CH 115

July 3, 2022 by danmeiheaven

The next one to come up on stage was Chebman Norton.

In the Alchemist Association, he may be more famous than Xia Zuoyi.

After all, he is old, and he spends almost all his time on alchemy, unlike Desinia, who “doesn’t work hard”1.

What’s more, the alchemists’ evaluation of this master was quite consistent and respected. Unlike Xia Zuoyi, who was younger and was constantly questioned by others.2 

However, although Chebman Norton was famous enough, he was not as good as Xia Zuoyi in terms of status—commoners were far inferior to the nobles.

For this point alone, he would show on the stage before Xia Zuoyi, which was also a decision made by the Ed Chamber of Commerce after consulting with him.

He had no objections.

Xia Zuoyi carefully observed the master alchemist.

He felt that Chebman was more like a rigorous academic in terms of appearance. He was meticulous about everything.

Chebman was wearing a light gray outfit. Although it didn’t look too delicate or expensive, the fabric was soft and fitting, which completely brought out his temperament and easily made people feel respect towards him.

With a serious and solemn expression, he instructed the attendants to move lightly. With the help of his apprentice Beckham, he quickly brought everything to the stage and arranged them one by one.

Xia Zuoyi stared curiously at the bottles and jars placed on the table. He thought, ‘It’s not like he’s just showing only one thing… Could it be that he has a lot of alchemy results?’

Just as predicted.

Chebman Norton said that he had two alchemy achievements to showcase—

One was a medicinal syrup for sore throats, cooling blood3, headaches, and coughs.

Unlike the bitter and astringent taste of previous herbal medicines, this should be called syrup medicine. It has a clear and sweet taste and can be drunk directly without boiling.

In order to make it more intuitive for the people watching.

This medicinal syrup was packed in a clear glass bottle, in which the thick yellowish-brown liquid moved from left to right with the slight shaking of the bottle.

The liquid stuck to the inner side of the bottle and flowed down slowly. Its color was beautiful.

Chebman said, “This syrup could not only treat cough, sore throat, and other symptoms but could also be used as maintenance medicine…”

“As long as it’s sealed in a jar, the medicinal syrup can be stored for half a year.”

The time advantage was obvious.

Such a long time of preservation made some nobles nod secretly.

In particular, the effectiveness of maintaining the body also made them excited.

At this time, the attendants of the auction house walked up to the stage again, each holding a tray with cups on it.

Chebman asked his apprentice Beckham to pour the medicinal syrup he brought into these cups and then ordered the attendants to walk down the stage and distribute them to the nobles for tasting and appraising.

Due to the limited quantity, it cannot cover all the personnel in the auction house.

Therefore, the nobles who could taste it were also limited to a certain range.

Their identities were naturally not low—members of the imperial royal family, nobles above the marquis title, and so on could get a cup.

The attendant also respectfully put down a cup in front of Xia Zuoyi.

He picked it up to take a closer look and then leaned in to smell it carefully. There was a faint fragrance gradually reaching his nose.

The scent was slightly familiar.

Chebman said at this time, “This contains elderberry flowers.”

Beckham also followed this with, “Elderberry flowers give off a sweet and pleasant smell. In recent years, some people have used these to make tea.”

“That’s why my teacher and I started researching the other uses of these flowers not long ago…”

Xia Zuoyi heard them clearly in the audience’s seats.

There was a saying on the western continent that elderberry was a plant that can bring good luck. Planting it in your garden can prevent diseases or demons.

Elderberry was also used in herbal medicines or ointments made by Xia Zuoyi in the past because it has a nickname in modern times—European isatis root4.

It’s a plant that has many uses.

It was not only ornamental, but its skin, leaves, flowers, and fruits are all beneficial and could be used in pharmacology…

Especially, the syrup made from elderberry flowers was also known as a panacea in Europe and was very popular.

Xia Zuoyi took a sip and a sugary taste burst in his mouth instantly. There was a tad bit of bitterness but it was almost overwhelmed by the saccharine flavor. 

The aftertaste was really good. It could indeed be used as a drink in daily life.

After all, elderberry, if eaten properly, could indeed improve immunity and support people’s health.

At this time, Chebman explained further, “Just add a little water when you drink it daily.”

“This medicinal syrup is more suitable for younger children. If the symptoms of the illness include cough, runny nose, dry throat, and difficulty in speaking, please drink two spoonfuls of this…”

Some nobles could not help showing their satisfaction.

Taking medicine for children was a problem no matter the time or place.

Chebman’s research results were not very innovative, but they could hit the “point” of nobles’ comfort.

This kind of syrup was not like the herbal medicines that were too bitter to swallow. It tasted like honey and moisturizing. The most important thing was that it could indeed play a curative effect.

Xia Zuoyi just took a little sip and then continued to listen to him explain his second research result.

Chebman picked up a jar of black liquid, then lifted a wooden box filled with paste, and said, “This is a local anesthetic. It can effectively relieve the pain of the patient, especially in terms of trauma…”

He explained slowly.

On the western continent, there was a drug that made people feel numb all over. After taking it, they could immediately become unconscious and feel nothing.

But the side effects were great.

When people wake up, they would have persistent headaches, nausea, and vomiting, and even have difficulty breathing and speaking. In serious cases, they would have red spots all over their body, erratic heartbeat, wheezing, and syncope.

Therefore, this drug was not even used by doctors.

The way they relieve the patient’s pain was to get so drunk that they black out. The moment the patient had lost consciousness, that was the time that they would deal with the patient’s wound.

But generally speaking, this method of dealing with injuries was very impractical.

Chebman described the local anesthetic as maintaining doses that kept the patient awake and at the same time reduce their pain.

After he finished speaking, he demonstrated how to use it.

The first was the jar of black liquid.

The steward of the Ed Chamber of Commerce obeyed the instructions of the president.

No one knew where he found a patient who had a leg injury and brought them to the auction hall. When Chebman was explaining the actual operation, he ordered an attendant to bring the patient to the stage.

The reason why the patient got injured was that he accidentally hit his leg by a heavy shelf that suddenly collapsed while sorting the said shelf. A broken wooden thorn had pierced his thigh. Fortunately, it did not hit the bone. 

Just by looking at the patient’s sweaty and crumpled face, you could just imagine how much pain he was in. 

Chebman asked Beckham to cut out the man’s trousers to reveal the injured leg, where it was simply bandaged. The white cloth was now soaked with blood.

Beckham carefully uncovered the wound.

However, no matter how light his movement was, the patient was constantly hissing and frowning in pain.

Finally, the blood-stained cloth was peeled back, revealing the red and swollen wound inside. The skin around the open cut was slightly upturned and also bruised. It was a really ghastly sight to see.

Some nobles looked away, slightly uncomfortably.

Xia Zuoyi frowned. Such a wound was a bit serious.

The patient said with trembling lips, “W-would my leg be cut off…”

Chebman: “No, don’t worry.”

Then, with the patient’s slightly relaxed expression, he placed a very thin iron needle on the lighted candle to roast. When it was slightly hot and discolored, he dipped it into a jar full of the medicinal liquid…

Xia Zuoyi watched as Chebman use the iron needle coated in anesthesia to pierce into the skin around the wound of the patient’s leg one after another. After two pricks, he dipped the needle again in the jar. 

Apparently, the pain when the needle pierced the skin was unbearable for the patient.

He gritted his teeth unbearably, frowning, with his hands clenching his clothes, and sweat gradually appeared on his forehead…

Finally, this action had stopped.

Chebman told the patient to wait a little while before it took effect.

The patient nodded.

As time passed, he also felt a slight difference—his wrinkled face slowly relaxed and his slightly hunched shoulders straightened eventually…

And the nobles sitting before the stage could clearly see these changes in the patient’s demeanor.

At this time, Chebman reached out and pressed the skin around the wound on the patient’s leg, “How is it?”

The patient was astonished, “How, I… I don’t feel anything!”

Chebman nodded with satisfaction.

Under the nobles’ amazement, he took the ointment he had bought from the Thorns Chamber of Commerce and applied it to the wound, and then wrapped it with a clean and soft cloth.

The patient did not leave the stage for the time being.

Chebman started explaining the usage of the second local anesthetic.

—This ointment was used for internal pain. Take out a little and apply it to the painful part of the body. Make sure it was even and slightly thick, and then wrap it with a clean cloth…

In just a few moments, the pain would gradually disappear. 

After listening to his speech, Xia Zuoyi could not help shaking his head secretly.

There are drawbacks to this method of use and the direction was completely wrong—the anesthetic cream would eliminate the pain at all. If it was used for a long time, it would also cause physical or nerve problems.

However, Chebman Norton’s ability to develop local anesthetics was enough to demonstrate his pharmaceutical talent, but in this era without a detailed medical system, deviations were inevitable.

At times like these, a little hint and guidance would be a source of inspiration and improvement.

Xia Zuoyi could not help but pursed his lips.

He leaned forward and put his arms on the tabletop, crossed his hands, and rested his chin on it, and his beautiful eyes curved with a smile as he stared at Chebman Norton—’So such an alchemist couldn’t be let go.’

—Using the wrong medicine was completely harmful.

One’s research was limited after all.

Although the Alchemist Association had existed for a long time, its system had long been rotted, leaving the alchemists all on their own. The talented people who stay in it for a long time would gradually “die out”.

It was best to form a place for alchemists and doctors alike to discuss with each other and concentrate on experimental and scientific research.

For example, in the Alchemy Tower in Desinian Territory.

Translator’s Notes:

So… Hehe, I’m so sorry if it’s so late but you know how I finished my 3rd year in college at the top of our year?? So my mom decided to throw a celebration for me and we went island hopping and swimming. We just got back today (Sunday) so I hurriedly updated this. Hehehe… Anyway, I hope my update schedule would return to how it was before *cross fingers*