Chapter 1491: 1397: Mother Is Sick

Capítulo 1491: Chapter 1397: Mother Is Sick

In the tent at the resting area on the east side of the Royal Hunting Ground, the accompanying Imperial Physician Mark Antoine Petti used a wet towel to wipe Queen Mary’s face, causing her to quickly regain consciousness.

Joseph hurried over and squatted by the stretcher, softly asking his mother, “How are you feeling?”

Queen Mary weakly squeezed out a smile: “I’m fine, dear, probably just tired from hunting. Oh, could you please get me a glass of water? I feel very thirsty.”

The Countess of Debeninac quickly brought a cup of water.

Queen Mary drank three cups in a row and then exhaled deeply: “I feel much better, don’t worry.”

Doctor Petti leaned over and said: “Your Highness, Her Majesty the Queen is very weak right now. I need to inject glucose for her. You and His Majesty the King should best step aside for now.”

Currently, the entire European medical community views glucose as the “universal divine medicine.” Regardless of the patient’s symptoms, doctors are almost always right to inject a tube of it—if the patient can afford the expensive cost.

Especially for a situation like the Queen’s fainting from weakness, glucose is particularly effective.

Joseph suppressed his inner anxiety, pulling his father and Charles aside.

Charles, however, couldn’t stay calm at all and kept asking the doctor: “Mr. Petti, what exactly is wrong with mother? She was just fine this morning…”

The Imperial Physician, seeing his assistant still preparing the syringe, bowed slightly to him and said: “Your Highness, from the rough examination I did earlier, there are many possibilities. For instance, stroke, gout, angina, imbalance of bodily fluids, kidney hardening, excessive loss of bodily fluids, etc., could all lead to Her Majesty’s current condition.”

Joseph listened to these terms filled with “ancient medicine” and couldn’t help but frown. Although most French doctors have started learning new medicine, many illnesses are still treated in the traditional manner.

He also began to analyze silently.

Firstly, heatstroke is definitely ruled out; it’s at most twelve or thirteen degrees outside.

Secondly, it’s unlikely to be hypoglycemia, as he himself saw his mother eat at least two large pieces of cake this morning…

The most worrying is heart disease, hypertension, and the like, which are difficult to diagnose in this era and lack effective medications.

He shook his head irritably, his gaze just sweeping over the wooden picnic table outside the tent.

On it was a large pile of strawberry pudding, cocoa cake, and “Courteous Lion”…

He suddenly thought of a possibility, immediately raising his hand to stop the doctor about to inject glucose into Queen Mary: “Wait a minute, Mr. Petti!”

“What are your instructions, Your Highness?”

“If mother fainted because of diabetes, injecting glucose would kill her.”

Petti queried in confusion: “You mean diabetes?”

Joseph estimated that diabetes hadn’t been discovered in this era and didn’t bother to explain, instead asking the Queen’s maid: “Countess of Debeninac, has mother been feeling thirsty often recently, frequently needing to ‘attend to personal matters,’ with her strength also slightly less than before?”

Actually, due to Queen Mary’s deep obsession with sweets, he had been worried she might develop diabetes, but over the past decade he hadn’t noticed any significant issues with her health, likely because she often danced, consuming sugar, so he became complacent.

The Countess nodded almost immediately: “Yes, Your Highness. Her Majesty has indeed exhibited these symptoms over the past six months.”

“Oh no,” Joseph’s heart tightened, “it’s very likely diabetes…”

But Doctor Petti interjected: “Your Highness, the ‘diabetes’ you mentioned, is it polyuria?”

“Polyuria?”

“Yes, Your Highness. Severe thirst, frequent urination, weakness, all match the symptoms. Oh, yes, polyuria patients’ urine does taste sweet; no wonder you referred to it as diabetes.”

Upon hearing “sweet urine,” Joseph immediately nodded: “Perhaps it is the polyuria you mentioned.”

Petti bowed slightly: “Your Highness, I believe your judgment may not be accurate because polyuria doesn’t lead to fainting…”

Indeed, several doctors had discovered diabetes, namely “polyuria,” as early as the beginning of the 18th century. Even some British individuals confirmed through dissection that the disease was related to pancreatic damage.

Joseph didn’t argue with him, instead asking the Countess of Debeninac again: “Has mother been drinking water today?”

“Yes, Your Highness.” She nodded, “Because Her Majesty has been in the hunting ground, she only drank one glass of water in the morning.”

Joseph turned to Petti: “Diabetes causes the blood sugar concentration to rise rapidly. Without enough water to dilute it, it will lead to insufficient blood supply to the brain. Adding to mother’s constant horseback riding, large physical exertion, dizziness can easily occur.”

His former teacher had diabetes and often complained about various problems, so he was very familiar with the symptoms.

While they were talking, the Chief Imperial Physician of the Palace of Versailles, Marie Francois Bisha, quickly entered the tent, hastily saluting the King and others before looking to Petti: “How is Her Majesty the Queen?”

“Oh God, you’re finally here.” Petti quickly explained the condition, concluding: “The Crown Prince believes Her Majesty may have polyuria.”

Bisha frowned: “But polyuria doesn’t cause fainting…”

Before he could finish, Petti briefed him on the newly acquired knowledge about “blood sugar concentration causes dizziness.”

Bisha glanced at the Crown Prince, choosing to believe him, then recalling the method for diagnosing polyuria, instructed the Countess of Debeninac to bring some of Her Majesty’s urine.

Soon, the Queen’s maid handed him a small cup of urine.

Bisha hesitated for a few minutes and finally gritted his teeth to scoop out a small teaspoon, closed his eyes, and put it into his mouth.

Yes, all the medical practices related to polyuria at present are diagnosed in this way.

Petti anxiously asked: “How is it?”

Bisha rinsed his mouth, shook his head: “There seems to be a slight sweetness… I’m not quite sure.”

Joseph frowned, understanding that a diabetic’s urine contains glucose with very low sweetness, and the concentration is measured in milligrams, making it indeed difficult to judge with the human sense of taste.

He saw Petti also frown, picking up a spoon reluctantly, when he suddenly recalled a method recorded in a book he had read in later years analyzing sugar content.

He hurriedly stopped Petti: “Have you ever encountered polyuria patients’ urine before?”

“No, Your Highness.”

Since diabetes was quite rare in this era, neither he nor Bisha had any experience diagnosing it, only seeing the disease mentioned in medical literature.

Joseph waved his hand: “Then you probably can’t confirm it either.”

He then signaled to Eman: “Go find some ants.”

“You mean ants?”

“Yes.”

Ten minutes later, Eman returned with a small wooden box: “Your Highness, are forty enough?”

“They should be sufficient.”

Joseph placed the three different glucose solutions he had just prepared, along with Queen Mary’s urine, in separate spots on the table.

Then he opened the small wooden box and released the ants inside.

The ants quickly dispersed but soon noticed the scent of sugar.

They wandered between different liquid drops for a few laps and eventually almost all stopped by the urine, excitedly feasting.

Joseph frowned tightly; the three glucose solutions just now, with the highest concentration reaching 4 grams per liter.

If ants prefer the urine, it indicates its sugar content has surpassed this level.