When dusk fell in Vienna, the seventh meeting of the Medical Committee of the Military Medical Department ended, and the new director began to write the second performance report.
The Military Medical Department is also under the jurisdiction of the military, and reports should be reported to the military commander. However, the candidate for the commander-in-chief has not yet been determined. The old Marshal Ludwig is suffering from old illnesses and has suffered the pain of losing a son. He seems to have no intention of taking over this heavy responsibility.
For this reason, Edinson had to choose to report beyond the level.
In fact, he personally delivered the last performance report to Franz, which included the establishment of the Medical Committee, clarifying the committee's scope of powers and responsibilities, the recommendation of the two chief physicians of medicine and surgery, the procurement of medical drugs and equipment, and the frontline The construction of hospitals, the distribution ratio of medical care, the transportation of medical supplies, etc. 【1】
There is a lot of content, but only two sentences are mentioned briefly to set the general framework. In comparison, this report is much more specific, mainly focusing on a certain young man.
[Dear His Majesty the King:
After receiving your military order three weeks ago, the Medical Committee was officially established and began to operate normally. Just today we have basically determined the candidates for the chief physicians and surgeons. They will establish the medical and health standards and implementation methods in the military camp, and conduct assessment and training for other doctors who apply to join the army.
The assessment content will be more difficult than the medical school graduation assessment. For this reason, I hope to issue a special military medical certificate to every doctor who passes the assessment to affirm their outstanding medical skills and brave beliefs.
As for the previously mentioned issues of hospital beds and doctor-nurse ratio, it has not yet been clarified. This needs to be decided based on the final number of army soldiers and the number of doctors and nurses participating in military medical services.
In this regard, the Medical Committee will follow up further, and His Majesty has nothing to worry about.
What I mainly want to talk about today is procurement.
It is understandable that medical equipment is supplied stably by Mr. Laszlo's steelmaking and foundry. Because he provides nearly 70% of Austria's steel production, the swords, firearms and even spurs used by the troops are all produced by his factory.
I have seen the finished products of surgical instruments. From a professional perspective, whether it is a scalpel or a new type of hemostat, they are very delicate and durable, and the price is very reasonable.
But I have a different view on drug procurement. If we continue to hand over to Mr. Laszlo's new Karachi pharmaceutical factory and ignore those medicinal shops that have a considerable folk foundation, it will inevitably make people feel disgusted.
For those greedy capitalists who have dug their claws into the banking and financial industry to make a fortune]
At this point in the report, Edinson couldn't help but put the pen down. He felt something was wrong when looking at the last few lines of text on the paper.
He is also a noble, and his father also holds a pivotal position in the House of Lords. Facing emerging capitalists like Laszlo, we should not care too much about the other party's opinions. The purpose of the Medical Committee's existence is to bravely express and put forward reasonable opinions.
but.
Laszlo has long gone beyond the ranks of capitalists in the normal sense.
His family business has been operating on the European continent for more than 60 years, starting from reselling Hungarian wool. Factory banks have already spread across Austria and Hungary, and their tentacles have even extended into many areas in Italy, France, Germany and Russia.
When a family business and factory has penetrated into every aspect of the country, when the person in charge has made friends with many nobles, and even his father and the king call each other friends, his small position as the director of the military medical department seems to have little weight.
"Greed" is not appropriate, you still need to control your wording.
Edinson sighed softly, crumpled up the half-written letter and threw it into the trash can far away. He deleted the last two sentences and wrote it again:
[But for drug procurement, I have my own ideas, the ideas of a vice president of the College of Surgery with more than 20 years of surgical clinical experience.
Medical drugs are divided into narcotics and analgesics, quinine, enema decoctions, and various pills. Each drug needs to be strictly processed. It is really inappropriate for a newly built pharmaceutical factory to take over the procurement of all medicinal materials based on a few drugs used in operations without years of pharmaceutical heritage.
After all, medicines are not devices. They have a variety of materials and different preparation methods. I still think we should listen to the opinions of other medicine dealers so that frontline soldiers can use the best medicines. ]
After writing this paragraph, Edinson looked back and read it again. After careful reading, he found nothing wrong and finally nodded with satisfaction.
Laszlo is not the point. There must be problems with the procurement of drugs, but it is not something he can change. All Edinson has to do is to make a suitable suggestion, and then give another suggestion after making concessions under the premise that the king will definitely deny it.
Kawei was another of his suggestions.
[Secondly, I would like to elaborate on the scope of work responsibilities of young military doctors.
As we all know, the number of internal medicine doctors is significantly less than that of surgical doctors. So far, there are only 113 internal medicine doctors registered. According to the size of our standing army, I am afraid that one physician may not be allocated for every 2,000 soldiers.
And they are all top students with knighthoods. Those who have received their doctorate degrees after going through layers of selection at the medical school are among the elite of the military medical team. Even if such talents lack experience in marching medical care, they should not be allowed to rush to the front line as stretcher bearers.
In comparison, the number of surgeons is much greater.
Including surgical medical assistants, the number of registrations has reached 689. Dr. Ignatz and I discussed that if the number of surgeons continues to increase beyond a certain number, then we must be ruthless in screening out a group.
But if their ability is enough to pass the test, this approach is equivalent to extinguishing their passion to serve the empire.
In this case, I suggest that young surgeons who lack marching medical experience be sent to the front line and incorporated into the stretcher carriage team to serve as the attending physician for front-line treatment]
At this point, Edinson stopped writing again.
Surgeons and surgeons are inherently different, and the military has always chosen to treat them differently.
War has been the creator of plagues since ancient times. The highest fatality rate in war is not swords and bullets, but dysentery, cholera, macules, pneumonia and malaria. Therefore, compared with surgery, which focuses on amputating limbs and removing bullets, the work of internal medicine is more related to the health of the entire army.
Moreover, the stretcher team rushing to the front line does lack professional surgical treatment. Incorporating surgeons into the stretcher team will definitely save the lives of more wounded soldiers.
Behind the seemingly pertinent advice, there was also some selfishness on his part.
Three weeks ago, at the beginning of the establishment of the Medical Council, Kawei talked about the causes of death due to anesthesia after completing a cesarean section. He attributed the vast majority of cases of physical inability to tolerate anesthesia to the surgeon, rather than the nurse or assistant who administered ether.
“Absolutely outrageous!!!”
Edinson was trembling with rage when he thought of the debate that day at the College of Surgeons. If he hadn't tried his best to restrain his anger, the quill in his hand might have been broken long ago.
He admitted that half of this was for personal revenge, because according to incomplete statistics from the College of Surgeons, the surgeon with the highest anesthesia fatality rate happened to be Edinson himself. Before Kawei finished the cesarean section, he happened to have an anesthesia accident.
It takes time to change surgical concepts. Constitutionalism still dominates the mainstream, but Carvey's statement has also aroused the interest of many people.
Surgeons even came to Edinson specifically to ask about his feelings about anesthesia causing a patient's death.
He couldn't stand this insult, and he just wanted to send Kawei to the front line as a stretcher bearer to carry the wounded. As for the title of "attending doctor", it is all a false title. He actually went to the front line where bullets were raining, so what if he was given the title of director.
Edinson chuckled and picked up the pen again.
[At the end of my report, I would also like to say a few words about Dr. Carvey Hines. Because of his special status, some problems arose during the appointment process.
He is a partner in purchasing a pharmaceutical factory and holds the patents for three drugs. He is also a highly recommended surgeon by the Municipal General Hospital. Not only has he completed the registration, but he will also pass the surgical examination soon.
The reason why I can confirm this is entirely out of recognition of his ability.
The overlapping identities of drug procurement and doctors will inevitably bring more critical eyes. This pressure will inevitably hinder surgical operations, which is not good for anyone.
I also thought about letting him leave the military medical team and work as an inspector of medicine procurement, but I felt deeply regretful when I thought that his superb surgery could not be used to treat the wounded.
Therefore, my suggestion is to minimize the number and types of medicinal materials purchased by Karachi Pharmaceutical Factory, and place the main procurement direction in the warehouses of major pharmacies with long histories. A highly effective drug like a panacea would certainly be more useful than an anticoagulant.
——Your faithful servant: Edinson Conrad von Herzendorf]
This performance report was sent to Franz's study by Edinson early the next morning.
"Your Majesty the King, this is my report." He was wearing a military uniform, holding a high hat under his left arm, and presented the document with his right hand, "Please take a look."
"I was just looking for you." What Franz wanted to see most now was not the report, but his attitude towards Kavi. "I remember there was a young man named Kavi Hines in the surgeon team. .”
Edinson was slightly startled: "Yes, there is such a person."
"What do you think of him?"
Edinson didn't expect the king to ask such a vague question. It was really difficult to answer, so he could only delay the time by asking: "I wonder what aspect His Majesty the King is talking about?"
"Of course it's the technical side."
"There is nothing to say about technology. I think the report in the Vienna Daily News can explain the problem very well." Since the question was vague, Edinson answered vaguely. Anyway, it was better not to make it clear. "I wonder why your Majesty asked that?"
"I heard that he can already be a surgeon?"
"That's true, but theoretically he has not received his undergraduate degree from the medical school and should not have performed the surgery without passing the final examination. In fact, this has violated the regulations of the College of Surgery. But we still showed enough respect. A month ago It has already acquiesced to this fact.”
Franz's test has produced preliminary results, and the relationship between Edinson and Carvey is not good.
In fact, some clues can already be seen from the position arrangement. A surgeon who is good enough to perform operations in the largest surgical theater in Vienna actually lost his right to perform operations after entering the military medical department. No matter how you look at it, it is strange.
Moreover, Edinson's statement just now that "you can only practice surgery after graduation and examination" is actually not accurate.
With Kawei's surgical prowess in exempted anatomy, he only needed to pay a few hundred crowns to pass the final examination, which was considered a feature of Vienna Medical College in sending students to graduation.
Even Franz had heard these rumors, but the vice president of the School of Surgery did not know about it: "He is only 17 years old, far from the age to face patient cases independently. I also wrote in my performance report I have some opinions, His Majesty the King, please take a look."
Franz nodded and took the document: "I remember that the first time Dean Waterman went to the operating table as an assistant was when he was 19 years old. Kawei was quite young. However, I personally think this should not be his. obstacle."
Edinson frowned: "Your Majesty, he is already your military doctor, and his surgical skills can serve the empire at any time."
"This is not enough." Franz put forward his suggestion for the first time, "Don't you think it's strange that a doctor who can gain the trust of Marshal Ludwig can't get the position of chief surgeon in the military doctor's office?"
Edinson had never heard of it until the king took out a letter from the drawer: "This is the letter the old marshal sent me yesterday afternoon. I have to rethink the choice of the new marshal."
The content of the letter is not long, and it mainly talks about two issues: my health and the murder of my son. 【2】
Franz was well aware of Ludwig's difficulties. If it weren't for the fact that the empire was really short of talents, he would not have insisted on letting the old marshal go on an expedition. Now that things have come to this point, it would be unreasonable to force it any further. Besides, the marshal controls the entire army. If there is a mistake in command, the victory of the entire war will be ruined.
The two of them each looked at what the other handed them.
"I will consider the issues you mentioned, especially the procurement share of pharmaceutical companies, and I will talk to Laszlo again." Franz closed the performance report document calmly, " As for what I said"
Things did not go in the direction Edinson thought at all, but turned around and chose the completely opposite direction.
But again, under the king’s order, his small position as military medical director could not change anything: “If the problem of drug procurement can be properly handled, it can greatly reduce the skepticism of other doctors. I think Kavi It is not difficult to return to the position of surgeon."
Franz gently patted the cover of the report document and placed it on the pile of documents aside: "Okay, that's settled."
Edinson nodded: "If there is nothing else, I will go out first."
"Well" Franz was about to nod when he suddenly thought of something and asked, "By the way, are you free the day after tomorrow?"
"the day after tomorrow?"
"One o'clock the day after tomorrow."
"I should be free."
"If you have time, come with me to the School of Surgery." Franz said. "I want to watch an operation, but I am short of commentary."
(End of chapter)
