Chapter 171: Allergic Reaction
Chapter 171: Allergic Reaction
Sui didn't understand penicillin or allicin.
All she knew was that her new friend, Shu Ran, whom she had just met today, was unwell and her aunt, He Jia, was very worried about her.
So, now that she had encountered a doctor, she was definitely going to ask about her friend's condition.
Sui asked hesitantly, and Doctor Xu, looking at the little girl's beautiful big eyes, staring at him unblinkingly, felt his heart melt and soften.
He thought that he had only heard about the illness second-hand, and the diagnosis might not be entirely accurate.
However, who could refuse the request of such an innocent and adorable child?
So, after a moment's thought, Doctor Xu agreed. ["Go ahead, Sui. Tell me what you know, and I'll see if I can make a judgment."]
Earlier in the day, when Sui was playing with Shu Ran, she had heard her friend mention what happened when her condition acted up.
["Sometimes, I suddenly have difficulty breathing. My throat tightens, and my chest feels tight and heavy. When it's severe, I can't catch my breath, and I need to take medicine to regulate it."]
["It tends to get worse during spring."]
...
In truth, Sui didn't remember all the details very clearly.
She spoke as she recalled, without much logic to her train of thought.
After listening to Sui's account, Doctor Xu had to summarize and organize the information before he could analyze it. Otherwise, based on the scattered details provided by Sui, it would be challenging to make an accurate diagnosis.
Once Sui finished relaying what she knew, Doctor Xu pondered for a while before speaking.
["Based on the information you've provided, it seems to be a case of pollen allergy, which has subsequently led to a decrease in immunity and a significant reduction in the body's resistance. As a result, exposure to hair, or even dust, can easily trigger allergic reactions, such as rashes when exposed to wind. These are all possible symptoms."]
["In such cases, oral antihistamines with minimal side effects are usually recommended. For example, there's chlorpheniramine..."]
["The patient has already exhibited asthmatic symptoms, so nasal spray treatment would be a faster and more effective option, and it doesn't have high side effects, either..."]
Once Doctor Xu started explaining, he found it hard to stop.
However, when he noticed Sui's bewildered expression, he snapped his fingers and exclaimed, ["Oh dear, I forgot! You don't have access to those!"]]
This was the ancient times!
Antibiotics had to be crafted from scratch.
Where would they get all these anti-allergy medications?
He had been too presumptuous!
With this realization, Doctor Xu smiled gently at Sui. ["Don't worry, Sui. There are other ways to manage this condition."]
["Yes, yes! There are herbal soups and decoctions that can be prepared with the current medical knowledge. That should be feasible."]
["However, allergies..."]
He paused, then continued to explain. Allergies were abnormal immune responses, and they were often influenced by external factors.
It wasn't a matter of curing it once and for all.
In Shu Ran's case, it was likely a pollen allergy. Whenever there was pollen or dust-like stimulation, her immune system reacted as if under attack, and it mounted a defense.
This resulted in a battle between her body and the allergens, leading to various reactions.
Consequently, Shu Ran would experience subsequent discomfort and physical symptoms.
To completely cure this condition...
...was extremely difficult.
After all, how could one keep a person locked away from pollen and dust for their entire life? That would be too cruel.
However, if one chose to face these external factors, the associated reactions would be inevitable.
Moreover, ancient medical technology was not yet advanced, and child-rearing was challenging.
Therefore, repeated allergic reactions could also damage the child's immune system over time, and the long-term consequences were unpredictable.
With these thoughts in mind, Doctor Xu softened his voice as he continued. ["Shu Ran's situation is complex. From now on, during spring, when she goes out, she should wear a veil or a face covering. She should also avoid places with abundant blooming flowers."]
Sui couldn't understand a word of it.
Furthermore, what was "Dragon's Breath"? And what were "Ghost" and "Horse"?
Sui felt her head spinning.
Doctor Xu realized that it was challenging for a child who had never been exposed to medicine before to remember all of this.
However, he believed that while medical conditions weren't perfect, various medicinal soups and decoctions were definitely available.
He Ruoran had grown up to be this big, so she must have drunk quite a few medicinal soups.
Now, it was just a matter of strengthening daily protection, such as veils and screens.
There was also a method called allergen immunotherapy.
This method was risky, but at times, it could truly cure the root cause.
It involved using the allergen to repeatedly stimulate the allergic individual's reaction, a form of "fighting poison with poison."
This stimulated the person's immune system, evoking its strongest protective response.
In simpler terms, constant stimulation might eventually lead to a reduction in sensitivity.
The immune system might even deem the allergen a weakling.
No matter how many times it was stimulated, the immune system would ultimately prevail!
However, this method was too dangerous, and Sui was still a child who might not be able to express herself clearly, which could inadvertently harm others.
Doctor Xu didn't want to harm anyone, let alone Sui.
Unfortunately, they could only communicate verbally, and Sui couldn't write a single word.
Otherwise, he could have written down the extraction and research methods for penicillin, allowing the numerous doctors in ancient times to slowly research and develop it.
What about a year? Or ten years? Surely a century would be enough?
Unfortunately, that wasn't possible.
Feeling a sense of powerlessness and resignation, Doctor Xu sighed inwardly. However, he didn't feel too regretful.
He thought that given the circumstances, he would do his best to explain what he could, and let Sui remember as much as she could.
Late into the night, as Sui slept, her mind was still filled with images of peeling garlic cloves and placing them into a distillation apparatus...
Little Dragon's Breath Soup, Four Substances Soup, Ghost Horse Soup...
The next day, Sui woke up feeling dazed and forgot all about going to the purification room.
Concerned that the young girl might have forgotten due to her drowsiness, Aunt He specially came over to hug her and took her to the purification room to take care of her physiological needs. After this little detour, Sui's sleepiness had mostly faded away.
She turned her head to look at the Empress, who was in the midst of dressing her hair, and opened her mouth, intending to tell her about Doctor Xu. However, after thinking for a while, the only thing she could remember was "Little Dragon's Breath Soup."
Hearing Sui muttering about Little Dragon's Breath Soup, the Empress Consort of Qi paused for a moment, then smiled and asked, "Is that the medicine that Shu Ran mentioned yesterday?"
The Empress Consort of Qi didn't know much about He Shu Ran's health condition.
She could only guess that Shu Ran might be taking Little Dragon's Breath Soup and had mentioned it to Sui, which was why the little girl was so concerned about it.
Hearing her mother ask this, Sui thought for a moment and then nodded, "Yes, Shu Ran needs to drink Little Dragon's Breath Soup."
The Empress Consort of Qi didn't catch the fact that Sui had said "needs to drink" and simply attributed it to a child's incoherent way of speaking.
She smiled and hugged Sui, then wet a cloth to wash Sui's face, wiped her hair, applied moisturizing cream, and changed her into a fresh set of clothes before picking her up and heading out, "Let's go, time for breakfast!"
(End of Chapter)
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