Free Web NovelChapter 457: Chapter 457: Guiding is Better than Blocking
Lin Xiaoyu and Han Yifang watched the ignition video, then opened the comment section below it.
The comment section was filled with a torrent of complaints from users.
Many people commented that not only was the Willow Catkin highly flammable, but it also clogged car air intakes and made people sick, triggering allergies, rhinitis, facial swelling, and even asthma.
"Xiao Yu, look! So many people are complaining about the willow catkins."
Han Yifang said excitedly, "This special feature will definitely resonate with people."
Lin Xiaoyu nodded and thought for a moment. "We shouldn’t just raise awareness about the dangers of willow catkins," she said. "We also need to provide some preventative measures and treatments. How about this? Let’s go see Doctor Li to learn about the health risks. We can also ask if Aloe Vera Frost is effective for the skin allergies they cause. If it works, that would be a great promotional point for the article."
Han Yifang thought this was a good idea.
After making their decision, the two of them first went to the chief editor’s office to pitch their idea for the special feature on willow catkins.
After hearing them out, the chief editor agreed that the topic was both timely and socially significant, and approved it on the spot.
With the chief editor’s approval, Lin Xiaoyu and Han Yifang left immediately, driving to Li’s Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic.
Along the way, willow catkins filled the air outside, drifting about like snow.
Neither of them dared to roll down the windows, afraid the willow catkins would drift inside.
"Sigh, it’s such a shame."
Lin Xiaoyu watched the willow catkins dancing outside the window and sighed. "Spring is warm without being too hot—the perfect season for driving with the windows down. But because of these catkins, we can’t even open them. It’s so frustrating."
Han Yifang completely agreed. "Yeah. Every year around this time, I find myself just wishing summer would hurry up and arrive."
Complaining about the willow catkins the entire way, they soon arrived at Li’s Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic.
The clinic still had patients.
The two waited patiently.
After about half an hour, it was finally their turn.
"Editor Lin, are you feeling unwell?"
Li Xu and Lin Xiaoyu were on familiar terms, so he asked casually.
"That’s not it."
Lin Xiaoyu shook her head. "I’m fine. We’re planning to do a special feature on the recent willow catkin problem, so we came specifically to ask for your expert advice on the health risks they pose."
Li Xu’s expression cleared with understanding upon hearing her words.
He recalled that Lin Xiaoyu had come to him about a feature story before. He nodded and said, "The willow catkins have certainly been troubling many people lately. Feel free to ask any questions you have." ƒгeewebnovёl.com
After they sat down, Lin Xiaoyu got straight to the point, asking about the dangers of willow catkins and methods for prevention and treatment.
Li Xu pondered for a moment, gathering his thoughts before speaking. "The dangers of willow catkins manifest in several main ways.
First and foremost, they are highly allergenic.
Many people experience allergic reactions upon exposure to willow catkins, such as allergic rhinitis, which presents with symptoms like sneezing, a clear runny nose, congestion, and an itchy nose. Severe cases can even trigger allergic asthma.
Secondly, the catkins can also irritate the skin, leading to redness, swelling, itching, and even rashes.
Furthermore, the drifting catkins can irritate the conjunctiva, leading to red, itchy, and watery eyes.
In addition, they can easily clog car radiators and impair their cooling. They also pose a serious fire hazard; there have been news reports in the past about fires caused by Yang Xiu."
"As for preventative measures, the simplest and most effective is to wear a mask outdoors. Masks designed to block pollen are particularly effective at keeping the catkins out of your respiratory tract.
When you get back indoors, you should immediately remove any Yang Xiu from your clothing and wash your face and hands often.
If you do have a skin reaction, the Aloe Vera Frost from Ding’s Pharmaceutical Factory can provide some relief. It has cooling, anti-itch, anti-inflammatory, and calming properties. However, the most important things are still minimizing exposure and cleaning up promptly."
Lin Xiaoyu and Han Yifang listened very attentively, taking notes from time to time.
They asked a few more detailed questions, all of which Li Xu answered with patience and care.
After asking all their questions, they thanked Li Xu and left.
Li Xu returned to his work, busying himself with seeing patients, writing prescriptions, and organizing medicinal herbs. Everything carried on as usual.
Early the next morning, Li Xu opened the system as usual.
[Today’s Intelligence: In Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is believed that all things in nature possess a spiritual essence and can be used as medicine... The same is true for willow catkins. Willow catkins have the effects of clearing heat, detoxifying, stopping bleeding, and reducing swelling... When combined with Persimmon Frost, they can be made into hemostatic cloth and hemostatic cotton balls with excellent results... The detailed production method is as follows: ...]
Li Xu’s heart leaped with joy as he read the information.
’Better to channel it than to block it!’
He muttered to himself.
Willow catkins are a widespread nuisance across the country, causing significant problems for people every spring.
Currently, the main countermeasures are either physical or chemical.
Physical methods primarily involve spraying the trees with high-pressure water guns.
This method increases the catkins’ moisture content. After absorbing water, they become too heavy to float in the air and settle to the ground.
The advantages are that it’s environmentally friendly and fast-acting.
The downside is that it requires significant water and manpower, making it costly. It can only be used in specific areas, not for wide-scale coverage. Furthermore, once the water evaporates, the catkins will start flying again.
Chemical methods mainly involve injecting the female trees with plant growth regulators like gibberellin.
Gibberellin inhibits the formation and development of female flowers, which reduces the production of catkins.
This method has long-term effects and a relatively low environmental impact.
However, it requires professional administration, and the dosage and timing must be precise.
Most importantly, this method doesn’t take effect until the following year, and it isn’t one hundred percent effective—some always slip through the cracks.
But if the willow catkins themselves had value, the situation would be completely different!
Given the national character, people would not only stop complaining about the allergies and trouble caused by the catkins, but they would instead scramble to collect them.
There is strength in numbers. Once willow catkins have economic value, you could bet that within three days, all the catkins floating in the air would be collected clean. You might even see a situation where "a single tuft is hard to find."
According to the information Li Xu had, Yang Xiu did indeed have certain hemostatic and wound-healing properties.
Li Shizhen’s *Compendium of Materia Medica* clearly recorded the medicinal value of Willow Catkin (a term which also encompassed Yang Xiu, or "poplar flowers").
In the "Willow Flower" entry of the Wood Section of the *Compendium of Materia Medica*, it is written: [Alternative Names] Willow Catkin; [Properties] Bitter, cold, non-toxic. [Indications] Jaundice from wind-damp, facial heat and dark spots.
Scabs, scabies, malignant sores, and metal wounds.
Willow Fruit: For treating ulcerated carbuncles and expelling pus and blood.
Juice of the seeds: Relieves thirst.
Flower: For stopping bleeding, treating damp impediment, cramps and spasms in the limbs, and knee pain (from Zhen Quan).
Li Shizhen further explained that according to the *Classic of Materia Medica*, it is the willow flower that treats jaundice from wind-damp.
The *Bielu* states that they treat malignant sores and metal wounds, as well as ulcerated carbuncles by expelling pus and blood, while the *Materia Medica* states that they stop bleeding and treat impediment; both instances refer to the willow catkin and its fruit.
The "flower" refers to the tender pistils and stamens, which can be pounded into a juice for consumption.
The seeds and the catkins are connected and difficult to separate, so they can only be used topically on wounds to stop bleeding or as a poultice for impediment.
As for the "juice of the seeds" that relieves thirst, this is made by soaking the seeds and catkins together, grinding them into a juice, and then consuming it.
