Chapter 69: Mirror Therapy (3).

The decision to use mirrors progressed swiftly and without a hitch.

Dr. Liston, though generally cautious, was a man of action once he set his mind to something. That's probably why the so-called "head experts" managed to squeeze their way into his circle in the first place.

The problem was, those guys were also relentless practitioners—no, they were downright extreme in their methods. It was obvious they were attempting treatments they shouldn't be, even as we spoke. Especially that… electric doctor. I should've said something before he ended up shocking a patient.

"We need to finalize the design and place the order quickly," I said.

"Yeah, that's right. But is there really such a rush? The rubber hand treatment we're using now seems to have some effect, doesn't it?"

This guy… The issue isn't us. It's those other idiots who are bound to do something reckless. If we were in a group setting, I might've kept quiet, but it's just the two of us now. Besides, Liston treats me like a true brother, so I mustered the courage to speak up.

"It's not that I'm against it, but… I'm a bit uneasy about the treatments the other 'experts' are trying. Especially the electric one."

"Uneasy? Why?"

"Do we really need to mess around with electricity?"

"Ah, haha. I get that it's an unfamiliar concept. I'm not a huge fan either, but there's some basis for it."

No, there isn't! I've heard electric therapy can help with depression, but they don't use electric eels for that! Ever since I saw that YouTube video of an alligator getting electrocuted while trying to catch an eel, that image keeps replaying in my head. Of course, I couldn't tell Liston that, so I changed the subject.

"But… one of the reasons patients are flocking to us is because we offer treatments that don't cause pain. I think we should keep that in mind moving forward. We need to prioritize the patient's comfort."

"Ah… Hmm. That's…"

Treatments that don't cause pain—should that really be such a controversial idea? To my surprise, Liston seemed equally struck by the thought. It's not just the hospital; society as a whole has become desensitized to suffering. Take our workers, for example… I don't know the details of their lives, but even the little I do know brings tears to my eyes.

"Well… we only use anesthesia for surgeries, but… if we can avoid causing pain, that would be ideal."

Fortunately, Liston, despite being someone who had inflicted a lot of pain in his career, was open-minded. So, we reached a dramatic compromise. We both agreed that we needed to act quickly. Of course, the burden of figuring things out fell on me. Liston might ponder over it, but I was the only one who truly understood the concept of tricking the brain.

'The most important thing is to make sure the patient feels nothing while their hand is being treated. To do that… hmm…'

Honestly, I consider myself fairly intelligent, so I believed I'd come up with something quickly. But perhaps my brain had been slightly influenced by the barbarism of the 19th century? No decent ideas came to mind. I couldn't even properly simulate what would happen when we introduced the mirror.

"Should we try thinking while looking in the mirror, Professor?"

"Ah… sure. That sounds good."

So, we headed to a mirror shop. In Korea, a shop dedicated solely to mirrors would be unusual, but during this period, mirrors were considered somewhat luxurious furniture, so there were stores that specialized in them. When we arrived, the shop was filled with mirrors of all shapes and sizes. Both the professor and I scattered around, inspecting the mirrors.

'Yes, now that we're here, ideas are starting to flow.'

I felt confident. I was sure I'd come up with something soon.

"Ah… Dr. Pyeong."

Just then, Liston called me. I thought maybe a shopkeeper had taken issue with me. Liston was the type to get angry if someone mistreated someone he considered his own, so I rushed over to intervene. But when I got there, only Liston was present. The shopkeeper, though present, was keeping his distance, seemingly uninterested.

"What's going on?"

I asked without much expectation. However, Liston's face was flushed with excitement. He looked like a 19th-century man on a mission.

"Look at this."

Of course, I joined in his enthusiasm. It would've been rude to remain indifferent when someone was this excited. You can't be impolite to someone like Liston.

"Imagine someone without a right hand."

"Okay."

"Now, let's reflect my left hand in the mirror. What does it look like?"

"Oh… it looks like a right hand."

"But if we leave it like this, it's a bit obvious. What if we make the left hand completely invisible? Wouldn't that make it more convincing?"

"Ah… wait a second. Oh…"

Oh… Liston… Could this man have left a mark in history? Well, he was London's top physician, after all. Despite the limitations of the era, he was undoubtedly one of the best doctors of his time. He was fundamentally intelligent…

'How did he grasp the concept so quickly and come up with an idea like this?'

He truly was a professor. Even in this chaotic era, intellect survives!

"What are you thinking so deeply about?"

"Oh, nothing. It's just… this is so convincing. Making the left hand invisible… What if we create a box to hide it and only show the mirror? It would look incredibly real."

"Ah, I see. A box… That's a good idea. It might even be easier to make than the rubber hand."

"Yes, truly… this is amazing."

I've always been good at flattery. Working in the hospital had honed that skill to a fine art. I could flatter someone even while completely disregarding them. But in this case, I was genuinely impressed.

"I've never seen such a genius idea in my life."

"Haha, it's not that big of a deal…"

"No, no. You should be proud. From now on, you'll be known as the father of medicine for treating this mysterious pain."

"But wasn't it your idea to use the mirror in the first place?"

"If I had kept racking my brain, it might've been discarded. This is truly… wow… Professor, you're a beacon in the medical field."

"Hahaha. Well, I must say, this feels good!"

I could keep the compliments flowing without giving the other person a chance to recover. Even Liston, who initially seemed hesitant, was now…

"Hahaha!"

Laughing so hard the shop might've shaken.

The shopkeeper, now visibly nervous, approached us. I might not look intimidating, but being an Asian in this era in London already made me seem suspicious. Liston, on the other hand, had the kind of face that would make him a gangster or a warlord in any era or culture. Seeing guys like us laughing must've been unsettling.

"Bring us the mirror."

Liston, still in high spirits, requested the mirror from the shopkeeper.

"Uh… is this about money?"

The shopkeeper looked confused.

"Money? I'll pay, of course."

"Ah… yes, yes."

Liston, having dealt with such situations before, didn't lose his temper and simply stated what needed to be said. Thankfully, the shopkeeper, realizing his mistake, hurried inside and returned with several mirrors of the requested type.

"I'll… give you a discount."

Though the misunderstanding wasn't entirely cleared, we managed to get a good deal.

"There are times when it pays to look like this."

Liston chuckled as we loaded the mirrors into the carriage.

I couldn't help but smile along, though I thought it was mostly advantageous for us.

"Alright, let's get to work. Bring me a hammer and a saw!"

Back at the university, Liston immediately called for tools. His assistants responded enthusiastically.

"Yes! Where's the patient?"

"Who should we bring in?"

"Whose leg are we cutting off?"

They sounded more like thugs than medical assistants, but they were good people. Even after being told it wasn't that kind of task, they brought the tools anyway. Liston, with his skilled hands, quickly crafted several wooden boxes just the right size for a hand. His craftsmanship was impeccable, each piece identical in size.

"Wow…"

"What is it?"

"Professor, you're truly amazing!"

"Hahaha! This guy!"

After buttering him up, I called in the patients who were already undergoing treatment. Some were already using the rubber hand, while others had just arrived. The phantom pain was spreading like the plague in London, so we had no shortage of patients. I doubt any doctor in history had ever gathered such a large group of patients for phantom pain treatment. We could even write a paper about it.

'I wonder if NEJM (New England Journal of Medicine) exists yet. It should by now…'

Though, given the state of science at the time, most papers were probably a mess.

Anyway, we began the mirror treatment, which looked far more convincing than the rubber hand. If only I could call those so-called head experts and show them how it's done… But they considered themselves scientists, and that was the problem. They'd demand evidence for everything, even though they had none for their own methods.

'Let's see how this goes…'

Perhaps because I was hoping for a specific outcome, the patients' reactions seemed much more positive than before. No, it wasn't just my imagination…

"Did you see that just now?"

"Yes, I saw it too."

"It's definitely effective."

"Yes, yes. It really is."

Liston agreed, watching as the patients moved their existing hands while observing the missing ones in the mirror. The illusion was striking. When they pretended to hit their left hand, they instinctively pulled their non-existent right hand out of the box…

At this point, it was clear. While we couldn't guarantee a 100% cure, this was undoubtedly the best treatment option available at the moment.