There's really no need to elaborate on the harms of tobacco.
In the 21st century, even heavy smokers don't deny that tobacco is bad, right?
Well, if you look hard enough, you might find someone who does…
But at least no one would say that to a doctor's face in a hospital.
'Various cancers, obviously.'
Tobacco smoke significantly increases the risk of cancer in all the organs it passes through: the nose, oral cavity, larynx, airways, and lungs.
The problem is that it doesn't just stop there.
You can assume it can cause virtually any cancer that can occur anywhere in the body.
Is that all?
No.
It reduces lung function, leading to a truly miserable state.
'But no matter how much I talk about this, it won't do much good.'
I'll be able to do it later.
The nursing home I'm secretly building now is a no-smoking facility.
Moreover, it's not in central London but located far away.
No matter how much London is the largest city of the 19th century, if you just go a little outside, you immediately find quiet countryside, and since there are no transportation methods emitting pollutants, the air is incredibly clean.
'After just a few years, the difference in prognosis between people there and elsewhere will be stark.'
It's only a matter of time.
The problem is that during those few years, I'll likely be dying just as much.
So I decided to save that method for later and use something else now.
"But."
"Huh?"
See, they're lighting up again.
I don't know what kind of tobacco they're smoking so much of.
If this continues, I might really die, so I hurriedly blurted out.
Come to think of it, in my past life, the only thing I did that was harmful to my health was work, and I still got cancer.
Is there any guarantee that my genes are superior in this life?
I doubt it.
I just want to live a little longer this time…
"I said I almost died from smoking tobacco."
"Ah, right."
Even if you say that, blowing smoke in someone's face—what country's common sense is that?
I don't think they did this in Joseon.
Back then, in the 21st century, I thought Western countries were superior, at least in medical aspects.
But being here, it doesn't seem that way.
If Joseon were worse than this, the country would've collapsed…
"Also, smokers might not notice, but it smells terrible to non-smokers."
"Really?"
He blows smoke again.
With a face full of curiosity.
At least he blows it elsewhere when I frown…
But shouldn't this not happen in the first place?
"Actually, when you burn tobacco, doesn't it keep bugs away? Especially mosquitoes."
"Yes, it's good in many ways."
He does it again.
Liston…
Others might, but you shouldn't.
You were with me when we tore down all the arsenic wallpaper.
I clearly said back then:
-Common sense says if it keeps bugs and rats away, how can it be good for humans?
Of course, I've heard that in France and other parts of England except London, they still use arsenic wallpaper like crazy.
It's absurd, but…
Well, they won't listen until they taste it and see if it's shit or soy paste. What more can I do?
Probably, if you look hard enough, even London might have some.
It's an era where just getting rid of rats and bugs significantly improves quality of life.
"Recall the arsenic incident. Why would mosquitoes or other bugs avoid this smoke?"
"Hmm…?"
"Let's do an experiment."
"Experiment?"
"Yeah, but why are you standing up?"
"We have prisoners here. We can use them."
I was a bit scared earlier, but seeing this, it doesn't seem entirely justified.
He also thinks of human experiments first when he hears "experiment."
Well…
It's not that I'm wrong.
"No, let's use bugs."
"Haha. Are bugs the same as humans?"
"Not exactly, but if bugs die, wouldn't that mean it's bad for humans too?"
"Haha. Bugs are insignificant creatures, so that might happen. But we humans are God's creation, the lords of all creation, aren't we?"
Hmm.
Maybe the era is too wrong.
No, actually, it's my fault.
If I'd used monkeys, or even dogs, it might not have come to this…
It's a bit hard to convince them that bugs and humans are both living creatures.
Even with arsenic, it wasn't rats or bugs that persuaded them.
'If only it were something that made people drop dead like back then… No, no.'
Maybe because the situation is harsh.
I keep having wicked thoughts.
"Hmm… Then should we use people?"
"Would you jump from bugs to human experiments?"
"No, no. I wanted to see bugs die."
"Don't people die? Well, people don't die."
No, they do.
It just takes time.
But with tobacco's harm, you shouldn't only think about that.
Though that's not easy.
We're so educated about tobacco that death is inevitably associated with it.
It's an achievement collaboration between the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the medical community…
"This is purely my opinion. But… it's not just imagination."
"Hmm, alright. Speak up. Your words are always worth hearing."
"Well, Joseon."
"Ah, Joseon? Good."
Before, Liston always showed keen interest when I mentioned Joseon.
Now that he knows more about Joseon, how will he react?
He's already sitting up straight.
'Think, brain!'
In the end, it came to this.
Selling parents to avoid direct smoking, selling the country to avoid secondhand smoke.
If I thought it wouldn't sell, I wouldn't have done this.
But this time, it seems it'll be highly effective.
"Joseon is a small country with barren land, but the people are clever and live well enough."
Could there be a spy here?
Probably not.
If there were, something would've already happened.
But it doesn't hurt to be cautious.
I'm not lying anyway.
-South Korea is extremely hot in summer and very cold in winter, with steep mountains, making it perfect for military training.
That's what a U.S. military commander said, no less.
It's a hard land to live in, that's what.
The "Miracle on the Han River" isn't just a saying for nothing.
"Hmm. So?"
"Nearby countries like Qing or Japan are very ambitious."
"I see."
"So there are many battles, big and small… As far as I know, for those who fight and get injured, both alcohol and tobacco are prohibited."
"Ah… Really? Why?"
Alcohol, tobacco.
Aren't they both quite helpful for forgetting immediate suffering?
Moreover, alcohol has been around for thousands of years, so there's no hesitation in using it.
Tobacco was introduced after Columbus, so even if it's only a few hundred years old, it was used as a panacea among Native Americans, so it has a similar position.
Listening to Liston and Blundell earlier, they said it's effective for malaria, asthma, nervousness, sepsis, boils, enteritis, bruises, large boils, frostbite, acute pain, constipation, convulsions, cysts, dirty teeth, ear diseases, severe phlegm,
nail loss, gonorrhea, bad breath, herpes, hoarseness, rabies, itchy eyes, joint pain, kidney stones, lupus, paralysis, diminished vision, colds, scabies, dandruff, rashes, sore throat, insect stings, swelling, tension, tetanus, intestinal stiffness, warts, parasites, heartache, etc.
I only heard briefly, but there's probably more.
So Liston's reaction, and the reactions of those quietly listening behind, are understandable.
"There's a folk belief that wounds heal slower. That probably means it puts some burden on the body."
"Hmm… Really? How…"
"We can experiment. Aren't all the prisoners here smokers?"
"They probably can't smoke because they don't have any. They'd be happy if we gave them some. Ah… Right, I was thinking of giving tobacco to some of those with dental issues."
"Right. For circumcision… we can select those who seem compliant, have them quit smoking, and then compare."
Yeah, I thought it was strange.
Some of the patients I operated on, even though I told them not to drink, had more complications than others?
Now I see the culprit was tobacco.
Yeah, there's no way I made a mistake.
"Ah… Right, that could work as an experiment. But."
"Yes."
"What if the results come out opposite to what you expect?"
"Opposite? I don't think that'll happen."
At my words, Liston stood up and drew the curtains tightly.
Since it's Kensington, the only people outside are mostly in carriages, but he did it anyway.
It's not so much that he hopes the conversation won't leak outside, but that what he's about to say is that important.
"Most people probably hope for the opposite result."
"So they can keep smoking comfortably?"
"No. So they can keep selling tobacco."
"Ah."
Isn't tobacco a major source of tax revenue even in the 21st century, and a business guaranteed huge profits?
It's somewhat similar to the casino business, though slightly different.
Clearly bad, but since people love it so much and it's been around so long, it's like allowing it restrictively?
"This could be really dangerous. The opponents won't be gangs but businessmen or nobles. Maybe even the state could become an enemy."
"But with arsenic, didn't businessmen suffer losses?"
"Well… It was a business just starting, so even if they suffered losses, they could back down. Besides, Lord Jamie was involved. But tobacco… is different."
"Hmm, then what should we do?"
"For now, let's keep the experiment among ourselves."
"And then?"
"What 'and then'? Slowly tell the right people. Anyway, don't publicize this."
Liston had an unusually worried face.
It shows how big a deal this is, and I fully understand.
There's hardly anything more annoying than sabotaging a profitable business.
Especially if it's not that difficult and there aren't many competitors.
It's not that I'm really scared…
It's just that if I'm gone in this era, it'll be a disaster, so I'm being cautious.
"Alright."
"Good. It's fortunate you're more cautious than you look."
"It's not fear, it's prudence."
"Prudent people don't tremble like this."
"It's from the tobacco smoke."
"You're the only one trembling."
"Anyway, let's go select prisoners."
"Yeah, sure. And you all, don't go blabbering elsewhere. You might be scared of them, but always remember I'm scarier."