I was the Founding Father of the United States

Chapter 61 The Royal College of Physicians of London

1 month 7 day.

Under Franklin's influence, the Public Advertiser and the London Chronicle published front-page reports titled "Dr. Robin Chan Arrives in London with New Drug" and "Dr. Chan, Discoverer of Allicin, Arrives in London and Receives Invitation from His Majesty the King," respectively.

The news caused a sensation throughout London!

For the past two months, the most talked-about topics among Londoners have been the idea that garlic can cure diseases and how to buy cheap garlic to make their own allicin.

Initially, people didn't believe that garlic, a common seasoning in daily life, could cure diseases... After all, our ancestors had tried it during the Black Death in the Middle Ages, and it was useless. Only foolish rural farmers believed that garlic could exorcise demons and cure diseases.

However, ordinary Londoners soon discovered that the city's bigwigs had begun having doctors make a drug called allicin from garlic to treat whooping cough and dysentery, and it was very effective.

Subsequently, Dr. Robin Chen's paper, "Allicin: A substance that is effective in treating whooping cough and dysentery and eliminating inflammation, and its simple extraction method," finally circulated and spread rapidly. Almost every literate Londoner tried to get a copy!

After all, that's a medicine that can treat dysentery and whooping cough!

In particular, dysentery was a disease that Londoners loathed, as it caused people to suffer from diarrhea to the point of death, and it even affected London's status in Britain!

There are a few jokes that have been circulating in Britain for a long time:

Q: Why do London farmers wear their belts tighter than usual when they come to the city?

A: I'm afraid of being splashed by a roadside "night bucket," and if I run, my pants will fall down faster than dysentery.

Question: The monks said, "The unclean go to hell." Does that mean all the people of London will go to hell?

A: At least the latrines in hell are cleaner than the Thames.

Q: Why do London gentlemen not dare to drink the water of the Thames?

A: Because drinking it will either give you dysentery, or something worse—after all, the things floating in the river are more lively than a latrine.

Q: The doctor said his medicine could cure dysentery, but why did it make my condition worse?

A: Because the medicine was mixed with gin—it makes you forget the pain, makes you have even more diarrhea, and eventually you forget even your own name.

There are many similar jokes. Although some of them were made up by British people from other places to mock London, many of them are Londoners making fun of themselves.

Now that allicin, a drug that can treat dysentery, is available, Londoners are naturally very excited, as garlic is not something that only the rich can afford.

Two months have passed, and Londoners can no longer live without allicin.

Because the municipal environment in London has not improved, many people are regularly buying garlic extract from nearby hairdressers to prevent diarrhea, and families with children are even more eager to order it to prevent whooping cough and pneumonia...

All of this resulted in the fact that among the people who first blocked Chen Wenbin's door to visit him, besides the gentlemen and ordinary citizens who came to express their gratitude, the majority were folk doctors (unlicensed quacks) and barbers from the City of London!

This is easy to understand; to them, Dr. Robin Chen was the benefactor who made them a lot of money!

Think about it, these unorthodox doctors originally had no effective way to treat dysentery.

Bloodletting can worsen the condition or even kill a person, as can enemas. The only somewhat effective method is to boil herbs (which can replenish fluids) or to use expensive purified opium tincture for pain relief (which is usually only affordable to the wealthy).

Now that allicin is relatively inexpensive, these self-taught doctors and barbers finally have the confidence to treat patients and can even earn several times or even ten times the profit... How could they not be grateful to Dr. Chen?

These people are also the main force behind the "allicin panacea" propaganda, recommending allicin treatment for all patients—no matter what disease you have, take a tube of allicin first!

Some shrewd pharmacists have even added allicin to various herbs and then marketed their herbal remedies as being more effective than allicin to patients.

Upon learning that Dr. Robin Chen, a big shot in the medical field, had arrived in London, the legitimate licensed doctors in London couldn't sit still.

That afternoon, Dr. Thomas Raven, the most authoritative figure in the British medical community and the current president of the Royal College of Physicians of London, along with six renowned doctors, personally visited Chen Wenbin's residence at Courtes House and presented him with his British medical license in person.

Originally, Chen Wenbin was supposed to apply for this license himself, but when they heard that Chen Wenbin was about to meet the king, these "royal physicians," who were not much better than self-taught doctors, had no choice but to bow down and curry favor... After all, his medicine cured the prince, and he would definitely become the royal physician in the future, so it was not shameful to bow down to him.

Chen Wenbin was very polite to these court doctors. They were all colleagues and had no conflicts, so of course they should be friends!

After exchanging ideas, Chen Wenbin proposed establishing Robin Hospital and Robin Pharmacy in London, and invited Thomas Raven to serve as a consultant for the hospital and pharmacy.

"...£50 a month!"

Sitting on the sofa, Chen Wenbin spread his five fingers and smiled at the elderly Thomas Raven, saying, "President Raven, if you're willing to serve as a consultant for Robin Hospital and Robin Pharmacy Chain, you can receive a consulting fee of £50 per month!"

As he spoke, he looked at the other six middle-aged and elderly doctors, "Dr. Furris, Dr. Byt, Dr. Gandoff, Dr. Butcher, Dr. Dawson, Dr. Bloomett... you are the same!"

All core members of the Royal College of Physicians of London receive a monthly consultation fee of £30!

This is my promise, and it stands indefinitely!

The doctors looked at each other but didn't say anything.

£30... To be honest, that's not much money for these licensed doctors. They used to treat nobles and rich people, and it was normal for them to charge more than ten pounds a time, regardless of whether they were cured or not.

But the invitation came from Dr. Robin Chen, who discovered allicin. Could they refuse it?

What if he said something bad to the king, or publicly criticized one of their doctors for his poor medical skills? Could they withstand that?

But what exactly does "consultant" mean? Does it mean they'll be working for each other in the future?

Noticing the doctors' pleading looks, the seemingly venerable President Thomas Raven stroked his beard and tentatively asked, "...Dr. Robin, may I ask what kind of responsibilities I bear as your consultant?"

Is it to work at your hospital and pharmacy?

"Ah! Of course not!"

Seeing their expressions, Chen Wenbin immediately shook his head and explained, "A consultant is a consultant; they don't need to work in hospitals and pharmacies!"

Of course, if any doctors are willing, they can also practice at hospitals and pharmacies, which will earn them extra compensation and commissions... I just need experienced, professional doctors to keep the hospitals and pharmacies running!