Chapter 117 The Six-Step Handwashing Method
Wearing a mask, Li Sanniang looked at Guo Yarong and added loudly, "If this disease is mainly transmitted through the nasal cavity, throat, airway and lungs, then wearing a mask that can cover the mouth and nose will be more protective."
Li San Niang had now moved on from what Guo Ya Rong had said about the old doctor Guo Chen, and was wondering if Guo Ya Rong was one of the "insiders" planted by the Bad People.
Isn't this just handing a ladder to Li San Niang?
Guo Yarong straightened up, and you could see that his eyes were a little moist. He bowed to Li Sanniang and then sat back down in his original seat.
Did he ever think that if his mentor had worn a mask at the time, he wouldn't have fallen ill and collapsed due to overwork at an advanced age?
Li San Niang herself was not clear about the specifics of how the Imperial Medical Bureau organized the physicians from the Chang'an Medical Alliance and the Imperial Medical Bureau to go to the epidemic area. However, most of the physicians present were quite clear about the inside story because they had just joined the Imperial Medical Bureau in the first half of this year. It was a ceremony to reward those who had made significant contributions in government-led projects.
The murmurs among the crowd grew louder, and even Old Huang and Doctor Gao began to whisper to each other in their seats.
"I remember that when the people in Anhua County were infected, they had persistent coughs, high fevers, and flushed faces, right?"
"Yes, that cough must be because the patient's lungs have been infected with the bacteria that Third Sister mentioned. If they had worn a mask at the time, it might have been better."
Seeing that the discussion among the people in the room was getting louder and louder, Li Sanniang picked up her teacup and tapped the lid of the teacup rhythmically, making a crisp sound. After tapping it a dozen times, attracting everyone's attention, Li Sanniang stopped tapping, stood still, and said to the people present in a high-pitched voice unique to women: "Everyone, everyone, please listen to me."
Physicians, especially those who regularly serve under the orders of the Medical Alliance and the Imperial Medical Bureau, are quite capable of following instructions. In just a few moments, everyone quieted down.
Li San Niang then lowered her tone and spoke in a slightly louder, more forceful voice: "Gentlemen, from the clothes I am wearing today, to the hat on my head, the mask covering my mouth and nose, and the cloths that a surgeon can use to treat wounds, etc., all of these are the most useful items for us doctors. If they were useless, I would not dare to speak of them in front of you all like this."
Li San Niang pointed from her light green surgical gown to her cap and mask, then turned and bowed in the direction of Guo Ya Rong, saying, "It is a blessing for the Great Tang Dynasty to have doctors like you who dare to go to the epidemic area to save the people. It is a great honor for the Great Tang Dynasty, a blessing for the people of the Great Tang Dynasty, and an unparalleled glory for us doctors!"
After saying that, Li San Niang directed the two servants who were still standing at the door to come forward. One of them carried the wooden basin that Li San Niang had agreed with the shopkeeper when she first arrived at Jun You Lai, which contained hot water. The other carried a small wooden box containing lard soap and a pig bristle brush.
This time, Li Sanniang saw lard soap, a better cleaning product than pig pancreas, at Junyoulai, which made her realize once again that the Tang Dynasty at this time was definitely not just about her and Emperor Wu, who were time travelers.
After the servant placed the wooden basin and box on another small table, Li Sanniang rolled up her sleeves and said, "Everyone, after this lecture with you all ends, I must go to the grave of Doctor Guo to pay my respects. Now, time waits for no one, so this is an important step in aseptic technique that I want to show you: how to clean the doctor's hands and arms before operating on the injured."
Li San Niang forcibly shifted everyone's attention from the previous discussion about Doctor Guo to herself. No one felt uncomfortable or embarrassed looking at her smooth arms revealed by her rolled-up sleeves.
It must be said that the atmosphere in the Tang Dynasty at that time was really open and inclusive. As mentioned before, it was common for daughters of noble families to ride out of the city together to play polo. Not to mention that there were quite a few upper-class noblewomen who brought their daughters home after divorce.
Although respectable women in the summer wouldn't dress like the courtesans in Pingkangfang, wearing only a ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) without a ru (a type of traditional Chinese jacket), it was common for women to wear a light and breathable ru with only a small undergarment underneath during the hot summer months.
Even more so was the extremely expensive smoky gauze fabric that subtly revealed the skin; upper garments made from this fabric were often worn by noble ladies.
Inside and outside Chang'an, one could see women of all ages soliciting customers and running small businesses, such as selling their own produce, or working as female shopkeepers and assistants in needlework and fabric shops. In the countryside, it was not uncommon for women to remarry, but even remarry three or four times.
To sum it up, when a country is young, strong, prosperous, and thriving, it becomes more inclusive and open, and women's clothing and appearance become more diverse and colorful.
On the contrary, the weaker and more powerless a country is, the more it restricts the personal freedom of women, and pays great attention to their clothing and appearance, and even imposes strict requirements on their fidelity.
"Everyone, especially those who need to touch the wounds on the patient's body, should pay more attention to the cleanliness of their hands and arms. As long as the cleanliness is done properly, it can greatly reduce the risk of germs and other pathogens infecting the wounds."
At this moment, Li San Niang felt an urge to hug and kiss Li Da Sao. Li San Niang had initially thought that Li Da Sao had simply narrowed the sleeves of her usual clothes, but now that she had rolled them up, she realized that it was not just that. To make it easier for Li San Niang to roll up her sleeves and expose her arms to treat her injuries, Li Da Sao had sewn two thin straps into the sleeves about ten centimeters above the elbows!
Li San Niang thought to herself, "I felt a bit itchy inside my sleeve earlier, so it was because of this belt!"
This made things easier for Li San Niang, so she quietly called her mother over to help her secure the sleeves of her light green surgical gown with the two straps, so that her arms would be exposed.
Li San Niang thought to herself that she should tell Qiu Niangzi later that such straps could also be added to the surgical gown.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please watch carefully how I clean it."
Everyone's attention turned to Li Sanniang's hands. Li Sanniang first soaked her hands in hot water, then rubbed a lot of foam on them with the lard soap next to her. "Everyone, I will wash my hands slowly step by step from now on."
While cleaning her hands using the six-step handwashing method, Li Sanniang explained how she did it: "You need to rub your palms and the backs of your hands alternately. Here, you need to pay attention to carefully rubbing your fingers together. You also need to rub your knuckles. The last two steps are to alternately rub each finger. Finally, rub your fingertips together in your palms."
When Li San Niang demonstrated her six-step handwashing method, it truly astonished many people at the scene. No one expected that Li San Niang could make such a fancy way of washing her hands.
Then, after rinsing her arms in another basin of water, Li Sanniang spoke again: "Everyone, if conditions permit, it would be best to use another basin of hot water to clean your arms."
Li San Niang then demonstrated how to clean arms, and then picked up a boar bristle brush from the side. "Ladies and gentlemen, if conditions permit, you can use this boar bristle brush to thoroughly scrub every inch of your hands and arms."
"Is it really necessary to wash it so thoroughly?"
"Isn't Li San Niangzi's teaching method a bit too troublesome?"
"Hey, didn't you hear her say earlier that it was specifically for ulcer doctors? The worst thing about wounds is when the patient develops a high fever at the end. Who knows, what this Third Sister said might actually be useful."
Seeing that Li San Niang had finished washing herself in another basin of water, Li Da Lang quickly stepped forward and handed her a clean cloth.
As mentioned earlier, it is impossible to achieve a completely sterile environment at this point; we can only do our best under the existing conditions.
According to modern surgical standards for entering the operating room, the patient must be washed at least three times, with running water being used for one of the washes.
"Gentlemen, if possible, it would be best to dry your hands with a clean cloth."
Then, Li Dalang stepped forward and pulled a dagger from his boot. Amidst the astonished gasps of the crowd, he made a straight cut with a "plop" on the pork in front of Li Sanniang.
After finishing his work, Li Dalang saw Li Sanniang nod before returning to his original position with the dagger.
Li San Niang looked at the curved needles, catgut, and needle holders that Li Erlang had already prepared for her, and said to everyone, "Everyone, what follows is the most important thing that I, San Niang, will be discussing with you today: suturing."
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