Chapter 1578 - 1484: The Heir
Chapter 1578: Chapter 1484: The Heir
"Medical examinations are very important for disease prevention." Joseph glanced at the entrance of the medical examination center and said to his wife, "We’d better have a comprehensive check-up every six months in the future."
"Hmm, I’ll follow your advice."
The two walked into the examination center amidst a group of bowing nobles, and Joseph immediately saw a glass tube as thick as an arm and almost as tall as an adult standing in the center of the hall.
The nursing home’s director, Jean-Noel Haler, eagerly introduced, "Your Highness, the instrument ahead is the sphygmomanometer, which uses the pressure of concentrated saline in the glass tube to compress the artery. Then the water level is gradually reduced until the pulse starts beating again. At that point, the water pressure is the human blood pressure..."
Doctor Bisha behind him hurriedly whispered, "Director, did you forget? This device was invented by the Regent King himself."
Haler was taken aback. Recently, he had become accustomed to showing off these cutting-edge medical devices to nobles from various countries, resulting in "teaching a fish to swim"...
He coughed awkwardly and took the examination sheet from a nearby doctor, bowing to Joseph, "Your Highness, let’s begin ’praying for health’ then."
"Praying for health" is the upscale term the nursing home uses for medical examinations.
Joseph nodded and followed Haler to the compartment for measuring height and weight.
The chief doctor of the nursing home specifically attended to The Crown Princess.
Soon, Joseph sat next to the massive sphygmomanometer.
Haler personally wrapped Joseph’s upper arm with a bulging deerskin "water pouch." The pouch was connected to a long copper pipe, and the other end of the copper pipe was installed at the base of the gigantic glass column.
Joseph had previously heard from the health bureau chief, Kovisat, that inside this deerskin pouch was actually an ox bladder, the best flexible sealing material available at the moment.
"We’re ready to begin, Your Highness," Haler respectfully reminded, "It might be slightly uncomfortable, which is normal, but it will pass quickly."
Joseph nodded.
The doctor’s assistant beside him began pressing a wooden handle repetitively. This handle drove the metal piston at the end, pumping concentrated saline from the water tank into the large glass column.
As the water level rapidly rose, Joseph felt the water pressure transmitted to his arm gradually tighten, akin to the blood pressure monitors of later generations.
The difference was that the strap wrapping around the arm was very large, and the pressure increment was relatively slow.
Standing behind him, Alexandra, and the fortunate accompanying nobles all looked as if they were witnessing alien technology, their eyes filled with shock and disbelief.
When the liquid level in the glass column reached the top, Haler pressed Joseph’s wrist pulse with one hand, while gently turning the water release valve with the other.
When the liquid level decreased to an adult neck height, he tilted his head towards the assistant and said, "’Initial pressure’ 148 cm."
Moments later, he added, "’Stopping pressure’ 100 cm."
He then stood up, helped Joseph remove the strap, and smiled, "Your Highness, congratulations, your blood pressure is very healthy."
"Based on our measurements of a large healthy population, the normal blood pressure value ranges between an ’initial pressure’ of 175 cm and a ’stopping pressure’ of 125 cm."
Joseph guessed he was referring to systolic and diastolic pressures, but terms didn’t matter.
He calculated in his mind, and his blood pressure was roughly 75 to 107 mm Hg. It was indeed very healthy.
As for why mercury wasn’t directly used to make sphygmomanometers?
Of course, because the ox bladder couldn’t contain mercury at all—mercury would rapidly alter the proteins in the bladder, causing dehydration and brittleness.
Also, because the current sealing level was not up to standard, the minute gap between the ox bladder and copper pipe would lead to a slight leakage of mercury vapor, which could cause poisoning if inhaled over a long period.
Thus, using a water pressure gauge became the only solution.
The downside was its extreme heft, with the entire setup weighing over 500 kg.
Upon completing her blood pressure measurement, feeling both tense and curious, Alexandra followed Haler with the Regent couple to the compartment for measuring blood lipids.
Joseph went first again.
Seeing Haler take a syringe from the assistant about the thickness of a cucumber, Joseph couldn’t help but furrow his brow, "Why use such a large syringe?"
Haler bowed and replied, "Your Highness, the fat content in blood is relatively low and composed of various components.
"At least 180 grams of blood is needed to separate sufficient measurable fat."
Joseph sighed inwardly; this amount nearly matched the volume of a future blood donation. But given the era’s centrifuge level, nothing else could be done.
He turned to Alexandra, winked, and whispered, "We should have a physical examination every year, oh, every two years."
Afterwards, Joseph underwent a series of examinations including blood sugar, heart, gastrointestinal, chest, lungs, and more.
It was then that he realized, besides the advanced medical technology he brought, doctors of this era also had quite a few scientific examination methods.
For instance, through sensitive fingers, they could detect issues like arteriosclerosis, liver spleen enlargement, thyroid enlargement, and more.
Coupled with a stethoscope, they could diagnose early-stage pneumonia, asthma, chest fluid, ascites, heart murmurs, and other conditions.
The nursing home currently gathered France’s most elite doctors who could prevent nearly 40 diseases through medical examinations. More than half could be avoided from worsening through intervention.
This was akin to giving those who came for examinations a second life.
Three hours later, Joseph completed all examination items, feeling utterly exhausted.
Alexandra still had one final test, the gynecological examination. So he began drinking tea in the VIP lounge.
Meanwhile, in the examination hall, the Duke of Gramon couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow upon hearing from the doctor, with a smile, that the full examination would deduct 1100 points from his VIP card.
The 1100 points on the VIP card corresponded to 1100 francs!
The King of Baden behind him dismissed it with humor, casually said to his attendant in a lighthearted tone, "I heard that during the examination you can have your blood let for free without breaking the skin; that’s truly remarkable."
While Joseph pondered how to stabilize the situation in Poland, Alexandra nervously entered the lounge, followed by the nursing home’s chief doctor, Pinel.
She quickly curtsied to Joseph, then signaled the servants in the room to leave.
Joseph lowered his teacup and looked at her with curiosity, "Dear, what’s the matter?"
The Crown Princess then turned towards Pinel.
The chief doctor stepped forward, bowing, "Regent King, upon preliminary assessment, The Crown Princess is likely pregnant."
"Really?" Joseph sprang up, vigorously taking Alexandra’s hand, uttering joyfully, "That’s wonderful! Truly wonderful! Haha, dear, I’m going to be a father!"