Chapter 18: Lamarck's Astonishment
Lamarck immediately pulled a small knife and a copper basin from his medical bag. He instructed Perna, "Prepare to bleed the Crown Prince."
Joseph flatly declared, "No! I absolutely forbid you to bleed me..."
Lamarck observed Joseph's weak expression and stated gravely, "Your Royal Highness, I must do this. A prolonged fever can lead to severe consequences!"
Joseph struggled, trying to reach for his curved saber. Lamarck added, "If you refuse treatment, I will report this to Her Majesty the Queen."
Joseph felt a surge of exasperation. He was wondering how to persuade this stubborn man when Lasseni pushed open the door, holding a glass bottle.
"Your Royal Highness, this is what you requested," Lasseni said, a hint of apprehension in his voice. He handed over the bottle and mumbled, "Perhaps, the purification isn't entirely sufficient..."
Joseph gazed at the gray, viscous substance in the bottle. He opened the cap and was immediately met with a strong scent of alcohol. He smiled wryly to himself; this was hardly 'a bit' insufficient! Still, he reassured the doctor, "It's your first time, and this is already excellent. Thank you very much."
Joseph was about to take the Salicin when a thought suddenly struck him. He looked at Lamarck and asked, "Monsieur Lamarck, if I were to accept your bloodletting treatment, how long would it take for my fever to subside?"
Lamarck pondered for a moment. He replied, "Perhaps your temperature would normalize tonight, or perhaps by tomorrow morning."
Lamarck felt his professional dignity challenged. He immediately shook his head. "Your Royal Highness, your pneumonia is not under control. Among all the medicines I know, there is absolutely none that can reduce a fever so quickly."
He was a member of the French Academy of Sciences, a renowned biologist and pharmacologist in Europe, and a pioneer who first proposed the theories of "biological evolution" and "survival of the fittest." As France's top doctor, he was fully confident in his assertion.
Joseph smiled wearily. "Then let's make a wager. If my fever breaks within an hour, you won't be allowed to bleed me again."
Lamarck paused, slightly surprised, then nodded confidently. "Very well, Your Royal Highness. If your medicine isn't as effective, then you cannot refuse any treatment from a doctor in the future."
"Deal!"
Joseph poured out a spoonful of Salicin. He tilted his head back and swallowed it. The taste was incredibly bitter, accompanied by a strong alcoholic tang, making him dry heave.
Lamarck meticulously took out his pocket watch and showed it to Joseph. "Your Royal Highness, it is now 4:21."
Joseph nodded. He had intended to sleep a bit longer, but having three people standing awkwardly by his bed, one of whom was a young woman, made him feel uncomfortable. So he simply got up and began discussing the purification of Salicin with Lasseni.
Lamarck, hearing that the medicine was made from willow bark, couldn't help but secretly shake his head. The British had researched the medicinal properties of willow bark over a decade ago; while it had a fever-reducing effect, it required several days of continuous use to be effective.
Moreover, the substance was very harsh on the stomach. Many people would give up before their fever broke, due to stomach pain.
However, he was extremely impressed by the Crown Prince's theoretical knowledge of experimentation, which was far superior to that of his own students. If the Crown Prince devoted himself to pharmacology or experimental science, he would certainly achieve great things.
In truth, Joseph was merely an amateur in this field, having only received a little influence from a chemistry major friend in his university dorm. But in the 18th century, it appeared incredibly professional.
"So, precipitation allows for quicker cooling..."
Joseph was speaking when he suddenly stopped. He rubbed his forehead, then looked at Lamarck and smiled faintly. "Monsieur Lamarck, I believe my fever has broken."
Lamarck had been listening intently to his explanation of the experiment, almost forgetting about the wager. He quickly checked his pocket watch; it was 4:58. Only 37 minutes had passed since the Crown Prince took the medicine.
He looked at Joseph again, seeing a sparkle return to his eyes. He quickly leaned forward, reaching out to touch his forehead. Indeed, it was no longer hot!
"Perna, the thermometer."
Lamarck took the thermometer and placed it in the Crown Prince's mouth. After a moment, he personally removed it to check, his eyes filled with disbelief.
8 degrees Celsius!
His body temperature had returned to normal!
"This, how is this possible?!" he murmured, looking down. He suddenly grabbed Joseph's shoulders in excitement. "Your Royal Highness, was what you just drank truly willow bark extract?"
Joseph smiled and nodded.
"I never imagined the effect would be so potent after purification!" Lamarck's eyes seemed to sparkle with excitement. "Your Royal Highness, if the efficacy is stable, this is absolutely a groundbreaking medicine! May I attempt to synthesize this drug?"
"Of course. Monsieur Lasseni will explain the specific process to you."
"I can hardly express my gratitude!" Lamarck bowed deeply to Joseph. He fumbled all in a fluster for his notebook, then turned back and asked, "Your Royal Highness, did you invent this medicine?"
"Well..." Joseph paused, taken aback, then improvised, "Ah, it must have been a divine revelation, granting me a flash of inspiration."
'Oh, my Lord!' Lamarck was inwardly astonished. 'Could His Royal Highness truly be the Son of Divine Favor? To think such a potent medicine could be conceived with just a flash of inspiration!'
But with the rigor of a scientist, he felt that extensive experimentation was still necessary to truly confirm the medicine's efficacy. With this thought, he was immediately filled with drive. He pulled Lasseni along towards the alchemy laboratory, leaving behind the instruction, "Perna, keep a close eye on His Royal Highness's condition. Inform me immediately if anything changes."
"Understood, Doctor."
...
Two days later.
After treatment with Salicin, Joseph's condition had stabilized significantly. Although he still had a slight cough, his fever had not returned.
When he stepped through the golden doors of the East Wing conference hall at Versailles, it was not yet nine o'clock. The cabinet meeting was still a few minutes from starting.
The other cabinet ministers had all arrived. Seeing the Crown Prince enter, they all rose and bowed to him.
Interior Minister Monnot, beaming, approached Joseph. He whispered, "Thank you, Your Royal Highness. Yesterday's edict regarding Guizot has been issued, and it makes no mention of inciting riots."
Joseph smiled and guided him to a seat. Yesterday, he had mentioned a few words to the Queen during lunch, simply about attributing all blame to Guizot alone. Later, he had a secretary compile a formal report, and the matter was considered concluded.
Although Joseph felt there might be more to Guizot's affair, he believed it was unrelated to Monnot. Once his own intelligence agency was established, this would be the first matter to investigate.
Monnot suddenly rose, spreading his arms. He declared loudly to everyone, "The Police Reform spearheaded by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has achieved remarkable results! As everyone knows, the criminals in the Saint-Antoine district have been almost entirely rooted out! His Royal Highness truly lives up to the name Son of Divine Favor! Let us all congratulate His Royal Highness!"
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