Chapter 132 - The Pharmaceutical Factory's Products

While Huang Dashan was trial-producing sweet potato kvass, Shi Niaoren was washing bottles at the pharmaceutical factory—the glass bottles that he had been applying to the Planning Committee for a long time had finally arrived. Most of them were produced by the glass factory, and some were recycled and sterilized. Thousands of bottles of all sizes were placed in wicker baskets, filling the entire courtyard of the pharmaceutical factory. The bottle specifications ranged from 500ml for saline solution to small medicine bottles.

So the entire staff of the pharmaceutical factory spent the better part of a day washing bottles. The cleaned bottles were pushed into a steam room for high-temperature steam sterilization—this was also the most effective large-scale sterilization method available at the pharmaceutical factory.

With these bottles, the pharmaceutical factory could officially produce finished products—otherwise, there would be nowhere to put the products. Zhao Yanmei set up a distillation room with all-glass equipment. In addition to distilling medical distilled water, it was also used to extract traditional Chinese medicine for injection.

Shi Niaoren looked at this not-too-complex but very large distillation facility and marveled at the rapid progress of the glass factory’s level. Such complex shapes, a large number of thick and thin pipes, multi-way connectors, and valves. The alcohol lamp for heating flickered with a faint blue flame. The evaporating dish contained many yellow and white plant flowers. The liquid was bubbling slightly. The steam passed through the pipes, through the serpentine glass tube condenser, and finally dripped into the collection bottle one by one.

The whole scene looked very strange. It was neither science fiction nor fantasy, but rather like the underground laboratory of a mad scientist in a low-budget movie.

“What is this for?”

“The distillation and extraction is of honeysuckle, a heatstroke prevention medicine, specializing in summer heat colds. Liu San said that this can be used as a base liquid to make Shuanghuanglian preparations,” Hu Yicheng was in charge of this distillation room today. He didn’t have to go to the underground strain room to do cultivation, so he was in a relatively happy mood.

“Is this safe?” he muttered. The composition of traditional Chinese medicine injections was unknown, and there were many impurities. If it was injected into the human body like this, there would be no way to rescue them in case of an allergic reaction.

Hu Yicheng saw his thoughts. “It’s an oral concentrate. At most, it will cause diarrhea, but it will definitely not kill anyone.”

“I’m just worried because it’s so uncertain,” Shi Niaoren sighed.

“After this batch is distilled, we’re preparing to make bupleurum injection. The difficulty is much smaller. Liu San has dried a lot in the courtyard. It’s very effective for summer heat colds.”

“But the efficiency of this set of equipment is a bit low.”

Liu San walked out from inside. “We’ve already ordered another set. It’s being made at the glass factory. This time, we plan to use steam for heating. It’s much more efficient than burning alcohol lamps, and the temperature is also easier to control. Minister, please come and sit in my room.”

He then led him into his traditional Chinese medicine workshop.

This workshop was actually a large room of about a hundred square meters, with a high ceiling. A row of clay pots on the stoves were gurgling as they boiled traditional Chinese medicine. On the operating table, there were various tools such as a guillotine for cutting medicine, mortars and pestles of various materials, and a small sixteen-tael scale for traditional Chinese medicine… All kinds of equipment that Shi Niaoren had seen and not seen were piled up everywhere. Some were brought by Liu San himself, and some were custom-made here.

Shi Niaoren sniffed the medicinal smell that permeated the air and found a stool to sit down.

“These are some medicines I prepared myself,” Liu San enthusiastically showed him a row of paper boxes and small porcelain bottles on the table.

“This is hemostatic powder,” Liu San picked up a small porcelain bottle. “It’s made from Cirsium japonicum. Its function is to cool the blood and stop bleeding: it’s used for bleeding caused by blood heat, such as vomiting blood, nosebleeds, uterine bleeding, and blood in the urine; it also disperses stasis, detoxifies, and reduces boils: it’s used for hot and toxic boils, either taken orally or applied externally…”

“Alright, alright, you don’t have to recite your traditional Chinese medicine textbook,” Shi Niaoren looked at him with suspicion. He knew that traditional Chinese medicine had a characteristic: almost every medicinal material could be listed with a long list of “effective for a certain symptom,” but in fact, it rarely played a key role. “Does it work?”

“Of course it works. If you bleed in the wild, you can immediately find Cirsium japonicum and decoct it for oral administration. It will take effect immediately. Crushing it and applying it externally can also stop bleeding.”

Shi Niaoren thought that there must be some component in it that could reduce the clotting time, and it was worth organizing research on it—the demand for hemostatic drugs in future military combat would not be small.

“Also, the tincture made by soaking it in ethanol can lower blood pressure and inhibit the growth of human tuberculosis bacilli.”

“Sounds good.”

“This is gastritis pill, for treating stomach pain, acid reflux, gastric ulcers, and duodenal ulcers. The main ingredient is cuttlefish bone. I got it from the seafood processing plant. It can also be used as a hemostatic drug, and it’s very effective for treating knife wounds.”

“This is pig gall pill,” Liu San said. “It’s used to treat many things, but I know the director is not interested in these. However, there is one use that you will definitely find useful.”

“Oh? What is it?”

“Cough suppressant,” Liu San said. “The cough suppressant effect of pig gall powder has been tested by pharmacology. It can also treat night blindness.”

“Opium tincture,” Liu San took out another bottle with a danger sign on it. “It can be used to suppress coughs, stop diarrhea, and relieve pain.”

“What about the addictive properties?”

Liu San spread his hands, “That’s hard to say. We need to do animal experiments. But I’ve discussed it with Director Zhao and Little Hu, and I’ve also consulted medical books. It’s made entirely according to the requirements of the pharmacopoeia. The harm won’t be too great, as long as we control its use.”

“Don’t make it into a panacea,” Shi Niaoren instructed. “Divide it into three varieties. It’s best to make the antidiarrheal and pain-relieving drugs into tablets—they are easy to take. Make the cough suppressant into a syrup. No matter which drug it is, while ensuring its efficacy, the opium content should be as low as possible to avoid addiction.”

Although opium addiction was not as severe as modern potent drugs, withdrawal was also very troublesome.

“Alright, we’ll change the formula,” Liu San jotted down his request. He then took out a small wooden box and opened it mysteriously. “Doctor Shi, have a taste?”

Shi Niaoren looked at it. In the box were some semi-withered leaves, rolled into balls.

“Betel nut?” He picked one up and put it in his mouth. It was very bitter.

“This is coca leaf.”

“Hmm…” Shi Niaoren almost spat it out on the spot.

“Don’t worry, you won’t get addicted,” Liu San said with a mischievous smile. “Or at most, you’ll get addicted like with betel nuts.”

Shi Niaoren certainly knew that in South America, chewing coca leaves was a “national habit.” The Indians used it to refresh their minds, eliminate fatigue, and increase their strength; it was also used to ward off the cold, treat diseases, and relieve discomfort caused by stomach cramps, rheumatism, and headaches. It was a popular recreational product.

“These are leaves picked from the coca trees on the farm. The trees are too small, so we only picked a little. Everyone got a little,” Liu San said. “We can harvest a large amount in the future when the yield increases.”

“What’s the point of this?”

“Coca leaves can also be used to make medicine,” Liu San said. “Isn’t it better to use this to replace cigarettes and give it to the army and laborers as a recreational product?”

“This—” Shi Niaoren thought this was too awesome. But coca leaves did have a strong stimulating effect and were indeed useful for the army and laborers. “Isn’t it a bit too much?” After all, coca leaves were a soft drug, although not highly addictive.

“Amphetamine was originally prepared by the Americans for the soldiers of the Third World War. They are much more universal than us. Coca leaves are not as toxic as amphetamine,” he said, taking out another bottle from behind him. He poured a full glass of a dark drink for Shi Niaoren. “Have a drink.”

“What’s this?” Shi Niaoren suddenly became vigilant.

“Coke.”

“Coke? This is a rare thing now,” Shi Niaoren looked at it with suspicion and took a sip. It was indeed the taste of coke, a bit sweet, but without the fizz—like a coke that had been left out for a long time and had gone flat.

“Did you make it yourselves?”

“Yes, we added a distilled liquid of coca leaves to it,” seeing that Shi Niaoren was about to get angry, Liu San quickly added, “a very small amount, almost negligible. As long as we have baking soda, we can start producing coke.”

It was really strange, Shi Niaoren thought. Soda water hadn’t been successful, but kvass and coke had both come out. He decided not to pursue the matter further, lest he be used as a guinea pig for some other strange thing. He asked:

“How is the project of extracting willow bark that I mentioned last time going?”

Willow bark has been a commonly used antipyretic and analgesic in Europe and Asia since ancient times. Its active ingredient is salicylic acid. The modern drug aspirin was born based on the analysis of this drug.

Aspirin is chemically synthesized, which is still too early for the transmigrators’ chemical level. But it is not difficult to extract the active ingredients from willow bark, and it can also play a certain role.

“We’re doing it. We’ve extracted some. But there aren’t many willow trees here,” Liu San said.

“We can ask Wu Nanhai to plant more by the river. It can both decorate the scenery and be used as a raw material,” Shi Niaoren knew that the effective medicinal ingredients in willow bark and leaves were very few, and the effect of extraction was also limited. But aspirin was a very useful analgesic and antipyretic, and it also had anticoagulant and antirheumatic effects. It was the best universal drug at this stage.

Liu San said, “I have a request. I hope the minister will speak to the Executive Committee about it.”

“Oh, what’s your request?”

“Acquire the herbal medicine shop in the county town.”

“Runshitang?” Shi Niaoren knew that Liu San often went to this pharmacy to buy medicine and process medicinal materials, and their cooperation was pleasant. “Aren’t you cooperating well?”

“Shopkeeper Yang’s thinking is alright, and it’s reliable to ask them to do things. But I’m not the owner, so it’s not convenient for me to make many decisions. It’s a waste of the few professional talents inside,” he poured himself a glass of “coke.” “In addition, the foundation of the herbal medicine shop is too weak. They can’t even go to the medicine market, let alone stock precious medicinal materials. They are too weak as a partner. They need a blood transfusion. I originally wanted to invest in it myself, but I have no silver…”

“Let the Executive Committee acquire it, and then you’ll be the shopkeeper?”

“I don’t want to be the shopkeeper—I can just be the owner and guide them on what to do. Shopkeeper Yang is not very knowledgeable, but he is eager to learn. He is a promising talent.”