Harry had brought a so-called traditional Chinese medicine practitioner to treat his sister Marina, who had been suffering from an illness for a few months. This was not only irresponsible towards Marina but also showed a lack of respect for Baldwin.
Baldwin had come to Langstel this time with his sister to treat her and to explore a business collaboration. The primary focus of this collaboration was to involve Harry and Thomas.
Baldwin’s impression of Harry had taken a considerable hit. Once his sister was treated, he might consider partnering with Thomas. Thomas and Harry were business rivals, and this was a golden opportunity for him to gain an edge.
“Why, Mr. Toby, it appears that you’ve acted quite unprofessionally in this matter. You’ve brought a so-called Chinese medicine practitioner without any reputation to treat Mr. Meredith. Is that really a wise choice?” Thomas didn’t mince his words and seized the chance to put Harry on the spot.
Harry glanced at the plump man and explained, “Mr. Meredith, there seems to be a misunderstanding. Although Dr. Bloomer is relatively young, his medical skills are extraordinary. He successfully treated my father and my sister. That’s precisely why I brought him here today to examine Miss Meredith.”
Seeing Harry speak so seriously, Baldwin’s anger subsided somewhat.
Ryan, who had been silent all this time, chimed in, “Mr. Meredith, since this young brother is also a doctor, it seems he wanted to express his opinion on the fire-cupping technique I mentioned earlier, as if he wanted to counteract poison with poison. You might as well let him finish his thoughts. I’m curious to hear what insights he might have.”
Although Leo had only spoken half of his thoughts earlier, Ryan, with his keen sense of hearing, detected a hint of skepticism in Leo’s words, which irked him to some extent.
Harry quickly added, “Yes, Mr. Meredith, you might as well listen to Dr. Bloomer’s thoughts. Perhaps he can provide new ideas for treating Miss Meredith’s illness.”
Harry was now quite eager for Leo to step in. This way, they could not only counter the oily fat man, Thomas, but also had a good chance of forming a cooperative intent with Baldwin.
After all, Baldwin had come to Langstel with a project worth billions of dollars.
Now that both Ryan and Harry had spoken up, Baldwin didn’t want to offend them and turned to Leo, saying, “Mr. Bloomer, please share your insights.”
Leo looked at Ryan and said, “Dr. Burns, your earlier suggestion of using fire-cupping and poison to counteract the poison could indeed address the damp-coldness within Miss Meredith’s body. However, have you considered that if Miss Meredith has a special constitution, your treatment may result in significant side effects?”
“Constitutional predisposition?” Ryan chuckled dismissively. “Young man, don’t kid around. I’ve already examined Miss Meredith’s pulse, and her constitution is definitely not a special one but rather a Qi-depressed one.”
In fact, Ryan had considered the issue of constitution earlier, and now, hearing Leo articulate it, he found this young man to have some skill.
“A special constitution? Qi-depressed constitution? What are you talking about?” Baldwin didn’t understand the specialized terminology.
His lack of understanding made Baldwin even more concerned. For his beloved sister Marina, he had always been extremely protective. She had suffered from a mysterious illness for a long time, and he couldn’t tolerate any risks during her treatment.
Ryan explained, “Mr. Meredith, human constitutions can be categorized into eight major types: qi-deficient, yang-deficient, yin-deficient, damp-heat, phlegm-damp, blood-stasis, special constitution, and qi-depressed.”
“What’s known as a qi-depressed constitution refers to a weaker physique, prone to sensitivity and depression, and is susceptible to conditions like stagnated liver qi, plum pit qi, or asthmatic conditions. As you can tell, I’m blind, but my other senses are quite sharp. From Miss Meredith’s cough, I can deduce that she has plum pit qi.”
Baldwin, who was listening attentively, was now convinced that the blind Chinese medicine practitioner was credible.
“Dr. Burns, my sister’s cough developed recently. What is this plum pit qi you’re talking about?” Baldwin inquired.
Ryan continued his explanation, “Plum pit qi arises due to emotional stress, liver qi stagnation, phlegm qi entanglement, and blockage in the throat. It typically presents with an unusual sensation in the throat that doesn’t affect eating. In modern medicine, it’s called globus hystericus or throat neurosis. This condition is most common in middle-aged individuals, with a higher occurrence in females.”
“The treatment for plum pit qi is simple. I’ll prescribe some medicine, and if Miss Meredith takes it for a week, her condition will improve.”
Baldwin was pleased and thought that his trip to Langstel was turning out well. The blind Chinese medicine practitioner seemed as competent as the renowned doctors in the capital. If he could cure his sister’s ailment, it would be a significant relief for Baldwin.
“Dr. Burns, could you explain the term ‘special constitution’ that Mr. Bloomer mentioned earlier?” Baldwin was primarily concerned about this special constitution because Leo had mentioned that if his sister had a special constitution, Ryan’s treatment might have side effects.
Ryan tilted his head slightly, as if “looking” at Leo, and explained, “A special constitution, also known as a constitutional deficiency or hypersensitivity, is a particular physiological condition resulting from genetic and congenital factors. It primarily includes hypersensitive constitutions, hereditary disease constitutions, or prenatal constitutions.”
“People with a special constitution may experience symptoms like sneezing and a runny nose due to weak defense against external pathogens.”
With a smile, Ryan looked at Marina and asked, “Miss Meredith, have you had any history of allergies in the past or experienced any allergy symptoms recently?”
Marina thought for a moment, then shook her head and replied, “No.”
“If you haven’t, then it’s not a special constitution. My diagnosis is correct,” Ryan chuckled, looking self-assured.
Baldwin felt relieved, as his previous worries had disappeared completely.
“Human constitutions can change over different periods, and it’s not uncommon for some people to exhibit a combination of two or three types simultaneously,” Leo added.
He had used his spiritual power to examine Marina’s constitution and identified a latent special constitution. But in the eyes of Baldwin, Leo’s statement seemed like a face-saving attempt to Baldwin.
Baldwin, as Marina’s brother, was well aware of her recent health condition, and it aligned closely with what Ryan described as qi-depressed constitution.
“Mr. Bloomer, I understand you’d like to examine my sister as well, but Dr. Burns is here now. If you have no other business, you may leave,” Baldwin said, instructing Leo to depart.