Medical skills do indeed emphasize observation, listening, questioning, and palpation. It is possible to diagnose a disease without taking the pulse, but the pulse can convey a more accurate diagnosis than visual observation.
Wen Zhiyun already sensed that the other party was not friendly, but for the sake of the clinic and to save face, he gritted his teeth and agreed, "Okay."
The four diagnostic methods of observation, auscultation, inquiry, and palpation, as the name suggests, involve first observing the patient with the eyes, then listening with the ears, and finally inquiring about the patient's symptoms and daily routine.
The young man was about fourteen or fifteen years old. His skin was smooth and healthy, and his limbs were intact and agile. He did not look sick. However, the corners of his eyes were slightly red, and the whites of his eyes, which should have been clear, seemed to be covered with a layer of mist.
It seems to be dry eye syndrome, as described in the book Dr. Wu gave me.
Wen Zhiyun stood up and led the young man to the entrance of the clinic. The midday sun hit them in the face, and the young man immediately closed his eyes and strode back to the shade.
"Young master," he had a good idea of what was going on, "does your eye usually feel dry and tearless, sometimes burning and itchy, as if something is stuck in your eye, and occasionally you can't see clearly?"
The young man was slightly taken aback, but quickly nodded. "You do have some skills."
Wen Zhiyun pursed his lips modestly, returned to the wooden table and picked up his pen, "If it is more serious, massage and acupuncture will be needed. If it is just mild discomfort, you can get some medicine first, such as wolfberry and rehmannia root to clear the liver and improve eyesight. If necessary, you can use a hot compress with a cloth."
After he finished speaking, he also wrote down the prescription.
The young master snatched it and exclaimed in admiration, "I can't believe that this little doctor, who looks only thirteen or fourteen, is so skilled."
Actually, I wouldn't call myself amazing.
Wen Zhiyun's medical skills were honed on ordinary people. He was skilled at treating diseases caused by poverty, such as dysentery, typhoid fever, and injuries to the lower back and limbs.
For truly serious illnesses, ordinary people simply don't seek treatment and leave them at home to die, thus losing the opportunity to accumulate experience.
If he could, he really wanted to find an experienced master to study medicine and poison to the fullest extent.
Unfortunately, ordinary people are neither qualified nor have the opportunity.
Wen Zhiyun sighed softly, turned his gaze to the white-haired old man, and said with increasing solemnity, "This way, sir."
The old man remained silent and swayed as he walked over.
The young gentleman immediately stepped back, making room for the cushioned seat.
This time there was nothing difficult; it was just a regular medical examination. However, Wen Zhiyun encountered a new problem with the pulse diagnosis.
As we all know, the pulse of the elderly is slower than that of the young. The aging body also brings more symptoms. When taking the pulse, multiple symptoms may appear, making it difficult to distinguish the specific symptoms.
However, the old man before me, with his white hair and beard, had a strong and clear pulse, indicating good health.
If you didn't see the wrinkles and blemishes on his skin, you would think he was a young and strong man.
"You..." Wen Zhiyun withdrew her hand as if it were burning hot, not knowing what to do.
"Young doctor, please speak frankly. I'm old enough to be unafraid of anything," the old man finally spoke, his voice low and hoarse.
Wen Zhiyun pursed his lips and decided to tell the truth, "Your pulse is too strange, it's just like that of a young person, there's no sign of aging at all, which is seriously inconsistent with your physical condition."
"Oh? So, is this good or bad for me?" the old man asked slowly.
Wen Zhiyun shook his head. "My medical skills are not good enough to make a judgment. I would like to ask you to find several doctors to avoid misunderstandings and delays."
The middle-aged man and the young man standing next to them stood up at the same time and walked over aggressively.
Jiang Sheng and Zheng Ruqian were startled and rushed over at the same time to shield the slender and delicate young doctor behind them.
"I came to you for treatment, but you say my medical skills are lacking." The middle-aged man's face was unfriendly, as if he had seized the opportunity to make trouble. "If your medical skills are lacking, I don't see any need for your clinic to stay open."
The young master nodded fiercely beside him.
Jiang Sheng was so angry that her eyes widened. Doctors have limited skills and there are many illnesses they cannot cure. It is better to tell patients honestly than to prescribe medicine haphazardly and harm them.
Her fourth brother was kind and sincere, yet he was bullied instead.
That's utterly unreasonable!
"Alright, alright," the old man said indifferently. "You may all leave. I'd like to have a few more words with the young doctor."
The middle-aged man then turned around angrily and returned to his original seat.
Jiang Sheng didn't want to leave, but Zheng Ruqian pulled her back, and she turned around angrily.
"You say the pulse doesn't match your physical condition. Do you know what circumstances would cause this?" the old man asked the timid young doctor.
This... left Wen Zhiyun speechless.
A normal person's pulse can reveal their physical condition, which is why medical diagnosis originated.
If even pulse diagnosis can't diagnose illnesses, ancient medicine would have long since disappeared into the annals of history.
"I heard you know acupuncture?" Seeing that Wen Zhiyun couldn't answer, the old man changed the subject, "I wonder what you usually do with acupuncture?"
"It can be used to unblock meridians, promote blood circulation, and harmonize yin and yang. It can also be used for emergency resuscitation and to reduce fever and relieve pain in a short time." Wen Zhiyun truthfully explained what he had learned.
The old man nodded calmly, placing his left hand on the pulse of his right hand, without saying a word.
My fifth brother once said that everyone in this world has their own purpose in speaking and acting.
If the old man also had an ulterior motive, why did he mention pulse diagnosis and acupuncture for no apparent reason...? Wen Zhiyun's eyes suddenly lit up, and an unbelievable thought arose: "Could it be that this pulse diagnosis was altered by acupuncture?"
This child is teachable.
The old man's lips curled slightly as he reached up and removed something from his right arm, then placed it back on the pulse diagnosis table, gesturing for Wen Zhiyun to examine it.
Three young, fair fingers rested on the wrinkled, aged skin. The slow, slight pulse of an elderly person was palpable, accompanied by a slight tremor—somewhat normal, yet also showing signs of a symptom.
Wen Zhiyun released her hand and asked cautiously, "Do you have a heart palpitation problem?"
Heart palpitations in the elderly are not a serious problem, but if left untreated, they can easily lead to a stroke.
"That's true." The old man withdrew his hand and finally smiled. "I really can't believe that the young doctor, who is only a teenager, is even better than my grandson."
The young man pouted, looking somewhat unhappy.
Sure enough, it was a group of three generations of a family coming to make things difficult for people.
Jiang Sheng was furious and was ready to go to the Jiang family to complain and ask her father and grandmother for support.
Unexpectedly, the old man's tone suddenly changed, "It's just that you have too little experience with serious illnesses. Ancient books may broaden your horizons, but without practical experience in treating patients, it's just empty talk."
This is similar to the principle of martial arts practitioners fighting each other. Countless sparring sessions in the air are not as effective as actual combat with a real person.
But medical skills are different from fighting.
A reckless fight might cost you your life, but a rash injection could harm innocent patients.
No one would entrust a serious illness to an inexperienced doctor, but without treating the illness, the doctor will never gain experience.
At this time, the master became the most important guide.
Wen Zhiyun knew she didn't have it, and when she thought of the repeated rejections she received when she asked her fifth brother to become his apprentice, tears welled up in her eyes.
Until he heard that sentence—"I see you have good aptitude, would you like to learn medicine from me?"
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