Chapter 839

Who would have thought it was actually to ask about the common people.

Such an enlightened monarch who cares about the people of the world moved Li Shizhen once again.

"Your Majesty, the health of the people of Great Qin is already much better than in the Tang Dynasty era. The number of infant deaths and deaths from illness is only twenty percent of what it was in the Tang era.

The average life expectancy of the people has also increased significantly to fifty-nine years! This is all due to Your Majesty's sagacity!

As the saying goes, treating illness is not as good as preventing it. Your subject believes we should continue to teach the people the principles of preventing illness."

Li Shizhen's words were quite pertinent.

Qin Mu also agreed with this concept of his.

He suddenly remembered something.

The divine physicians of the current age have not yet realized the existence of germs. So-called prevention is often very blind.

This situation must be pointed out to Li Shizhen.

"Li Shizhen, why do you think people catch a cold?"

Li Shizhen was clearly stunned for a moment.

He did not know that Your Majesty also understood medicine? Is this to test him?

So he gathered his spirits and replied respectfully.

"Your Majesty, there are fine pores in human skin; wind can penetrate the skin and enter the body. Cold air follows it in, resulting in a cold."

This is a simple medical principle; for thousands of years, doctors have believed this.

Li Shizhen answered without hesitation.

What surprised Li Shizhen greatly was:

Qin Mu shook his head instead.

"Not so! What penetrates human skin is not wind, but germs."

"Germs?"

Li Shizhen had never heard this term before.

Hearing it for the first time, it felt incredible.

"Your Majesty, what are germs?"

Qin Mu extended a hand, palm facing upward, holding the air.

"Germs are tiny, invisible to the naked eye, but they are scattered in this air, everywhere. This is also the reason why medical practitioners throughout the ages have mistakenly assumed it was wind."

Li Shizhen pondered for a moment.

According to Qin Mu's explanation, it seemed to make sense. Since they are scattered in the air, aren't they just like wind, entering everywhere?

"Your Majesty, then what is the difference between germs and wind?"

Li Shizhen asked this because he was truly very confused.

Since they are like wind, why give them a separate name called germs?

Qin Mu smiled.

"Wind is just the movement of air, but germs are living things."

"Since they are living things, boiling water, burning with fire, strong liquor, and medicine can all kill them."

"Think about it carefully, isn't that the case?"

Qin Mu only had a slight understanding of medical principles.

However, with the little he knew, it was more than enough to inspire Li Shizhen.

Li Shizhen lowered his head and pondered for a moment, discovering that it was indeed the case.

Many times, when doctors believed wind had invaded the body, they would use various methods to dispel the wind evil.

Just as Your Majesty said, those were the methods.

At this moment, Li Shizhen seemed to have discovered a new world.

Many things he couldn't quite figure out before were now suddenly clear before him.

Moreover, using this germ theory proposed by Your Majesty could also explain many problems that couldn't be explained before.

Li Shizhen was ecstatic.

His lifelong pursuit had been to surpass the sages in the field of medicine.

He traveled to famous mountains and great rivers, collecting herbs everywhere and understanding their properties.

Finally, he compiled the "Compendium of Materia Medica."

This book is the culmination of herbal knowledge throughout the ages and has become a classic for medical practitioners.

However, his medical skills had also hit a bottleneck here, making it difficult to achieve further breakthroughs.

Now, the germ theory taught to him by Your Majesty could allow Li Shizhen to establish a new school of thought different from the sages of the past.

In the history of medicine, he could pioneer an era that belongs to him.

In the future, the great name of Li Shizhen would inevitably be placed alongside Bian Que, Hua Tuo, and Sun Simiao.

Becoming a divine physician of the ages!

Li Shizhen was very excited and knelt down to kowtow to Qin Mu.

"The germ theory proposed by Your Majesty has opened a new door among the various schools of medicine."

"Your subject thanks Your Majesty for the grace of your instruction!"

Seeing Li Shizhen so excited, Qin Mu was also deeply moved.

Telling Li Shizhen these things was nothing more than wanting him to formulate a new set of methods for preventing disease.

Only by truly understanding germs can more diseases be prevented.

"Li Shizhen, after you go back, ponder this well. Then, based on this germ theory, formulate a set of hygiene guidelines. Let the people handle the details of their lives according to the new hygiene guidelines. It will certainly be able to further increase the lifespan of the people!"

"Your subject obeys the decree!"

Li Shizhen suddenly realized at this moment that Your Majesty seems to know everything.

This guidance for him today is of great significance!

I really don't know how Your Majesty thought of these things?

These viewpoints had never been mentioned before. They are viewpoints pioneered by Your Majesty!

"Your Majesty's grace is like a timely rain. With this germ theory, your subject has the confidence to increase the lifespan of the people of the world by another ten years!"

"The 'seventy years of age' of the past will now become a common occurrence."