Sludge suction system

The third patient arrived at the clinic soon after.

Several strong men rushed towards the clinic carrying a stretcher, on which lay an elderly man. The man was emaciated, his face ashen white, his eyes closed, his lips cracked and bloodless, his breath barely perceptible, his body nothing but skin and bones, his limbs limply hanging at either side of the stretcher. The tattered quilt covering him rose and fell slightly with his barely audible breathing; his condition appeared extremely critical. Beside him followed a haggard young man, his eyes filled with anxiety and despair. He cried out, "Doctor, please save my grandfather! He's been unconscious for three days. We've visited every famous doctor in the city, but they've all shaken their heads and said they can't do anything. Please, I beg you!"

The shouts of the crowd shattered the tranquility of the clinic. Other patients and their families waiting for their turn turned to look at her with concern; some wore expressions of pity, while others whispered amongst themselves. The atmosphere in the clinic instantly became tense. Bai Pingping quickly emerged from the inner room and stepped forward, a hint of seriousness flashing in her eyes. She wore a plain-colored dress, her hair neatly tied back, her face delicate yet weary, clearly having toiled for the patients in the clinic for a long time.

When Bai Pingping first saw the old man who had been in a coma for three days and was on the verge of death, her heart sank. She thought to herself, "His condition is so critical that he is probably doomed, but I must not give up."

She first gently placed her hand on the old man's wrist, carefully feeling the weak and erratic pulse, like a candle flickering in the wind, ready to be extinguished at any moment. Next, she lifted the old man's eyelids to examine his pupils, then bent down to listen to his heartbeat and breathing, each movement cautious, her brow furrowed in care. Hearing from the family that the old man had been unconscious for three days without food or water, Bai Pingping knew the severity and difficulty of his condition were beyond imagination. While taking his pulse and examining his symptoms, her mind raced, constantly recalling medical principles and similar cases, trying to find clues for treatment: "This pulse is erratic and weak, his breathing is almost exhausted, what could be causing this? Is it organ failure, or is it the invasion of pathogenic factors?"

After a moment's thought, she immediately decided to use the "Ghost Needle" that Xiao Zha had given her, along with the Big Dipper Needle Technique taught by her father, to treat him. Before deciding to use the Big Dipper Needle Technique, she hesitated for a moment, after all, this technique was quite difficult and risky, but her eyes instantly became resolute: "Now that things have come to this, only this method might offer a glimmer of hope. I must do everything in my power, and even if there is only a sliver of hope, I must hold on to it tightly."

With a focused and calm expression, she slowly took out seven slender silver needles from her needle pouch, each gleaming with a cold light and a faint blue luster.

Bai Pingping took a deep breath, concentrated all her energy, and with her hands trembling slightly but extremely steadily, grasped the first silver needle. Locating the old man's Tanzhong acupoint, her eyes instantly sharpened and hardened, and without hesitation, she swiftly inserted the needle. The needle was perfectly precise, sinking steadily into the acupoint, like a morning star piercing the dark night sky, initiating this arduous battle against death.

Immediately afterward, the second silver needle swiftly descended upon the Juque acupoint. Bai Pingping's technique was light yet decisive; the moment the needle entered, one could almost feel a faint current of energy stirring within the meridians, as if a dormant life was being gently awakened. Subsequently, silver needles were also inserted into the Guanyuan, Qihai, Zhongwan, and Tianshu (bilateral) acupoints in turn. Each needle's insertion was like a star finding its predetermined trajectory in the vast night sky—precise, stable, and just right. The seven silver needles formed a mysterious and hopeful "Big Dipper" pattern on the old man's chest and abdomen.

The needles were already inserted, but Bai Pingping didn't stop. She closed her eyes slightly, and her hands began to gently twist the needle tips, her fingers moving softly and rhythmically, as if playing a silent song of life. She was completely focused, murmuring incantations, seemingly conversing with the mysterious forces of heaven and earth, praying to awaken the old man's dying life through this ancient acupuncture technique. At this moment, the clinic was completely silent; everyone held their breath, watching Bai Pingping's every move, as if time itself had stood still. Only the occasional sound of the wind outside the window seemed to sigh softly at this life-or-death struggle.

During the acupuncture treatment, she was completely focused, silently praying, "May Xiao Zha bless me, may this acupuncture technique work and awaken this critically ill life." With each needle insertion, she carefully felt the subtle changes under the needle, and if there was even the slightest abnormality, she would become nervous: "Did I insert it off-center? Was the pressure enough?"

As Bai Pingping applied the acupuncture, a faint blush appeared on the old man's previously bloodless face, like a ray of morning light struggling to pierce through thick clouds and gently falling on the snow. His tightly closed eyes began to tremble slightly, as if an invisible force was gently pulling at them, trying to awaken his slumbering soul. His chapped lips also seemed to twitch slightly, as if trying to respond to the life force reviving within his body.

Immediately afterward, the old man's breathing became deep and powerful, no longer the faint, almost imperceptible breath he had before. His chest, which had been deathly still, began to rise and fall slightly, a faint yet hopeful rhythm. As Bai Pingping continued to administer acupuncture, the old man's fingers also curled slightly, as if he were regaining control of his body. His limbs, which had been limp and hanging limply at the sides of the stretcher, also seemed to regain some vitality, with occasional slight muscle twitches, like a long-dormant body slowly awakening.

Seeing the elderly man gradually showing signs of improvement, a glimmer of hope ignited in her heart: "He's responding! Keep going, we must get him out of danger!" But she dared not relax for a moment, remaining vigilant for any relapses and preparing for any possible complications. She continued to concentrate intently on adjusting the acupuncture technique, her forehead covered in fine beads of sweat. She paid close attention to every change in the elderly man's body, adjusting the acupuncture technique according to his subtle reactions, never daring to slacken her efforts.

She first carefully observed the changes in the skin around the acupuncture needles, finding that the acupuncture points were slightly red and warm, which reassured her and confirmed that the acupuncture had temporarily stimulated the body's Yang energy and unblocked the meridians. Then, she gently rotated the needles to further enhance the sensation and stimulate the flow of Qi and blood, while closely monitoring the elderly man's complexion and breathing to ensure there were no adverse reactions.

Next, Bai Pingping instructed Xia Mu to prepare some moxa sticks, which were then lit and gently applied around the silver needles. The warmth of the moxa helped the medicinal properties penetrate the skin better, warming the meridians and consolidating the effects of the acupuncture, helping the elderly man's weakened body dispel gloom and restore his vitality. During the moxibustion process, she constantly inquired about the elderly man's temperature and physical reactions to precisely control the time and distance of the moxibustion.

Then, based on the elderly man's physical condition and previous diagnoses, Bai Pingping carefully prepared a dose of traditional Chinese medicine. The herbs included ginseng and astragalus, powerful tonics to replenish the elderly man's extremely weak body; poria and atractylodes macrocephala, spleen-strengthening and dampness-eliminating herbs to enhance spleen and stomach function and promote the body's absorption and transformation of nutrients; and small amounts of acorus tatarinowii and polygala tenuifolia, mind-awakening herbs to help the elderly man regain consciousness. She personally supervised the decoction process, strictly controlling the heat and time to ensure the full efficacy of the medicine.

When administering the medicine, Bai Pingping carefully used a spoon to feed the elderly man the medicine little by little, observing his swallowing and avoiding choking.

Finally, the old man slowly opened his eyes. He slightly opened his mouth and said in a hoarse and weak voice, "Am I... still alive?"

Upon seeing this, the family members wept with joy and gathered around, holding the old man's hands, too excited to speak. Bai Pingping stepped forward and said softly, "It's good that you're awake. You should rest well first; your body still needs time to recover."

"He's truly a miracle doctor!" everyone exclaimed in admiration.

The name of Doctor Bai spread far and wide, attracting many patients seeking medical treatment.