We Are The Cure : The Plague Doctor's Tale.

Chapter 25

"You wanted to poison this child!" Rosalynn raised her voice disgusted with that idea. 

"If there are gangrene symptoms then the case is helpless. It's better to end his suffering as at this level the pain is hardly bearable." Giovanni didn't seem to be moved with her discovery. "Tell me, do you want to see this little soul suffer longer? Wouldn't it be better to help him out?"

"I don't think this is the right way." She remained sceptical and looked at child with compassion in her eyes. "In my opinion there is still a chance for him." The little boy was breathing calmly with his face all red. 

"Lost case." Said Giovanni indifferent focusing on curing the father. He was already applying an ointment on his body to prevent the occurrence of buboes. 

He didn't notice when Rosalynn took care of the child opening her own bag and using her and Doctor's medical supplies. First, she make sure the temperature in the room is high enough although Giovanni wasn't very content with that fact as he was already sweated like a pig. Then she carefully took off all the boy's clothing and using a sponge wet with vinegar she cleaned the body. When she was done, she took a small jar with mint ointment which was a gift from Mary. She applied it onto his body, and added some more herbs on th areas affected with gangrene. After she applied an ointment, she grabbed a bottle with dried paper mint and threw them into the fire. Within few second the whole room smelled with that particular scent.  

When she was done, she took a look at Giovanni's patient and quickly threw away one of the bottles Giovanni was holding in his hand.

"Dammit Rosalynn. Why have you done that? How am I suppose to help him when you break the bottles." He was gesticulating vigorously with his hands and his Italian accent was much more visible when he was annoyed. 

"That was fool's parsley." She looked gravely a him. "I assume you wanted to use a regular garden parsley. Here, take mine." She handed him one of her bottles and he felt stupid. "You almost killed your patient, you know?" She gave him a cold look what made him even more embarrassed. He came back to treating the father with the right herb and applied some ointment on top of his skin.

...

"I'm sorry. " He said when they both were resting on the porch of the house with their masks taken off and taking some fresh air. The temperature inside was almost unbearable, especially for Plague Doctors who must wore their special clothing. Rosalynn looked at him with her face covered with sweat, all read from the summer heat.

"No problem. Just be more careful next time." She took out her handkerchief and wiped her face.

"How did you know it wasn't garden parsley?" Giovanni was truly amazed with her skills.

"The colour of the flowers and the smell." She smiled warmly. 

"The smell?" He was surprised and confused at the same time. "When I have my mask on I can't smell anything so how come you noticed that difference?"

"Well, my smell is quite sensitive as from early childhood I was taught how to tell herbs apart, especially useful and poisonous ones. Oh, and besides, the fool's parsley has hairless leaves, sheaths and stems. See?" She pointed with her finger the poisonous plant which was growing in the grass near her shoes. 

"You're right." Giovanni lifted up the bottle with garden parsley and noticed the difference. 

"Did you pick it up by yourself?" Asked Rosalynn.

"To be fair, I've bought it from one of the merchants in Edinburgh. It looked like garden parsley to me so I didn't even smell it and that was my mistake." He smiled bitterly.