Nineteenth Century Medical Guide

Chapter 416 412. Traces of Genius

The exhibits at the Expo are divided into ten groups.

Group I is paintings and sculptures; Group II is photography and decorative items; Group III is furniture; Group IV is fabrics, wearable jewelry and portable weapons; Group V is industrial and agricultural raw materials and tools; Group VI is machinery and machine tools; Group VII is various foods, condiments and beverages; Group VIII is other tools, medicines, drawings and rare literature and teaching materials; Group IX is flowers and shrubs; and finally Group X is items and information related to workers' welfare.

Each large group is further divided into dozens of categories.

For example, the medieval armor displayed in the French military exhibition hall belongs to Group IV Class 37. The many animal specimens in the animal exhibition hall belong to Group V Class 42. Photography belongs to Group II Class 9, and ceramics belong to Group II Class 15.

Each exhibit could find its own category, except for the special exhibit from Vienna, Austria, which gave all the committee members, including Prince Napoleon, a headache for a while.

There is no doubt that this exhibit embodies all the characteristics promoted by the World Expo.

It fully demonstrates the achievements of human civilization and is the pinnacle of surgical operations. It also expands the types of exhibits at the World Expo, combining artistic creation, antiseptic and dye applications, and creative design. It is one of the most important exhibits at this World Expo, and the manpower and material resources consumed are not comparable to ordinary exhibits.

Its posture was inspired by the famous work "David" by the famous Italian sculptor Michelangelo, and the operation was completed by an Italian surgeon. It was finally demonstrated in the way that Andrea Vesalius, the founder of modern anatomy, taught anatomy at the University of Padua in Italy.

Even the operation itself was similar to a public dissection conducted by Vesalius in 1543, also on a convicted felon, after which Vesalius collected all the bones, assembled them into a skeletal system and donated it to the University of Basel.

"I remember that skeleton being the oldest anatomical specimen in the world."

"Yes, it is still on display in the Anatomy Museum at the University of Basel."

“Compared to the skeleton, this work is a deconstruction and re-creation of Italian classical anatomy! It is an important cultural heritage of Italian anatomy!”

"So why is such a masterpiece placed in a natural history museum?"

Fernand's body has been on display in Paris for a week. The most common comments are about the dual affirmation of technology and art, as well as doubts about classification.

Because most of the exhibits in natural history museums are Group V exhibits, which are raw materials from nature, as well as the tools and chemicals used to obtain these raw materials.

For example, the coal and salt produced in the Prussian mines, and the signs that their production doubled in ten years. For example, the wool textile industry in the Victoria colony of Australia, which displays unique sheep, emus and kangaroos.

Another example is the exhibit of the famous French naturalist Jules Vennox, a stuffed lion king, which is placed in the center of the exhibition hall. Its proud posture and extraordinary temperament have attracted the attention of animal critics, and of course the iron cage that "confines" it.

None of this fits Fernan's body.

In fact, Group V was not the committee’s first choice at the beginning.

Fernan's first choice is Group I, art sculpture, which is also the group that Prince Napoleon strongly recommends. The second is Group VIII, which belongs to rare documents and teaching materials or tool drawings. Then there is Group II photography and decorations, and finally Group V.

However, Sir Nathal Hague, who came to Paris with the corpse specimen, classified Fernand as a Group V animal specimen in the name of the specimen's owner.

the reason is simple.

As the director of a natural history museum, the exhibits in his hands should naturally be classified into the natural history museum. In addition, Fernando could not stand the high temperature in the closed space and needed the refrigeration technology of the special exhibition hall to control the temperature of the storage cabinet.

Eventually, Fernan was moved here and placed together with Strength and Courage, the most important collection from explorer and animal collector Abby Nichols, which also required a low-temperature environment.

"This specimen wasn't available when I came here on June 6st." Hott took off his hat as he looked at the giant animal specimens in front of him. "The huge white rhino had its opposite-sex partner taken away by its own kind, was seriously injured, fled far away, and finally fell forever on the African savannah surrounded by hyenas. It's sad to think about it. You asked me to come here just to see this?"

Kawi looked at the rhino's exposed internal organs and muscles and shook his head: "Of course not."

"why?"

"Why else? For surgery, of course." Kavi pointed at the Fernan specimen being watched by many people in the distance, "Do you remember the surgery plan for Bertha that I mentioned earlier?"

"How could I not remember such a crazy surgical plan?" Hott looked away and looked at Kavi who was walking straight towards Fernando. "What do you mean? Stop keeping me in suspense!"

"I originally planned to have several options. No matter which option is used, how to process blood vessels so that they can remain in the human body for a long time is always a big problem, which requires a lot of experiments to prove it." Kawi explained, "This involves many preparation methods."

"Preparation method." Holt suddenly realized what Kavi meant. "Wait, you mean a dead body? Using carbolic acid to prepare blood vessels?"

"Right." Kavi shook his suitcase again.

Although Hott had not been in clinical practice for a long time, his mind was still active. He immediately thought of the loophole: "That's not right. There are dead bodies everywhere. If you just say a word, all the bodies in Paris will be sent to the anatomy laboratory of the Medical School of the University of Paris. Blood vessels can be taken for preparation anytime and anywhere. Why do we have to come here?"

Kavi stopped and looked back at him with a "are you kidding me" expression on his face.

Hott knew that Kavi would not come here specifically to attract popularity, and he must have his reasons for doing so.

  Reason what reason?

What is the difference between Fernando and an ordinary corpse?

As Holt sniffed the cold air in the exhibition hall and the pungent smell that kept rushing into his nostrils, the answer finally emerged: "Is there any difference between corpses?"

Kavi smiled and took a few steps forward to find the exhibit manager. After whispering a few words, the two of them, led by each other's surprised eyes, found Baron Haag, one of the leaders of the Austrian World Expo exhibition team.

Unlike other tour guides who traveled around, Hag stayed in the museum these days and didn't even go to the hotel. He would go out for a walk every hour on the hour, for fear that someone would break the rules and damage the glass cabinet.

There was less than half an hour left before closing time, and Hag was sitting in the office with a bulging belly.

On the table was freshly brewed coffee, and in his hand was an ivory pipe that symbolized his status, which was said to have been given to him by old Franz after he returned from an expedition in Africa. Although it was a gift from the old emperor who had no ambitions, it was a lifetime treasure in the eyes of old subordinates like Hag.

Ever since leaving Vienna, he couldn't stop fighting, and had to have a taste of his hometown from time to time.

Seeing the administrator knocking on the door and coming in, he looked unhappy: "Why are you here if there is nothing wrong? Go and look at the specimens." "Baron Hag, Doctor Kavikavi is here to see you."

The administrator still couldn't believe that the person who followed him in was Kavi himself. He looked a few years younger than his brother. Hag was also shocked. He hadn't seen Kavi since the corpse specimens were put into the museum. Who would have thought that he would come today. If he hadn't seen Kavi before and remembered his appearance, he would have thought that he was a gangster pretending to be someone else.

"Kavi Hines." Hager took off his pipe, stood up and greeted him with a smile, "You have never been interested in specimens, so why did you think of coming to me?"

"I must have come to ask the Baron something."

Kavi had heard a little about his temper, so he lowered his posture from the beginning. He made a brief introduction to President Holt, and then explained his purpose: "There is a very difficult operation recently, and I need to borrow something from the Baron."

"You want to borrow something from me for surgery? Hahaha."

Hager's cheeks were squeezed together, and his smile widened. "I don't know much about medicine, but since you've asked me, what else can I say? Just tell me what you want. As long as I can afford it, it's fine."

At this point, he glanced at the pipe in his hand and said, "But this pipe won't work. It's been with me for many years. I can't lend it to you."

"Of course, what I want to borrow is what I need for the operation." Kavi said, "I want Fernan's body. To be more precise, it should be his artery. The specific section may need to be carefully measured to know."

Before he could finish his words, Hager's expression suddenly changed, just like the weather in Paris in June, it rains all the time: "Stop, stop!"

"what happened?"

"Doctor Kavi wants to borrow Fernan's body?"

"Just borrow two of his blood vessels." Kavi used his fingers to indicate the approximate distance.

"It's lying in carbolic acid now. Any attempt to change the environment is prohibited." Hager picked up his pipe again and took two deep puffs. "Dr. Kavi should know this better than me."

"I am aware of the risks involved," Kawi explained, "but I have to take the risk to save lives."

Hager turned around and sat back in his previous seat. After listening carefully to Bertha's situation, he still didn't give in. "I admire your profession and your integrity, but surgery is surgery, and exhibits are exhibits. Surgery is your job. What does it have to do with me?"

After hearing this, Holt became anxious: "The hemangioma in the little girl's body may rupture at any time. Even if Kavi is by her side, he won't be able to save her!"

"So what? How many children die every day around the world?"

Hager was as calm as a machine, with only his own exhibits in his eyes. "This corpse is the most exquisite surgical specimen in the world so far. After it leaves the carbolic acid, it will inevitably affect the storage of the specimen. Who will be responsible for the specimen at that time? Who will be responsible for the medical skills of the young doctors who will not be able to see this specimen in the future?"

Hag went on to say something more far-reaching, as if Fernan's performance directly determined the future direction of surgical medicine.

Holt had no way to refute it, and he didn't quite understand why Kavi had to choose the blood vessels of this specimen: "Forget it, at worst I can find another one."

"Where is there anything else?" Kavi also felt a headache. "Do you have such a complete adult aorta specimen in Paris?"

Hager immediately helped Holt come up with the answer: "There are very few abdominal surgeries. The abdominal aorta is so deep, how could there be an anatomical specimen? If there really was one, how could this specimen be the first one?"

"Forget about the lack of specimens. I'll help you find corpses!" Holt thought of the uncertainty brought about by the wild dog experiment. "I've said before that as long as the Surgical Association and you agree, you can have as many corpses as you want!"

Kavi still shook his head and said, "I want a fresh corpse that has just died, no more than 6-8 hours ago, no older than 40 years old, and no underlying diseases. The blood type must be the same as Betha's, and the family's consent is required."

Not to mention the others, due to transportation constraints, the first condition alone is difficult to meet.

It would take at least one or two days for a body that died of natural causes to be found and sent to the dissection table. Bribing the executioner and booking the body of the death row prisoner in advance would also require several transfer procedures. Moreover, it was the World Expo period, and the executions in Paris and the surrounding areas were postponed until winter.

In the past, surgical operations would result in a few deaths, but now, thanks to the antiseptic techniques and anesthesia techniques promoted by Kavi, the surgical mortality rate in Paris has begun to decline. Coupled with the restrictions of blood type and underlying diseases, as well as the time it takes to convey the news of death, the chance of encountering a corpse that perfectly meets the requirements is very small.

"The chance is indeed very small, but it's not zero. If one month doesn't work, then two or three months will give you a good chance of seeing one."

"No, you don't understand. I'm not trying my luck by doing this, I'm preparing for the surgery to follow."

Kavi continued to explain: "Even if I really have such a corpse as I wish, I still need to use preservatives to treat the blood vessels due to some special medical phenomena. At this time, if there is a human artery that has been embalmed for a long time and has been used for surgical experiments on dogs, I will know whether the embalming is really useful and whether the long-term treatment will damage the blood vessel structure, which will save a lot of time for the follow-up."

Although some details were still unclear, Holt roughly understood what he meant. Whether there was a fresh abdominal aorta available or not, Kavi needed to cut Fernan's blood vessels.

"Baron Hag, I only need ten minutes." Kavi still wanted to find a breakthrough from the other party, "I won't waste too much time."

The owner of the specimen is the Natural History Museum where Haag works. Even Kawi has no better solution. He can only try to gain the other party's trust. If Haag insists on not letting go, Kawi will have to give up.

But after the explanation just now, Hager's reaction changed a little: "It really only takes ten minutes?"

"no problem."

"In that case, I agree to your request." Hager blew out two smoke rings and continued, "But I also have a request."

"What do you want? Just tell me!"

"You just said that Fernan's blood vessels would be put into the dog's body?"

"Yes, we need to do an experimental surgery to verify whether his blood vessels can still transport blood."

Hag nodded, and after thinking carefully for a moment, he said, "You take the blood vessels, and after the operation is over, you have to give me the dog. I want to make it into a surgical specimen and exhibit it next to Fernando. I have already thought of the theme, it is called "Traces of Genius"."