London Holborn, Greyville Street, London Free General Hospital.

If it is just the first time you see it, the red brick house in front of you, which is only a few storefronts, is really difficult to be considered a hospital, and with its scale, it is easy to think that it is a small private clinic that can be found everywhere on the roadside.

But the clinic is small, but it has a lot of everything, and the most valuable thing is that since its establishment in 1828, the London Free General Hospital has been committed to providing free medical care to the poor people in London.

Speaking of the opening of this hospital, we have to mention Dr. William Marsden, who is currently a professor at the University of London Medical School.

On a cold winter day in 1828, Mr. Marsden found a girl dying of disease and hunger on the steps of St. Andrew's Church in Holborn. Touched by compassion, Mr. Marsden picked up the girl and hoped to get help from a nearby hospital.

But because she couldn't afford to pay for her medicine, no hospital was willing to accept her, and the girl missed the best time for relief and died two days later.

This incident directly tore Mr. Marsden's heart, and in order to prevent such a thing from happening again, Mr. Marsden used his savings to establish such a hospital in the Holborn area where the girl was found.

The hospital has struggled to operate due to a lack of medicines, staffing, and a steady income.

However, when the University of London learned of its existence, the University of London Council, which had always been committed to utilitarian principles, soon extended an olive branch to Mr. Marsden, and now the hospital has officially established a teaching link with the University of London Medical School, becoming one of the teaching hospitals affiliated with them.

The situation of London's free general hospital, which is supported by a large number of interns and university funding, has also improved rapidly, and this year is already in its third year of operation in London.

Although the hospital is primarily associated with students from the University of London Medical School, students from other colleges such as Arthur often come to the hospital for treatment.

While they don't get the full amount of money like the real poor, the low cost of care is still good value for money compared to other hospitals in London.

Arthur leaned against the cupboard at the front desk of the hospital, and it was Mr. Marsden sitting beside him.

As a doctor, he had a good prospect and a certain amount of savings, an excellent annual income, a decent job in the Royal Hospital, and in that sense he was a decent enough group of middle-class gentlemen.

But in order to keep the hospital running, he sold his carriage and laid off two servants, and even now he is crammed into a small two-bedroom apartment in Holborn with his wife and two children.

Arthur looked at the poor people in and out of the clinic, and the university interns who were full of youth, he took a sip from his teacup, and asked, "Mr. Marsden, it's been a long time, how is the situation in the hospital lately?" ”

Marsden looked like he had just undergone an operation, his forehead was covered with beads of sweat, and even his sleeves were covered in visible blood.

He raised his hand to wipe his sweat, and poured a big sip of tea that didn't care much about the image: "It's better than before." Thanks to Mr. Bruham...... Well, maybe it would be better to call him Lord by now. All in all, thanks to his appointment as Lord Chancellor, the University of London has donated a lot more this year than in previous years, and the teaching funds of the medical school have become abundant. Therefore, the college's funding support for teaching hospitals has also doubled this year. But while the shortage of medicines has improved, you know, it's just enough to keep us going, and there are so many poor people in London. ”

When Arthur heard this, he churned the teacup with a spoon, as if thinking about something.

Seeing this, the Red Devil couldn't help frowning, and Agareth warned, "Arthur, don't be nosy. ”

But Arthur was evidently unpersuaded, and he raised his hand and reached into his bosom and took out a brand-new cheque for one hundred and fifty pounds and placed it on the counter: "Take this, you can take it first." ”

Marsden took another sip of tea, and he picked up the check and looked at it: "What is this...... One hundred and fifty pounds? Did the school board ask you to bring over the money for the first half of next year? ”

Arthur just smiled, "Sort of." Anyway, I originally planned to donate the money to the school, and I guess the school board will probably transfer the money to you when they get it. So, why bother, I'll bring it to you directly. ”

"Is this your donation?"

Marsden put down his teacup and looked Arthur's outfit up and down, he considered it for a while, and finally pushed the money back: "Arthur, you are the best of the first batch of graduates, I have heard many professors mention this. But your current career is also just starting, although I have no objection to you devoting yourself to public welfare, but you have only been working for a few years, this money should be all your savings, right? ”

Arthur just waved his hand, and he patted his bandaged arm and quipped, "You are underestimating me by saying that, the one hundred and fifty pounds are all exchanged for this arm, and my savings have not touched a penny." It's just that I think that this one hundred and fifty pounds is blood money, so it should also be used where blood is present. I've been looking around, and your hospital is probably the best place in all of London. ”

When Marsden heard this, he wanted to continue to persuade.

But Arthur shook his head slightly, and motioned for him to stop persuading: "Mr. Marsden, it is enough for your conscience to have mercy on the poor. A Superintendent of Scotland Yard should never be an object of your pity. I'm donating a little money now, but I'm just looking for a way back for myself. If one day I end up on the streets, don't turn me away for lack of medicine. ”

Marsden laughed when he heard this, "Come on, Arthur. God will not see you in that situation, and my hospital will never turn away the poor. Neither of these conditions you have set is valid. ”

But after receiving Arthur's money, Marsden was a little reluctant to go, and he pointed to Arthur's arm and asked, "I'll show you." To be honest, although I consider myself a general practitioner, I am best at surgery. I assure you, I have worked for some time in the Royal Navy's wounded ambulance unit, and no one is better at this kind of trauma than I am. ”

Of course, Arthur could not have agreed to Marsden, and his little trick would never escape the old doctor's eyes.

"My injury isn't serious, just take a good look at the friend I brought with me today. If you can, it's a good idea to give him another copy of the diagnosis. Someone informed the Royal Hospital of Bertrem today that if you can't get him a health certificate here, he'll really have to be arrested. ”

"Bethlem Royal Hospital......"

When Marsden heard about the hospital, he immediately understood why Arthur had come to him.

Founded in 1247, the Royal Hospital of Bertreme was the world's first professional institution for the treatment of psychiatry, but in its early days, it was not really a hospital, but a monastery.

At that time, Britain also did not have the concept of mental illness, and people generally referred to mental patients as demon-possessed.

From this name, it can be seen what kind of means Betram will use against its patients, binding, whipping, and beating are all common exorcism methods they use.

Some of these female patients are even tortured to extract confessions, and once they confess to being witches, they are burned at the stake.

Bedleme's harsh treatment lasted almost until the early 19th century, when Arthur's favorite social satirist, Mr. Crookshank, painted the tragic plight of the patients in Bertlem's medicine, that all sectors of British society began to take notice.

However, although the notorious Royal Hospital of Bertelem has carried out several large-scale rectifications, harmful behaviors such as corporal punishment and punishment have also been gradually improved. However, due to the delay in making breakthroughs in psychiatry, many of the treatments that have been redirected to abuse patients are still being used to this day.

And after their 'careful' treatment, although the madman does not necessarily become a normal person, a normal person will most likely become a madman.

This is also the reason why Arthur rushed here to ask Marsden for a mental health certificate after learning that Wheatstone might be taken to Bertherim Hospital.

Wheatstone's social phobia could be cured with just a pistol, but he really couldn't be punished.

Marsden had always complained about the rough treatment at Bertelem Hospital, and as soon as Arthur opened his mouth, he was naturally full of promise.

"With all due respect, sending a mentally ill person there is no help at all. I've visited there before, and they strapped the patient to a chair that hung from the ceiling and then rotated it at 100 revolutions per minute, which is also called 'rotational therapy'. But I didn't feel any effect other than seeing the patient vomit after getting out of the chair.

Their only idea was to make the patient quiet so that they could live a little more leisurely. Not to mention the fact that there is a history of getting patients to the circus to put on a deformed show. First, your friend is currently in good health, and secondly, even if he does have a certain mental disorder, he should not be sent to Bertrem Hospital for treatment. ”

Marsden did not hesitate much, he immediately took out a pen and paper and issued a proof: "I just took the time to visit your friend, he may seem to have some symptoms of depression, but the symptoms are not serious, a country vacation may help improve his mental condition." If his condition doesn't get better, you can send him back to me, and I'll see if there's anything I can do to help him. ”

Arthur took the medical certificate from Marsden's hand, looked up at Wheatstone, who was being diagnosed in the next room, and said with a long sigh of relief: "Thank you so much for your help, he can be regarded as having escaped." ”

Having solved the urgent task, Arthur finally had the opportunity to chat with Marsden: "Now that Lord Broughham is the Lord Chancellor, the affairs of the medical and health field are also in his hands. I'm going to a meeting in the Chancellor's Chamber next week, and I'm going to be able to meet him in person. Do you have anything to say here that I would like me to help you through? Didn't I remember that you used to complain about frequent outbreaks of typhus and yellow fever? ”

Marsden just shook his head when he heard this: "Arthur, typhoid fever and yellow fever cannot be eradicated by increasing appropriations. Actually, I've been researching things about these epidemics. I also talked to Mr. Chadwick about this some time ago, you should know him, right? It was Mr. Bentham's secretary, the young man who now assisted Lord Bruham in the Chancellor's court. ”

Arthur nodded slightly: "I met him, he came to Scotland Yard once. ”

Marsden spoke: "Mr. Chadwick has recently been appointed by Lord Bruham to prepare for the establishment of the Poor Law Commission. The first task of the committee was to investigate the living conditions of poor people across Britain. They compiled a tally of several epidemic outbreaks in Britain since the 19th century, and found that more than half of the more than 100,000 people who die each year from several specific diseases live in urban areas. Most of the epidemics are concentrated in a few large industrial cities, and the countryside is generally rarely affected.

Interestingly, this is the same conclusion as my epidemiological research, which I believe is that these epidemics are spread in the form of miasma in filthy urban environments. You've been living in London for a few years now, and you know exactly how far the filth is on the streets when the rain comes.

And it's not just London, it's Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester. I lived in Manchester for a while, and on Parliament Street in Manchester, there was only one communal toilet for 380 residents, and it was located on a narrow passageway, which smelled so bad and was a hazard to the neighbourhood. Such an environment, of course, can be a fertile ground for disease.

According to Mr. Chadwick, many of the parish officials they sent out this year had contracted the disease in those ghettos, and two of the unfortunate ones who had gone to the East to investigate had contracted typhoid fever and died within a few days. As Wordsworth's poem said, the factory broke the peaceful life in the countryside, and the smoke and dust stained the once clear rivers and fertile land. We live in such a sewage Venice, how can we live in good health? ”

Arthur echoed Marsden's words, saying, "I've always had that concern. I was in charge of law and order in the Eastern District for a period of time, and many of our police officers fell ill or even died there. Although this has not been said in plain detail, the proportion of pensions in the annual expenditure of Scotland Yard is not low. Thankfully, the Chancellor's Chamber now seems to be really planning to do something about it. ”

When Marsden heard this, he just sighed and said, "But...... How so? I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. There seems to be a lot of noise in Parliament about improving sanitation, and there are divisions within the Chancellor's Chamber. Mr. Chadwick is reluctant to say too much about why, so I don't know how far the health reform will go. ”

As a doctor, Marsden didn't care much about politics, but Arthur guessed from his words the root cause of the disagreement.

Since the promulgation of the Magna Carta in 1215, opposition to authoritarian tyranny and respect for individual liberty have been the most important traditions in British society. And the Duke of Wellington, an iconic figure representing power, has just fallen, and the big guys are now full of things like asserting their freedom rights.

If anyone wants to implement a comprehensive and uniform control of the health field, they will soon become the target of public criticism and be framed as a target.

Politicians have always cherished their feathers, and besides, Congressman Harrison's incident has just happened, and no one intends to take the lead at this time.

Arthur was pondering how to explain the twists and turns to Marsden when a yellow-faced patient in a tattered felt hat, a sackcloth shirt, and a medicine bottle in his hand staggered past Arthur as he dragged his open-toed shoe.

His shoulder bumped lightly with Arthur, and the patient stumbled to the ground.

Seeing this, Arthur hurriedly leaned down and tried to pick him up: "Sir, are you alright?" ”

The patient took off his hat tremblingly while holding his stomach, smiled reluctantly and apologized to Arthur, "Hug ...... Sorry sir, I ...... I vomited several times today, I couldn't eat, and my body was ...... It's really powerless. ”

Hearing this, Arthur took out a coin from his pocket and stuffed it into his hand: "There is a bakery around the corner, I often went there to buy things when I was a student, and their bread is still quite sufficient, so you can eat something to replenish your strength." ”

When the patient heard this, he just shook his head and shoved the coin back in: "Sir, I am a decent man with a job, and several little ghosts depend on me for support." When this sickness is cured, we will soon be rich. Thank you for your kindness, but I'll leave the money to those who need it. Goodbye and good mood today. ”

Seeing this, Arthur didn't say anything more.

He turned around and was about to talk to Marsden again, but before he could speak, he heard a bang behind him.

He quickly turned his head to look.

The man had collapsed on the brick road outside the clinic, his head slamming into the wall and making a gap, blood seeping down his head over his cheeks and into the brick cracks of the street.

Seeing this, Marsden rushed out with a brisk step, and repeatedly commanded the apprentices: "Sir, are you alright?!" John, Mark, get the patient back to the lounge! Horn, go get him some easy-to-eat honey water and bread! ”

Arthur also wanted to go out with him to see what was going on, but before he could take a step, the Red Devil suddenly put his hand on his shoulder.

Arthur wondered, "Agareth? ”

The Red Devil didn't say a word, his glowing red eyes were like a video recorder, merging countless images into Arthur's mind.

It was a ballroom full of people, and he seemed to see Heine and Alexandre Dumas dancing happily in the ballroom.

The music is playing, the clown is on stage, and today's performance is still so much fun.

But in an instant, the roses in the vase withered and the light dimmed.

The clown with white powder on his face suddenly stopped dancing, and his legs fell to his knees, and his expression seemed sluggish.

The mask on his face slowly slipped off, and under the mask, there was a face that had been bruised.

The laughter suddenly disappeared, replaced by countless screams.

One by one, the circus members fell, and the stage was almost red with blood, and Arthur's vision was obscured by the blood.

In the blood-colored images, horse-drawn wagons whizz out, like ant colonies on the march, carrying these revelers from the dance hall to the hospital. The carriage was full of corpses, and no one would have imagined that not long ago they were still on the stage with their enthusiasm, and only the carnival costumes they still wore could explain it.

Arthur's body froze in place: "This...... What's going on? ”

No one answered him, and the only thing that gave him a response was the whisper of the devil in his ear.

"Arthur, I said, don't be nosy. If you have to take care of it, get ready. Because of Barr's minions...... It's coming. ”

(End of chapter)