"Forty-one newborns are critically ill, this is definitely one of the most serious medical incidents in Guangnan Province so far!"
"The illness was discovered at midnight yesterday, and forty-one newborns simultaneously exhibited symptoms of vomiting, fever, and lung infections. The cause of the illness is still under investigation, with some experts claiming it's a new type of cholera."
"An emergency medical team consisting of thirty-six local experts assembled by the hospital is discussing measures. Hopefully, these newborns who just entered the world can turn a corner from danger to safety!"
...
TV, internet, microblogs, and WeChat were all flooded with heart-wrenching information, drawing many people's attention to Shenming City, the most prosperous metropolis in the south of Huaxia.
Anji'er Hospital is the best infant hospital in the city, and is currently facing a serious medical crisis.
The atmosphere in the conference room was extremely tense; Hospital Director Zhu Miaoqing, with a grave expression, said to the experts of the emergency medical team, "If these children's conditions continue to deteriorate, not only will Anji'er Hospital's esteemed reputation be destroyed overnight, but it will also become a scandal in medical history. All of you here are experts in this province; please share any ideas on how we might save the lives of the forty-one children."
"The test results aren't out yet, and we haven't even fully figured out the symptoms; who dares to prescribe medication now?" a plump middle-aged Western doctor said helplessly.
"Just now, several of us in traditional medicine took their pulses, and we all think these children's symptoms are somewhat similar to cholera, but it's also not quite right... Theoretically, these children shouldn't contract cholera at all! After all, Anji'er Hospital's hygiene and medical standards are so high..." an older traditional Chinese medicine doctor also commented.
After both people had spoken, no one else spoke, reflecting the viewpoints from both traditional and Western medicine.
Moreover, everyone here is under a lot of pressure and harboring some resentment.
Being called to handle this medical incident is truly like being thrown into the fire. Success is very challenging, while failure is quite likely.
The lives of forty-one newborns! If they do fail, they will become targets of public criticism, and their future paths will be difficult indeed.
"Does anyone else have any thoughts?"
Zhu Miaoqing looked somewhat distressed, as the previous two points of view he had already heard before, were no different than having said nothing at all.
His heart was burning with urgency, feeling a bad omen. As the hospital director, the responsibility would definitely fall on him, and he feared that it would also carry an eternal notoriety.
"Alas, you all boast of being able to bring people back from the brink of death usually, but now you can't even diagnose the condition!"
Suddenly, a voice broke the heavy atmosphere of the conference room.
All eyes followed the sound, only to see a young man sitting in the corner of the table, his facial features quite distinct, twirling a pen in his hands, his gaze firm yet also tinged with a hint of mockery.
"Liu Wentian, you're just an intern, how can you blurt out comments irresponsibly?"
Gou Youdao, the deputy director of Anji'er Hospital, chastised loudly.
This intern, because of his good handwriting, was tasked with taking minutes of the meeting; no one expected him to dare speak out recklessly.
Hospital Director Zhu Miaoqing also paused, he had heard of this intern Liu Wentian, who had been in the hospital for less than a month but liked to roam around seeing where patients suffered complex conditions and reportedly had cured two cases. However, because of the newborn illness crisis, he hadn't had the chance to thoroughly inquire and understand the situation.
"It's okay, let's let young Liu speak. We have no other ideas at the moment, after all!" said Zhu Miaoqing, with a meaningful glance at Gou Youdao and gently looking at the young man sitting in the corner, his expression encouraging.
The last thing they needed now was silence.
Liu Wentian straightened his back, locked eyes with Zhu Miaoqing, and said, "Director, I think this is neither cholera nor any new virus; this is acute respiratory distress and a complication of pneumonia!"
Upon hearing Liu Wentian's words, many people immediately exploded into uproar.
"Young man, don't talk nonsense. These children, their symptoms don't match those of acute respiratory distress or pneumonia complications!"
"Exactly! If it were just acute respiratory distress and pneumonia complications, why haven't we found the cause yet? Bacterial infection tests have been under way for some time!"
"How could it be possible that 41 newborns at Anji Er Hospital contracted acute respiratory distress and pneumonia complications, with such good antiviral measures in place?"
"Since when has it become acceptable for an intern to spout nonsense? Just send him away quickly and don't let him delay our work!"
...
Hearing everyone's skepticism, Zhu Miaoqing looked at Liu Wentian, seemingly curious as to how he would respond.
"I haven't finished yet!" Liu Wentian said with a smile, "The reason you think the symptoms don't match is because these children have also been infected with a type of NRDS Baumannii! It just makes their symptoms more complicated!"
NRDS Baumannii?
An old Western medicine doctor thought for a moment then suddenly slapped his forehead: "I remember now, a few years ago, the same NMDS Baumannii infection spread occurred in a small country in Southeast Asia... Adding that to the symptoms, it seems he might have a point!"
Many experts fell deep in thought, and some even began to doubt their own viewpoints.
This made Zhu Miaoqing hopeful, and he urgently asked, "Liu Wentian, what should be done then?"
"Knowing the disease, naturally we can treat it! Use acupuncture and herbal medicine for regulation, acupuncture shows effect within an hour, herbal medicine assures recovery within a week!" Liu Wentian declared confidently.
"Effect in two hours? Recovered in a week?" The hospital vice-president Gou Youdao grunted, "Listening to that, it sounds like you're hawking some miracle cure like a quack selling plasters! An intern's prescription, who would dare let him perform acupuncture? Who would dare let him administer the medicine?"
Liu Wentian's gaze shifted to Gou Wudao, his eyes flashing an invisible fierceness.
This vice-president, because Liu had caught him having an affair with the head nurse in the office half a month ago, had been making things difficult for him ever since, constantly trying to trip him up. And now, he was still trying to cause trouble.
"What, Vice-President Gou, surely you already have a treatment?" Liu Wentian looked at Gou Wudao.
"I don't have one yet, but I won't allow you to gamble with the lives of over forty children!" Gou Wudao scoffed coldly, "What if your acupuncture harms them? Can you afford that responsibility? What right do you, an intern, have to act the hero in front of these experts? Do you think these children are your guinea pigs from school? At such a young age, why is your mind not pure, not focused on learning?"
"Since you don't have one, why not let me try?" Liu Wentian stood up, his tone defiant: "I've heard Anji Er Hospital has a vice-president who never works but causes trouble; seems it's you! At such a critical time, you still play these games; have your medical ethics been eaten by a dog?"
"You... you're just an intern and you're rebelling! Get out!" Gou Wudao was so angry his face turned from its normal color to white and then red.
"I won't leave, nor do I know how to 'leave.' Perhaps you could demonstrate?" Liu Wentian countered, determined to face the consequences regardless, as he had little hope of continuing at the hospital without facing dismissal by the vice-president.
"I think... let's let him try..." a senior practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine suddenly said softly.
"Let him try? Let who try? Which parent would agree?" Gou Wudao, not expecting someone to agree with this thorn in his side, asked darkly.
"I am willing!" Suddenly, a voice called from outside the door.
Everyone was stunned as the door to the meeting room opened and a middle-aged man walked in.
Clenching his fists, he nearly snarled, "I'm willing to let him try. Didn't he say acupuncture shows effect within an hour? I'm allowing him to perform acupuncture on my child, and if it's effective, we'll use his herbal medicine treatment!"