand boy."

I shook my head, but I was secretly determined in my heart: Next, I will continue to promote the improvement of more medical equipment until the Ming Dynasty's medical system can truly reach the world's leading level.

A few months later, the improved medical tweezers were promoted nationwide.

Not only the Imperial Medical Service in the capital, but also clinics and medical schools across the country began to adopt this new type of tweezers.

Doctors have said that these tweezers have made their work more efficient, especially in some delicate operations, where they are of great help.

"Miss Yang, what do you think we should improve next?" Zhu Yuan asked me excitedly one day.

I smiled, a new plan already in mind: "Next, we can consider improving suturing instruments and surgical needles. You know, suturing is a vital part of surgery, and there's a lot of room for improvement in the suture needles doctors use."

Zhu Yuan immediately perked up when he heard this: "Okay! Then what are we waiting for? Let's get started!"