Plague Doctor

[capt_facepalm]

Title: Plague Doctor
Author: capt_facepalm
Rating: PG
Fandom: Sherlock Holmes (Gaslight ACD)
Characters: Dr John Watson, Mr Sherlock Holmes
Summary: Some illness is killing London's children
Warning: (ickyness)
Word Count: 100
Author's Notes: July 24th 2023 prompt: Pandemic

.oOOo.

‘Dear fellow,’ exclaimed Mr Sherlock Holmes. ‘You look like death warmed over!”

I removed my rain-soaked hat and cloak and hung them on their pegs. My boots were left by the fire to dry.

‘You’re quite safe, Holmes, scarlet fever mostly affects children of the lower classes.’

Thus assured, Holmes poured me a strong measure of whisky.

‘It seems more tragic when the victims are children,’ said Holmes. ‘As if adults are better equipped to fend off deadly diseases.’

‘Of course, Holmes. We should warn the Irregulars to stay home and wash with soap until this outbreak runs its course.’

.oOOo.

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Supplementary Notes: Notes, what notes?

Comments

[pompey_01]

All I will say is, we in 2023 have no idea what "classic" childhood diseases could be like and thus don't even fully grasp how lucky we are.

[gardnerhill]

I would dearly love to physically drag anti-vaxxers through old cemeteries and show them all the little granite lambs to mark the graves of infants who died before they could be named. Or the headstone of a woman who died in her 80s, who'd outlived all 5 of her children because of a 3-week-long diphtheria outbreak that took them all from the 9-year-old to the baby.

[debriswoman]

Wise precautions and a very real fear.

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

:(