This Doctor Is Too Wealthy

Du Heng asked softly, ”Is Xiao Zheng’s diagnosis wrong?”

Yu Haiting nodded gently. ”I just looked at the patient’s examination report. The patient’s white blood cell count is slightly lower than normal, and his liver enzymes are mildly abnormal.”

Du Heng looked back at Yu Haiting. ”So you mean the patient doesn’t have a cold?”

Yu Haiting nodded gently. ”I don’t think so, but I can’t identify the illness yet.”

Du Heng nodded and said no more. He and Yu Haiting walked quickly toward the patient’s room.

Upon entering the patient’s room, Du Heng handed his bag to Xiao Zheng, rolled up his sleeves, and began the examination.

His findings were similar to Yu Haiting’s earlier assessment. The patient indeed had a high fever, lack of strength, as well as muscle soreness and joint pain.

Through pulse diagnosis and observing the tongue coating, Du Heng determined this was a severe cold. He was about to tell Yu Haiting his conclusion but then reconsidered, thinking it highly inappropriate. If it truly were a cold, Xiao Zheng’s medication should have been correct, and the patient would have shown some response. Instead, his symptoms hadn’t improved at all after taking the medicine. If it wasn’t a cold, then what could it be?

Du Heng stood by the patient, frowning in thought. Suddenly, he smelled a familiar scent from the patient’s body, the same odor as his Big brother—the smell of sheep.

Anyone who frequently raises or shepherds sheep has this smell.

”Does your family raise sheep?” Du Heng suddenly asked the patient’s wife.

”We raise a few. Why?” The patient’s wife looked puzzled.

”Nothing, I was just asking.”

Du Heng said no more. Instead, he unbuttoned the patient’s clothes and began an abdominal examination.

During the examination, Du Heng’s frown deepened. The examination revealed that the patient had obvious signs of an enlarged liver and spleen.

Du Heng asked the patient’s wife again, ”How many days has this been going on?”

The patient’s wife thought for a moment and said, ”Three or four days, I think. At first, we thought it was a cold. He took medicine for several days, but it had no effect, so we came to the Hospital.”

Du Heng nodded, indicating he understood, and then asked, ”Have your sheep given birth to any lambs in the past few days?”

The patient’s wife looked at Du Heng in surprise. ”Yes, that did happen. But it wasn’t a normal birth; they were more than a month early, and the lambs didn’t survive.”

Hearing this, Du Heng turned to Yu Haiting and said, ”I suspect the patient doesn’t have a cold, but brucellosis.”

Yu Haiting looked doubtful; he couldn’t understand how Du Heng had determined it was brucellosis.

”Dean, how are you so certain?”

Du Heng smiled faintly. It was quite a coincidence. If it had been any other infectious disease, he really wouldn’t have figured it out so quickly.

”When my Big brother started raising sheep last year, I specifically researched livestock diseases. This particular disease, which spreads from animals to humans but not between humans, intrigued me, so I studied it more closely. The patient’s current condition perfectly matches the symptoms of brucellosis. Therefore, I suggest you order a few more tests for the patient to confirm the diagnosis.”

Yu Haiting nodded and began instructing Xiao Zheng to arrange the necessary tests.

At this, the patient and his wife frowned. ”Doctor, what illness is this?”

Du Heng turned and patiently explained, ”We preliminarily suspect it’s brucellosis, an infectious disease common in animals like sheep and cattle. If not treated promptly, it can cause multi-system damage to the human body, including organ damage. For instance, the muscle and joint pain you’re currently experiencing is caused by this disease. The nervous and genitourinary systems can also be affected.”

The patient’s wife became more puzzled. ”But that can’t be right. That’s a disease cattle and sheep get. How could a person get it now?”

”As I said, this disease spreads among cattle, sheep, poultry, and wild animals. However, humans can contract it by consuming infected meat or through close contact with infected animals. However, this disease has a key characteristic: it doesn’t transmit from person to person.”

The couple exchanged a glance and then asked Du Heng, ”Doctor, what should we do now?”

Du Heng thought for a moment and decided to be frank. ”Brucellosis is an infectious disease, and it poses a significant hazard. So, upon discovering brucellosis, you should proactively contact the epidemic prevention staff to arrange a comprehensive inspection of your sheep and cattle.”

Du Heng’s words terrified the couple.

The mention of epidemic prevention inspections immediately brought to mind the swine fever outbreak in the neighboring village last year. Back then, the inspectors had been ruthless, like wolves. They hadn’t cared whether the pigs were healthy or sick, infected or not; they simply dug a massive pit and buried all of them.

Now that Du Heng was telling them to contact the Epidemic Prevention Department, they panicked, terrified that all their sheep would be taken away and disposed of.

Du Heng sensed their anxiety. ”Don’t worry,” he reassured them. ”I’ll help you contact the Town Government. Someone from there can accompany the Epidemic Prevention Department staff when they inspect your sheep. If your sheep are indeed infected with brucellosis, then we must actively cooperate with the Epidemic Prevention Department to handle them. If they’re not infected, the Town Government will help advocate for you.”

There was no other way to handle this.

The Health Clinic where Du Heng worked not only provided medical care for the local community but was also responsible for its epidemic prevention. Discovering and reporting outbreaks was part of their duty and responsibility. This was about being accountable to the local people and farmers.

Leaving the hospital room and heading to his car, Du Heng took out his phone and called Dong Yuezhang.

Dong Yuezhang must have been very busy, as he didn’t answer.

After two unanswered calls, Du Heng gave up and drove directly to Provincial First Hospital.

However, Dong Yuezhang called him back when he was halfway there.

”Sorry, I was in a meeting. What’s up?”

”I’m calling to report a case of brucellosis we’ve discovered. The farmer’s family is worried the Epidemic Prevention Department will dispose of all their sheep, so they asked me to contact your Town Government. They’re hoping you can speak on their behalf. They’re willing to cooperate in dealing with any infected animals, but they’re pleading that healthy sheep be spared.”

Dong Yuezhang paused on the other end. ”Brucellosis? What’s that?”

”It’s an infectious disease transmitted between animals that can also infect humans, but it doesn’t spread from person to person.”

”So, this patient you mentioned is infected?”

”The farmer is infected and currently receiving treatment at our Health Clinic. You should send someone to coordinate. If it’s confirmed, you and the patient’s family need to be prepared.”

Dong Yuezhang paused again. ”Wait, after all this, you haven’t actually confirmed the diagnosis yet?”

”Follow-up tests are underway. Don’t worry, I’m sure of it.”

”Alright, got it.” Just as Du Heng was about to hang up, Dong Yuezhang added, ”Are you free tonight? Let’s go visit Jin.”

This time it was Du Heng’s turn to pause. ”Jin? What happened to him?”

”You’re so forgetful! Didn’t we talk about this at the gathering on the second day of the Chinese New Year? We said we’d visit Jin’s wife. She’s due any day now, and you’re their benefactor, remember?”

Du Heng suddenly remembered. His mind had been so preoccupied with Wu Shengnan and matters at the Health Clinic lately that he’d completely forgotten.

”You’re right, we did. Call me after work tonight, and we’ll go visit them together.”

After hanging up, Du Heng hurried to Provincial First Hospital.

Meanwhile, Li Jianwei had just finished his work and collapsed into a chair.

He could perform the treatments Du Heng administered to Wu Shengnan, but only at a basic level. Lacking Du Heng’s practiced skill, Li Jianwei had to proceed with extreme caution and meticulousness.

By the time he finished one full course of treatment, he was drenched in sweat.