#heart’s medicine doctor’s oath

[mya-blazing]

Long time, no post in YT

[mrcreative8899]

It's good to see that Leon and Connor are an item in Ermey's future 🖤

Like, seriously, these two must really be a thing 🖤🖤 At least to Ermey

[reasonsforhope]

"Growing up, Mackenzee Thompson always wanted a deeper connection with her tribe and culture.

The 26-year-old member of the Choctaw Nation said she grew up outside of her tribe’s reservation and wasn’t sure what her place within the Indigenous community would be.

Through a first-of-its-kind program, Thompson said she’s now figured out how she can best serve her people — as a doctor.

Thompson is graduating as part of the inaugural class from Oklahoma State University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine at the Cherokee Nation. It’s the first physician training program on a Native American reservation and in affiliation with a tribal government, according to school and tribal officials.

“I couldn’t even have dreamed this up,” she said. “To be able to serve my people and learn more about my culture is so exciting. I have learned so much already.”

Thompson is one of nine Native graduates, who make up more than 20 percent of the class of 46 students, said Dr. Natasha Bray, the school’s dean. There are an additional 15 Native students graduating from the school’s Tulsa campus.

The OSU-COM graduates include students from 14 different tribes, including Cherokee, Choctaw, Muscogee, Seminole, Chickasaw, Alaska Native, Caddo, and Osage.

Bray said OSU partnered with the Cherokee Nation to open the school in 2020 to help erase the shortage of Indigenous doctors nationwide. There are about 841,000 active physicians practicing in the United States. Of those, nearly 2,500 — or 0.3 percent — are Native American, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges.

When American Indian and Alaska Native people visit Indian Health Service clinics, there aren’t enough doctors or nurses to provide “quality and timely health care,” according to a 2018 report from the Government Accountability Office. On average, a quarter of IHS provider positions — from physicians to nurses and other care positions –are vacant.

“These students here are going to make a generational impact,” Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. told the students days before graduation. “There is such a need in this state and in this region for physicians and this school was created out of a concern about the pipeline of doctors into our health system.”

The Cherokee Nation spent $40 million to build the college in its capital of Tahlequah. The walls of the campus feature artifacts of Cherokee culture as well as paintings to remember important figures from Cherokee history. An oath of commitment on the wall is written in both English and Cherokee.

The physician training program was launched in the first year of the pandemic.

Bray said OSU and Cherokee leadership felt it was important to have the school in the heart of the Cherokee Nation, home to more than 141,000 people, because students would be able to get experience treating Indigenous patients. In Tahlequah, students live and study in a small town about an hour east of Tulsa with a population of less than 24,000 people.

“While many students learn about the problems facing these rural communities,” Bray said. “Our students are getting to see them firsthand and learn from those experiences.”

While students from the college are free to choose where to complete their residency after graduation, an emphasis is placed on serving rural and Indigenous areas of the country.

There’s also a severe lack of physicians in rural America, a shortage that existed before the COVID-19 pandemic. The Association of American Medical Colleges has projected that rural counties could see a shortage between 37,800 and 124,000 physicians by 2034. An additional 180,000 doctors would be needed in rural counties and other underserved populations to make up the difference.

Bray said OSU saw an opportunity to not only help correct the underrepresentation of Native physicians but also fill a workforce need to help serve and improve health care outcomes in rural populations.

“We knew we’d need to identify students who had a desire to serve these communities and also stay in these communities,” she said.

Osteopathic doctors, or DOs, have the same qualifications and training as allopathic doctors, or MDs, but the two types of doctors attend different schools. While MDs learn from traditional programs, DOs take on additional training at osteopathic schools that focus on holistic medicine, like how to reduce patient discomfort by physically manipulating muscles and bones. DOs are more likely to work in primary care and rural areas to help combat the health care shortages in those areas.

As part of the curriculum, the school invited Native elders and healers to help teach students about Indigenous science and practices...

Thompson said she was able to bring those experiences into her appointments. Instead of asking only standard doctor questions, she’s been getting curious and asking about her patient’s diets, and if they are taking any natural remedies.

“It’s our mission to be as culturally competent as we can,” she said. “Learning this is making me not only a better doctor but helping patients trust me more.”

-via PBS NewsHour, May 23, 2024

[love-and-deepspace-wiki]

Surrounding Characters: Carter

Age: Unknown

Occupation: scientific researcher

Workplace: Xander Sciences (a research institute)

Education:

Skyhaven University Medical School

Dropped out, did not get his doctorate

(Important Clarification Note: Both MDs and PhDs are specific types of doctorate degrees! MD means "Doctor of Medicine" and is a professional doctorate degree. PhD means "Doctor of Philosophy" and is a research-oriented doctorate degree.)

Details:

Is often referred to as "Dr. Carter", despite not completing his doctorate degree

Speaks about conquering death with an almost religious fervor

Speculation: Possibly religious (based on numerous references to "God" and "God's mission")

Attended Skyhaven University’s Medical School while Zayne was also a student

While in medical school, was Zayne's senior and labmate

Outperformed Zayne in the theoretical model of this research back in school (though his application of it never went as smoothly)

Desperately wanted to know what Zayne discovered, why he intentionally destroyed his contribution, and then stopped researching it

After Zayne abandoned it, brought their joint Medical School project to Xander Sciences under the name "X-Heart”

Update! As of the most recent story update, we now know what Carter looks like!

Relationship with Zayne:

They disagreed on the ethics of applying Protocore technology to revive dead cells

Was trying to convince Zayne to leave Akso Hospital and join him at Xander Sciences

When trying to recruit Zayne, he hid a Trojan horse in the medical record he sent him

Believes Zayne will never change, no matter how the world changes

Considered Zayne his "stubborn junior"

After failing to recruit/convince Zayne, he questions the pursuit of Zayne altogether. “What he really needs is not a like-minded colleague, but a pair of hands. Ones that can carry out God's mission and allow for God's descent. Zaynes hands.”

Interest in Protaganist:

Remembered Zayne became a doctor because of a girl. Suspected he was taking over Dr. Noah's work.

Considers the girl as the key to getting Zayne. As long as he has that mysterious girl, he knows he'll always have Zayne's skilled hands.

Wonders if that girl is even more interesting than his research patients. Maybe her value to X-Heart would far exceed that of Zayne's.

Relationship with Dr. Noah:

Dr. Noah often refers with a sense of disappointment, frustration, annoyance, or regret? Some unspoken negative sentiment:

“That boy, Carter…Nevermind”

(When seaking of the excited First-Year Medical Students after the oath ceremony): “William and Carter were like this too. Nevermind.”

(When resolving the consequences of Zayne intentionally deleting his part of their research): “Quiet, boy.” [pushes Carter behind him] “I'll handle this. Let the students go first.”

Notable Quotes:

[Sarcasm] "Tell me, is the natural law an unshakeable moral boundary? Or is it just a comforting phrase people use?"

(To Zayne): "Xander Sciences doesn't want to see a genius like you be forgotten. The Evol technology you're insisting on is so last year. No one wants an artificial lump that needs to be charged in their heart now. Protocore tech is the golden brick that will pave the way to the future."

(To Zayne): "My skills are nothing compared to you and Dr. Noah's. I can't be as meticulous and efficient as you.”

(To Zayne): "Dr. Noah thinks highly of you, you know. He would mention you to me and Will all the time back then. It made us really curious about you before we met."

(In response to the news of Dr. Williams death on Mt. Eternal): "Mt. Eternal, huh… The view's good, but there was an anomaly with the Wanderers a few years ago-. Wait, aren't you here to join us?”

(To Zayne): "Our job is to save people. If we can control life and death, why shouldn't we?!”

(To Zayne): "Do you remember how happy everyone was when the experiment worked? It was like a message left by God, and now we can finally respond! Zayne, do you believe in God?”

“Zayne, you should know you’re rejecting a path to life's truth. My answer hasn't changed either. I've always believed death is just a small obstacle. It can be overcome in due time.”

[leiascully]

X-Files OctoberFicFest Day 18: Sanguinarium

(yes I know it's out of order. also I changed the names of the holidays away from the odd Christian ones Mulder uses)

Mulder posited four Sabbaths to anchor the witch’s year, the blood of four hearts to renew one man’s face. She didn’t want to believe it, but they couldn’t afford to discount any theory. There were lives at stake. The doctors weren’t wrong about their work supporting the hospital. It wasn’t only the cosmetic patients who would suffer.

Mulder seemed distracted. He’d been looking in the mirror a lot, studying himself. She wondered if he knew she’d noticed. It sparked something fierce in her, some protective instinct. Don’t change, she wanted to tell him. She’d protect him from anyone, even himself. Still, he saw the pattern, marked out as clearly as the points of a pentagram. Four victims and a false death.

The deaths were horrible. They were a violation of everything she believed about medicine. Jack Franklyn used doctors’ hands to commit his crimes, hands that ought to heal. It was a betrayal of the oath he’d taken, and he’d forced that treachery onto the others. She believed their ends were petty, but she supposed the cosmetic procedures provided a healing of sorts. Everyone wanted to be beautiful. Only a few were unlucky enough to die for it.

No pentagram could protect Jack Franklyn’s victims. Rebecca Waite died, her throat full of metal splinters. Dr. Shannon survived, but they hadn’t stopped the ritual, if there was a ritual. The last patient died on the table. She’d never see another birthday, candles on the cake and in the jack-o-lanterns. Franklyn disappeared, leaving behind nothing more than the skin of his former face, a horrifying remnant.

Samhain. Beltane. Lughnasa. Imbolc. Modern medicine mixed with ancient ritual. Belladonna and anesthesia. She’d seen it in so many of their cases, superstition rubbing up against science. Her own beliefs were immaterial: they followed the profile, and the killer had believed it. The pattern had held.

She wrote up the case, not quite certain what to say. They’d identified the killer, but he’d fled, changed beyond belief. How pins and surgical instruments had gotten into the digestive tracts of two different women remained a mystery. There was too fine a line between horror and miracle, and it all depended on steady hands.

She hoped her own would stay steady. She took off her glasses and pinched the bridge of her nose.

[ellieexoxo]

WORLD UNDERNEATH 1 SUMMARY

WARNING: Spoilers ahead for Zayne's story. Anecdote 2 (Never-Ending Winter) must be read prior to this one for better understanding.

Long story short:

World Underneath 1  is set shortly after the events of Mt. Eternal. It takes a look at Zayne’s time in medical school, where he researched Protocore Energy in interventional cardiology procedures. A character named Carter is briefly introduced as Zayne’s senior and labmate. Zayne is in a rush to proceed to clinical rotations, revealing that he was in medicine in part because of his doctor parents, and also not to be incapable of doing anything and being a threat to “her.” This is implied to be MC. However, he destroys his part of the experimental data in order to cover up the existence of a black crystal covering a heart.   Dr. Noah thinks that Zayne walks on a path alone, and hopes that someone can let him rest. 

This is set in 2043, shortly after the event at Mt. Eternal.

William’s girlfriend, Sienna, pays Zayne a visit. She gives him a martyr badge.

The three of them—Dr. Noah, William, and Zayne—visit the medical university together every year during first-year admissions. She asks Zayne to give Dr. Noah his regards.

Dr. Noah is going to retire soon. He and Zayne meet up.

A character Carter is mentioned, but is dismissed shortafter.

They are attending the 47th First-Year Medical Oath Ceremony. Students take the oath with determination. Dr. Noah reminisces about the time when Zayne took the oath. He was younger than everyone else and had a presence that made him stand out.

They head to the cafeteria. Dr. Noah says that William and Carter used to be like the first-years too. However, he discontinues the topic again.

He brings up a rumor about The Ghost in the office.

Zayne dismisses it with exasperation as an unscientific rumor.

Flashback to 2040, in the university.

The dean of the medical school saw Zayne’s report. A theoretical model exploring the use of Protocores in . Other students tried to do it as well, but their ideas were limited by their methods. He thought Zayne’s approach was worth trying.

A security guard tells them a story of how he heard sounds in the research lab, but when he checked, there was no one there. They disperse upon hearing superstitions.

Zayne says that they can proceed with the next experiment tomorrow. He is noted to not slack off even for a second and was very thorough with the data. He is in a rush to move onto clinical rotations.

It turns out that Zayne is the one staying behind in the research labs.

It is also revealed that his parents were doctors. He chose the medical field to follow in their footsteps. Even as a child, he would read medical textbooks to kill time.

When Dr. Noah asks if there was another reason, he is shut down with a “No” too quickly. The doctor says that the obsession makes it seem like there isn’t only one reason.

Zayne shares that there is someone, and he doesn’t want to become incapable of doing anything again when he becomes a threat to her. The girl is implied to be MC.

Screenshot links here.

A few days later, Dr. Noah finds out Zayne destroyed his part of the experimental data. They know it wasn’t an accident.

Carter, his senior and labmate, tried to speak up, but was quickly dismissed by Dr. Noah, saying he’ll handle it.

Later, Zayne thanks the doctor. He also wants to leave the group.

Zayne shares that the project is about the application of Protocore Energy in interventional cardiology procedures, but something happened during the experiment. He shows an image that contains a heart covered in black crystals. Precisely, a human heart beating and growing out of black crystals.

Screenshot links here.

Flash forward to the autumn of 2047.

Dr. Noah asks Zayne if he has visited her yet. He has not. The girl is implied to be MC.

The doctor thinks that Zayne always feels surreal. Despite being in the crowd, he would never be a part of it. Perhaps Zayne is destined to walk alone. Dr. Noah hopes that one day, something can offer him tranquil respite.

Screenshot links here.

[precedex-files]

Alright, "Theef" 7x14, we gotta talk about this episode. Honestly, it's one that I remembered nothing about except that the title was familiar and I know I watched it during the show's original run because I was obsessed and never missed an episode. Watching it about 24 years later, now as a physician myself, and boy is it woefully underrated. Take out the Appalachian voodoo, and the story is a timeless moral dilemma, one that physicians and other healthcare workers face on a daily basis. The Hippocratic oath is widely known for its phrase "First do no harm", but is allowing ongoing suffering exactly that - harm? Many of us in modern medicine have seen it first hand - the desire to prolong life in spite of suffering and without regard to quality of life. Scully affirms that she would make the same decisions as Dr. Wieder did, opting to alleviate the suffering of a patient at the end of their life. A death with dignity. But it doesn't mean one isn't left to feel the gravity of that decision, grappling with the thought that the very medications given to lessen pain and suffering might also hasten death, and that one would never really know the truth. These are never decisions made lightly, but they are made with the patient's best interests at heart. To be clear, any such decisions involving end of life care would be made either with the patient themselves, or their next of kin/healthcare proxies if they are unable, unless in emergency situations where there might not be time. The show takes some liberties with the physician decision making, although the context is in an emergency scenario. Nevertheless, some family members and loved ones of the deceased may not agree with the course of action. Although one would hope none would act as brazenly as Orell Peattie, conjuring up violent deaths as revenge via hexcraft and poppets, it certainly does not mean hospitals are violence-free zones. More and more we are seeing disgruntled patients and family members bringing weapons into halls meant for healing and threatening hospital staff. The show isn't one to necessarily offer up solutions to the real-life monsters and dilemmas it reveals through its stories, but rather sets out to cast a light on them and let the audience do some thinking about them. Almost a quarter of a century later this particular one is still relevant. Orell Peattie is obviously wrong for inciting various gruesome deaths, but is he also not a victim? Losing his daughter in an accident, who he was convinced he could save with his Appalachian voodoo. What about Dr. Wieder? He took care of Lynette Peattie on the day of her accident giving her increasing doses of pain medications because she was screaming and had vital signs indicating an extreme level of pain. He felt she was beyond the help of modern medicine and did not want her to suffer. But does that mean his family should suffer the vengeance of Orell Peattie? Both men victims, both men with lost loved ones, and both men perpetrators. Even medical doctor Special Agent Dana Scully was questioning herself by the end. And that's why this is truly a gem of an episode. Deeper than it appears and the real mystery lies firmly in the realm of reality than fantasy.

[sawtastic-sideblog]

Mark stumbles into the bathroom, bloodied hands fumbling for a lightswitch. He finds it and flips it up. The light makes a dull buzzing before the room is washed in light.

"Fuck," the man grumbles as he goes to the medicine cabinet to search for the first aid kit. Once he finds it he sets that and Amanda's travel sewing kit on the counter. He starts to clean the wound, wincing as the disinfectant touches the raw flesh.

With trembling hands, Mark tries to thread the needle. He finally manages to get the black thread through the eyes of the needle. He braces himself against the counter and leans toward the mirror. The needle enters his flesh, he winces, but continues.

A rough, latex clad hand stops his movements. The reflection of Lawrence stares back at him. His expression unreadable.

Lawrence turns Mark around and gently pulls the sewing thread from his cheek. He is silent as he gets to work on Mark's face. The men stay silent for a time before Mark breaks it.

"Why are you helping me?"

"I'm a doctor. I took an oath."

"And, yet, you are an apprentice of John Kramer, the famed Jigsaw Killer."

A silence fall over them as Lawrence looks away, seemingly looking for an answer. Mark watches his hands thread the needle, with the correct thread, with a steadiness only a surgeon would have. Their eyes meet and they stay silent. The only sounds are their breaths, the buzzing of the light, and the movement and voices from their colleagues milling about the warehouse. Lawrence let's out a sigh.

"Fine. You were doing it wrong. It was going to scar. I mean, you were using sewing thread."

"So?"

"So," Lawrence says matter of factly. "I'm a perfectionist and you have a pretty face."

Mark's cheeks heat up. Well, one was already on fire, but now it's like someone poured gasoline on it. His stomach flutters. His eyebrows furrow. Why did Lawrence's words effect him like this?

The silence washes over them again as they stand in the bathroom. The sound of something metal hitting the floor in another room pulls both men from their thoughts.

"This is why we can't have nice things, Amanda!" Adam yells.

"Shut your fucking mouth!" Amanda yells back.

The corner of Lawrence's mouth pulls upwards at the exchange and Mark letsout a huff of air.

"Almost done. What happened to you, anyway?" Lawrence asks. As he pulls out bandages.

"Ray Jenkins happened. Bastard noticed me and threw a goddamned flower vase at my head. He missed, but he attacked me and held my face in the glass."

"Then that explains all the other cuts, the bruising, and the disheveledment of your person."

"Yeah, that explains it."

"All done. Take it easy for a few days, try to avoid eating on that side, and take some painkillers."

"Will do. Thanks, Doc."

"You're welcome, Detective," Lawrence says as he throws the gloves he had been wearing into the trash. He leans over to Mark and kisses th bandages above the wound. He grabs his cane and walks out of the bathroom, leaving a very confused Mark standing there. Mark's had goes to where Lawrence's lips had been, his heart racing.

"What the fuck?"

[tiodolma]

The Hippocratic Oath Within the Context of BBC Merlin

Based on what is observed on BBC Merlin, the Arthurian mythos of the show seems to take place around a most probable early medieval setting in which the Old Religion still has sway. There are many things that are never explained within the show, which is understandable. But one of the things that has caused me curiosity are the medical aspects within that universe, specifically the roles Gaius and Merlin exercise. Both men have very important titles in court as they take care of the king and the royal household’s health. Gaius has the title ‘Physician to the King’, while Merlin most probably has the title of ‘Apprentice to the Physician to the King’ (Wikipedia contributors, 2023b).

Within those roles, both are bound by the Hippocratic Oath. The Hippocratic Oath is a very well-known Greek text that has influenced Western medicine throughout the centuries in terms of medical ethics (U.S. National Library of Medicine, n.d.; Wikipedia contributors, 2023b). According to Michael North (2002), as cited in the U.S. National Library of Medicine (n.d.), the Hippocratic Oath states the following:

“I swear by Apollo the physician, and Asclepius, and Hygieia and Panacea and all the gods and goddesses as my witnesses, that, according to my ability and judgement, I will keep this Oath and this contract:

To hold him who taught me this art equally dear to me as my parents, to be a partner in life with him, and to fulfill his needs when required; to look upon his offspring as equals to my own siblings, and to teach them this art, if they shall wish to learn it, without fee or contract; and that by the set rules, lectures, and every other mode of instruction, I will impart a knowledge of the art to my own sons, and those of my teachers, and to students bound by this contract and having sworn this Oath to the law of medicine, but to no others.

I will use those dietary regimens which will benefit my patients according to my greatest ability and judgement, and I will do no harm or injustice to them.

I will not give a lethal drug to anyone if I am asked, nor will I advise such a plan; and similarly I will not give a woman a pessary to cause an abortion.

In purity and according to divine law will I carry out my life and my art.

I will not use the knife, even upon those suffering from stones, but I will leave this to those who are trained in this craft.

Into whatever homes I go, I will enter them for the benefit of the sick, avoiding any voluntary act of impropriety or corruption, including the seduction of women or men, whether they are free men or slaves.

Whatever I see or hear in the lives of my patients, whether in connection with my professional practice or not, which ought not to be spoken of outside, I will keep secret, as considering all such things to be private.

So long as I maintain this Oath faithfully and without corruption, may it be granted to me to partake of life fully and the practice of my art, gaining the respect of all men for all time. However, should I transgress this Oath and violate it, may the opposite be my fate.”

A summary of this is that the physician swears upon the gods that he and his teacher will be equals, as well as colleagues. Should the teacher be in need, the physician will help in anyway he can. Additionally, the trade is to be kept within a selected group of people: the former teacher’s children, the physician’s children, or any apprentices. The physician is to carry out his trade with purity of heart by helping the patient in any way possible without any intention to do harm or an injustice (e.g., not giving lethal drugs to anyone who asks; giving a pessary to a woman to cause abortion, sexual misconduct, etc.). Moreover, doctor patient confidentiality is to be kept and whatever is said is not to be shared with others. Lastly, in keeping this oath the physician will gain renown for eternity and if not, the opposite will happen (U.S. National Library of Medicine, n.d).

If one does quick research of the period in which BBC Merlin takes place, the Roman Empire had a great influence upon their Britannia province centuries before. Not only did the Romans left buildings behind, but they also left knowledge of many things, as well as names (Wikipedia contributors, 2023a). In fact, Gaius’ name reflects the Roman influence left behind. Now, within show, there’s no mention of the Hippocratic Oath, but it is probable that Gaius knew about it and most probably swore by it. It is probable that Merlin as Gaius’ apprentice also swore by it. And if both swore by it, therein a dilemma. Because Merlin violated the Hippocratic Oath he was bound to.

He violated it in one of the important aspects of the oath, which was to do no harm or do injustice. For instance, he killed a lot of people, he poisoned Morgana, etcetera, etcetera. It is understandable why he did what he did and his reasons, but they are in no way justifiable. As a physician’s apprentice, he was bound to help people. Instead, he violated the Physician’s Oath many times over and in violation to the oath rather than renown, his name fell into infamy and his destiny remained unfulfilled.

References

U.S. National Library of Medicine. (n.d.). Greek Medicine - The Hippocratic Oath. https://www.nlm.nih.gov/hmd/greek/greek_oath.html

Wikipedia contributors. (2023a). Britannia. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Britannia

Wikipedia contributors. (2023b). Physician to the king. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physician_to_the_King

[madamemachikonew]

More thoughts on Baizhu's story quest #2 - Baizhu's lack of self

↓ ↓ Spoilers below ↓ ↓ 

The dynamic between Baizhu and Changsheng is interesting in the sense of how Baizhu has both negated and asserted himself in the relationship. When we think of 'selfless' behaviour, it has come to mean putting other people first. But a more literal meaning is being without self. Baizhu's behaviour is quite paradoxical in that the two states exist at once.

In choosing to undertake the art of healing (before he ever made his contract) he had taken an oath under his master to practice his art for the benefit of all, regardless of wealth or status. In essence, this ethical duty requires the medic to put personal feelings aside and administer their art in a fair way without prejudice or reasonable refusal. This is the first denial of self and is common to other professions such as lawyers. You also cannot allow emotions to cloud your clinical judgment and sometimes must make difficult decisions in the best interests of the patient, no matter how they offend you morally or emotionally.

The demands and rigours of such a job are such that you never have a day off. Yes, a clinic may have opening hours, but an emergency can present itself at any time or place. The doctor's duty requires that they must assist. It becomes a way of life and long working hours end up dictating how you spend your leisure time or who you meet. It permanently alters how you think; your brain is constantly viewing the world through the lens of your profession. For example, a simple walk in the mountain will turn into 'Oh, I wonder if that flower might have a medicinal benefit?' when most people will simply stop to look at the pretty flower. In this way, Baizhu further loses his definition of self.

It is also common to vocational professions to lose one's sense of self in that your identity becomes wrapped up in your job. People forever associate the name Baizhu with him being a doctor. Not Baizhu the human being. If one were to remove his medical inclination, what would be left of him? His voicelines are all based in some way around his profession - even his hobby is research. He doesn't even commit to a favourite food in favour of dispensing some health advice about having a balanced diet. Who actually is Baizhu as a person? What are his own preferences and desires? Is there anything of him apart from his dedication to his art? Once again, he has suppressed his sense of self. Or conceals it from the people around him in a guarded way. He deliberately makes himself two-dimensional in his presentation, but it plays as being mysterious and enigmatic. He uses a mischievous sense of humour to dodge and deflect questions he doesn't want to answer. For whatever reason, he does not want others to penetrate the external layer.

In this way, and on account of his pure heart and altruistic nature, taking the contract became a self-fulfilling prophecy, as much as he wants to deny the existence of fate. Changsheng refers to him as her mannequin. But it's probably more accurate to say that Baizhu has made himself a vessel or conduit for her power for the purpose of healing. A further denial of self.

He wears a smile so as not to cause worry to the people around him and encourage his patients despite the huge suffering he experiences daily. He has invalidated his own pain for the convenience of others (something which many sick or disabled people do). Again, denial of self.

But on the other hand, according to Jiangli, Baizhu's senior apprentice, he most likely would have been able to formulate a remedy for Jialiang on his own steam had he not reverse-engineered and adapted her version. She says that his intellect is exceptional in its own right.

In other words, Baizhu is more than a vessel; he has his own knowledge and skillset and likely would have been an exceptional physician even without the contract. Changsheng's arts merely serve to amplify it or make the process of his research more meaningful and elevate his talents to miraculous. His inquisitiveness and analytical nature were always his alone. He uses her abilities as research tools to develop cures and better understand how diseases and toxins work, thus expediting the research and development process.

In spite of his ostensible modesty (he refers to himself as 'delusional' and 'troublesome' and uses humble language) Baizhu seems to be aware of his ability and I wonder if this is the reason why he is so confident - arrogant? stubborn? - that he will defy the demise suffered by his predecessors to Changsheng's contract. In this way, he asserts self. And he does so either oblivious to the love that other people hold for him, or in spite of it.

Either, through denial of self, he cannot imagine himself worthy of love. I think this is unlikely - he is aware of his brilliance and his aesthetics suggest he is equally aware he is attractive. I suspect that he simply weighs up the grief of his loved ones against the benefits that could be brought to countless more unnamed people in the future through his ability to heal them. In this way he asserts self in the strongest and most painful way possible; he will not be deterred from walking his path as a healer. The only suffering he wilfully refuses to alleviate through his single-minded actions is that of those who cherish him most.

But then, he is confident that such a possibility will never arise because he is convinced of his future success. Maybe he is even inspired by it and becomes all the more determined to succeed in his endeavours, precisely to protect them. This sort of hubris is never destined to end well.

I would hope he uses their pain to temper any temptation to be reckless, but I fear the lure of testing his limits would always win. I think he will either end up dead, or cursed to immortal agony, because he cannot find cures for all of the ailments he's accumulated and some will do permanent damage even if they are cured later. After all, Changsheng's power is eroding and she cannot balance his Qi forever.

I wonder if, with either outcome, he would regret his decision or not.  

[mya-blazing]

School has gotten me really busy that I barely have time to make this edit. Antagonist edit time!

[8cfc00]

my ocs. from my 1920s-1950s (idk what time period) noir ass story about a gentlemen's club. dubbed. Gentlemen's right hand. follows the story of the "right hand" of the club's founder investigating a mystery or smth:

Clarence James "Jim" Knight- aka the Right Hand. has a super powerful right hand. gets powers from founder like a dnd warlock. no left hand (wears a prosthetic). loyal to the club like a dog. probably took an oath to serve it.

Ruby Agnes Bell- aka left hand. ish. the shield to jim's sword. not entirely sure what her power is. perhaps she can command people like the command spell in dnd. serves the club because she is almost forced to. does not have a heart (the founder took it)

(Doctor) Chance M. Gray- aka. the ears. the smart and sypful one. a doctor but not in medicine more like something like math or magic. insists on being called a doctor though. also mute... speaks with cool magic runes or something sick ass like that.

Phoebe Wells- aka. the boots. walking and physical gal, perhaps can duplicate herself to spread out more. the brawn. cool. haven't thought much about her yet.

All of them work for the club.

There is also: Fredrick "Fritz" Love- enigmatic regular who is rich and into novelty and shit. exists to have homoerotic tension w jim and almost be a foil to him.

interesting things i want to explore w this story are: the line between individuals and organisations. tradition and the purpose of ritual (perhaps even the importance of ritual at times...) tradition versus modernity but from the perspective of tradition yknow? the heart of the idea of a gentleman- looking like one versus being a good person at heart if you know what i mean.

current draft of the story itself is: a former worker of the club (the eyes) 's body was found placed on the doorstep of the club. the gang now has to repair the club's reputation while unravelling a plot by an organised crime organisation to assassinate several influential members of the club. or something. its hard to write when you are a bit unsure of how this shit even works and are just really into cool suits and want to make a story about people who care about cool shit like cigars and whisky

[snoffyy]

Trick or Treat! Share a snippet, headcanon, art, or vibes with your followers, then pass it on. 🎃

Aw man, there's quite a lot of stuff just lying around in my docs ahaha! It was quite hard to choose, but here's a snippet from the heart surgeon au, less on the fried fish and more on Katara's first encounter with a certain doctor...

“What’s the first rule of medicine?”

Katara startled mid-step, but recovered swiftly within the next second, schooling her face into placidness before the doctor could pick up on it.

Show no weakness, the senior medical students had whispered to her, eyes darting around as if the doctor was about to manifest out of the shadows at the first hint of badmouthing, right then and there in the secluded walls of the university.

But it didn’t matter, because the doctor’s eyes fixed on her fumble like a hawk, and the slightest downturn of the severe line of his mouth told her that as far as first impressions went, Katara had already made a blunder.

Was he talking about the Hippocratic Oath?

“I believe it’s about respecting the scientific gains of those before us –” she began.

“No,” the doctor cut her off. “Not the Hippocratic Oath. What do you think is the first rule of medicine?”

Katara’s brow furrowed. Was there such a rule? For all the minute details and idiosyncrasies they had learnt throughout their first few years of medical school, this wasn’t exactly something they’d covered.

Patient-centred care? Ethics and morality? Research-based treatments?

They reached the door to the clinic, and the doctor swung it open, gesturing for her to enter first. Katara entered, taking in the sterile smell of the room, the white walls, and posters of the cardiopulmonary system tacked around.

The doctor shut the door again and turned around with a flourish.

“The first rule of medicine,” he announced, sharp eyes boring into hers, “is you can’t save everyone.”

Katara blinked. “Pardon?”

The doctor’s mouth twitched into something that was almost a wry smile.

“You can’t save everyone,” he repeated, a heavy exhaustion laden in his eyes. “What will you do when you come out of surgery, bow your head to the patient’s family, and tell them that all your efforts weren’t enough and now they must say their goodbyes? What will you do when you stand there, biting your tongue as they scream at you, calling you every name in the book, threatening to sue you?”

Katara remained silent.

“We are not miracle workers,” the doctor said, his voice softening ever so slightly. “And at the end of the day, you pick yourself up, and you move on to the next task. But if you’ve done the best you could’ve done, then that is all you can aspire to. Remember that when you come into the OR with me next week.”

Katara forced herself to nod.

“Right,” the doctor clapped his hands together. “Now stop looking like your pet died. We have patients to see, and I don’t want a sulky-looking intern being the first thing they see when they come in. Stay on your toes, and you might make it through this rotation relatively unscathed.”

Waspish, snappish, and ironically far more grumpy-looking than Katara could be ever be, it was like every glimpse of that softened doctor had completely disappeared.

“Yes, Doctor,” she said, trying not to sound too flabbergasted.

The doctor smirked wryly, and as he cracked the door open again to collect the patient file outside, he threw over his shoulder, “Just call me Zhao.”

[reddeadreference]

Saint Denis Times No. 56

-Click here to return to the index for Newspapers-

This issue is available after completion of the mission: American Venom

(All article transcripts below the cut)

Articles marked with * are exclusive to this region’s issue.

Articles marked with ** are only there upon completion of the related mission.

Micah Bell Killed

FAMED GUNSLINGER. BETRAYAL ENDS HIS MURDERS. WANTED FOR BLACKWATER ROBBERY.

He was believed to be hiding in The Grizzlies for many years, emerging to sow mayhem and murder to fuel a life on the run. Micah Bell, one of the most notorious outlaws of the region and a former member of the infamous Dutch van der Linde's gang, was slain at his hideout. The train robber and desperado evaded authorities for years, during which time he killed two dozen men. He had sworn an oath to compatriots that he would never be taken alive.

Yet despite a concentrated effort by Rangers, Pinkertons and local law enforcement to bring Bell to heel, it appears as if he was completely taken by surprise by former gang members who have long accused him of treachery and theft of the ill-gotten gains from the Blackwater Robbery in 1899. Bell was without a doubt the most desperate outlaw at large in the area, striking terror into the hearts of carriage and stagecoach riders who have long feared his murderous reputation.

Several sheriffs had been elected in the country and each had vowed to bring Bell to justice. One, Sheriff Braxton Hefner, finally landed Bell in jail, where he was tried and sentenced to be hanged. Two days before paying the price for his crimes he broke jail and had been at large.

President Signs 1907 Immigration Act

RESTRICTS "IDIOTS, FEEBLEMINDED".

President Waxman signed an immigration act in order to prevent unsavory persons from entering the United States.

The new law, which went into effect immediately, excludes "All idiots, imbeciles, feebleminded persons, epileptics, insane persons, and persons who have been insane within five years previous; persons who have had two or more attacks of insanity at any time previously; paupers; persons likely to become a public charge; professional beggars; persons afflicted with tuberculosis or with a loathsome or dangerous contagious disease; persons not comprehended within any of the foregoing excluded classes who are found to be and are certified by the examining surgeon as being mentally or physically defective, such mental or physical defect being of a nature which may affect the ability of such alien to earn a living; persons who have been convicted of or admit having committed a felony or other crime or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude; polygamists, or persons who admit their belief in the practice of polygamy, anarchists," from entering the United States.

Man Exposes Medical Frauds

AS CHARLATANS PEDDLE MARVELOUS CLAIMS. HIPPOCRATIC FAKERS PLAGUING SMALL CITIES.

It was hoped that with the spread of scientific knowledge, the scourge of medical quacks selling health and salvation from suffering would abate eventually. However, in towns and hamlets across the nation, the evolution of reputable physicians into swindles continues at rapid speed as each new break in scientific progress is announced.

A so-called doctor needs little more than a shingle to hang above his door and various potions and concoctions to peddle the ill, maimed and infirm, who are willing to part with their hard-earned money in hopes of prolonged health. Such is the crusade led by one man who has vowed to uncover the Hippocratic frauds who are preying on victims across the country. His name is Nigel West Dickens, a studied man of letters, botany, ornithology and the history of home medicine practiced throughout the ages.

He has begun demonstrations showing that sufferers of rheumatism, neuralgia, rickets, dysentery and scarlet fever can be cured of their maladies by use of a simple medicinal tonic. The response has been enthusiastic, and in more than one town the local doctor taken to task for peddling fraud cures. Mr. Dickens plans in the coming years to take his message on the road and root out charlatans and purveyors of false science.

Valentine Hotel Quarantine

MAN FEARED CONTAGIOUS. DISEASE OF THE BOWELS.

More death and discomfort comes as a result of disease of the bowels, from constipation, to diarrhea to dysentery than from almost any other cause. It can reflect a disorder of the liver, kidney derangements, a dyspeptic condition of the stomach, piles, or bad blood. No person knows the discomfort and agony of bowel disease more than Harville Presley, a resident at the Valentine Hotel for more than nine years.

Visited by numerous physicians and specialists, Mr. Presley scarcely leaves his residence at the hotel, one that he made permanent years ago once the onset of the disease began. The son of a wealthy mining family, Mr. Presley took refuge at the Valentine Hotel, feeling pain after eating at a church potluck supper.

The daily plague of sharp, spasmodic gripes of the bowels soon resulted in Mr. Presley living very much like a hermit, summoning doctors and literature and trying to diagnose the cause of his maladies. For reasons of safety, his room is under quarantine and other guests are placed in lodging in other areas of the hotel, so as not to be subjected to the auditory distress of his complaints.

A Gentleman's Sport

GOLFING SOARS IN POPULARITY. GENERATES A TIDY PROFIT.

Even before Columbus sailed for America, golf was soaring in popularity in the United Kingdom, so much so that archery and other sports that could defend the realm were falling out of favor. Concerned over national security, in 1491 Scotland decreed the sport unlawful for a period of time. In the United States, the lovely pastime could not be more popular, especially in California, a state devoted to entertainment and leisure.

Indeed this publication received a sunny dispatch from the 31st state that New Hanover's very own Edith Downes has developed and opened a brand new golf course to much acclaim and fanfare. She and her son Archie have, of late, ventured into several businesses out west, which is a very distant lifestyle from her past as a rancher's wife.

Cocaine Use to Require Prescription

The Governor of California has amended the Pharmacy and Poison Act making it a crime to sell opiates of cocaine without a prescription. The new ruling was protested by several vocal advocates and users of cocaine.

World's Fastest Steam Powered Car

SPEED RECORD BROKEN.

Steam powered automobiles are all the rage these days. Shovel in some coal, light the pilot, fill up the boiler with water, and in 20-30 minutes you are able to motor on out to your destination.

Mechanic Hershel E. Bennett has broken the land speed record in his amazing marvel of modern engineering, the Stratton Steamer. Modified from the consumer model from the Stratton Motor Carriage Company, he took it to a beach in Florida where a crowd cheered as he reach 127.66 mph, the fastest any human has traveled.

The Art of Angling by Jeremy Gill  

STEELHEAD TROUT.

No fish ignites the flame of angling in any true fisherman like the trout. A man must study the water and insects like a hawk, for trout are moody and will just as soon sit and watch an ill-picked fly float overhead. Once, while fishing with a senator, I stood with a sulky trout in my hands and informed it I intended to rip his brother and entire family from the water and watch them gasp for a breath.

The senator laughed and said he intended to use the same sentiment towards immigrants. What a leader he is. One day, I hope he runs for president. Fish for steelhead trout in lakes in the south. Try crickets.

Best of luck!

[fate-magical-girls]

The King finds a range of uses for beetles. He has a new one for almost every situation, from agriculture to clothing to interrogations to warfare.

But he hasn't used them for medicine aside from the traditional recipes. Not until a strange new pestilence sweeps the land.

The miasma drifts in from the South, sweeping old and young, rich and poor alike into its Danse Macabre. The Queen's days are spent in frantic back-and-forths with the envoys of lords and religious institutions to coordinate containment and treatment measures. Her job is compounded by the strange behavior of the illness -- little symptoms building into one final, catastrophic, feverish collapse; an unstable fever that can fade in the mornings and attack again at night; an almost irreversible decay toward the grave for all those affected.

At the same time she has to find ways to keep the Capital and the Royal Court safe, but the tragic truth is, the more powerful and wiser the courtiers are, the higher likelihood they'll find a way to skirt around the new rules implemented for their own protection. Her husband is of no help -- he chooses to lock himself in the study, trying to synthesize a cure for the incurable. She reminds him, again and again, to not miss mealtimes, to wear his protective clothing and charms at all times, to never handle packages unless they've been checked and confirmed to be safe, to retire and sleep at a reasonable hour. He forgets. He always forgets, and then depending on his mood, he either gives a half-hearted apology or yell at her to stop pestering him when he has work. He sees no reason to be so careful if he never leaves his study; she still worries. They argue again and again. The tension gives her headaches and nightmares. She almost wants to evict him from their bedroom, but he's already spending his nights alone, locked in that dreadful study.

One day she wakes up in a fouler mood than usual. Her dress hangs heavily on her shoulders. Her meal tastes like ash in her mouth. Everyone speaks sharply, in tones that seem designed to irritate her. But she finds she doesn't have the strength to snap at them, because she suddenly forgets how to keep upright, and she forgets how to stay awake.

For the next hours, she's not sure if she's dreaming or not. Everything is a swirl of colors and noise and painful flames in her bowels. She thinks the doctor is there, and she thinks her handmaids are there. Despite not really hearing what they've said, she understands that she's been infected with the new plague.

At some point in the afternoon, she fully wakes up and finds her husband sitting by her, his eyes rimmed with tears and a beard covering his jaw. It's a great relief and she opens her mouth to tell him how happy he is. But he doesn't wait for her to speak before he stands up and fixes her with an intense stare.

"I'll make this right." He says. "I can save you. I promise."

And then he's gone, and she's drifting off into a feverish sleep. When she wakes up again, it's like he was never there.

For the next few days, she realizes the true horror of this plague. At night it steals her sleep with pain and nightmares. In the morning it leaves her tired and apathetic. Her husband is never there, and on her orders, neither are any of her advisors or handmaidens, except for the physicians and her most loyal oath-sister, who's already proved herself immune.

In spite of herself, she finds that she grows more disappointed every day. Her husband who fought off assassins for her and read her favorite fairy tales at bedtime had all but vanished. Even knowing he runs the risk of being infected, she still wants him here. The desire increases as her fevers continue and she feels more tired, just in case it does turn out to be her final day.

One morning she wakes to wailing outside her door.

"Who are they wailing for?" She asks. And then she adds, almost sarcastically, "Go tell them I've survived the night. Or maybe that'll just make them cry harder."

"They must be praying." Her oath-sister replies.

The physicians don't come that morning. But after so many visits with her condition never improving, it's almost a relief. "So where could they be?"

"Oh, I'm sure they never run out of patients." Her oath-sister replies.

"You'd think they'd all be more careful, now that there's someone infected here."

In the late afternoon she gets two hours of sun in the garden, where she eats some porridge, the only thing that doesn't disagree with her nowdays. When she's headed back indoors, a group of clergy pass them in the halls.

"And why are they hurrying at this odd hour."

"To bless something or offer a charm. They've done that a lot, lately."

She makes it back to her room and lies down again. Her oath-sister reads to her, but they're interrupted by horses frantically galloping in the courtyard.

"And whose messenger just rushed in like that?"

Her oath-sister takes a look out the window. "A high and powerful lord's."

"And the guards just let them in without a check-over? Great." She grumbles and buries her head in a pillow.

That night the fever pains are worse than ever. And her husband is still nowhere to be found. She's glad to wander into a nightmare, for once, if it means she doesn't need to feel the fever or the disappointment.

A massive figure towers over her, seizing her by the waist with a pale hand. It speaks to her with a rattling voice.

'I claim you, Queen. Meet the fate of all your kind.'

She refuses. She struggles against Death. Of course she does. She has too much to live for. Her Kingdom is still weak, recovering from war and corruption and now plague. Her King will be lost without her, at the mercy of whatever nobles that can shout over him while he wasted time in his study like he was doing now. Her brother who inherited their father's throne will laugh at her after stealing away her dream to rule.

Death laughs...and then offers her a deal.

'Redeem yourself then. Give me a King for a Queen.'

The answer should be easy. She needs to stay alive for the good of her kingdom. For years, she's been the one ruling and fixing the problems. She cleaned away the corrupt officials, she fought and won wars with neighbors looking to exploit her husband's weakness, and she helped her husband find confidence in himself and his research. Her dreams of power, that she has always been willing to kill for, are just within reach.

But if she must lose her husband...Suddenly her dream feels so hollow. He hasn't always supported her the right way, but he's done the best he can, and he's been sincere with her in a way no one else has ever been, and he's one of the few people who cares for her as a person...She could rule without him, but it would bring her no joy. There would be an empty space next to her throne and an empty space in her heart.

She stops fighting Death. It can take her, so long as it doesn't touch her King.

Her Kingdom will probably fall apart. Her King will be devastated. But she's always been ruthless and selfish, so just let her be selfish this time too.

To her shock, Death drops her. And then another figure falls out of its other hand. It's her husband, and he looks at her with an expression of shock and horror.

She reaches for him, but wakes up before she can.

She's covered in a cold sweat. The fever and pains are gone. A foul odor lingers in her mouth and nose. Her oath sister lets out a whoop of joy, tosses away a glass vial, and hugs her.

When the celebrations are over, she manages to gasp out a question on the King's whereabouts.

"Oh, he's in his study --"

Her oath-sister doesn't finish before the door is kicked down. The King stands tottering in the hallway, disheveled, haggard, and weak. Sweat drips down his pale face and bushy beard. Another handmaiden, Lord Burlsek's girl, comes rushing after him. He wobbles. The Queen shrieks, as loudly as she's able, for her handmaidens to catch him and bring him to the bed.

"...wanted you...It wanted you..." He murmurs through parched lips. "Won't get you. Even if..."

The Queen smoothes his wild hair and kisses him. "I'm still here.'

And he's here too. Finally.

He stares at her, not sure to whether to laugh or to cry. He settles on laughter after a long while.

"It worked!"

"It did for both you." The Queen's oath-sister adds.

"It's only fair after Your Majesty's ordeal." Burlesk's girl adds. "Exhaustion. Then infection."

"On purpose?" The Queen whispers.

To her relief, the King shakes his head no. He was desperate, not stupid. The Handmaidens quickly give her the rest of the details. For the past days, the King had been working harder than ever. He barely ate, he barely slept, he barely talked to his assistants, except to say he was just one step away from that cure. Finally he mixed his prototype of a cure...and then collapsed. His symptoms had been severe because of the strain he put on himself. There were talks of last rites even as he rambled feverishly. Fortunately the two handmaidens had the presence of find to search for the vial he kept shouting about, and then they insisted on giving him a dose despite the doubts of the physicians and clergy.

The Queen listens with sadness and pride in equal measure. To think her husband, who could fight off any assassin, would almost lose his life to an illness. But like all the other assassins who came after her, he fought the plague and he won. She kisses his cheek and tells him, "You did it. You saved me."

In the morning, she'll ask him about his notes and start a program to synthesize and distribute that cure, but right now, she's just glad they're both alive.

I think the funniest dynamic for arranged-marriage royalty would be a queen who came here 100% prepared to murder her future husband and rule as a widow queen in her own right, only to discover that the king is autistic as hell and responds to her wish to rule with "oh thank god please do, I don't want to be bothered by these people. I can just tell them to go bother you instead, if you really want that. I've got beetles I wanted to study."

[the-technicolor-whiscash]

One thing I do really like about episodes like the appendix one is how it forces you to really approach the show with a critical eye. Like not only does it make you contend with the fact that dirty boytoy here really just mutilated a guy basically out of revenge, losing his sanity and deciding to play God, and asks you to continue sympathizing with him (and you do, even after all that, you do, because you're not sure you would not have done the same) but also you realize.

This is a recycled plot.

It's a plot they used before in an episode where Hawkeye and Trapper remove Colonel Flagg's appendix. But back then, it was played for laughs. Now, 7 seasons in, the plot is recycled not for humor but for the drama and controversy the subject rightfully deserves. And to bolster that, BJ is against him the whole way. BJ, who in the past has shown a deep-seated anger that occasionally pushes him to his limits, but who tries to follow his hippocratic oath to a T. Hawkeye, on the other hand, stands by his politics and his principles more than his oath as a doctor, and that has proven time and again to get in the way of delivering effective medicine. And I agree with Hawkeye a majority of the time, I'm just as much of a bleeding heart New England liberal as he is and sometimes I speak to my relatives and realize just how much these arguments haven't changed in 50 years. But there are lines that he is faced with which as a doctor he has to choose whether or not to cross. And I think it's very interesting when the show decides to cross them.