Industrial Revolution of the Mage Lords

Chapter 214 Vaccine Development
Harvey pointed at the microscope and said seriously, "You have also seen through this instrument that within the magical plants and flesh of living creatures, there are living substances that can devour each other."

"Next, I'll need you to conduct extensive observational experiments to find living microorganisms that possess the strongest ability to absorb and assimilate magical substances, while remaining harmless themselves... This will be a crucial building block for our upcoming potion development."

Egno asked doubtfully, "Developing a medicine? My Lord, whatever type of medicine you need to prepare, as long as you provide the formula and raw materials, I can basically meet your requirements, even without observing these microorganisms."

Harvey shook his head and explained, "I'm not looking for those expensive magic potions. What I want is a magic vaccine that can be mass-produced and injected into ordinary people in advance to prevent disease!"

Chris, whose pharmacy skills were far inferior to Egno's, was completely bewildered. "Preventative? If I haven't developed the disease yet, will drinking the potion really work? I've never heard of this kind of treatment."

"Yes, you can use all the resources of the medical institute and the alchemy laboratory to conduct research and experiments. If necessary, you can make requests to me. I will find a way to obtain materials that are difficult to find for you."

He paused, then patiently reminded, "Remember, you must conduct repeated drug experiments on animals to verify the most appropriate dosage and effect. Until the research and development is complete, you are absolutely not allowed to test the drug on civilians who are already sick!"

……

A week later, Harvey received a report on the experimental results from Egno and Chris.

Through extensive observation and experiments day and night, they led the alchemy apprentices and doctors and quickly found several magical microorganisms that could deal with common diseases.

After repeated oral and injection experiments on diseased animals, it can be basically proved that this microbial product itself is safe and non-toxic, but an accurate conclusion cannot be drawn about its efficacy - after all, sick chickens, ducks, cattle and sheep cannot be completely compared with humans.

This means that it is necessary to enter the final stage of clinical trials.

Based on their past medical records, Egno selected several civilians who had been suffering from chronic diseases that could not be cured for many years before arriving in the Frontier Territory. Most of them suffered from chronic diseases that Egno could not treat with healing techniques. This time, they were selected to be eligible for drug trials after signing an agreement to voluntarily participate in clinical trials.

The healing spells of nature spellcasters and the healing magic of church priests are not absolutely omnipotent. Most of them have obvious recovery effects on external injuries, but if it is a stubborn internal disease like cold plague and bloodworm disease, it is difficult to completely cure it.

Harvey was very familiar with the terminal illness called the cold plague. Reiner had suffered from this disease before and almost died in Harvey's laboratory before he could survive the soul transfer experiment.

Although this disease is called an epidemic, it is not actually contagious. Instead, it is a fatal disease similar to lung cancer and tuberculosis that is prevalent among the poor and the lower classes and is caused by typhoid and cold. Typical symptoms are severe pain, general weakness, and repeated coughing up blood.

Every winter, in the cold areas of the southern countries close to the north, a large number of civilians would contract this epidemic because they had no warm clothes or warm houses, or they insisted on working long hours in the cold outdoors. After suffering for months, they would die miserably on the roadside or in the streets.

Schistosomiasis is more common than cold epidemics because it not only occurs frequently in winter, but is also highly contagious. Since most of the poor at the bottom of society do not pay attention to food hygiene, they will quickly contract schistosomiasis after drinking and coming into contact with water and food containing pathogens. They will suffer from swollen stomachs and ascites. Although they will not die immediately, their life expectancy will be greatly shortened, and few patients can live beyond the age of 30.

In the previous population census of the territory, Harvey discovered from the medical hospital's treatment records that there were dozens of civilians suffering from cold plague and schistosomiasis. He immediately asked Egno to isolate the infectious patients separately, and began to strictly require that people in the territory not drink raw water or eat raw food at will, and regularly carry out disinfection and protection in livestock and poultry breeding areas.

At the same time, human and animal waste, previously discharged directly into the glacial river, is now collected through pipelines and funneled into specially designated underground enclosed compost pits. After fermentation, it's used for fertilizing the farmland. Even with this level of sanitation, the number of schistosomiasis patients within the territory continues to slowly but steadily increase. Each time Egno is intensively relieving these patients' pain and temporarily eliminating their ascites symptoms, he's on the verge of exhausting his magic power. While treating the symptoms, not the root cause, he suffers unbearably...

"Sir, the ten civilians with the most severe symptoms of the cold plague and bloodworm disease have been selected to participate in this drug trial." Egno pointed to the entire box of magic vaccine potions that he and Chris had worked through the night to prepare, and said confidently, "We have repeatedly tested it on animals and livestock infected with bloodworm disease. There is absolutely no problem with its safety..."

Chris added cautiously, "But dissections show that this only kills the bloodworms that have already hatched into adults, and doesn't completely eliminate the eggs that are scattered throughout the intestines..."

Harvey was pleased with the results achieved in such a short time and consoled him, "Don't worry, it's only been a week. I'm sure you'll soon be able to perfect the magic vaccine and eliminate all cases of bloodworm disease and cold plague in the territory."

Ten weak and sick civilians were taken to a special compartment in the medical hospital, where they were given a half-dose and half-injected potion, and then waited quietly for the vaccine rich in magical substances to take effect.

The first patients to show clinical reactions were those suffering from the cold epidemic. Their symptoms of high fever and pain were first relieved, and then they vomited a lot of black and smelly blood clots. After about three hours, the frequent coughing and sputum production basically disappeared.

"It really works! Those black blood clots are the symptoms that appear in the lungs after contracting the cold epidemic. After they are discharged from the body, they only need to take the medicine orally a few more times to completely heal and repair their eroded lungs..." Egno waved his hands excitedly.

The situation with infectious schistosomiasis is much more complicated. After taking the medicine, the patient vomits and has diarrhea, and excretes a large number of bloodworm eggs. After tossing and turning for a whole night, the abdominal edema shows signs of slowly subsiding, but there is no way to verify whether it will recur in a short period of time.

Harvey was not disappointed, but smiled and handed the two of them a list to help them with their research work.

"Next, while you perfect the cold plague potion and bloodworm disease vaccine, you must also develop more magical microbial medicines..."

The two confused people took the list and stared at it in amazement.

Plague vaccine...

Malaria vaccines...

Smallpox vaccine...

Cold Blight Medicinal Potion (Enhanced)...

Schistosomiasis vaccine (enhanced type with therapeutic effect)...

(End of this chapter)