The eyes of Samuel Carter and David Foster beside him were both wide with shock. Was this really saving someone?

Chapter 8: Garlic and Liquor (Part 2)

A few wisps of blue smoke drifted from the incense burner. The Buddha in the center of the hall gazed downward, his expression filled with infinite compassion.

John Adams sat opposite Samuel Carter and David Foster, leisurely sipping fragrant tea. Behind him, Brian Cooper lay on the sickbed, eyes closed, still unconscious.

“Are you sure you can cure the swelling and sores with just strong liquor and garlic?”

Samuel Carter had held back for a long time, but finally couldn’t resist asking.

“Does the Grand Preceptor know what causes swelling and sores?”

John Adams had expected this question, but instead of answering, he responded with another question.

“Swelling and sores are caused by evil qi entering the body. There are internal and external types, cold and hot categories, but no matter the case, they are all extremely troublesome!”

Samuel Carter answered offhandedly.

John Adams neither confirmed nor denied this, but asked again, “I once heard a story: the Buddha looked at a bowl of water and said there were over eighty thousand bugs in it. Do you know if this is true?”

“You mean, ‘The Buddha observes a bowl of water and sees eighty-four thousand bugs. If one does not recite this mantra, it is like eating the flesh of sentient beings.’”

Samuel Carter corrected him.

“So that’s it. There are eighty-four thousand bugs in a bowl of water. These bugs must be extremely tiny, and since we drink water, cook, and wash with it daily, we must be covered in these bugs.”

At this point, John Adams deliberately paused, glanced at Samuel Carter and David Foster, and then continued, “Have you ever considered what would happen if these bugs got into a person’s wound?”

“My lord, this story is probably just the Buddha teaching his disciples to always be compassionate. It doesn’t mean these bugs really exist, does it?”

David Harris questioned.

“No, the Buddha possesses great powers and can see things ordinary people cannot. If he dared to say such a thing, he must have seen it with his own eyes. What do you think, Grand Preceptor?”

John Adams first praised the Buddha, then tossed the question back to Samuel Carter.

“Well... what you say makes sense.”

After all, Samuel Carter was a monk; he couldn’t very well claim the Buddha lacked such powers.

“These bugs are usually harmless, but if a person is injured and the bugs enter the body, they can cause all sorts of symptoms—high fever, coughing, coma, and so on. So, to heal wounds or cure illness, you have to start with these invisible bugs.”

John Adams tried to explain modern medicine in terms understandable to people of this era. Whether bacteria or viruses, he simply referred to them all as bugs.

“So you mean, to treat wounds and illness, you have to eliminate these bugs that enter the human body?”

Although Samuel Carter was old, his mind was open and he quickly accepted this new knowledge.

This was also related to Samuel Carter’s background. He became a monk when young, but studied yin-yang arts with the Daoist Philip Turner, then later studied Confucianism, medicine, and law, mastering the strengths of many schools and being very tolerant of different academic viewpoints.

“Exactly. There are many types of these bugs, and the symptoms they cause vary. For example, in General Cooper’s case, I’d rather call his swelling and sores a wound infection. It’s caused by a tiny bug called bacteria, and both garlic and strong liquor can kill this bacteria!”

In fact, John Adams mainly relied on allicin from garlic, but it had a drawback: it was unstable, decomposing when heated and not very soluble in water. However, it dissolved easily in alcohol and remained stable, which was why he used strong liquor.

Of course, John Adams saw no need to explain these details.

After hearing John Adams’s explanation, Samuel Carter and David Foster exchanged glances.

What John Adams said was internally consistent, but it didn’t dispel their doubts. After all, it was just his own theory. Whether it was correct or not would depend on the actual results.

Just then, a monk caring for Brian Cooper behind them suddenly cried out in delight, “Grand Preceptor, General Cooper has started to sweat!”

Upon hearing this, Samuel Carter immediately stood up and strode to Brian Cooper’s side. He saw that the man’s forehead was covered in sweat. For someone with a high fever, sweating was clearly a good sign, indicating his temperature was dropping.

Samuel Carter personally examined Brian Cooper and soon said joyfully, “The fever is starting to subside, his breathing is strong, and his pulse is much steadier.”

At this, Samuel Carter turned to look at John Adams, still sounding a bit incredulous: “Your medicine actually works!”

“It’s just a simple wound infection. Garlic and liquor are a special remedy for this kind of illness. With General Cooper’s constitution, he’ll recover in no time!”

John Adams replied with great ease.

In fact, besides the strong antibacterial effect of allicin, Brian Cooper’s physical condition was also crucial. True to his name, he was as robust as a mule, which was why John Adams dared to treat him so aggressively.

“Wait, does this garlic liquor work for all cases of swelling and sores?”

Suddenly, Samuel Carter became very excited. He rushed to John Adams, grabbed his arm, and asked.

“Of course. As long as it’s a wound infection, garlic liquor can be used to treat it. But it does have one drawback.”

John Adams was startled by the excited Samuel Carter, but still answered.