Chapter 141
During dinner, Sun Mao told Qin Su a lot about the local customs and culture of Huainan, which Qin Su listened to with great interest.
As she ate her rice porridge with a spoon, she looked at Sun Mao. The rice bowl covered half of her face, revealing only her bright, sparkling eyes, like those of some adorable little animal.
Before the meal, Emperor Jingxi summoned the imperial physician to examine Qin Su. The physician examined her and said there was nothing wrong, except that she should not eat anything too hard or sweet, and should not lick it with her tongue. He advised her to pay attention to her diet.
So everyone else ate a hearty meal, but she was the only one drinking porridge.
Sun Mao felt sorry for the little princess because she was so well-behaved and sensible, so he racked his brains to tell her some interesting stories and experiences.
Qin Su was a person with keen intuition, and she was naturally able to accurately and clearly distinguish between people's goodwill and malice. She discovered that Emperor Jingxi trusted Sun Mao quite a bit, and Sun Mao was also good to her, so she relaxed a lot when she was around Sun Mao.
After dinner, the group sat chatting idly, and Qin Su couldn't help but ask, "Lord Sun, what's wrong with your stomach?"
Sun Mao is not fat, but his belly is quite large, which is obviously inconsistent with his body shape, making him quite eye-catching whether he is standing or sitting.
Upon hearing Qin Su's question, Sun Mao's eyes dimmed, and he said, "I have been poisoned by a water curse."
Qin Su asked in astonishment, "Gu?"
She immediately looked at Ye Yan.
A while ago, Qin Su was reading a collection of strange tales and came across the concept of Gu worms. She discussed it with Ye Yan, who told her that there might not be any Gu worms in the world. Many Gu worms are actually parasites, but they cannot be observed with current conditions, which is why people mistake them for Gu worms. He also said that glass can be ground into something called a "magnifying glass," which can be used to see some insects that are invisible to the naked eye.
Just a few days after she finished speaking, she met a person who actually claimed to have been afflicted by a water curse.
Ye Yan was also surprised. Could it be that there really were Gu worms in ancient times?
He asked Sun Mao, "Lord Sun, what is the origin of this water poisoning? What are the symptoms? Is there any treatment?"
Sun Mao shook his head: "I don't know where it comes from. I only know that this kind of Gu is common in the southern regions. It is difficult to escape once it comes into contact with water. Those who are infected with Gu often gradually lose weight, but their abdomens swell up. Some people will also experience abdominal pain and vomit blood."
His face was somber. He paused for a moment, then continued, "Anyone who has been afflicted by this Gu will inevitably die. It may be as quick as ten days or half a month, or as slow as several years or even more than ten years. I discovered I was afflicted by Gu at the end of last autumn. I am fortunate enough to have survived until now and have the opportunity to come to the capital. I have no regrets."
Qin Su was stunned, never expecting that Sun Mao, who looked so healthy, would have a terminal illness.
She glanced at Emperor Jingxi and saw that he was not surprised, only that he looked grief-stricken. It seemed that Sun Mao had already told him.
Ye Yan found Sun Mao's words strangely familiar.
Gradual weight loss? Abdominal distension? Transmission via water?
Stomach, stomach, stomach...
He racked his brains, his brow furrowed, before it suddenly dawned on him: "A bloated belly?"
Sun Mao turned his head in surprise: "Young Master Ye has also heard of it? In fact, people call this Gu disease 'Big Belly Disease' because of its symptoms."
Ye Yan's heart sank.
Seeing Qin Su's expectant gaze, he pursed his lips and shook his head slightly.
Schistosomiasis, also known as swollen belly disease, is a parasitic infectious disease.
He could only remember it because the symptoms of the disease were quite obvious, such as his abdomen becoming very large, but in reality, there was no way to cure it.
In real history, this disease was also very difficult to treat. On the eve of the founding of the People's Republic of China, out of a total population of more than 500 million, nearly 100 million people were threatened by this disease. A certain great man on a banknote once lamented, "The green mountains and clear waters are plentiful, but even Hua Tuo is helpless against this little worm."
Later, a special working group was established in China. The whole country worked together and mobilized to carry out various methods of turning over the ground and burning it. By eliminating the snail, an important host of schistosomiasis, the disease was finally eradicated.
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