I Became a Plague Doctor in a Romance Fantasy Novel - Chapter 97



Episode 97. How Do You Use a Stethoscope? (3)

Episode 97. How Do You Use a Stethoscope? (3)

The explanation about using a stethoscope was almost over.

I looked around the lecture hall again. There were quite a few students with curious expressions, but everyone seemed to understand better than I’d expected. That’s a relief.

“Any questions?”

“I have a question.”

The class was winding down. One of the grad students in front raised their hand. Her name was Ann, I think. I was the one being questioned.

“Yes?”

“You just showed us that heart, I was wondering where you got it.”

“Oh, I bought it.”

Ann frowned.

“Where?”

“The execution grounds.”

“Couldn’t you use a pig or cow heart?”

I scratched my head. What was she on about?

A cow and pig’s heart isn’t shaped like a human heart. I’ve never studied it so I don’t know exactly how they’re different, but obviously the size alone is different from a human heart.

“What, you planning to be a vet?”

A few laughs rippled through the room, and Ann, looking embarrassed, shut her mouth. There’s no reason to study with an animal heart.

“Uh, I was just wondering if it was ethically problematic to use a corpse for class.”

“Anyway, to answer seriously. The person who donated their body sacrificed themselves for science, so let’s always be grateful.”

Ann frowned even harder.

“You said you got it from the execution grounds, though. That wasn’t a voluntary donation, was it?”

“That’s why we should be even more thankful.”

I turned my head away from Ann.

“Anyway. Enough worrying about dead people. Anyone else have any more questions?”

A moment later, Oliver raised his hand.

Oliver’s a smart student, it’s a shame he never applied to grad school.

“Should I be listening to every patient?”

“It’s a good idea, yes? Patients with possible heart or lung issues should be auscultated. Auscultate all the admitted patients.”

Oliver nodded.

“If there aren’t any more questions, let’s wrap up the class here. You all worked hard.”

I placed the heart back into the glass jar. Istina came toward the podium, and I handed her the jar with the heart inside.

Istina carefully took the heart.

“That was a great lecture…!”

“Really?”

“I wish I’d known about this sooner.”

I nodded.

“Yeah, but the circulatory paper hadn’t come out yet? That paper had to spread through academia first, before I could teach people the methodology of auscultation.”

Even if I wanted to announce everything at once, there’s an order to things. I needed to spread the necessary background knowledge. Istina pondered this for a moment and then nodded.

“Ah, I see.”

“There are steps to things, it can’t be helped.”

Still, it’s a relief the class went well.

As soon as I got back to the lab, I started writing the booklet. Just like I’d explained in class. It wasn’t difficult material. Just needed to get across the stuff about auscultating the heart and lungs.

I sat holding the pen. All I had to do was write up what I’d just taught in class, that’s it.

“Professor. You look busy today?”

“I’m always busy.”

“More than usual.”

“I’m writing a booklet.”

“About what?”

“How to use a stethoscope.”

“Ah. Listening to heart sounds?”

“Yeah, that.”

“Ah. I always saw the teacher using that rubber tube thing, so I thought everyone did. I heard from someone else that it wasn’t true, though? They said usually people just put their ear up.”

“Because I invented it.”

From noble mtl dot com

“You made it to avoid putting your ear up?”

I just kind of nodded.

“Well… that’s part of it. But you can’t hear properly by putting your ear directly on the chest, so having a stethoscope is much better, anyway.”

Mint laughed.

“A gentleman, a gentleman.”

“It’s necessary, you know.”

“Yeah, whatever.”

I really got down to writing. Five auscultation points for the heart, several auscultation points for the lungs. It’s stuff I’ve talked about before, so it won’t take more than a few pages.

Mint stared at me, then crossed her arms.

“No one would’ve made an issue of that, you know? It would’ve been a bit uncomfortable, but… if it’s necessary for the treatment, then, whatever. It could happen.”

“But creating an environment where patients feel safe is also important in treatment. Of course, being able to listen accurately is a big deal, but it also means that physical contact isn’t needed anymore.”

I bowed my head again, back to writing, and Mint let out a small sigh.

“Fine. You’re impossible to talk to.”

“No, what kind of answer were you expecting?”

“You’re taking a joke seriously.”

“Uh, I completely missed which part of what you just said was a joke.”

“Ugh. When will you be done?”

“Hmm, two or three hours?”

“Just in time for dinner then.”

Mint stretched out her legs and sort of sprawled on the lab couch. I glanced at her.

“Don’t you have anything to do?”

“Not really.”

Why didn’t Mint have anything to do?

I thought about it for a bit, but no clear reason came to mind. Mint’s grades weren’t amazing, but they were decent enough.

I didn’t know if there was something prickly about her personality, but she didn’t seem to be causing any significant problems at the Academy either.

Some people are just like that.

Maybe she’s just a bit introverted.

The booklet was about half done.

Academy professor, Krophelter, was staring at a post Asterisk had made again today. This time, it was something written like a promotional booklet.

It wasn’t a paper, but a book explaining techniques for practitioners. Specifically, methods for understanding the internal state of the body using sound.

Professor Kropelter could only scratch his head. To start with, the heart sounds they were hearing were the sound of the valves closing.

Thinking about it carefully, it made perfect sense, but it hadn’t even been a year since the structure and function of the valves had been accurately understood.

Professor Kropelter felt a pang of regret, just for a moment. The heart was a field that Professor Kropelter had researched before.

Why hadn’t Kropelter thought that the heart sounds were the sound of the valves closing? Well, nobody else had thought of it either.

“Don’t you think so, Anne?”

“Think what?”

“That the heart sounds we hear are the sound of the valves closing. I mean, blood flowing or muscles moving wouldn’t make a sound like that.”

“Right. The sound of the valves closing.”

“That would perfectly explain the rhythm of the heart sounds, wouldn’t it? It even explains why they come in pairs, *thump-thump*, *thump-thump*.”

He wanted to say he was tired of being amazed, but it was amazing every time he saw it. Professor Kropelter was amazed again today. How on earth did she think of it?

“Anne.”

“Yes.”

“Let’s do a dissection. If we open up a heart, it might help us understand what this professor is talking about.”

“Should I borrow a stethoscope?”

“Would they lend out something so important?”

Professor Kropelter frowned.

“That, uh, Asterix professor’s graduate student. What’s her name, Ms. Istina, she carries one around. She might lend it to us if we ask?”

Professor Kropelter thought for a moment. Any other professor wouldn’t lend out such an important invention before publishing a paper…

But would Professor Asterix be different?

Thinking about how he’d shared that strain of blue mold, he might give it out without much thought. Or, thinking about how he usually acts like a madman, he could be even more difficult.

“Ann. Go take a look.”

“Yes.”

“If they won’t lend it, steal it.”

Ann nodded.

Gotta at least try, it’s not like the professors haven’t made unreasonable demands before.

And, the next morning.

I looked at Erzebet, who was sitting on her hospital bed. It’s been a week already. I wonder if there’s been any improvement in her symptoms in that time.

Seems like there still isn’t, though.

“Ms. Erzebet. Congratulations on your discharge.”

“Yes.”

It was her discharge day, but she seemed worried. Well, it’s time to make a decision now. She hasn’t given an answer yet.

“Have you made your decision?”

Erzebet hesitated for a long time.

“Ah, about that……”

Erzebet made it pretty clear that she was deliberating, but I kind of knew what she was thinking. Because there was a book on the table next to Erzebet’s bed.

She’ll enroll in the academy.

“I’m going to enroll in the academy this time.”

“You’ve made a good decision.”

“To be honest…”

“Yes.”

Erzabet glanced around, as if worried someone might be watching her.

Of course, there was no reason for that in the ward. No real reason for that, but it was an action that showed Erzabet’s psychological state.

She was uneasy about saying it out loud. Or maybe it was a thought she wanted to hide from someone.

“Thinking about not going back to the mansion feels so good, you know? It’s hard to explain the exact reason why. Just thinking about it makes my heart feel lighter.”

“That can happen.”

I decided to brush it off casually. Not wanting to go home is something that can definitely happen, and it wasn’t something that needed further comment.

Erzabet nodded. The duchess handed me her rolled-up patient gown. I wondered why she was giving it to me…

“Then. Congratulations on your discharge. And congratulations on your admission, Miss Erzabet.”

I’ll have to clean this up later.