108話 酒飲みの病気
というわけで、雨妹は背後に避難している立勇に声をかける。
「立勇様、見難いので明様の体勢を仰向けにしてもらえますか?」
「いいだろう」
再び近付いてきた立勇に明を仰向けにしてもらうと、そのまま動かないように持っていてもらう。
そして雨妹はその身体をあちらこちら触り、ついでに衣服を捲ったりして老女に仰天されるのを立勇に宥めてもらいながら、一つ一つ確認していく。
「なるほど、だいたいわかりました」
雨妹は明の身体を解放して、息を吐く。
これほどにあちらこちら触り、しかもだいぶ手足を動かしたにもかかわらず、起きない明はある意味凄いというか、なんというか。
それはともかくとして。
「明様にはお手本みたいな症状が出ているので、後世のために絵に描き取って残しておきたいくらいですね」
「なにかわかったのか?」
色々調べた結果にいっそ感心している雨妹に、立勇が尋ねてくる。
その隣で何事がなされているのかさっぱり分からないという様子な老女もいて、彼らに説明するべく、雨妹は口を開く。
「はい、先に結論を言うと、明様は痛風ですね」
「「ツウフウ?」」
初耳という様子の立勇と老女に、雨妹は語る。
「これは風が吹いた程度の刺激でも猛烈に痛むことから、痛風と呼ばれている病です」
雨妹が明の身体を調べて気になったのは、酷く酒臭いのももちろんなのだが、まずは足で、こちらがだいぶ腫れているのが見て取れる。
そして手首と、関節と、耳にも少々の腫れが見られた。この手足や関節などの腫れこそ、痛風の特徴なのだ。
「痛風の痛みは発作的に生じるのですが、しばらくすると治まるのです。
この雨妹の説明を聞いて、老女が「そう言えば」と呟く。
「旦那様はなんの前触れもなく唐突に雄たけびを上げることがあります。
なんとも教科書通りな症状であるらしい明である。
これは本当に絵を描いて、陳と症状を一つ一つ検証して書き取れば、後世の役に立つ気がする。
なにせ、奇病としか情報がなかったのだから、尿酸という成分の存在など知る由もないだろう。
前世でも痛風の病は古代からあったものの、原因が解明されたのは近代になってからなのだ。
雨妹がそのような野望を抱いていると、立勇が恐る恐る聞いてくる。
「その、痛風とやらの原因はなんなのだ?
「立勇様のご想像通り、明様の場合はお酒の飲み過ぎですね」
立勇の懸念に、雨妹はズバリと答える。
厳密に言えば、痛風の原因は尿酸であり、尿酸は食事が体内で栄養になっていく過程で生み出される。
だがその尿酸を大量に作るのが酒だ。
つまり、酒飲みに多い病気なのである。
「背中を軽く押したら苦しがりましたので、腎臓――尿を作る臓器に結石ができている可能性がありますね。
尿酸が腎臓に溜まれば、腎機能が低下して排泄に支障が出るし、結石ができればそれが出来た部位が激しい痛みに見舞われる。
明がこの状態である可能性は高いだろう。
「その状態を放っておくと、いずれお小水の通り道にも結石ができて、催す度に地獄の苦しみを味わうこととなります。
説明を聞いた立勇がその様を想像したのか、顔を強張らせているのに、雨妹は重々しく頷く。
「痛風になりがちなのは、酒飲みや大食漢ですね。
「まさか、噂の奇病がそのようなものであったとは」
立勇が「やれやれ」といった風であるが、話はまだ終わらない。
「さらに言うなら、明様の身体が強烈に酒臭いのも、また別の病気の可能性がありますね」
新たな病が語られ、立勇が「まだあるのか」と言う顔になるのにも、これまた雨妹は頷く。
「病気なのです。
酒の飲み過ぎは肝臓機能低下を引き起こす。
肝臓の働きが悪くなると、酒を体内で処理できなくなり、結果酒の成分が汗としてそのまま出てしまうことになる。
だから酒臭いのだ。
そしてこれは身体の内から出ている臭いであるので、沐浴しても消えない。
ここまでの話を聞いて、顔を青くしている老女が、雨妹に尋ねる。
「あの、旦那様は重症なのですか?」
「そうですね、重症の類ですけど、治るものでもあります」
雨妹はそう答えた。あえて言えば、肝臓がどれほど悪くなっているのか気になるが、しかしまだ最悪な様子ではないと思われる。
「そうですか!」
老女がホッとした顔をした。
Chapter 108
With that, Yui Mei called out to Li Yong, who was taking refuge behind them.
"Li Yong, it's a bit hard to see, so can you please help me turn Lord Ming so he'll be lying on his back?"
"Yeah."
Li Yong drew closer once again, and he held Ming so he wouldn't move after turning him on his back.
Afterward, Yui Mei touched Ming here and there, and she also rolled his sleeves up. The old woman was mortified, so she let Li Yong calm her down as she inspected Ming all over.
"I see, I have a general idea now."
Yui Mei released Ming's body as she sighed.
She couldn't help but be amazed that Ming didn't wake up despite being touched everywhere, not to mention she also moved his hands and feet.
However, that must be set aside for now.
"Lord Ming exhibited an exemplary model of a specific illness, to the point that I want to sketch him to leave that for the future generations."
"What did you discover?"
Li Yong asked Yui Mei while she was immersed in amazement at the results after the physical examination.
Yui Mei decided to explain it to both of them, since the old woman also seemed perplexed at what was going on.
"Yes, based on the examination earlier, I can conclude that Lord Ming is suffering from  tongfeng, or simply put, gout."
"Gout?"
Li Yong and the old woman asked in unison. Apparently, it was the first time they heard such a term, so Yui Mei explained further.
"This gout is also called tongfeng based on the characters of Tong  for pain and Feng  for wind, because it was said that the slightest stimulus of the wind blowing would cause the patient to experience extreme pain."
Of course, Yui Mei was also concerned about the intense stink of alcohol, but the thing that bothered her the most was his feet. It was obviously swollen.
Moreover, the ankles, joints, and even the ears were slightly swollen, and this symptom was a distinct one exhibited in patients with gout.
"The pain from gout is sporadic, or to simply put, the fits will occur from time to time, but it will eventually lessen. The cycle of repeated pain and healing will eventually worsen until even the other internal organs will be affected."
When Yui Mei said those words, realization dawned on the old woman as she mumbled "now that you said that..."
"There were times when Master would suddenly roar without any warning in the past. The other servants thought that he must be possessed, so they would resign in twos and threes from time to time."
Ming was textbook worthy; he had all the symptoms.
Yui Mei really felt that it would be good if she could draw his pictures and write all the symptoms and conditions one by one so she could leave that for the future generation.
At any rate, since it was treated as a strange disease with no other information available, there was no way for them to know about the existence of uric acid.
Even in her previous life, gout had existed since ancient times. However, it was only recently that the cause of the disease was discovered.
Yui Mei harbored that ambition. Li Yong then timidly asked her.
"Ahm, so, what's the cause of that gout? Perhaps..."
"Just as Li Yong thought, in Lord Ming's case, it's because he drank too much."
Yui Mei frankly confirmed Li Yong's fear.
Strictly speaking, the root was uric acid, and it was a by-product when the body metabolizes the food we eat.
However, alcohol would produce a huge amount of uric acid.
Thus, it was an illness that was common among the drinkers.
"I tried pressing his back but he reacted painfully, so his kidneys -- er, the organs that are responsible for making pee probably have some stones, too. Perhaps he doesn't pee that much?"
If uric acid builds up in the kidneys, their function would be impaired, and peeing would be hindered. If stones formed, the area where they formed would be extremely painful.
It was highly likely that Ming had this condition.
"If he left that untreated, even the pathway where the urine flows will be blocked with stones, so every time he has to go, he will experience pain akin to hell. Well, we can't really say, but maybe he already experienced that."
Li Yong's face stiffened, probably because he imagined the scenario, and Yui Mei solemnly nodded.
"Gout is attained because of gluttony and heavy drinking. Really, everything must be in moderation."
"I can't believe that the rumored tongfeng illness is something like this."
Li Yong could only shake his head as he muttered 'oh goodness', but the story was far from over.
"Furthermore, based on Lord Ming's body odor that reeks of alcohol, it is possible that he might even have another illness along with it."
When Yui Mei mentioned another sickness, the words 'there's more?' was written all over Li Yong's face, so she nodded once again.
"Yes, it's an illness. If he was healthy, then he wouldn't stink to this extent."
Too much drinking could also impair liver function.
If the liver is impaired, the body won't be able to get rid of the alcohol from the body, and as a result, the body will adjust by disposing of it as sweat.
That's why he reeked much more than normal.
It was already coming from inside his body, so a bath wouldn't solve it.
The color drained from the old woman's face when she heard all of this. She posed another question for Yui Mei.
"Ahm, is Master suffering from a severe illness?"
"Yes, it is a sort of a grave illness, but it is possible to heal him."
Yui Mei answered. She was concerned about the extent of damage to the liver, but it doesn't seem to be the worst yet.
"Really!?"
Relief washed over the old woman.
Housekeeper of the Hundred Blossom Palace
百花宮のお掃除係～転生した新米宮女、後宮のお悩み解決します。
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/housekeeper-of-the-hundred-blossom-palace/
Fantasy Romance Shoujo Slice of Life
Adapted to Manga Ancient China Complex Family Relationships Different Social Status Female Protagonist Imperial Harem Love Interest Falls in Love First Reincarnated in Another World Royalty
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n4104ev/
黒辺あゆみ