This Doctor Is Too Wealthy

”The patient has damp-heat accumulating internally, and pathogenic heat is causing obstruction. Therefore, I will use Rhubarb and Moutan Decoction to purge heat, resolve blood stasis, eliminate abscesses, and promote the flow of qi.”

Du Heng didn’t beat around the bush; he looked directly at Doctor Zhou and stated his thoughts. ”Similarly, if the patient has heat accumulation in the chest, I’ll make an exception and heavily use the miraculous medicine Honeysuckle; this is best for treating carbuncles and toxic swelling. Then, I’ll use hibiscus leaves and forsythia to reduce swelling, discharge pus, and relieve pain. Finally, I’ll add Job’s tears seeds and Infection Dispersing Powder to detoxify and eliminate pus, and areca to promote diuresis and reduce swelling.

With these medicines combined, the bowels will be cleared to eliminate the abscess, and the toxins will be discharged through defecation. The patient’s critical condition should be immediately resolved.”

Doctor Zhou’s face showed sudden understanding. He nodded and said, ”Indeed, this is an excellent combination. While Detoxification and Coordinating Qi Decoction is itself quite potent, your formula also detoxifies and drains pus—truly achieving three objectives with one stroke!”

Being praised by Doctor Zhou, Du Heng didn’t feel overly proud. He gave a light laugh and continued, ”I also plan to modify and use Major Bupleurum Decoction and Mume Pill.

Major Bupleurum Decoction resolves lesser yang and purges internal heat accumulation, which can support the Rhubarb and Moutan Decoction.

As for Mume Pill, it has the effect of warming the organs and expelling parasites. This prescription is indispensable. Otherwise, if we only used the previous formulas, the patient could indeed detoxify and discharge pus, but the pain might increase ten or twentyfold. They could potentially die from the pain.”

When Doctor Zhou heard the words ’warming the organs and expelling parasites,’ he slapped his thigh hard. ”Ah, I was muddled! I was so focused on resolving the patient’s obstruction from pathogenic heat that I completely forgot about expelling the parasites. How foolish of me.”

He then stood up. ”Director Du, please write the prescription. I’ll go prepare it right away.”

”All right,” Du Heng agreed. He took the pen and paper from Xu Pinglin and quickly began to write.

”Doctor Zhou, sorry to trouble you.”

”Director Du, you’re too polite. This is just part of my job.” Doctor Zhou reached out, took the prescription Du Heng handed him, glanced at it, and then asked, ”Are there any specific instructions for decocting and administering the medicine?”

For emergency cases, the preparation and administration of medicine often differed from ordinary medicines, a point Doctor Zhou knew he had to clarify.

”Add 2,000 milliliters of water and soak for one hour. Then, boil over high heat for 10 minutes to obtain 600 ml of the decoction. Next, dissolve the mirabilite into it, and add honey and ginger juice. The dose is to be divided into three parts. Administer one part every three hours. Continue this for two full doses. We must arrest the progression of the illness as quickly as possible.”

Doctor Zhou nodded in understanding, took the prescription, and headed out.

Du Heng quickly added, ”Doctor Zhou, I’ll be in the Director’s office all day. Just call me if you need anything.”

Doctor Zhou acknowledged and hurried away.

At this moment, Xu Pinglin brought over two cups of tea, happily placing one before Du Heng. ”We really owe you a great deal today. Otherwise, our only option would have been to risk surgery.”

As Xu Pinglin walked back to his seat, he continued, ”You wouldn’t believe it, but the patient felt no relief at all despite continuous duford injections. They still had abdominal distension and fever. I was beginning to think that IV bottle was practically pure penicillin by then; we were truly out of options.”

Du Heng held the teacup, blew gently on the surface, and took a slow sip. The fragrance of the tea, steeped in freshly boiled water, filled his entire oral cavity.

Du Heng squinted, savoring the aroma. What was that phrase again? Ah, yes, a lingering fragrance in the mouth!

”Biliary ascariasis... I’ve never encountered such a case before. And for the roundworm to actually emerge from the trachea—that was something I never expected.”

Du Heng put down his cup. The mere thought of the patient’s earlier state was enough to make his stomach churn. He quickly shook his head, banishing the image from his mind.

Xu Pinglin nodded in agreement. ”Yeah, it’s been many years since I’ve seen a case of roundworm disease. To suddenly encounter biliary ascariasis like this... I was stunned too. But it just goes to show how incredibly important hygiene is.

Considering this patient’s condition, and the length of that roundworm, who knows how long it had been living inside their stomach.”

Du Heng, not wanting to discuss the roundworm any further, changed the subject. ”This patient should have been sent to the Hepatobiliary Department, shouldn’t they? Why were they brought to our Digestion Department 1?”

At the mention of this, Xu Pinglin’s expression immediately turned gloomy. ”As you know, our Hepatobiliary Department essentially functions as Hepatobiliary Surgery. Today’s patient presented with fever, nausea, and acute pancreatitis—all conditions typically handled by our Department of Digestive. The people from the Hepatobiliary Department transferred the patient directly to us, and I couldn’t exactly refuse.”

Du Heng pursed his lips but made no comment on the internal affairs of Provincial First Hospital.

Xu Pinglin also sighed and quickly moved past the topic. It was a sore subject; after all, the three Digestion Departments had frequently clashed with the Hepatobiliary Department over similar incidents.

When a case needs to be transferred from one department to another, it’s almost certainly a very difficult one. If it were simple, no one would bother transferring it; the original department would have quietly admitted the patient and started treatment themselves.

Although these departments all belonged to the same hospital, each had its own responsibilities and operated with relative independence. Naturally, each department tried to secure any advantages for itself.

”By the way, what’s the situation with your Health Clinic? Have they given you any updates?”

”The investigation concluded without any findings of wrongdoing. However, the district bureau hasn’t issued a formal conclusion or given an explanation, so I’ve had to suspend all work at the Health Clinic.” Du Heng sighed. He’d be lying to himself if he said he wasn’t angry. However, the district bureau had just undergone a leadership change. He had inquired once, but they just told him to wait, offering a slew of bureaucratic platitudes. He decided not to press the matter further.