Chapter 72 of 100
Chapter 72
16 min read3,973 words
New book uploaded, seeking recommendations and collections.
Zhu Jishi, carrying a medicine box, followed Maria Clementina through the dark, narrow corridors of the ancient castle, winding around for an unknown duration before finally entering a spacious room. This was a completely European-style living room, furnished with exquisite French furniture, and adorned with oil paintings depicting battle scenes. A few whale oil lamps were lit, casting a dim light, and the windows were open, allowing the cool, salty Mediterranean breeze to blow in, dispelling the stuffiness inside.
Inside the room were two elderly men and two young men, all dressed similarly in blue wool military uniforms, as if they were high-ranking officers. They all looked somewhat alike: short, a bit chubby, with high, straight noses and large eyes, and none of them had beards. One of them appeared particularly old, around 70 years old, sitting in a carved armchair, sighing. He was likely Joseph Bonaparte, the elder brother of Emperor Napoleon. Another was a middle-aged man, looking listless and pale, as if he were also ill—though he was actually frightened. This was Jerome Bonaparte, Napoleon's youngest brother, whose father and three older brothers had all died of stomach cancer, so his fear was understandable. The other two were the sons of Charles Lucien Bonaparte: Louis Lucien Bonaparte and Pierre Napoleon Bonaparte.
When Zhu Jishi first arrived at the Castle of Viterbo, Maria Clementina had already introduced him to these four individuals.
"Doctor Zhu, how is Louis? Is there any hope?" The speaker was Jerome Bonaparte, the Prince of Montfort in the Kingdom of Württemberg. His wife was a princess of the Kingdom of Württemberg, but she did not live with him in Italy. However, his German was excellent, and he had no difficulty communicating with Zhu Jishi.
With his question, a group of Napoleon's brothers and nephews in the room cast anxious glances. Except for Joseph, the men of the Bonaparte family seemed to have a tradition of short lives and a predisposition to stomach cancer, so everyone was very concerned about the ailing Louis Bonaparte. If he could be saved, it would provide some assurance for their own lives.
"It's hard to say," Zhu Jishi had just examined Louis Bonaparte. Napoleon's third brother was emaciated, with a sallow complexion, and looked very frightened. Of course, he "didn't know" he had cancer; no one had told him. Patients in this era were far more terrified of cancer than in later times, so doctors and family members generally chose to keep the diagnosis a secret. However, with the Bonaparte family's genetic predisposition, and Louis Bonaparte not being unintelligent, how could he not guess?
Zhu Jishi placed the medicine box on the table and found an empty chair to sit in. He continued, "It's not yet certain if it's cancer, but the patient definitely has anemia, and he experiences frequent stomach pain, which worsens after eating. This is likely due to a tumor, so I recommend surgery."
The Bonapartes exchanged glances and nodded in unison. They had brought Zhu Jishi all the way from Paris specifically to operate on Louis Bonaparte.
The oldest, Joseph Bonaparte, spoke in mumbled German, "If surgery is required, how do you plan to proceed?"
"If it's stomach cancer and the tumor is large, I suggest a total gastrectomy," Zhu Jishi had already considered the treatment plan. A total gastrectomy would certainly cause many inconveniences for Louis Bonaparte in the future, such as needing to eat special foods and a significant decline in his physical condition. However, it was currently the best option, as this era lacked chemotherapy and radiation therapy, leaving no effective means to control the spread of cancer cells. The only viable approach was to remove as much of the surrounding tissue as possible. Additionally, Zhu Jishi's surgical skills were actually quite poor, and if he didn't cut enough, he might not remove all the cancer, potentially costing Louis Bonaparte his life!
Considering that Napoleon III would soon be the Emperor of France, Zhu Jishi was very concerned about Louis Bonaparte's life. After all, a deceased former emperor would be unable to speak on his behalf to Napoleon III.
"Total gastrectomy!? Will Louis be able to eat afterward?" Joseph Bonaparte's eyes widened in surprise as he looked at Doctor Zhu.
"Yes, without a stomach, how will Uncle Louis eat?"
"Doctor Zhu, are you joking?"
The two young Bonapartes chimed in. Although they didn't understand much about medicine, Louis Bonaparte was convalescing in their castle, and during this time, they had consulted many Italian doctors, all of whom were at a loss.
Before Zhu Jishi invented absorbable sutures, blood transfusion therapy, and surgical sterilization, abdominal surgery was virtually impossible. Even now, abdominal surgery, especially major surgeries on the digestive system, faced significant challenges. Large incisions required a long recovery period during which the patient could not eat, meaning they might starve to death!
Hearing their questions, Zhu Jishi waved his hand and said, "Eating is not a problem. A total gastrectomy does not mean the patient cannot absorb nutrients. I will prepare a special diet plan for the patient. Additionally, the patient cannot eat through the digestive system for 10 days post-surgery and will need intravenous fluids."
As he spoke, he opened the medicine box and took out several thin rubber tubes, rubber stoppers, and two glass bottles.
Jerome Bonaparte was taken aback and asked, "Doctor Zhu, what does intravenous fluid mean? What are these things for?"
Zhu Jishi smiled and replied, "Intravenous fluid means providing nutrition to the patient through the veins. These items are used for the fluid administration."
"What kind of fluid?" Jerome Bonaparte still didn't understand.
Zhu Jishi laughed and said, "I can prepare it myself in the kitchen." He looked at Joseph and said, "Your Majesty, if you agree to my treatment plan, I would like to start as soon as possible. With cancer, the earlier the treatment, the better the chances of survival."
Joseph Bonaparte, Napoleon's elder brother, became the head of the Bonaparte family after the death of Napoleon II, the King of Rome.
Joseph Bonaparte hesitated for a moment but then nodded, agreeing to Zhu Jishi's plan. Although Zhu Jishi's surgical skills were poor, in the current European medical field, where the worst was the norm, he was undoubtedly the best surgeon! If anyone could save Louis Bonaparte, it was Zhu Jishi.
"There is one more issue," Zhu Jishi stood up, placing the rubber tubes, rubber stoppers, and glass bottles back into the medicine box. "Louis Bonaparte's mental state is quite detrimental to his treatment."
"Louis's mental state?"
"He is very afraid!" Zhu Jishi looked at Joseph Bonaparte, "Your Majesty, your brother seems to have been overwhelmed by his illness. This is not a mindset that can overcome the disease. The battle against cancer is like a war; if one is already defeated before the fight, victory is impossible. I hope Your Majesty can provide the patient with more encouragement."
As he spoke, Zhu Jishi's brow furrowed. Overcoming illness is similar to waging war, and governing and reforming a country are no different. When a person faces illness, if they collapse mentally, even a relatively minor condition can be fatal.
The same applies to governing a country. Just as no one is immune to illness, no system can remain unchanged forever. Even if a system once strengthened a nation and enriched its people, it can become an obstacle in another era. At such times, the courage and confidence to reform are essential.
If the Qing Dynasty were a patient, its illness would not be severe compared to Italy, Japan, which was plagued by the shogunate, or the Ottoman Empire, which faced numerous internal and external challenges. The key is whether the Manchu rulers are willing and brave enough to treat the illness. If they are unwilling or lack the courage to do so, the true root of the Qing Dynasty's illness might be the rulers themselves, a massive tumor on the body of China!
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