The Shadow of Great Britain

592: Chapter 299: Express Rush 592: Chapter 299: Express Rush In the drawing room, Snow, who had been speaking until his mouth was parched, gulped down a large sip of alcohol.

Meanwhile, Arthur, leaning on the sofa, was still pondering how to deal with Haidskal.

According to Snow’s description, Haidskal did indeed engage in improper conduct that violated the “Anatomy Act,” but his methods weren’t particularly aggressive.

The reason the authorities in Liverpool had not received any complaints about Haidskal was likely not because they intended to conceal this matter from Arthur or due to some gang’s involvement, but simply because there were no complaints about the doctor who yearned to make a comeback.

Firstly, Haidskal had obtained the understanding of some patient’s families by offering free treatment and medicines.

Secondly, another portion of the dissected patients were those he had picked up from the streets, individuals who could not find their families, and naturally, no one would come looking for trouble with Haidskal.

As for whether Haidskal had deliberately harmed patients for scientific research, Arthur felt the probability was negligible, based on the current spread of disease in Liverpool.

According to the report by doctors sent last year by the Central Health Committee to investigate the cholera outbreak in Russia, among cholera patients who showed dehydration symptoms and did not receive adequate treatment, 50% to 75% would die from shock on the first day of illness, and the rest would die from other symptoms caused by shock within a week.

Statistics showed that without medical intervention, cholera’s overall natural mortality rate could be as high as 50% to 66%.

In other words, given the high number of cholera infections and the high mortality rate, finding such a corpse wasn’t too difficult, and there was absolutely no need to commit murder.

Haidskal would have been more worried about contracting the disease from dissecting the bodies rather than being concerned about finding corpses, given the high mortality rate of this aggressive illness.

And this was probably one of the reasons Rosenberg did not choose to expose Haidskal immediately.

Even though some physicians in Britain had always claimed that cholera was caused by miasma, asserting that doctors treating patients would not get infected due to their medical practices,

the data Arthur had obtained from the Liverpool Health Committee showed that although doctors did indeed have a relatively low infection rate, nursing aides who were responsible for caring for patients and cleaning vomit and bed linens experienced a startling rate of secondary infection.

Haidskal’s medical ethics were indeed questionable, but the fact that he continued to dissect patients under such circumstances at least demonstrated his obsession with redemption had surpassed his fear of death.

He was eager to remove the labels of pharmacist and surgeon from himself and advance toward the pinnacle of the medical field—the diagnostician and prescriber known as an internal medicine physician, a position held by a sparse number of practitioners.

However, what Haidskal is thinking now doesn’t matter; what’s important is that his emergence has made Arthur realize that in Britain at this time, there must be many others who, like him, are desperate to turn their fortunes around and do not hesitate to adopt radical treatments.

The research papers on the importance of salt supplementation published in “The Lancet” and the “London Medical Journal” are not numerous, but there are a few.

Since Haidskal had noticed this and attempted to treat patients with intravenous injections, it was certain that other doctors must have made the same discovery.

The key issue now was how to make the Central Health Committee and the Lord Chancellor’s office recognize this as an effective treatment option.

Knowing what is right is difficult enough; however, what’s even harder than solving the question is proving to a world with entrenched views why it is right.

He recalled Haidskal’s justifications, and his furrowed brow gradually relaxed.

Suddenly he addressed Snow, who was anxiously holding a glass of wine, “Mr.

Snow, could you please tear a piece of blank paper from that notebook for me?

I have another letter to write.”

“Of course,” Snow tore off a piece of paper and handed it over, asking cautiously, “And who do you intend to write to this time?”

Arthur took out his pen and began writing, “Lord Brougham, the Royal High Chancellor.”

“Ah…” Snow’s face turned pale with fright, “You still don’t plan to let Mr.

Haidskal off the hook?”

“Regarding Mr.

Haidskal, I neither intend to let him off nor to hold on to him too tightly.

Dissecting a corpse is not a crime, but illegal possession of a body is.

However, according to the Anatomy Act, this crime has been relegated to simple unauthorized possession of someone else’s property.

As long as Mr.

Haidskal is willing to pay the fine, this matter can be processed officially.

But if he can’t afford it, considering that he has offered a novel approach, I also will not report him.

But not reporting him also means that I won’t protect him.

Since he wants to enjoy the benefits of breaking the law, he must also bear the consequences of being outside it.

If during this time patients’ families decide to launch a violent attack on him, the Liverpool authorities won’t be in a rush to deal with the attackers.

If Mr.

Haidskal really has obtained the understanding of the families as you described, I think he will certainly pass through this period unharmed.

Then afterward, although he cannot publish his paper that is suspected of violating the law, I will personally offer him some financial compensation.”

Upon hearing this, Snow finally let out a sigh of relief.