章 17: Chapter 18: Lamarck's Shock
Chapter 18: Lamarck's Shock
Lamarck immediately took out a small knife and a copper basin from his bag and instructed Perna, "Prepare to bleed the Prince."
Joseph firmly objected, "No! I forbid you to bleed me..."
Lamarck looked at his weakened state and sternly replied, "Your Highness, I must do this. If your fever persists for too long, it could have serious consequences!"
Joseph struggled to reach for the scimitar, but Lamarck warned him, "If you refuse treatment, I will have to report this to the Queen."
Joseph felt a headache coming on as he tried to think of how to convince this stubborn doctor. Just then, Larceny entered the room, holding a glass bottle.
"Your Highness, this is what you requested," Larceny said nervously as he handed over the bottle. "It might not be fully purified..."
Joseph looked at the grayish, thick substance in the bottle and, after opening it, caught a whiff of alcohol. He smiled wryly to himself—this was far from "a little" impure. But he still reassured the doctor, "For your first attempt, this is very good. Thank you."
As Joseph was about to take the salicin, he suddenly had an idea. Turning to Lamarck, he asked, "Dr. Lamarck, if I undergo your bloodletting treatment, how long will it take for my fever to subside?"
Lamarck thought for a moment. "Perhaps by tonight, or by tomorrow morning at the latest."
Joseph held up the glass bottle. "With the medicine I've prepared, I'll bring the fever down within an hour."
Lamarck felt his professional pride being challenged and immediately shook his head. "Your Highness, your pneumonia hasn't been brought under control. Of all the medications I know, none can reduce a fever that quickly."
He was an esteemed member of the French Academy of Sciences, a renowned biologist and pharmacologist in Europe, and one of France's top doctors. He had full confidence in what he was saying.
Joseph smiled, despite his fatigue. "Then how about we make a bet? If my fever goes down within an hour, you must promise not to bleed me again."
Lamarck hesitated for a moment, then confidently nodded. "Very well, Your Highness. But if your medicine doesn't work as you claim, you must agree to all future medical treatments."
"Deal!"
Joseph poured out a spoonful of the salicin and swallowed it. The taste was bitter, with a strong alcohol flavor, causing him to gag.
Lamarck, ever the precise scientist, took out his pocket watch and showed it to Joseph. "Your Highness, it's now 4:21 PM."
Joseph nodded. He considered taking a nap but felt uneasy with three people standing by his bed, especially with a girl among them. So instead, he got up and started discussing the process of refining salicin with Larceny.
Hearing that the medicine was made from willow bark, Lamarck inwardly shook his head. The British had studied the medicinal properties of willow bark over a decade ago and found that while it did have some fever-reducing effects, it required several days of continuous use to be effective.
Moreover, the substance was harsh on the stomach, with many patients abandoning it due to severe stomach pain before it could reduce their fever.
However, Lamarck was deeply impressed by the Prince's theoretical knowledge of the experiment, far surpassing that of his own students. He thought that if the Prince devoted himself to pharmaceuticals or experimental science, he would surely achieve great success.
In reality, Joseph's knowledge was just a superficial grasp, mostly picked up from a chemistry major roommate during his university days. But in the eighteenth century, this made him seem exceptionally skilled.
"So, by precipitating, the cooling process can be faster..." Joseph was explaining when he suddenly stopped, rubbed his forehead, and smiled at Lamarck. "Dr. Lamarck, I think my fever has already gone down."
Lamarck, engrossed in listening to the details of the experiment, had almost forgotten about the bet. He quickly glanced at his watch—4:58 PM, just 37 minutes after the Prince had taken the medicine.
Looking at Joseph, he noticed a sparkle in the Prince's eyes. Lamarck leaned forward and placed his hand on the Prince's forehead. It wasn't hot anymore!
"Perna, the thermometer, please."
Lamarck took the thermometer, placed it in the Prince's mouth, and after waiting for a while, checked the reading himself. His eyes widened in disbelief.
36.8 degrees Celsius!
The Prince's body temperature had returned to normal!
"This... How is this possible?" Lamarck muttered under his breath. Suddenly, he excitedly grabbed Joseph by the shoulders. "Your Highness, did you really just drink an extract of willow bark?"
Joseph nodded with a smile.
"I never expected the purification process to have such an effect!" Lamarck's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Your Highness, if the effects are consistent, this could be a groundbreaking medicine! May I try to produce more of it?"
"Of course you can. Dr. Larceny can explain the process to you."
"I can't even begin to express how grateful I am!" Lamarck bowed deeply to Joseph, then hurriedly pulled out his notebook to discuss the process with Larceny. Before leaving, he turned back and asked, "Your Highness, did you invent this medicine?"
"Uh..." Joseph hesitated for a moment and then said casually, "It was likely a divine inspiration that gave me this idea."
Oh my God! Lamarck thought, utterly amazed. Could the Prince really be the Child Blessed by the Heavens? Such a medicine came to him in a mere flash of inspiration!
But as a scientist, Lamarck knew that it would take extensive testing to confirm the medicine's true efficacy. Filled with renewed determination, he eagerly led Larceny to the alchemy lab, leaving one last instruction behind: "Perna, keep a close eye on the Prince's condition and report any changes to me immediately."
"Yes, Doctor."
...
Two days later.
Thanks to the salicin treatment, Joseph's condition had stabilized. Although he still had a slight cough, his fever had not returned.
He entered the golden doors of the East Wing meeting room in the Palace of Versailles just before 9 AM, a few minutes before the cabinet meeting was set to begin.
The other cabinet ministers were already present, and when they saw the Prince enter, they all rose and bowed to him.
Interior Minister Monot, with a beaming smile, approached Joseph and whispered, "Thank you, Your Highness. The decree regarding Gisot was issued yesterday without mentioning any incitement to rebellion."
Joseph smiled and guided him to a seat. The previous day, during lunch, he had casually mentioned to the Queen that all the blame should be placed on Gisot alone. Later, he had a formal report prepared, effectively closing the matter.
Joseph suspected there might be more to Gisot's actions, but it probably had nothing to do with Monot. Investigating this would be the first task for the intelligence agency he planned to establish.
Monot suddenly stood up, spread his arms wide, and announced to the others, "The Prince's leadership in the police reform has achieved remarkable results. As we all know, nearly all criminals in the Saint-Antoine district have been eradicated! The Prince has truly earned his title as the Child Blessed by the Heavens! Let us all congratulate him!"
(End of Chapter)
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