Chapter 758: Ancient and Modern Verified Records

Chapter 758: Chapter 758: Ancient and Modern Verified Records

Li Xu pondered for a moment before saying to Lin Guorui, "Director Lin, have you noticed that the patient’s current symptoms perfectly match the indications for the Life-Prolonging Decoction in the *Records of Ancient and Modern Medicine*? It states: ’Treats wind-stroke with paralysis, where the body cannot control itself, the mouth cannot speak, consciousness is clouded without knowing the source of pain, or the limbs are stiff and unable to turn.’"

If traditional Chinese medicine clinical combat capabilities were ranked in levels, a department director like Lin Guorui, who had worked in a Class-A tertiary hospital for over a decade, would be considered a Level 6 skilled worker at best.

On the other hand, Li Xu, relying on the system’s massive infusion of ancient texts and his crazy absorption of practical experience over the past two years, possessed core skills—such as internal medicine syndrome differentiation and pharmacological compatibility—that were absolutely at a Level 8 standard.

To borrow the power scaling of martial arts novels, if Level 7 was a first-rate expert, then Level 8 was a top-tier master capable of holding his own. Professors like Gao Guanghui and Wang Tao also belonged to this top-tier echelon. Further up, only someone like the eighty-seven-year-old National Medical Master Wang Chuyun could be considered at the pinnacle, reaching the Grandmaster Level.

Of course, in a few more years, as Li Xu continued to continuously absorb information from the system’s intelligence and masterfully integrate it in clinical practice, he had the full potential to break through his limits and become an unprecedented Great Grandmaster.

Well, although this comparison might sound a bit exaggerated, it served to intuitively illustrate the current state of technical discontinuity in the field of traditional Chinese medicine.

The hierarchy was roughly like this. The gap between Level 8 and Level 7 seemed like just one rank, but it was absolutely an insurmountable watershed. Their respective levels of understanding and insight into the true nature of diseases were completely on different dimensions.

"*Records of Ancient and Modern Medicine*’s Life-Prolonging Decoction..." Lin Guorui pondered for a moment, quickly running through the prescription’s composition in his mind: ephedra, Cinnamon Bark, Danggui, Ginseng, plaster, dried ginger, licorice, Chuan Xiong, and almond.

This was a major prescription that utilized both cold and hot properties, attacking pathogens while simultaneously tonifying the body. It was specifically targeted at hemiplegia caused by wind pathogens invading the body while the vital qi was fundamentally deficient.

"Yes, what you said makes perfect sense." Lin Guorui looked up, his eyes full of admiration. "This prescription not only uses ephedra and Cinnamon Bark to disperse wind-cold in the meridians, but also uses Ginseng and Danggui to tonify qi and blood. Combined with plaster, it clears the pathogenic factors that might have stagnated and transformed into heat. It covers all bases and perfectly suits her current constitution, which is characterized by deficiency-cold accompanied by stagnant heat."

Li Xu added, "I noticed the patient kept using her good hand to rub her paralyzed left leg. The symptoms of limb soreness, stiffness, and weakness are quite prominent. On top of the original prescription, we can add Du Huo and Achyranthes bidentata. Du Huo is excellent at dispelling wind, cold, and damp pathogens from the lower half of the body, while Achyranthes bidentata guides the blood downward and strengthens the muscles and bones. This will enhance the effect of relaxing the sinews and unblocking the collaterals."

"Brilliant." Lin Guorui was completely won over.

Standing to the side, Zeng Yunjun watched the scene unfold, a trace of unconcealed surprise flashing in his eyes.

Lin Guorui was the dignified director of internal medicine. He was usually quite proud in the hospital and had vastly more seniority than Li Xu. Even when discussing medical conditions with renowned experts from the provincial capital, Lin Guorui would often stick to his guns and even argue his points.

Yet, in front of Li Xu—a man nearly twenty years his junior—Lin Guorui was unexpectedly "obedient"? It could even be described as an attitude of humble learning and complete compliance!

It seemed this young deputy director truly had real substance.

"Director Zeng, do you think this traditional Chinese medicine plan is feasible?" Li Xu turned and politely sought Zeng Yunjun’s opinion. After all, they were in the emergency department’s territory, and integrating Chinese and Western medicine required mutual cooperation.

"If it’s the Life-Prolonging Decoction..." Although Zeng Yunjun was a practitioner of Western medicine, he had heard of these famous ancient Chinese prescriptions. He weighed the pros and cons. "We can give it a try."

Currently, the patient’s vital signs were relatively stable, and there were no dangerous indications of a brain herniation. Moreover, Li Xu’s earlier analysis—warning against blindly using the An Gong Bezoar Pill or using cold-natured herbs that would damage the vital qi—was indeed well-founded and logical.

Most crucially, the patient was currently in the hyperacute progression phase of cerebral infarction, and conventional conservative Western medicine treatments truly lacked powerful means of intervention. Since Western medicine could only "wait," letting Chinese herbal medicine "charge ahead" was indeed a supplementary plan worth trying.

"Tonight, I’ll arrange for the on-duty doctors and nurses to keep a close eye on this side, strictly monitoring her vital signs and pupil changes. Go ahead and start the Chinese medicine first. We’ll see if there’s any progress first thing tomorrow morning," Zeng Yunjun said to Li Xu.

"Thank you for your support, Director Zeng," Li Xu thanked him sincerely.

"You’re welcome; it’s all for the patient. You guys go communicate and explain things to the patient’s family. I’m going to check on the other beds." After saying that, Zeng Yunjun turned to resume his busy work.

"Alright." Li Xu nodded, turning to Lin Guorui and Song Sisi. "I won’t be going back tonight. I’ll stay here in the emergency department on duty. With this kind of acute condition, things can change at any time after the medicine is taken. Just in case there’s a sudden emergency, I’ll be able to adjust the prescription immediately based on the pulse."

"Okay, then I’ll stay and keep watch with you." Song Sisi looked at him with a hint of heartache. Without saying much else, she quietly went to pour him a cup of water.

Stepping out through the glass doors of the resuscitation room, they were immediately met by the patient’s two sons, who had been anxiously waiting in the corridor. They sprang forward like coiled springs.

"Dr. Li, Dr. Zeng, my mother, she..." the elder son said, his voice laced with anxiety.

"We fully understand the situation. The directors of several departments just had a joint discussion." Li Xu walked up to them, speaking in a steady tone. "Tonight, we are going to first administer a special Chinese medicine decoction to see if we can halt the deterioration of her condition. This medicine needs to be freshly brewed and consumed immediately."

"Huh? Take Chinese medicine? Then... does she not need a craniotomy?" the elder son asked in disbelief.

Back at the county hospital, the doctors had made her condition sound absolutely terrifying, saying her skull might need to be opened at any moment.

"Although the condition is currently progressing, it hasn’t deteriorated to the point where surgery is required," Li Xu explained. "Surgery is a last resort to save her life. Unless it’s absolutely necessary, we won’t hastily open an elderly person’s head."

"Then... does she not need to go into the ICU?" The patient’s second son couldn’t help but step forward and ask. "The doctors at the county hospital told us to hurry up and raise money, saying we should mentally prepare for her to go into the ICU at any time. They said it would cost several thousand a day..."

"She doesn’t need to go into the ICU for now, either." Li Xu smiled comfortingly. "Don’t be too nervous and scare yourselves. Although the situation is tricky, it’s not as pessimistic and severe as you imagine. Of course, we won’t let our guard down.

"Tonight, Director Zeng from the emergency department and I will personally stay on duty here, keeping an eye on the old lady’s condition at all times. You family members only need to leave one person outside to accompany her; the other can go rest in the car for a while."