Chapter 123: Great people? I will see them [4]
Kim Simin and Hwang Yungil continued talking about the politics and worried about the future of the country, even after Ganghyuk took out those herbs.
Hwang Yungil could do that, but Kim Simin should have worried about the medication first.
He had to take the unknown medication.
‘I am taking an experiment with the body of a great man. I have never imagined such a thing.’
It is unpardonable to experiment with people even though they are nobody.
Of course, he had experimented many times before.
But they were the bandits and somewhat deserved being experimented.
‘I cannot help it… Anyway, I will not kill him…’
Thanks to the bandits and enemies, he knew the dose of Seomsu and Chooh.
However, he did not know about the side effects when administered for a long time. Additionally, he was not sure if it would work for neuralgia.
If the side effect were not acute liver disorder or kidney failure, Ganghyuk could control them.
He was a good doctor with medical knowledge as well as a good surgeon.
‘I cannot wait any more.’
They did not care who was there with them and forgot why they did come here.
They were talking about Shinseonggun, Gwanghaegun and Imhaegun.
They were totally absorbed in their conversation and totally forgot that they were in the clinic.
If they remembered where they were, they would not talk about the princes.
They might be prosecuted if they were overheard. Ganghyuk had to stop them.
He cleared his throat to get their attention.
“Keoheom”
His job was to cure the patient and he did not want to be involved in the dangerous conversation.
Then Kim Simin got his consciousness and watched Ganghyuk.
He did not listen to what Ganghyuk had told, as he had already expected.
“Oh, I am sorry. These days, I cannot help worrying about the nation…”
“It is ok. I heard many things, too.”
In addition to what he heard from others, he knew the future that they would soon have a war.
Therefore, Ganghyuk felt the situation sadder.
“Ah, is that the medication?”
Kim Simin touched the herbs that Ganghyuk took out without any hesitation.
He might try to taste, which would lead a tragedy.
Chooh might be ok but Seomsu (poison of toad) is strong poison.
“No, no. It is very dangerous.”
“Is that so?”
“It is an ingredient of the death penalty poison.”
“Death penalty poison? Do you want to kill me?”
At that time, people were ignorant of dose.
It was only 20th century when the medication with different dose would have different effects.
Therefore, Simin’s response was natural and Ganghyuk had already expected such response.
“A good doctor should know how to use poison as medication.”
Therefore, he knew how to respond to such reaction.
He did not know the reason, but he knew that patients liked to hear a somewhat mystical remark.
If he used the same phrase in modern Korea, he would be criticized only.
“Heo. You are right. It is why Sunshin praised you so much.”
Kim Simin accepted his explanation quickly and Hwang Yungil laughed satisfactorily.
Ganghyuk explained the mechanism of the medication.
He did not expect that those two would understand.
However, he tried to explain it as much as possible so that he could understand some of it even vaguely.
“These two are medicines acting on nerves of our body.”
“Nerves?”
He met the first difficulty.
But Ganghyuk knew how to overcome such difficulty. He detoured it.
Anyway, he will not be one of his students.
“It is the thing that is giving you pain.”
“Ok.”
“If you have this in this status, it will paralyze your body.”
“Paralyze? It is real poison.”
“Yes, but if we have less, we can be in the stage before the paralysis. In other words, it can stabilize the nerves and make them less sensitive.”
“Then what will happen?”
Two of them looked at Ganghyuk, as if they could not understand his words.
Ganghyuk knew what they wanted to hear.
“Then you will be recovered.”
“Oh, good.”
The mood became lighter.
Ganghyuk stood up to start the treatment.
He took the syringe to measure the exact dose.
“I will make medicine. Please tell me how it works for you.”
“But I am not sure when I will have pain. Pain comes unexpectedly.”
“Yes, that is why I told you to stay with me. I will observe your status.”
“Oh, I see. I will stay here.”
From that day, the clinical test began.
Ganghyuk performed the experiment with caution remembering the animal test when he worked in Korea as a professor.
He used very small amount and then incremented the dose.
Therefore, the effect came slow.
However, he could see the effect surely.
“I think I feel much comfortable.”
Simin said with satisfaction.
As Simin stayed in the clinic, they became good friends.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, the frequency of pain became lower.”
Ganghyuk made a big money so they could have good wine and food.
They could build strong friendship while spending nights together.
“Who sent this?”
“Ah, this? This might be the Anonymous. He came everyday.”
“Aha, the miraculous medicine?”
“Yes, people call it like that.”
Ganghyuk laughed thinking of the craze of Viagra in Hanyang.
With Viagra, Ganghyuk could build reputation quickly.
It never failed so it was called as a miracle.
But he did not give the medicine to very old man.
‘I do not want to leave them to die.’
It was the time that not many old people were living.
He did not want to reduce the aged population with his medicine.
“You are really a good doctor.”
“It is nothing. I find the cause of the disease and treat it according to the cause.”
“That is a difficult thing, isn’t it?”
“It is wonderous for me to see your archery.”
Ganghyuk pointed the birds being smoked in the yard.
Kim Simin hunted all of them. He killed a bird with a shot. One Shot One Kill.
“You are marvelous.”
Not only Ganghyuk but also Dolseok was attracted by his archery.
Dolseok showed great interest in it.
As he had a chicken heart, he was not good at infighting. Therefore, he was interested in the archery, as he did not have to go closer to fight.
He was learning archery from Kim Simin when he had time.
Simin taught Dolseok earnestly.
“One of them is Dolseok’s catch.”
“Really? He did not hit even a standing target.”
“He is good at it. He is talented. He is very calm, actually.”
“Is he? Good.”
“Hehe”
Dolseok scratched his back head when Ganghyuk complimented.
He became sophisticated and refined after he had started to work as a doctor.
But now he showed his original status – a servant.
‘However, he is better than Makbong.’
He was still eager to console windows at night.
Therefore, he had higher fame in that field than as a doctor.
‘Comforter of Night’
“I heard that Sunshin would come to Hanyang. Did you hear from him?”
“Yes, I received a letter. He would go to Jeongeup as the Hyungam (Mayor).
“Yes, it is thanks to Lord Ryu. He could not get an office of Hyungam even though he made a great achievement.”
“We can see him as he will visit Hanyang on the way to Jeongeup.”
“Yes, I am worrying about his health.”
“He is in good health, I believe.”
Ganghyuk looked at Simin smiling.
He was not in the position that he worries about others.
He blinked his eyes occasionally, even he raised the dose to the possible upper limit.
He said he felt better but he did not see the effects that he had expected.
‘What should I do?’
He wanted to have a well-made plan before Sunshin arrived.
What would Sunshin feel when he saw the crushed face of Simin?
If he knew that even Ganghyuk could not help him, he would feel worse.
‘Should I have an operation?’
Ganghyuk watched Simin eating fried chicken.
He looked really happy.
It seems he gave up the recovery long time ago.
But Ganghyuk could not eat chicken. It tasted like sands.
He was eating fried chicken with honey, but it was not sweet at all.
‘If it is not the case that he was blinking intentionally, it means he still has pain.’
With close observation, he found that Simin frequently blinked.
It was because of keen pain.
“Simin”
“Why? You do not eat very well today.”
“It is because of your treatment.”
“Ah, this? Can we increase the dose? I think I am getting better.”
“It is already at a very high dose.”
“Eum. Then what should we do?”
Simin murmured as if he talked about somebody else.
It seems that he did not mind the pain at all.
But it was not true, as a matter of fact.
Ganghyuk remembered the story that Dolseok had told him.
-When he had keen pain unexpectedly, he missed the bow. He was very much worried about it.
Therefore, the calm attitude that he showed to Ganghyuk was to comfort him.
‘I need to treat him.’
He did not think about the operation up to then.
It was not a simple operation, since he should work on the face.
It is not a matter of life and death and how can he cut the face without minimal tests?
However, he had to change his determination because there was no other way than an operation.
‘It is very dangerous and difficult to have an operation for a tertiary neuralgia.’
It is because the structure that presses nerves is artery of the cerebellum.
Therefore, the surgeon has to approach the cerebellum for correction.
In other words, he must open the brain.
If he does that here in Joseon, he can be killed.
Ganghyuk did not have the gut to risk his life.
‘However, Simin must have the cause here in his face.’
He came to have the symptom after he had the wound.
It was very rare that the artery in the cerebellum would press the nerves with the sword swing coincidently.
If it was the case, he could not help it.
‘I can try.’
If he removed the ugly scar, it might be good.
His face looked horrible with that scar.
“As you are watching me with a penetrating gaze, I feel uncomfortable.”
“Ah.”
Ganghyuk realized that he was watching his profile too long.
At the same time, Simin noticed what it meant.
It was the time to have the operation that Ganghyuk had mentioned once.
“How about tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow? Why are you in such a hurry?”
“We have no reason to postpone it. Let’s finish it before Sunshin comes.’
“Eum… I have to get a ‘cut the face’ again. Dreary…”
“It will make you better. Don’t worry.”
“The one who cut my face first was killed by me. You don’t know what will happen next. Will you be the next one who will be killed by my sword?”
“No joking. Haha. I will cut your face tomorrow.”
“Ok.”