Madeline was still undergoing emergency treatment. Several professors and a team from the school had arrived. Seeing the crowded room, Sophia understood their urgency. A few prestigious schools had faced poisoning incidents that gained widespread attention online, and their school would likely end up in the spotlight too. Saving Madeline would mitigate the damage, but if she didn’t survive and the poison was traced, the hospital and school would face severe criticism. For years to come, the school’s reputation would be tied to the poisoning case.
As if this wasn’t enough, the fact that a medical student had committed the crime made it even more egregious. A medical student using their knowledge to poison someone was premeditated murder, a crime that society could never forgive.
Soon, a team of doctors, both in traditional and modern medicine, emerged from their consultations. All were senior doctors, exuding years of experience.
“Director George, we’ve arranged for stomach pumping. The lab results aren’t back yet. What do you think the poison might be?”
Director George replied gravely, “Based on the symptoms from a traditional medicine perspective, it strongly resembles aconitine poisoning!”
Director George was a department head at the hospital and a traditional medicine specialist. His mentor was a nationally renowned practitioner, and Dr. John had a solid reputation.
“Aconitine?” Emergency doctor Dr. Clinton frowned. “You mean the extract from Aconitum plants? I often see folks from rural areas boiling this stuff into soups, saying it’s good for rheumatism. Many food poisoning cases come from that. Could this girl have food poisoning?”
“Impossible. She’s a medical student. She would know the toxicity of Chuanwu and Caowu. Students studying traditional medicine frequently work with herbs like processed Aconitum root (Fuzi). Knowing its poisonous nature, how could she consume it? I believe poisoning is far more likely!”
Hearing this, the school faculty members looked increasingly worried. Madeline was in her final year of medical school and about to graduate. Such an incident at this stage was a massive responsibility for anyone to bear. Moreover, if the worst were to happen, how could they face Madeline’s parents?
Madeline came from a rural background. Her parents had visited the school when the semester began, dressed modestly and appearing as honest, hardworking people. It was said that Madeline was the first in her family to attend college.
If something tragic happened to their daughter, how could her parents cope?
Sophia, however, wasn’t dwelling on these concerns; her mind was fixated on the poisoning.
Aconitine, the toxic compound in Chuanwu and Caowu, is highly poisonous. The Fuzi Sophia often used in traditional medicine is derived from the processed roots of Chuanwu. Fuzi has a unique characteristic: it must be boiled at high temperatures to disperse its toxins before it can be safely used as medicine. Otherwise, its toxicity remains lethal. Based on Madeline’s body weight, approximately 1.5 milligrams of aconitine could prove fatal. For a practitioner familiar with Fuzi, using it to poison someone would be disturbingly simple.
But still…
Dr. Clinton added, “I’ll proceed with treatment for aconitine poisoning for now and adjust based on the lab results once they come back.”
“Agreed!” Dr. George responded. Just as he was about to leave, Sophia called out to him.
“Dr. George, I don’t think this is a simple case of aconitine poisoning!”
