Chapter 17: Drugs of Great Value

Constantine took a bundle of Artemisia annua brought back from the hunting ground and came to the study to think carefully about junior high school chemistry knowledge.

Artemisinin is an organic substance. Since it is an organic substance, it is easily soluble in organic solutions. This is the principle of extracting artemisinin.

The reason why Constantine was so eager to make artemisinin was not that he was in a hurry to sell artemisinin to make money.

But the 500 people of the Royal Guards were ready to go to Africa at any time after Constantine's order was issued.

Constantine just wanted to minimize non-combat casualties. In southern Africa, where the environment is harsh, hot and rainy, and mosquitoes are rampant, the threat of disease to combatants may be far greater than other factors, and thus ranked first, such as the expected conflict with Cameron's expedition.

Artemisia annua, which can treat malaria, is one of the supplies Constantine prepared for his guards.

As for why cinchona bark was not used and artemisinin was used with so much effort, the reason is complicated.

The first reason is nothing but the high price.

Cinchona bark is native to the Andes Mountains in South America. Since its advent, the price has remained high, and countless people have flocked to it.

The emergence of each special medicine is a carnival of capital.

To put it bluntly, there are countless people who use special medicines to become rich.

Cinchona bark is no exception.

Because the demand for cinchona trees is huge, wild tree species cannot withstand human exploitation and their number is decreasing.

Cinchona trees are a very delicate and picky tree species. If the environment is not suitable, even if they can be transplanted successfully, the content of active ingredients (quinine) will be very low.

The British government made several attempts, but the cinchona trees planted had no medicinal value at all, and finally gave up helplessly.

The Dutch came to Java, where the climate conditions are similar to those of the Andes Mountains, and it took 30 years to successfully plant cinchona trees that can be used for medicine.

The Dutch paid so much energy and money, but they were not doing good deeds. In the end, they had to earn back double from cinchona bark.

The success of this planting directly allowed the Dutch to control the world quinine (cinchona bark extract, used to treat malaria) market for nearly a hundred years.

Seeing the Dutch making a lot of money with quinine, the jealous British were unwilling to fail, so they tried to plant cinchona trees in India again.

The planting was successful, but the content of quinine's active ingredients was low, and it was not recognized at all in the international market.

The British were forced to sell it domestically in India.

The result is that 2 million people die from malaria in India every year, and the number is very stable.

The Dutch controlled the raw material market, and in order to obtain higher economic benefits, they used iron-fisted means to control its price.

Whenever the price of cinchona bark in the international market fell, they would destroy some cinchona trees!

The U.S. Department of Justice once accused the Dutch of violating U.S. antitrust laws and confiscated five tons of Dutch cinchona bark in New York, but the Dutch didn't care at all, and the U.S. government could do nothing about it.

The Dutch control over cinchona bark is evident.

The second reason is the serious side effects.

Cinchona bark, this herb, when it is ineffective, it is unclear whether it is due to insufficient dosage or problems with the raw materials.

If taken too much, the side effects are very serious.

Including tinnitus, deafness, diarrhea, headache, and visual impairment, in severe cases, it may even lead to death.

Therefore, it is troublesome, and besides, after the successful production, it can also control a way to make money, which is very profitable.

How can we not take the opportunity to make a fortune like the Dutch?

Constantine asked the servant to crush the washed Artemisia annua, and then took four bottles of high-proof liquor-vodka, soaked the Artemisia annua debris, and after two days, filtered the residue with gauze to get a bottled mixture of green Artemisia annua juice and alcohol.

People who have received nine years of compulsory education are excellent, Constantine exclaimed.

Knowledge is money!

As for the efficacy, this is a bit troublesome. Whether the artemisia produced by this method is effective or not, it needs to be tested to know.

The next morning after the successful production, Constantine took the homemade artemisinin and came to the Athens Municipal Hospital.

At the Athens Municipal Hospital, even the royal patients came here for medical treatment for general diseases.

It is the best hospital in Greece, accepting a large number of patients every day, and there must be malaria patients.

Athens Municipal Hospital, Dean Philip's office.

"You said you invented a new drug to treat malaria?" After hearing Constantine's purpose, Dean Philip, who was wearing gold-rimmed glasses, was full of doubt.

"Your Excellency the Duke, I want to solemnly remind you that medicine is very serious, not something that can be done arbitrarily. This concerns human life," Dean Philip said seriously.

"Dean Philip, I understand the reason. Please help me and conduct a drug trial. If there is no effect, I apologize to you."

After a long time of entanglement, Dean Philip firmly disagreed to conduct a drug experiment on artemisinin.

Constantine was also helpless, not knowing whether to praise Philip for his diligence or scold him for being stubborn and inflexible.

There was no other way, so he could only use bribery.

"As long as you help me do this drug experiment, I will help you get the body from the Athens prison, how about it?" Constantine, who didn't want to get entangled with this stubborn old man, used his trump card.

I don't believe you won't agree to this condition after hearing it.

Sure enough, after hearing Constantine's conditions, Philip looked at Constantine in surprise, his gray beard shaking constantly.

The 19th century was a period of rapid progress in European medicine. Doctors were a special profession with strong practicality. The more examples they came into contact with, the stronger their professional ability.

The medical level in the 19th century developed very rapidly, especially surgery.

The development of surgery has saved many lives, and the progress of surgical knowledge depends to a large extent on the development of anatomy.

Anatomy is a specialized discipline that pays great attention to summarizing experience from practice.

The practice mentioned here means doing unspeakable things to corpses.

However, due to the constraints of social ethics and morality, the public cannot accept the open dissection of corpses, especially religious people.

It is not just the Orientals who are taboo about the dead, but the Westerners are the same.

And if medicine wants to progress, it must come into contact with a large number of corpses.

The medical community needs a large number of surgeons, but the "materials" that are essential for training surgeons are far from enough.

A huge contradiction has emerged. The number of corpses obtained through legal channels is far from enough for medical professionals to work.

So the black market appeared.

You read it right. In this world, there are not only black markets for arms, drugs and oil, but also for buying and selling corpses.

Since it is a black market, it is not regulated by the government. As long as they can get corpses, they will do whatever it takes.

So what are the sources of corpses traded in the black market? There are three main types:

The bodies of the poor who are not claimed in hospitals, poorhouses and prisons;

Grave robbing;

Directly killing people and taking corpses.

These methods are as immoral as they can be.

But there is no way. If there are buyers, there will be sellers. If there is demand, there will be people who take risks. If there is no buying and selling, there will be no killing.

Many experienced doctors and medical school teachers get the goods. Just take a look at them and they can roughly identify where these corpses come from from the surface of the body.

It's just that everyone turns a blind eye and pretends not to know.

Constantine looked at Dr. Philip, who was very touched. Hehe, this is called catering to his preferences, and you are not afraid that you will not follow.