I Can Talk to the Internal Organs-Chapter 65 - 58: The Less Hair, the Greater the Medical Skill
"Sis, is the Chinese medicine brother-in-law found reliable?"
"Whether it’s reliable or not, you still have to try it."
"You didn’t have to bring me here, did you? After all, I’m a father now. Why are you still treating me like a kid?"
"Shut up. If you didn’t have this illness, I wouldn’t bother with you. Hurry up, what’s taking you so long?"
"Hey, don’t push! Why are you kicking me? We’re on the street, give me some face, sis..."
"..."
Inside Lu’s Clinic, Mao Dawei had arrived early. On the table, there was a black plastic bag containing two packs of cigarettes, though the brand was unknown. But since it was brought by the director, it certainly wouldn’t be bad.
Lu Jiu had learned about this from Tian Xuelin yesterday, so he naturally wasn’t surprised by Mao Dawei’s arrival.
"Dr. Lu, they’ll be here any moment," Mao Dawei called to urge.
"No rush," Lu Jiu waved his hand.
"Pardon me for asking, but is Dr. Lu’s skill passed down in the family?" Mao Dawei asked.
"In a way. I also studied at a Traditional Chinese Medicine university," Lu Jiu replied.
"That’s impressive," Mao Dawei thought to himself, wondering why, with a family tradition and a university degree, Lu Jiu returned to a small place like Jianghan. Was it due to a lack of higher education?
He remembered that medical students generally required high educational qualifications. Even in Jianghan, to become a chief-level doctor required at least a master’s degree, and in big cities, the requirements would probably be even stricter.
But someone who can diagnose fatty liver without relying on instruments should surely be able to achieve at least a master’s degree, right?
Mao Dawei had consulted Chinese doctors before, but now, when he’s ill, he wouldn’t go to a Chinese doctor. Why? Because they can’t cure the illness. So why would he consult them?
The number of Chinese doctors at Jianghan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine can be counted on one hand. Can you expect a miracle doctor from there?
"Honey."
"Brother-in-law."
Soon enough, Mao Dawei’s wife and brother-in-law arrived at the clinic.
Mao Dawei immediately introduced them, "Here, this is Dr. Lu, whom I’ve been telling you about. Dr. Lu, this is my wife, and this is my brother-in-law, Wei Jun."
Lu Jiu nodded politely.
Mao Dawei’s wife and brother-in-law were taken aback. They initially thought that the repeatedly emphasized Chinese doctor should be an old doctor with white hair and a beard. But this young man seemed more like a freshly graduated TCM student.
Is he reliable?
"What are you standing there for? Go sit down and let Dr. Lu check your pulse," Mao Dawei said.
Seeing this, Wei Jun couldn’t say much. He seriously suspected that his brother-in-law had been fooled, but causing a scene in front of others would be unwise. Since he was already there, he might as well see what this younger Chinese doctor could diagnose.
"Did you tell him what my illness is?" Wei Jun asked.
"Fatty liver, why?" Mao Dawei asked.
Oh dear, you told him the illness. If he just bluffs a bit and prescribes some medicine, aren’t you going to be deceived?
Why would a usually shrewd brother-in-law suddenly become so muddleheaded?
Wei Jun was at a loss for words.
"Never mind. Doctor, take a look at me, please." Wei Jun walked to the table, sat down, and glanced at the black plastic bag on the table with disdain in his eyes.
From the moment Wei Jun entered, Lu Jiu had been observing his complexion, expression, and even his gaze.
Clearly, he didn’t believe in him, but this disbelief was more because of Lu Jiu’s young age and the mismatch with the identity of a Chinese doctor.
Encountering such patients, Lu Jiu wasn’t overly resistant. After all, it’s human nature to have doubts when faced with young doctors, even at hospitals. However, trust would be full if they met a bald doctor.
Therefore, often doctors’ hair and their medical skills absurdly inversely relate, with fewer hair indicating higher skills becoming a basic public belief.
Of course, this belief doesn’t hold for Chinese medicine. Chinese doctors need to be physically healthy, with plenty of black hair and vigorous vitality. Otherwise, patients would instinctively doubt your skills, thinking you couldn’t even cure your issues, so how could you treat them?
This causes a difference in perception; Chinese doctors need to be healthy, while Western doctors’ ill health supposedly signifies superior skills.
However, the truth is that this notion is incorrect. In the Jinling Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine where Lu Jiu previously worked, many doctors weren’t in good health. It’s not that they didn’t know how to maintain health, but due to numerous patients, they had no time to rest. Western medicine practitioners face the same issue, leading to various health problems from overwork.
Doctors, regardless of Chinese or Western, undertake medical practice with a dedication to saving lives and healing injuries.
Wei Jun’s distrust made Lu Jiu realize that if he didn’t showcase some skills, the following inquiries would be challenging. Therefore, he directly engaged the pulse without asking and communicated with his Five Viscera.
Lu Jiu placed his hand on Wei Jun’s pulse at the Cun, Guan, and Chi positions, and the voices of the Five Viscera sounded in response.
"Spleen Earth, why is your blood and qi diminishing? My energy reserve can’t fill up like this," Hydronephrosis said.
"Too tired, don’t feel like moving, and my bro is the same," Spleen Earth replied.
"Didn’t you remind our friend to eat a bit more?" Hydronephrosis asked.
"We can’t metabolize what he eats, and Liver Wood’s gained weight, struggling to cope on its own. If we ask for help with digestion, progress is slow. How dare we let him eat more?" Spleen Earth said.
"This... Heart Fire, any solution?" Hydronephrosis asked.
"None. The situation is what it is. Specifically, we’ll see as we go along. Indeed I’m the senior, but I’m not omnipotent. If it fails, we all perish," Heart Fire stated.
"Can’t you be serious? You keep scaring me. I’ll abandon the little energy reserve if this continues," Hydronephrosis feebly retaliated.
"Alright, alright, I won’t say more," Heart Fire conceded.
"..."
Among fatty liver patients, the vitals showed little change, mainly the overpowering ailment of Liver Wood suppressing Spleen Earth, causing Spleen and Stomach dysfunction.
This patient’s condition appeared more serious than Tian Xuelin’s, and upon entering, Lu Jiu noticed his puffy face, with slightly jaundiced eyes upon close inspection.
These signs pointed to a more severe accumulation disorder!
In Chinese medicine, fatty liver is considered a type of accumulation disorder.
"Accumulation" was named in the Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor, Spiritual Pivot, Chapter Five Variations: "Thin, lustrous skin, flesh not firm but tender, indicates gastrointestinal issues, where evil qi lingers, leading to accumulation."
This was the first division of accumulation disorders into Five Aggregations: Fuliang, Fill Qi, Pi Qi, Rest Breath, and Restrained Swine, laying the foundation for the subsequent "Five Aggregations" theory.
Each individual’s different accumulations are known as Fill Qi for the liver, Fuliang for the heart, Pi Qi for the spleen, Rest Breath for the lungs, and Restrained Swine for the kidneys.
Fill Qi, appearing as a protrusion like an overturned cup, parallels the description of fatty liver very closely.
Lu Jiu sensed Wei Jun’s condition was beyond mild to moderate fatty liver and directly insinuated himself into the Five Viscera conversation, "Liver Wood, how do you feel now?"
"Who’s speaking?"
"Where’s the sound coming from?"
"Is it the disease evil?!"
"..."
The Five Viscera were in an uproar!
