Chapter 320 - A tricky question
The host definitely learned about the bet from Kim Jung-ho. Su Tao knew that the former was playing a psychological battle, trying to increase the pressure on him.
To maintain fairness, the judges were foreign specialists. Although they might not understand TCM or TKM, each and every single one of them had a high position in the medical industry.
The stage was split into two consultation rooms, with a board in between. Hence, Kim Jung-ho and Su Tao couldn't see each other. Towards the direction of the crowd was a transparent glass, allowing the audience to see everything.
More than a thousand people were participating in the International Medial Summit, and they were all specialists from all over the world. Looking at the stage, all of them had different feelings in their hearts.
Every single country has its own medical inheritance, such as Ancient Traditional Indian Medicine — Ayurveda. It was also translated into the Studies of Life. The famously noted was the Compendium of Charaka. The author, Charaka, was an imperial physician with over five hundred herbs recorded that could treat various illnesses.
Modern Western medicine originated from Ancient Greece. In the famous novel, The Legend of The Condor Heroes, there was a martial art powerhouse that came from the West, Ouyang Feng. The snake cane that he wielded originated from Greek mythology, Asclepius. In the latter's medical theory, he believed that snakes could treat illnesses, and many Islamic medical studies originated from Ancient Greece. It was so much so that many medical organisations used it as a symbol, such as the logo of the World Health Organisation.
However, most medical specialists didn't think too much about it. After all, the two youngsters involved in the competition did not have much status in the international medical industry. Not to mention that in TCM, only those with an older age would be treated with respect in the medical industry, since their age represented their experiences.
Kim Jung-ho was only thirty-three this year, and Su Tao was even younger; he was barely twenty-one! So many of them felt that it was a joke for the two of them to compete on the stage.
"South Koreans always like to make a sensation out of everything." A specialist from Belgium, Gillette, ridiculed in disdain.
"I don't share the same view as you. It is rumoured that Kim Jung-ho is the most talented physician in South Korea, and his medical skills even surpassed his grandfather, Kim Han-joo." The specialist from the Netherlands, Bath solemnly spoke.
"Kim Han-joo? He is known as the modern father of TKM and had once treated the prince of Kuwait with his magical medical skills. But in my view, TKM originated from traditional medical studies, and many theories in traditional medical studies have been debunked. Precision Medicine is the mainstream here." Gillette harshly criticised.
Precision Medicine was initiated by America's National Academy of Science, National Academy of Engineering, Institutes of Health, and National Science Foundation. Cancer was the biggest problem that the current medical industry faced. Precision Medicine has launched a challenge to cancer by using genetics detection technology to find the precise flaw of cancer and conduct treatment.
In Gillette's view, both TKM and TCM were laughable, since they didn't require an accurate apparatus. They only relied on their observation and experience to determine the illness of their patient and boiling herbs into a soup to treat diseases. He felt that it was simply a disgrace to modern medical studies.
"Gillette, you have yo change your mindset. The Nobel award winner from China last year extracted Arteannuin from TCM herbs. Although traditional medical studies are lacking, they can still benefit modern medical studies." Bath smiled.
Upon hearing his words, Gillette snorted, "If they treat medical studies as a trifling game, I will surely go up the stage and expose their vile performance!"
"Your temper is too fiery. Have some water!" Bath helplessly looked at Gillette with a wry smile.
Sitting at the front, Kim Jung-yeon turned on her mobile. Making use of the live platform, she was taking a live video of this moment. There were already two thousand people in the room, and they were all loyal fans of Su Tao's fan club, occasionally issuing a bullet curtain message to support their idol.
"Su Tao Oppa, you're the best! You have to defeat Kim Jung-ho!"
"I was previously a fan of Kim Jung-ho, but I changed my sides a few days ago because you're such an idol!"
"Defeat Kim Jung-ho, and I'll marry you!"
"Don't be shameless. Oppa belongs to everyone, who the hell are you!"
Kim Jung-yeon knew that many of the fans from Su Tao's fan club were Chinese studying in Seoul. They were university students of Seoul, and they had a Chinese style. In other words, they were insane with the bullet curtain, and it was an endless barrage of comments!
While Liu Ruochen was looking at Su Tao, she suddenly noticed someone beside her. Turning her head over, she was astonished. "Why are you here?"
"Am I that hateful?" Wang Guofeng self-ridiculed. "You've recently lost weight."
Liu Ruochen glanced at Wang Guofeng. His gaze was gentle with a stubble decorating the corner of his lips. He had become more mature than he was in the past. Liu Ruochen responded, "Big Brother Guofeng, I hope that our conversation can retain to that of friends."
Wang Guofeng knew that Liu Ruochen was giving him a hint, since his words were too intimate. With a self-ridiculing smile, he replied, "So friends can't solicitously inquire about each other's well-being?"
With a smile, Liu Ruochen replied, "Sure they can, but they're more normal with their inquiries. Do keep in mind that our engagement has been dissolved."
"What a ruthless woman!" Wang Guofeng understood Liu Ruochen's character. She might be someone with spring's touch on her face, but she was also firm in her decisions.
After a brief pause, he changed the topic. "You have that much trust in Su Tao?"
"That's for sure. He's the most talented seed of TCM in China without exception!" Liu Ruochen replied with a smile.
"But if he fails, I'm afraid he won't have the face to return to China!" Wang Guofeng sighed as his tone was filled with regret. "His bet with Kim Jung-ho has already made its way back to China and created a huge uproar. It's fine if he wins, but there won't be a place for him in the TCM industry if he loses."
Looking at Wang Guofeng, Liu Ruochen knew what the latter was implying. He has already advertised this matter in China through his own connections to let everyone know that Su Tao was a reckless person. Locking her brows together, she asked, "Must you really be so shameless?"
"Can't help it. He's an enemy of mine!" Wang Guofeng sneered as he returned to his seat.
He was a spectator in this competition. But that didn't mean that he's an outsider.
He hoped that Su Tao would lose this competition and the latter would wear the cone of shame!
Bai Fan has already connected several influential media channels in the industry. The moment Su Tao loses, the truth would be reported. Just like what Wang Guofeng has said. If Su Tao loses in this competition, not only would he lose his wealth, but his reputation and image would also be ruined.
When the competition officially started, Su Tao couldn't be bothered about the situation outside the stage. Seated in the room, he calmed his mind and hurled any distraction to the back of his head. His grandfather had once told him not to treat the health of his patient as a trivial matter.
This was long engraved into his bones. He's a doctor, and he had to be responsible for his patients. As for the judgement of others, it didn't concern him. What he had to do was resolve the disease troubling his patient. That was the innocence in his heart. Regardless if he would gain fame or riches from this matter, what was engraved in his heart would never change.
The patient was a male who looked to be in his fifties. His complexion was yellowish with veiny eyes. When walking, the patient's right shoulder was slightly lower with his centre of gravity on his heel. This patient's name was Hwang Dong-ha, a South Korean that worked in the private hire industry.
With a smile on his face, Su Tao instructed, "Please put your hand out!"
The patient was baffled, which Su Tao locked his brows together, since there's a language barrier between them. It looked like Kim Jung-ho would have an advantage in this field.
Since it was a race against time, he did not continue speaking, but made a gesture, which the patient instantly understood his meaning and stretched his wrist out.
Taking one's pulse usually required three fingers, the index, middle, and ring finger. However, Su Tao's method was unusual. He only used his index finger to gently press on the wrist.
Out of Inspection, Listening & Smelling, Inquiring and Palpation, the last was the hardest, since it used pulse fluctuation to determine the patient's condition. Despite the existence of the 28 Pulse Formula, there weren't many that practised it into the smallest detail.
Su Tao's face was solemn as he focused all his attention into his index finger. The patient's pulse was in a turmoil, akin to a boat in a stormy ocean and danger was imminent.
"Tight with strength and feels like a taut rope, akin to a stretched and twisted rope. Caused by the contraction of tense vessels, resulting from the conflict between cold and healthy Qi, and the obstruction of Yang Qi." This was the Tensed Pulse of the 28 Pulse Formula.
The situation of the patient's pulse was similar to the Tensed Pulse.
In one of the necessary studies of the palpation technique, the Bordering Pulse Study, there was an introduction on Tensed Pulse, "Tense was the various origin for cold pains. Wheezy breathing and cold phlegm were symptoms of coldness. Counter with warmth to ease."
It meant that the pain in the body came from coldness, with symptoms such as asthma, cough, spasms, epilepsy, and phlegm. Treating this required the usage of warm, nourishing herbs to force the coldness in the body out for recovery.
But if it was an ordinary cold, how would it be used as a topic on the International Medical Summit for Kim Jung-ho and his battle?
Furrowing his brows, Su Tao sighed and determined that Hwang Dong-ha's illness wasn't the coldness in his body, but a tumour.
From the pulse, it was an early-stage tumour. When the tumour reaches the mid-stage, the pulse would start to weaken. When it reaches the late stage, the pulse would be weak and powerless.
Tumours were classified into benign and malignant.
The pulse of a patient with a benign tumour was clearer and similar to the pulse of a pregnant woman. On the other hand, malignant tumours were akin to a submerged reef and would swirl into a maelstrom upon being irritated. Occasionally, it was also like a bearing ball with an unusual tactile sensation.
As a comprehensive analysis, Hwang Dong-ha's pulse was clear, which meant that his tumour was benign. Although it's not cancer, surgeries were generally required to remove it!
Although benign tumours wouldn't threaten lives like malignant tumours, they would still disrupt the body's functions.
Judging from the patient's walking posture, Su Tao could determine the location of the pain. Hwang Dong-ha's tumour was located in his intestines, and it should be related to his career!
As private hires, they had to be seated in the car for an extended period, which would gradually slow down the activities of their intestines. Hence, the harmful components of a human's excrement would accumulate in the intestines and irritate the intestine's membrane. Not to mention that sitting for an extended period would cause obstructions of blood in the abdomen, pelvic cavities, and waist, which lead to the stomach's immunity being decreased and creating the tumour.
The problem that the organising committee gave the two of them was to treat tumours! This was a tricky question.
Although it appeared to be a cold illness, it's actually related to the tumour ruining the balance in the body, which caused the Tensed Pulse. Although this was a benign tumour, the difficulty was still great!