Chapter 21: Selling Tricks

  Sun Simiao said and went upstairs to the guest room, Chen Yi followed behind, Sun Simiao's three disciples looked at each other with different expressions and also went upstairs.

  Five people entered Sun Simiao's room and sat down. Sun Simiao sat at the top, Chen Yi sat beside Sun Simiao, Wang Chong, Liu Hai, and Ning Qing stood below.

  Sun Simiao stroked his beard and looked at Chen Yi, saying: "Ziying, listening to your recent remarks, I feel that you understand a lot about medical principles, especially your discussion on asthma. Some of the treatment points are unknown to me. I also think that you must have unique insights in the diagnosis and treatment of respiratory diseases. At such a young age, you already know so much about medical knowledge, which makes me very respectful." Sun Simiao's eyes shone brightly as he looked Chen Yi up and down, "Today, you can talk to me and my disciples about the situation regarding the diagnosis and treatment of respiratory diseases, asthma, etc. I'm sure you won't refuse, will you?"

  When Chen Yi heard Sun Simiao's words, he was surprised and a little frightened, even feeling honored, so he quickly stood up, made a bow, and showed a humble expression. He glanced at Ning Qinghou, who had been staring at him with admiration, before turning back to face Sun Simiao, his face still calm, and said: "Hearing what you've just said, I feel ashamed. Today, I won't hide it from you, but in the past, I have read some medical books. It seems that... my family has several ancestral medical books that are quite different from modern medical texts. They record many disease theories and treatments, so I know a thing or two!"

  "Oh?! So that's how it is?" Sun Simiao said, but his expression didn't show any surprise, as if he had expected it all along.

  "Sun Daochang wants me to talk about the general theory of asthma in the next lecture, I don't dare decline, but... " Chen Yi scratched his head with some embarrassment, "I've only read a few medical books and haven't had much actual clinical experience. To discuss medical theories in front of Sun Daochang would be presumptuous, but I do remember many contents from those medical books, including the discussions on asthma. Since you asked me to talk about it, I'll share some of my knowledge, if there's anything incorrect, please point it out! If there are things that you haven't heard before, I hope you won't think I'm showing off..."

  Sun Simiao seemed to understand that Chen Yi was being pretentious, and smiled as he said: "You're too modest, from what you just said, it's clear that you have a lot of experience in diagnosing illnesses and understanding various diseases. How can you say that you're showing off? I'm a straightforward person, so please don't put on this act. What insights do you have to share?... Talent is not limited by age... Among three people walking together, there must be one who can be my teacher. It's very possible that you can provide me with many pointers in the diagnosis and treatment of illnesses. Please, Chen Yi, tell me more!"

  "Now, let's talk about the pathology of asthma... and respiratory diseases. Please point out any mistakes, Master."

  Chen cleared his throat and began to explain, pointing to his own mouth and nose, "When people breathe in air through their mouths or noses, the airflow passes through the respiratory tract... The nasal cavity, pharynx, and larynx are called the upper respiratory tract... The trachea behind the larynx and the smaller bronchi... are the finer tubes used for breathing... And the lungs can be referred to as the lower respiratory tract..."

  Chen Yi saw that he had just said a little, and Sun Simiao's several disciples showed a look of astonishment, some embarrassment, pinching their noses. He knew that the names of some later generations' anatomy he mentioned now might not be understood by these "ancient people", but he couldn't find more suitable words to replace them, so he could only vaguely get through it. He raised his head and saw that Sun Simiao didn't show too much confusion, so he continued: "Because the respiratory tract is connected with the outside world, some pathogenic factors can easily invade, leading to respiratory infections... It's said that this is one of the easiest diseases for humans to contract, just like our colds caused by cold, and symptoms such as fever, cough, runny nose, etc. that come with it. Everyone gets these diseases many times in their lifetime, and they can occur at any time of the year. Some people get these diseases easily cured, while others with poorer physical condition may not recover easily or slowly..."

  "Some people have a poor constitution, and after frequently contracting colds and flu, or upper respiratory tract diseases, they may not fully recover from one illness before another strikes, leading to repeated bouts of illness that accumulate over time. If medication is not used properly, the disease can worsen, leading to a decline in physical health and potentially developing into a chronic condition, making it difficult to recover for years to come. This can lead to respiratory problems, and some people may develop asthma or other breathing difficulties.

  Chen Yi struggled to explain the reasons behind respiratory diseases, then continued, "When respiratory diseases become chronic, they are difficult to cure, and there is no effective medication that can completely eliminate them... this is also one of the most frustrating problems for doctors. This can lead to worsening conditions in asthma patients, affecting not only the lungs but also the heart and other organs, leading to pulmonary heart disease... pulmonary emphysema... uh, severe cardiovascular disease.

  As a doctor from a later era, Chen Yi couldn't find suitable ancient medical terms to replace modern ones, so he had no choice but to use modern terminology, hoping that Sun Simiao would understand. He didn't know if Sun would think it strange."

  When Chen Yi said this, Sun Simiao didn't show any unusual expression, but nodded in agreement, with a look of praise on his face. He didn't interrupt Chen Yi's words, but used his eyes to indicate that Chen Yi should continue speaking.

  Although Chen Yi's theory is a bit far-fetched, considering the understanding and acceptance of new terms by ancient people, and even the concept of respiratory tract infections is not fully explained, for Sun Simiao, these words, these descriptions of wind-related diseases, are something he has never heard anyone else talk about before. Therefore, it feels quite fresh, although some vocabulary is not easy to understand, but overall thinks that's a deeper explanation in ancient books, after careful consideration, also somewhat enlightening, and finds it reasonable, with more interest in listening to Chen Yi continue.

  Seeing Sun Simiao's reaction, Chen Yi let out a sigh of relief and his expression also relaxed. He glanced at Wang Chong and Liu Hai who were very surprised, and Dada whose eyes were wide open, staring at him as if there were stars in her eyes, Ning Qing continued to speak:

  "The respiratory system... refers to the diseases of the organs that breathe in and out, with asthma and wheezing being the most difficult to cure. Asthma and wheezing symptoms are not only caused by colds and other reasons but also by congenital factors, which means they are inherited from parents at birth. These inherited diseases are more difficult to treat than those caused by physical and environmental factors, and there is no effective way to cure them. Especially the asthma patient I met yesterday, according to his account, it was indeed due to congenital reasons. With current medical technology and available medications, it is very difficult to completely cure this disease..."

  Chen Yi looked at Sun Simiao and naturally revealed a confident smile. "In my opinion, the best way to treat this type of disease is to control its condition, not allowing it to relapse repeatedly, especially during the autumn, winter, and early spring seasons when it is easy to relapse. One should be careful not to come into contact with things that can easily trigger the disease, eat less of things that can aggravate the condition, avoid cold temperatures, ventilate the room frequently, strengthen physical exercise to increase one's own resistance, and use medication as an auxiliary treatment method... If it affects the cardiovascular system, further treatment and preventive measures must be taken to prevent losing the foundation and making it difficult to cure."

  Sun Simiao still didn't interrupt, his eyes fixed on Chen Yi with an expectant look, and his several disciples also had similar eyes. Including Sun Simiao, they couldn't believe that these somewhat profound things were known by Chen Yi, a young man, and he spoke clearly and to the point.

  "Asthma is the most difficult disease to cure in respiratory diseases, and its causes are very complex with many complications, most of which are life-threatening. According to my knowledge of medicine... oh, according to what I've seen in medical books, the cause of this disease is extremely complex, and there is no specific effective treatment... but if preventive measures are taken in time, it can be prevented at the initial stage of the disease."

  Chen Yi paused for a moment as he thought about how to explain the pathogenesis of asthma.

  Asthma was known as "panting syndrome" or "bellowing disease" in ancient times. This disease had been a difficult one to cure until the time of Chen Yi, and it is still recognized as a major medical problem worldwide. Chen Yi specialized in the diagnosis and treatment of respiratory diseases, and he has achieved some success in this area. However, in order to treat asthma effectively, it is essential to understand its pathogenesis.

  Chen Yi was very clear about the definition of asthma in later generations. It is a type I hypersensitivity reaction, which belongs to allergic diseases. After patients come into contact with specific allergens such as proteins and polysaccharides, they induce mast cells and basophilic granulocytes to react, releasing active mediators such as prostaglandins, histamine, and leukotrienes. These substances circulate through the blood, acting on the smooth muscle of the airway, trachea, and bronchi, causing respiratory distress and leading patients to experience difficulty breathing. When examining the lungs, a wheezing sound can be heard, known as "wheezing." This is roughly the complete definition of asthma found in textbooks. However, such things cannot be explained to these four people with strange expressions standing before him. Even for someone like Sun Simiao, this theory would be as incomprehensible as heavenly scripture. Chen Yi had to come up with a different explanation.

  Chen Yi stopped, and Sun Simiao finally spoke up, "Ziying, just say what you see in the medical book!"