Chapter 700: Garrett Must Be Brought to the Palace, Even If Bound!
How should one judge?
Facing the eyes of Elder Knox, Garrett smiled faintly. Within that smile fluttered thoughts filled with nostalgia.
In his past life during university, the brightest and most relaxed memories lingered in his mind. Back then, with their ample intellect, they voraciously consumed books, delved into academic journals, and unleashed their creativity, competing in various ways—
Once, their competition involved identifying diseases that resembled vampirism or were historically mistaken for it. They listed each one, detailing symptoms, differential diagnoses, and treatments—
At that time, a group of students enthusiastically compiled a grand chart. Among the listed diseases was the one in question.
Previously, Garrett had been slow to judge because, after all, he wasn’t familiar with dermatology, and there were too many distractions. However, the assassin’s antics fortuitously helped him confirm the diagnosis:
Yes, this assassin, specifically this case suspected of having manic aggressive tendencies, could be ruled out. Symptoms of psychiatric illnesses are limited to stupor, apathy, dullness…
The cause of illness among these refugees soon became clear in Garrett’s mind. After consecutive examinations and inquiries about their living conditions, dietary habits, and the process of their illness, Garrett was nearly certain:
These people were suffering from niacin deficiency, also known as pellagra.
Niacin, also known as Vitamin B3, chemically pyridine-3-carboxylic acid, is one of the thirteen essential vitamins for humans.A lack of niacin can lead to a series of symptoms affecting the skin, digestive tract, and nervous system:
It starts with dermatitis, followed by exudation, forming blisters and bullae, then scabbing over, pigment settling, and the skin becoming rough and scaly, repeatedly. A crucial characteristic is the symmetry of the skin lesions, appearing glove-like and boot-like on the hands and feet;
The digestive tract, from the corners of the mouth, oral mucosa, tongue to the gums, all become inflamed, swollen, ulcerated, and subsequently infected. Thus, the gums recede, exposing the bloody roots of teeth, resembling a vampire;
As for neuropsychiatric symptoms, the most common are dizziness, fatigue, insomnia, and in severe cases, mental disorders, apathy, and slow response, appearing demented. Of course, severe malnutrition could also cause similar symptoms, which requires differential diagnosis.
“In short, it’s hunger and nutritional imbalance,” he affirmed.
“I asked about their diet recently; primarily corn and potatoes, hardly anything else.”
In fact, in his previous life, Garrett discovered that in early 20th century America, pellagra once erupted in the Southern United States, mostly among the impoverished slum dwellers, predominantly African Americans. Hence, pellagra was once considered a disease of the impoverished.
Later, researchers found that these patients shared almost identical dietary habits: they enjoyed food composed of corn, fatty meat, and honey. This food, relatively cheap and filling, was a perfect sustenance for the impoverished.
When Garrett and his classmates learned of this, they marveled at how affluent early 20th century America was. The poor, African Americans in slums, could actually afford fatty meat and honey!
However, while fatty meat and honey filled their stomachs, they couldn’t provide the necessary vitamins. A severe lack of protein led to a deficiency in tryptophan, and ultimately, to niacin deficiency.
Elder Knox pondered for a moment, then nodded lightly:
“When I was young, I traveled to the New World for a while. Those people… ah, those slaves working on the farms, they had nothing but corn to eat all day. Many of them showed these symptoms;”
He counted off on his fingers:
“Dermatitis, diarrhea, dementia, death—increasing in severity. I lived among them for a while and wasn’t infected; I took one away, and the people around him weren’t infected either.”
“Yes. It’s just symptoms of nutritional deficiency; it doesn’t spread to others.” Garrett nodded emphatically.
“Just like people lacking meat are prone to night blindness, these people, if they eat well for a while, supplementing meat and animal organs, especially liver, should be able to recover.” Ȑ𝒶𐌽o͍ＢΕṠ
The baroness had been standing by, glancing between Elder Knox and Garrett, her brows furrowing deeper and deeper. Hearing the conclusion, she finally couldn’t help speaking:
“So, you plan to keep them until they’re healed?”
Garrett choked. Judging by the baroness’s expression, merely suggesting they stay could set her off—physically lashing out was unlikely, but depression, mania were quite possible. Cough, after all, he had caused her enough trouble lately…
Moreover, even if they stayed for treatment, Garrett couldn’t do it. Pellagra was so severe that even with daily niacin supplementation and
symptomatic treatment, it wouldn’t improve in just ten days or a half month. Moreover, Garrett didn’t even have niacin tablets or injectable solutions.
Relying on nutritional supplements, eating meat, pork liver, sheep liver, duck liver, it would be a blessing if they recovered in three months. And he, certainly couldn’t stay here that long.
“Let’s just… send these people to my estate,” the baroness sighed, and sighed again:
“These people were brought here so abruptly, who knows what plots lie ahead. Handing them over to the city guard, stuffing them into prison, you wouldn’t be at ease. Keeping them at my estate, at least someone will watch over them…”
Garrett grinned sheepishly. This was a big favor owed, providing them food, shelter, and surveillance, the money and manpower spent were no small figure. Not just to ease his mind, why else would the baroness spend so much?
He wanted to express his gratitude, but the baroness didn’t respond, not even sparing him a glance. She turned to Elder Knox, respectfully bowed:
“Could you please assign a disciple to take care of their health and record the improvement of their condition?”
“Certainly.” The elder agreed promptly:
“This is a rare case, good for the youngsters to see more of. Geoffrey!”
“Here!”
The young priest, holding an oak staff and covering his forehead, hurried over with small steps.
With the baroness intervening and a priest of the God of Nature watching, it ensured these refugees wouldn’t be treated too harshly. Garrett breathed a sigh of relief, starting to think crazily:
How should he thank her?
Would giving money be too impersonal?
Or, the assassin sold today, could he transfer the contribution points from the Black Crow Swamp to her?
Before he could decide, the baroness turned to Garrett, smiling faintly:
“Mage Nordmark, you owe me a favor now.—How do you plan to repay it?”
“What would you like me to do?”
“Could you come and stay at the palace now? The queen is quite far along in her pregnancy, she could go into labor at any moment, and it would be better to have someone close by…”
Cough, actually with the people from the Temple of Spring Water around, it wasn’t too much to run back and forth. But this Mage Nordmark, such a troublemaker, he had just arrived in the capital a few days, and there had already been several issues targeting him!
Never mind, for the queen’s safety, he had to get him to stay at the palace quickly, isolated from the outside! After all, he had been at the hospital for so long, the success rate was evident, and his hands were well-practiced—
He must be brought to the palace, even if bound!
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