Centurion Medicine
Centurions have traveled around the world in their quest to learn the best medical practices and they have uncovered an incredible breadth of knowledge both ancient, domestic, and foreign. They are also among the leading medical researchers in the world (Nian Zhen among them).
They grow a variety of potent herbs and use many advanced treatments including:
Willow leaves which have salicylic acid (aspirin) in them and are concentrated, distilled, and used as a pain reliever.
Opium which is highly restricted but is available for the most severe pain and injury.
Spanghum moss is used on wounds for its antiseptic qualities
Green Beer - Streptomyces is a soil bacteria that is carefully maintained in a small hot house and then used to ferment beer. Discovered by the ancient Nubians between 250 A.D. and 550 A.D., this sour beer has a greenish tint and a golden colored foam on top. It is laced with tetracycline and used as an antibiotic medicine. One batch can be used to ferment the next batch if it is kept warm. It must be dosed carefully, it cannot be overused or it leads to iron deficiency. To help combat this it is often prescribed to drink the beer while eating eggs and red meat.
Silver is antimicrobial and powdered silver and silver foil can be placed on wounds to help kill bacteria and prevent infection (it is NOT effective when taken orally).
Obsidian is used for medical tools, especially scalpels.
Distilled alcohol is used to disinfect equipment and wounds. (The ability to distill alcohol is a major medical innovation by the Centurions, it is done by burning wine and collecting the alcohol vapors in copper tubes).
Silk is used for sutures to stitch up wounds.
Clinics are established in the village nearest the castle to provide free medical care to the villagers. These also serve as training facilities for Centurion doctors and nurses.
Infirmaries and Apothecaries – each castle has a dedicated space for dealing with the sick and injured and for mixing medicines and managing medical supplies.
Sanitary conditions - Nian Zhen discovered by accident the value of washing one's hands between patients using alcohol and water and wearing a "body apron" which she changes between patients as well. She originally did it because she is obsessive about personal cleanliness, especially around sick people. When she discovered that she had lower mortality rates than some of her fellow Centurion doctors whom she knew were excellent, she made the connection between extreme cleanliness and reduced infection rates (they do not have any concept of germs yet). When her fellow Centurion doctors began following her cleanliness regimen the mortality rates in Centurion clinics and infirmaries fell dramatically. Centurion doctors connect these concepts to the biblical concepts of "clean" and "unclean" and have adopted some of the practices from Leviticus to limit the spread of disease.
Centurion medical texts are centuries ahead of anyone else. Even internal organs are drawn and described (though the purpose of many is still a mystery since the Centurions do not practice vivisection). Centurion doctors and nurses have a tradition of "leaving their bodies to science" that is, specifying that their bodies may be used for dissection and study purposes. The bodies of those who are studied are stitched back together as completely as possible and then buried with full military honors as a sign of respect. Centurion doctors have even begun developing protocols for autopsies. Centurion doctors do not discuss these traditions with outsiders since dissecting the dead is frowned upon in most cultures. (For most cultures, this has more do with a fear of angering the spirits of the dead -and creating angry ghosts- than with respecting the dead. Since Centurions doctors believe that they go to heaven when they die, they do not fear creating angry ghosts by dissecting the dead bodies of other doctors).
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