Chapter 132: Department of Health


    The two consultingdies took a long time to regain theirposure, but their faces still bore traces of lingering fear.


    Ladi asked Paul, Count, Ive always been curious why Lakeheart Town has shops that specifically sell boiled water. I suppose this was your idea too?


    Indeed! Paul, beaming with pride, patted his chest and said, Heating water to a certain degree effectively kills these microorganisms. I call this process disinfection, so I advocate that people in our territory drink boiled water.


    In another timeline, the working people of The Celestial Empire (pre-PRC China lmao) only started the habit of drinking boiled water after 1949. In ancient times, epidemics, parasites, and gastroenteritis weremon, especially in rural areas, which were hotbeds for parasites and dysentery.


    After the founding of New China, the benefits of drinking boiled water were heavily promoted and yed a significant role in eradicating parasites and controlling various gastrointestinal infectious diseases.


    However, for the lower-ss people in the northwest, using precious fuel to boil water was still a bit of a luxury. Therefore, Paul funded the establishment of boiled water shops where, for just a copper coin, one could buy a small bucket of boiled water.


    He also nned to extend this model throughout the regions of Alda and Baylding.


    But, was this microscope just created by you? Did you already know about the numerous microorganisms in water? Ladi suddenly asked, with Eileen also curiously looking at Paul.


    I Paul was momentarily at a loss for words.


    After a brief hesitation, he hurriedly exined, Isnt itmon knowledge that drinking raw water can cause diarrhea? I justbined thismon knowledge with the new discovery made through the microscope.


    Ladi still had her doubts, But the cause and effect of this


    Paul immediately interrupted her, Why bother with so many causes and effects? Ah I called you here for serious business. I am quite busy, you know.


    Ladi, hiding a smile, said, Please give your orders, Count.


    Powerful firearms, telescopes that could see for miles, exquisite porcin, cheap paper, time-saving reaping machines, full-sail warships, and now this sophisticated microscope  all were inventions of this Count. If the inventor had been one of those schrs from the Imperial Academy, immersed in knowledge their entire lives, it would be barely usible. But this Count was just fifteen years old. Could there really be people born with innate knowledge?


    Ladi increasingly believed that this lord harbored some secret, but she did not intend to delve too deeply. After all, who didnt have secrets? For instance, she had another identity herself.


    Paul, slightly embarrassed, cleared his throat and said, The first thing is, I want to establish a Department of Health.


    A Department of Health?


    Yes, a Department of Health. The main task of this department will be to promote healthy living habits in Alda and Baylding, in addition to some medical affairs.


    What do we need to do?


    I need you two schrs to organize a team topile a series of promotional booklets and textbooks, introducing good living habits from the upper ss to themon people, and exining their significance in detail. Youve seen the various microorganisms with your own eyes. Based on my observations of other objects, they exist not only in water. Our world is full of them, and in greater numbers than in clear water, like the nail dirt Ive deliberately left these past few days


    Eileen, disgusted, said, Please, no more.


    Haha, sorry. With this discovery, the causes of some diseases can be exined. Among the microorganisms we discovered, some can certainly cause illness. Lets collectively refer to them as pathogens. Of course, just as some known organisms have symbiotic rtionships, its quite possible that some of these microorganisms are beneficial to our bodies.


    Paul decided not to prematurely introduce terms like bacteria, viruses, or fungi, as exining them would be tooplicated.


    He continued, Some good habits, such as bathing regrly, washing hands before meals, keeping the environment clean, eating cooked food, and, as we just mentioned, drinking boiled water, can effectively reduce the number of pathogens, thereby greatly reducing the probability of disease urrence.


    Ladi nodded in agreement, That makes sense. Previously, we did these things forfort, but now theres an added significance  for health.


    Paul, nodding, added, These habits should be adopted by the general popce, not just by the nobility and the wealthy.


    Ladimented, Such care for ones subjects is rare among lords like you.


    Eileen also looked at him with admiration.


    Nonsense, the people in my territory are valuablebor. I dont want them dying from preventable diseases. Otherwise, who will work in my fields and factories?


    The two advisors were taken aback, Count Grayman, I take back what I said.


    Ignoring their disdain, Paul continued, Considering most people in the territory are illiterate, youll need to include many illustrations in the pamphlets. Choose some of the little bugs that you least want to see and exaggerate them as much as possible  the more grotesque, the better, to scare them.


    Ill have Morrisons propaganda team distribute your pamphlets throughout the territory and exin them, enhancing credibility by using microscopes.


    Besides the propaganda team, he nned to gift a microscope to Father Anderson, who oversaw the church in Lakeheart Town. The priest, known for his interest in biology and his garden full of diverse nts, also enjoyed studying scriptures and practicing medicine.


    He also wanted to provide several microscopes to Weiss Academy, encouraging students to learn more about biology. Education should start from a young age, after all.


    Hmm, and knowledge about childbirth for pregnant women


    This suddenly came to his mind. He had already sent people to gather andpile data. In the past ten years, the infant mortality rate in the Northwestern Bay area  the number of deaths of infants under one year per thousand live births  was over two hundred per thousand.


    This was a heart-wrenching statistic. If these infants had survived, his territory would have had a significant poption increase, and his factories would have had many more workers.


    Its essential to gather experienced midwives from all over,pile their birthing experiences into a book, and teach them about pathogens  the disease-causing microorganisms we observed under the microscope  and how to disinfect.


    Practices like cutting the umbilical cord with a rusty scissor or cleaning with unboiled water must be strictly abandoned.


    Paul, speaking as the ideas came to him, seemed a bit disorganized. The two female advisors diligently took notes.


    We must dere war on ignorance and backward practices. Ive decided tounch a movement, which Ill call


    The New Life Movement!