Our Family Has Fallen

Compared to the threat of life expectancy, war, famine, disease, and disasters are the most terrifying enemies of humanity in this era.

Otherwise, why would individuals mature by thirteen or fourteen yet have an average life expectancy of only in their twenties?

Many ordinary people never reach the stage of worrying about life expectancy in the face of these threats.

While aging takes decades, starvation can kill in seven days, and war and disaster can claim lives in an instant.

These are tangible and understandable, and death is certain.

But disease is beyond their comprehension. They do not understand why the body changes this way. Sometimes the pain and suffering caused by disease are often seen by ignorant people as curses from evil wizards, leading them to seek aid from the Church.

Indeed, divine arts have an obvious healing effect on external injuries, and the boost from a bottle of holy water might help the patient endure.

But the Church charges money; they are not charitable, and the cost in gold coins is something ordinary people cannot afford.

Moreover, the Church is powerless against certain diseases, only capable of "redefining" them.

Just like Baldwin and those unlucky ones, who, after contracting leprosy, have to endure the slander of so-called divine punishment.

Prostitutes infected with venereal disease are said to have consorted with demons, and their symptoms are described as marks of the devil.

To ignorant people, if nothing else works, they find someone in the village to burn at the stake; whether it works or not is irrelevant, as they are not the ones being burned.

Whether it is true or not doesn’t matter either. Sometimes it’s just a means for them to vent, and also a way to inherit the deceased’s belongings, as once burned, what remains belongs to them.

As for the emerging medical technology in cities, it is mostly mixed with mystical and supernatural powers, coupled with some inexplicable abstract practices.

Take bloodletting therapy, for instance. Doesn’t it look like witchcraft? Yet it is accompanied by herbology and transcendent rituals. If it’s the Mountain Barbarian Tribe, with nature spirits, what’s the use of copying it superficially?

This is why Lance initially looked down on the medical field of this world and insisted on creating his own.

Because, born out of transcendent rituals yet losing the most crucial supernatural powers, it’s laughable.

Modern medicine originates from Hamlet, as Lance said, and Paracelsus has been striving toward it.

Starting with the basic structure of the human body, experimenting and researching step by step.

Lance offered a new theoretical system distinct from the inexplicable systems of humors and astrology, revealing the mysteries of the human body.

Grendel also contributed significantly, with the Deerhead Tribe’s centuries-old experience in herbology showing very noticeable effects, not to mention her role as a pharmacist.

As Lance said, she is truly the treasure trove of the Deerhead Tribe.

With its population base, it’s impossible for Hamlet to be free of diseases; catching a cold or fever is normal, along with various accidental injuries.

Nevertheless, the disease rate is one of the lowest in the world.

On one hand, Lance promotes hygiene, like boiling water and centralized waste disposal, while popularizing basic health knowledge.

On the other hand, as the environment improves, some simple minor illnesses also become endurable.

Truly terrifying, however, is the disease imported by foreign refugees and the transient population.

This is why refugees entering Hamlet undergo a three-day observation period.

These three days allow them to recover, adapt to Hamlet’s environment, learn the rules, and most importantly, ensure they do not manifest any illness.

If there are issues, they will be sent to the hospital for treatment.

Of course, this facility is not a sanatorium but an independent institution where professional doctors and nurses are employed.

Since the refugees have already sold themselves to Hamlet, they have to work as serfs for a few years before official integration. Thus, the treatment costs will be covered by the Lord.

Frankly, Lance’s main intent in doing this is to use them to practice for doctors and nurses and to test the effectiveness of treatments.

There have been medical incidents, too. Baldwin couldn’t withstand the effects of the barbarian tribe’s concoctions, and unexpected outcomes in surgery are not uncommon; anyone can make mistakes.

Even if deaths occur, no one raises a fuss because illness in this era is practically a death sentence, and attempts at free treatment represent the best possible effort.

Although this sounds cruel, these patients offer reference experiences for doctors, which is their value.

Of course, he still expresses condolences, maintaining appearances.

Simultaneously, investigations are conducted to determine if there was a medical error, such as overdosing, wrong medication, or surgical mistakes leading to medical incidents.

Clarifying the situation, if the error truly lies with the involved doctor, appropriate punishment will be administered, and the incident will be documented and reported to all doctors to prevent similar occurrences in the future.

But compensation is out of the question because treatment was free, and risks are theirs to bear; only those who pay are entitled to compensation.

He is a Lord, not a fool, and these people are not his subjects; their illnesses have no connection to Hamlet, so he bears no responsibility.

The benevolence of the Lord stops here...

After all, refugees form a small number. The grueling journey means those with even slightly weaker constitutions never make it here; the invisible hand has already pre-screened them. Too magnificent.