Chapter 9

"Since this poison can make dogs go mad and also kill, it is called rabies, and this name is quite fitting." Sun Simiao nodded.

"However, I wonder about your method, young nephew..."

"The two Daoists have said that Ge's predecessor used the brain of a mad dog to smear the wound, and out of ten people, one or two could survive.

This shows that his method is correct, but some people with weak constitutions might not be able to withstand such a drastic detoxification."

Upon hearing Cheng Chubi's insight, Yuan Tiangang laughed and said, "Young nephew Cheng Chubi's words are quite reasonable, and this poor Daoist and Daoist Sun are also aware of this."

"So I think, to better detoxify, we must reduce the toxicity of the rabies virus and then use the less toxic rabies virus to treat those bitten by rabid dogs... Don't you understand?"

"For example, we can catch a mad dog and let it infect another dog, and through this cycle of infection, reduce the toxicity of the rabies virus..."

Once the topic turned to his expertise, Cheng Chubi fell into a fervent mode, speaking rapidly and spitting out words like a machine gun, leaving the two Daoists bewildered and impressed.

"Wait a moment, I need to sort this out..." Sun Simiao's mind was in chaos due to Cheng Chubi's rapid speech.

"The two Daoists don't need to sort it out; I can use vivid examples to explain." Cheng Chubi was impatient with these old men's slow reactions and decided to use a vivid teaching method to solve the problem.

He turned his head and saw Cheng Laosi peeking outside the door. "Laosi, go and pick up a few stones."

Cheng Laosi, looking bewildered, went to fetch the stones, and the two Daoists were equally bewildered. We are discussing rabies; what does this have to do with stones and grass?

"Brother, stones and grass." Soon, Cheng Laosi rushed into the room, holding seven or eight stones of various sizes and a handful of grass.

Sun Simiao's face turned black, regretting his decision to seek help from this madman Cheng Laosan for the treatment of rabies.

Cheng Chubi ignored the two Daoists' suspicious glances and cleared his throat, beginning his first virology lesson in the Tang Dynasty, in the spring of the eighth year of the Zhenguan era.

"Two Daoists, please look. Here are six stones. I will assume this black stone is a mad dog, and this round stone represents another mad dog. The other four represent white, soft, and cute rabbits."

"???"

"The grass represents the brain of the mad dog used for detoxification."

Cheng Chubi ignored the bewildered historical figures and picked up the round stone, handing it to Cheng Laosi.

"Assume that my brother Laosi was bitten by this mad dog."

"…Brother, I haven't been bitten by a mad dog." Cheng Laosi was flustered and quickly clarified.

"Shut up, I'm talking hypothetically." Cheng Chubi was annoyed. "Using you as an example is a sign of respect, to increase your involvement in medical research, understand?"

Seeing his brother's manic and obsessive face, Cheng Laosi reluctantly agreed. "Oh, okay."

"Now, I will use the brain of the mad dog to detoxify and treat the toxicity in Laosi's body…" Cheng Chubi picked up a piece of grass and placed it in Cheng Laosi's hand.

"But its toxicity is also significant. Laosi definitely can't resist it, so he will die."

Cheng Laosi, seeing his brother's stern gaze, had no choice but to lie flat on the ground and kick his legs to match his brother's description.

"…" Sun Simiao and Yuan Tiangang's faces turned black. What a ridiculous way to die…

"Only someone with strong resistance like me might survive such detoxification, which is why this method has only about a 10% success rate."

"That's true. Generally, those saved by the brain of a mad dog are usually physically strong." Sun Simiao seemed to understand.

"What to do? We must find a way to reduce the toxicity of the mad dog's brain. One method is to catch a black stone in advance.

Um… to catch a mad dog in advance and let it infect the rabbits."

"Nephew, what does saving people have to do with infecting rabbits?" Yuan Tiangang felt unwell, thinking he was talking to someone with an abnormal mind. Well, Cheng Laosan is not a normal person.

Moreover, I have lived for several decades and have only heard of mad dogs biting people, not mad rabbits biting people. Rabbits bite when they are cornered, not because they are mad.

Cheng Chubi, impatient, said, "Listen to me first before asking questions. Think about how big a rabbit is?"

"I know, a fat rabbit is about seven or eight pounds, and a light one is about three or four pounds. They are very delicious when stewed or roasted." Cheng Laosi quickly answered.

"…" Cheng Chubi's face turned black. I am discussing serious medical issues, and you are talking about food. A student like you would be frequently called to the principal's office in a nine-year compulsory education system.

Forget it, I won't argue with this brat. I'll deal with him later.

"Everyone knows that rabbits are small. When the rabies virus infects the first rabbit, it doesn't take much effort to make the rabbit sick."

"Thus, the rabies virus in the first rabbit will think, 'I didn't need much effort to kill a rabbit, do I need to use my full strength this time?'

Of course not, so when it infects the next rabbit, it won't use its full strength…"

Sun Simiao and Yuan Tiangang's faces turned black, and their heads were full of question marks. What nonsense is this…

Cheng Chubi placed grass leaves of varying lengths on the stones representing the rabbits.

"Thus, as the rabies virus infects generation after generation of rabbits, its toxicity will become weaker, but it still retains its characteristics and can still detoxify…"

Can a virus have its own thoughts? Sun Simiao and Yuan Tiangang were directly刷新 (refreshed) their understanding of the microscopic world by Cheng Chubi.

Cheng Chubi had no choice. He couldn't use modern medical concepts and terms to explain the preparation of attenuated vaccines to these ancient people from over a thousand years ago, so he had to use a fairy tale-like method to explain.

When the two Tang Dynasty medical experts arrived, they were full of worry and solemn expressions, but when they left, they were dizzy and bewildered. Who am I? Where am I? What did I do?

Watching these two Tang Dynasty medical experts leave in a daze, Cheng Chubi felt a bit regretful.

He had only been a substitute teacher at a rural school, teaching students about physiology and basic hygiene, which left him lacking in teaching skills.

Otherwise, he might have been able to convince these two Tang Dynasty medical experts with his vivid language.

The obvious敷衍 (perfunctory) expressions of the two Tang Dynasty medical experts as they left made Cheng Chubi, a top student from a medical college and a technical backbone of a rural health center, very uncomfortable.

His professional competence being questioned was like being stabbed in the back.

No, I must change these people's views and prove with facts that I, who possesses advanced medical concepts and a wealth of medical knowledge, am correct.

"Brother, what are you gritting your teeth for?"