A Hospital in Another World? - C.272
Garrett bowed gently to the podium, expressing his gratitude. Then, he retrieved his papers and continued reading:
"In 1166, dysentery, 57 deaths. Scarlet fever, 218 deaths."
"In 1167, dysentery, 38 people. Diphtheria, 115 people. Smallpox, 327 people."
"In 1168—"
He looked down at the paper, his voice flat and almost mechanical. However, the successive death data were like gusts of icy wind from the North, howling through the conference hall, sending shivers down everyone’s spine.
When Garrett finished reading this page, the hall was filled with nothing but the heavy, stifling breaths of those present, not even a cough could be heard.
Garrett set down the papers and picked up a new page. Glancing around, he noticed that most people on the opposite side and in the audience were beginning to avoid his gaze. With a lift of his papers, he continued reading:
"These are statistics on the number and proportion of various causes of death in the death records of the City Hall over the past 20 years. We can see that the mortality rates of common diseases and accidents are relatively stable, except for last year—due to a war—there was a significant increase;
However, the mortality rate of infectious diseases fluctuates greatly, with a much higher mortality rate during outbreaks—"
"Mr. Nordmark." Elder Sam suddenly spoke from the podium, "Please project the data in your hands onto the whiteboard for everyone to see."
He waved his hand lightly, and a large white wooden board, two people wide and nearly half a person tall, flew over from the wall and hung diagonally across from the podium. Understanding the request, Garrett walked out of his seat and approached the board. With a silent flicker of his magecraft, he quickly drew the table and line graph on the whiteboard.
The curve of the mortality rate, especially the upward spike during infectious disease outbreaks, was chilling to behold.
Elder Wood’s expression grew somber.
At the Temple of War, the Grand Bishop and Bishop Hampton locked eyes, their brows furrowed.
Behind them, a group of nobles whispered and pointed at the whiteboard.
The mage who spoke first, from the medical branch, stared wide-eyed at the line on the whiteboard, looking as though he might cast a fiery spell or something similar, piercing the board on the spot...
Garrett allowed them a moment to digest the data on the whiteboard. Then, he stepped forward and stood in front of the board:
"I’m not trying to negate the role of healers. It should be said that it’s precisely because of the presence of all of you healers that patients receive timely treatment, preventing the death toll from continuing to rise. But I want to say, plagues or outbreaks of infectious diseases spread rapidly—"
He turned and waved his hand. On the whiteboard, the table and line graph vanished instantly, and a new line began leaping up, grid by grid:
"Take the Great Cholera Epidemic of 1165, for example. On June 2nd, 11 deaths, on June 3rd, 35 deaths, on the 4th, 168 deaths, on the 5th, 521 deaths—"
In the audience seats, several senior healers made simultaneous prayer gestures. Clearly, Garrett’s words had transported them back to that tragic year, back to the desperate struggle, unable to do anything but watch as patients died in droves. Garrett’s voice suddenly raised:
"But this year, in the first two months, there was a cholera outbreak in a village. Due to timely detection, treatment, and most importantly, cleaning up the living environment and related water sources of the patients, the spread chain was effectively cut off. Apart from the 24 patients who were already infected, there were no more cases of cholera spreading in the village, or the city!"
The entire conference hall trembled. Elder Wood’s steady voice followed:
"Yes, I can attest that this is indeed the case. I personally went to treat the cholera outbreak in that village. Later, there were indeed no more infections in the village, its surroundings, or the city."
A buzz of discussion erupted again. Businessmen, city hall officials, nobles, and those less informed were turning their heads, asking each other questions. Garrett nodded slightly to Elder Wood, thanking him for his timely testimony, then looked around once again:
"And this is the significance of public health institutions. Early detection, early treatment, early isolation, early disinfection.
—This is not to usurp the work of healers, but to complement them, providing them with early warnings and reducing their stress. It’s like a dam blocking the flood before a great disaster arrives!"
He bowed deeply and returned to his seat. After a moment of silence, a question came from the podium, from the Archmage of the Conjuration School:
"Does Mr. Nordmark’s statement have the approval of all the healers?"
"Approved." The mage from the medical branch who spoke first stood up and bowed slightly.
"Approved." Elder Wood nodded solemnly.
"Approved." The Grand Bishop of the Temple of War followed suit. Garrett breathed a sigh of relief. With four branches, three votes were secured, and the outcome was basically determined. As for the representative from the Temple of the Spring Goddess, it would be best if she agreed, but if not, it shouldn’t affect the overall situation...
"Approved."
Four votes!
Complete victory!
The conference hall buzzed with excitement. At the conference table, the secretary bowed his head and made a note, then rang the bell again:
"Now, let the representative from the Emergency Management Department make their statement!"
The Emergency Management Department. Garrett lowered his head and began to search through his materials. What were the views of the Emergency Management Department that the mage who spoke last time mentioned to him? Where did I put the corresponding materials...
Across the long table, to the right of the mage from the medical branch, the second speaker stood up. Dressed sharply, with a tight-fitting jacket and pants, a wide belt cinched tightly around his waist, he looked ready to face combat at any moment. He quickly nodded to those around him in acknowledgment before beginning his statement:
"Esteemed Archmages, respected healers, ladies, and gentlemen. We at the Emergency Management Department have full confidence in controlling outbreaks.
In 1162, the year I joined the Emergency Management Department, we sacrificed seventeen colleagues and eradicated a cult located in the sewers beneath Nevis City, thwarting their plot to spread a plague;
In 1168, the entire Emergency Management Department was mobilized to set up roadblocks at the border, preventing refugees fleeing the plague from entering Nevis City, keeping the disaster outside;
In 1173, we sank a spy ship at sea, thwarting an operation by the Radiant Church to spread a plague;
Even this year, we successfully captured a group of spies from the Radiant Church, under the meticulous deployment of the review committee, and curbed the spread of a series of plagues such as cholera and anthrax."
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Huh?
Garrett looked at him in astonishment, then turned his head and looked towards the podium. Was the Emergency Management Department giving him face like this? Not mentioning the source of the path
ogen leaks, not mentioning that these pathogens actually came from his laboratory?
His gaze fell on the black-robed necromancer, who gave him a smile and nodded. Garrett suddenly realized: So that’s how it is, Black Crow Swamp must have exerted pressure in advance!
The strains he created, each one would be taken away for research by the epidemiologists. If it were revealed during this hearing that "the plague came from the laboratory of the mage," wouldn’t that be a disaster?
Although Nevis City is a city of mages, it’s not just mages here—there are temples, noble families, merchants, and commoners, all of whom would panic on the spot!
If he were a necromancer, he would also have to have a chat with the Emergency Management Department beforehand about what he could and couldn’t say at the hearing...
It’s so great to have big shots backing you up!