Chapter 525: Antivenom
First floor, National Defense Army 101 General Hospital.
"How is the patient doing?"
"The condition has stabilized. We can confirm that the patient is no longer in critical danger. Long-term observation is still needed, but we can be confident that the mamba antivenom is highly effective against mamba bites."
"That's excellent news—it means antivenom can now officially be listed as a major new medical breakthrough."
Soon, the good news reached Ernst upstairs as well.
"Your Highness, this is Prince Friedrich's medical report. He's in perfect health."
"And the clinical trial results for the snake antivenom have just come out. It's been proven highly effective against venomous snakebites."
Ernst perked up at the mention of antivenom and turned to his wife. "Want to come see it with me?"
Karina immediately agreed.
Word of the royal couple's visit spread quickly. Security arrived ahead of time to secure the area and prevent any mishaps.
Ernst and Karina made their way to the first floor, where they were greeted by the research team from the East African Antivenom Research Institute.
A researcher opened a small cabinet and carefully handed Ernst a sealed vial.
"This is the antivenom?"
Ernst examined the tiny bottle of powder closely.
"Yes, Your Highness. We followed the method you suggested years ago. After extensive cultivation and refinement, we've produced a reliable antivenom—highly effective against mamba species."
"However, there are some limitations. The biggest issue is storage. Antivenom must be kept refrigerated, and very few cities have that capability. Also, this antivenom only works on mambas. For other venomous species, it either has reduced effect or none at all."
Indeed, refrigerators were rare in East Africa. Only a well-funded hospital like the 101 could afford them.
The manager of Hechingen Electric, Lind, was one of the original inventors of the electric refrigerator in Ernst's past life. In fact, in 1879—the current year—he completed the world's first home refrigerator. Back in 1875, he had already finalized the prototype thanks to sufficient funding.
So Ernst reassured the researchers: "Don't worry about storage. Hechingen Electric has made a technical breakthrough. In a few years, refrigerators will be common in East Africa. Right now, they're expensive and rare, but in two or three years, every major hospital should have them."
Karina gave Ernst a playful glance. She was already familiar with refrigerators—there was one in Kiweete Palace.
Having lived through the 21st century, Ernst still longed for modern conveniences. Kiweete was the most electrified palace in the world. And with East Africa's hot climate, refrigerators and electric fans were essential. Even air conditioning was in the works.
So Karina had seen many home appliances firsthand and had no doubts about Ernst's claims. These luxuries were already a reality for the rich.
Hearing Ernst's guarantee, the researchers felt reassured. One of them asked, "Your Highness, in that case, could our institute apply to be allocated a few refrigerators as well?"
"Of course," Ernst replied. "Submit a request to the Ministry of Science and Industry. I'll approve it."
The biggest obstacle to refrigerator adoption was the power supply. First Town, as the capital, was fine. Other major cities could manage as well. But remote areas without electricity would need generators.
Ernst continued, "Don't slow down your work. Besides mambas, East Africa has other venomous snakes. Study their venom and develop corresponding antivenoms. You can even begin studying the venomous species in the Lanfang Overseas Province and the Pearl River Special Trade Zone."
"And don't worry about funding. Our overseas trade fleets will bring you specimens."
Ernst was generous with funding for this project. The investment was high—but so was the potential return. In this era, a venomous snakebite was practically a death sentence. So antivenom had the potential to become a major industry.
Naturally, Ernst's first priority was domestic use—East Africa, Lanfang, and the Pearl River Zone were all high-risk areas for snakebites.
Other places like Alaska and the Huaihai Economic Zone weren't on the radar for now. In the future, a dedicated company could expand into the European and American markets.
Thinking about the researchers' contribution, Ernst considered launching an East African medical prize.
It was a promising idea. East Africa had been trying to attract scientific talent for years without much success. A few high-profile awards could help spread the word that East Africa valued and rewarded scientific achievement.
For example, Germany's renowned pathologist Rudolf Virchow was someone Ernst greatly admired. A pioneer in cell theory, leukemia, and bone tumors, he was considered a founder of modern pathology. Best of all—he was still alive, born in 1821 and not passing until 1902.
Convincing Germany to let him move to East Africa was impossible—but even a few lectures would be a huge win.
With that in mind, Ernst said to the antivenom researchers: "I'm planning to launch a medical award in East Africa, for those who make significant contributions to global health. We'll debut it early next year, and your institute will definitely be among the first winners. Make sure you participate."
The researchers beamed with joy—this was recognition of their success.
Why launch the award early in the year? Because East Africa's holiday season was approaching. The end of the year brought an entire month off. Due to the country's multicultural makeup, Christmas and the Chinese New Year were celebrated together, creating a long break. Not everyone got this privilege, but it was definitely a benefit for scientists.
Now that the antivenom institute's win was practically guaranteed, no one saw it as favoritism. In truth, antivenom was East Africa's only major medical achievement. With no competitors, they deserved the prize.
More importantly, it was crucial to East Africa. Snakebites were one of the top causes of unnatural death in the region.
From its contribution to humanity to its economic value, the antivenom research was more than worthy.
If the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine had existed, Ernst believed antivenom would have been a top contender. But since Nobel was still alive, he had other things on his mind.
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