The Military Doctor Excels at Being a Contracted Duchess - Chapter 69

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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【Chapter 69】

That day, with other doctors present, Ebel spent the entire day examining patients and writing medicine formulations.

People who could travel to and from District 1 Square were at least wealthy enough to live in District 3. Even though they weren’t from the poor class, she provided free medical care to prevent complaints that might arise later when treating the poor from District 10.

These days, commoners often judged the value of lives based on wealth, so if she announced she would only treat the poor, she wouldn’t be looked upon favorably from various quarters.

The medicine could even be stolen on the way back.

It had been five days since Victor worked hard to suppress the early stages of yellow fever while she sweated profusely treating the flood of patients.

“If you have any tasks for me, please let me know anytime. I’ll handle them.”

Dominique came from the estate.

Bringing 20 doctors with him, stopping at every village along the way.

“Dominique!”

Though Victor had given him a hint, she was still happy to see him and smiled brightly, making him hesitate for a moment.

However, that was just a fleeting moment, as Dominique simply stood behind Ebel with his usual stoic expression.

“Now that Dominique is here, there’s nothing to worry about.”

Indeed, it felt like gaining reliable reinforcements.

The newly gathered doctors looked bewildered, but when they saw patients before them, they quickly found their tasks and got to work.

“People with stomach pain, line up over here!”

“Those with knee and shoulder pain, this way!”

“If you have a headache, come this way!”

Since yellow fever doesn’t transmit from person to person, patients were laid in one section of the infirmary.

Ebel took the young doctors who still looked unsure of where to go toward the yellow fever patient area.

“Everyone cover your nose and mouth with this cloth, and wash your hands thoroughly with running water.”

“Yes, but… aren’t these people poor?”

Most followed her instructions obediently, but their expressions hadn’t lost their puzzlement.

They couldn’t understand why, being doctors, they had to treat these dirty and smelly people.

“Ugh, the smell…”

“Everyone’s faces are so yellow. I heard it’s yellow fever, but I wonder if there’s anything we can do…”

Several doctors frowned and stepped back.

Fortunately, there were only two or three such people.

At this, Ebel spoke with emphasis.

“They are patients.”

“Pardon?”

“Before being poor, whatever else they may be, they are patients. Isn’t that enough for a doctor?”

Ebel and Victor had thought to gather and use doctors like this because they had seen something before.

‘Before my regression, during the war… there were doctors who helped treat both enemy and allied forces without discrimination.’

Such people surely still existed now.

Like knights from old tales, those who walked through the hell of falling shells with nothing but ‘pride.’

All they relied on were the oaths they took at graduation and God.

“Even with incurable diseases, we can delay them or improve conditions. I believe that’s what doctors should do. Senior colleagues.”

Then, the youngest-looking one stepped forward first.

Even with such thick glasses, his sparkling eyes couldn’t be hidden.

Following him, several others stepped forward and silently headed toward the patients.

“Ah… I had forgotten that feeling.”

As expected, once someone took the lead, the faces of the grumbling doctors quickly flushed. They seemed to have realized something.

“Though this is charity work, Bayern will not forget and will commend your efforts.”

Ebel spoke quietly and covered her mouth with cloth. Then Dominique, who had been quietly by her side, poured water from a disinfected cup over Ebel’s hands.

‘It’s not an environment where proper disinfection is possible, but I’ve done what I can.’

This place was no different from a field hospital.

They had to make do with what they had and hold out to save as many lives as possible.

And that… was Ebel’s specialty.

* * *

With pharmacists and nurses who came separately after hearing rumors, the number of medical personnel gathered in Tarifa had reached 50.

Doctors with poor stamina collapsed first, while the remaining ones divided into groups to grind and boil herbs throughout the night.

While doing this, support came from the diocese as soon as the sun rose.

“How wonderful this is. God must be greatly pleased. As you embrace those in lowly positions with love, won’t there be great grace for Bayern?”

The middle-aged priest who came seemed truly moved, with moist eyes.

Since there was no need to refuse the volunteers’ help, Victor expressed his gratitude and arranged to station clergy at the church within the Bayern estate grounds as compensation for this assistance.

He made sure to specify that only priests and nuns who participated in this service could come.

“That’s good. If they came after hearing such stories, they probably aren’t arrogant people.”

“I think so too. This should adequately repay the help we received.”

“We were planning to have a priest anyway. The church is so beautiful, it would be a shame to waste it.”

Thanks to Victor efficiently directing the admiral’s soldiers, they had caught almost all the mosquito larvae.

They didn’t know where the disease-carrying mosquitoes had come from, but wasn’t this a port city where ships from various countries gathered?

Trying to trace the source would be futile.

“There will be other cities wanting charity medical care. What should we do about this?”

Victor’s question was valid. Ebel had also thought about this.

“First, please allocate the dignity maintenance funds that the Grand Duchess can operate privately.”

“But that’s…”

Victor trailed off.

He too knew that was the best option for now.

Ebel could gain great honor before going to the capital’s social circles, which were like a beast’s maw.

He would hire rumor spreaders to spread word all the way to the capital.

He wouldn’t undertake such work without at least that much benefit.

The only problem was that this would leave Ebel with too little money to spend.

A single dress for a Grand Duchess cost several thousandgart.

Wearing something twice went against noble pride, so altering clothes wasn’t an option.

No one in Bayern’s history had ever done such a thing.

He could buy her dresses and jewelry as gifts, but…

“It’s a structure where losses accumulate. In the long term, it could worsen Bayern’s financial situation. So I’ve been thinking about something, Victor.”

Ebel handed him a drawing she had sketched while having dinner.

It was a long glass rod with markings.

It didn’t seem to be a ruler, but what could this be?

As he pondered, Ebel smiled and spoke.

“It’s a portable thermometer. Small enough for doctors to carry around.”

“Oh.”

“All those people are sick, but their symptoms are slightly different. The degree of fever varies too. But measuring fever with the palm of your hand is far too inaccurate.”

Thermometers already existed.

But they couldn’t be used on patients. Due to their size, and because they took over 20 minutes to measure.

While seeing countless patients this time, Ebel suddenly wondered if she could make a short thermometer about 15cm long.

If it could fit snugly in a medical bag and take up almost no space, doctors would have no reason not to use it.

Since mercury expands when temperature rises and contracts when it falls, she could coat mercury with dye and put it in a glass tube.

“Rather than relying on intuition, if it’s based on numerical values, examining patients would be much easier too.”

“It’s an innovative invention, Ebel.”

“No, it’s not. I just improved something that already exists.”

Though she spoke modestly, if this were actually sold officially, it would advance medical history.

Especially if it were cheap enough for not just doctors but every household to have one?

‘It doesn’t have elements that would cause as much backlash as the stethoscope.’

When presenting it to the medical society, she could promote it as a household essential rather than something for doctors.

“I’m going to try selling this.”

Victor sent a look of almost infinite trust toward his wife, who was whispering as if unfolding some secret operation.

Gently taking her delicate wrist, he kissed her palm.

He had called in countless doctors to ensure that Ebel wouldn’t need to grind herbs herself or wrap bandages, but it was all in vain.

Judging by how deeply the smell of medicine had permeated her hands.

Ebel had stepped forward before anyone else, even cutting back on sleep to care for general patients as well as those without yellow fever.

With a much more vibrant and bright demeanor than she usually had when at the Archduke’s Mansion.

“Let’s head back home now. Those who remain will handle what’s left.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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