Chapter 53: First Meeting with Vanderbilt

The cholera in California was far more serious than Liang Yao had expected.

New patients had been sent to the California Hospital in San Francisco over the past week.

The hospital eventually admitted not more than 2,500 or 3,000 cholera patients, but 4,600.

Such a large number of cholera patients far exceeded the carrying capacity of his temporary hospital.

Liang Yao had to expand the scale of the hospital and allocated four more shops and a warehouse to the hospital to accommodate cholera patients. At the same time, he advertised in the newspaper to recruit more volunteers to assist doctors in treating cholera patients.

The hospital was full of cholera patients who were vomiting and diarrhea. Doctors in white coats and volunteers wearing red cross armbands shuttled among the patients.

They either checked the patients' conditions or gave them medicine and fluids to relieve their pain.

The air was filled with a mixture of the sour smell of feces, urine and vomit, which was disgusting.

Although someone cleaned up these dirty things in time to ensure the cleanliness of the hospital and reduce the number of mosquitoes and flies, the smell could not be removed in a short time.

Fortunately, his efforts were not in vain. Dr. Robinson, the general manager of the hospital, brought Liang Yao good news.

"Today is the peak of cholera. After today, our patients will gradually decrease."

Robinson, wearing a white coat, walked through the long corridor with statistical data to Liang Yao.

"Doctor Robinson, let's go out and talk. The atmosphere here is too depressing and the smell is too strong."

"It's up to you. I feel like I have lost my sense of smell after so many days here." Robinson shrugged and said.

Liang Yao walked to the door, took off his mask and breathed in the fresh air greedily.

"The mixture of salt water and this sugar water can indeed help the gastrointestinal tract absorb water. This is a major medical discovery. It will save the lives of thousands of cholera patients." Robinson couldn't hide his excitement, and even his tone of voice was excited.

"Stop, stop, just tell me about our current situation."

Liang Yao didn't have time to argue with him now, Vanderbilt had already arrived in San Francisco. Vanderbilt was very important to him, and it was related to his next layout in California. He had to rush back to see Vanderbilt.

In addition to Vanderbilt himself, he also hoped to get to know some entrepreneurs in Vanderbilt's circle through Vanderbilt, and exchange gold for their technology and machinery. These things were what he urgently needed.

He was not sure about Vanderbilt's attitude towards California and him.

It was much more likely to become a partner with a rising industrialist like Vanderbilt than with those old nobles in the East.

Of course, it was just a higher possibility.

Everything should be prepared for the worst. His worst plan was that he failed to reach a cooperation with Vanderbilt and had a direct conflict of interest with the old nobles in the East in California.

At that time, if he wanted to develop industry in California, he could only buy a limited number of non-advanced machinery and some outdated technology from those small and medium-sized enterprises and companies in the East that were about to go bankrupt.

As for Fremont, his family background is quite solid, and he is willing to contribute to the development of California.

He was the first American to come to California. He became famous because of California and has a special feeling for this place.

However, Fremont is a well-known large plantation owner in the southeastern state of Georgia. He owns thousands of hectares of cotton fields. It is okay for him to grow cotton in California, but it is undoubtedly a fantasy for Fremont to engage in industry in California.

Liang Yao has no system and no void warehouse. He can't rub a steamship by hand and then take out a bunch of awesome machines from his void pocket to crush the natives of this era.

After thinking about it, Vanderbilt is still the most ideal partner, and he must seize this opportunity.

"At present, 138 severe patients have been transferred to the moderate patients area, and 583 moderate patients have been transferred to the mild patients area. As for the mild patients area, 421 cholera patients have recovered and they will be discharged tomorrow. So far, only 16 severe patients have died. It can be said that this is a miracle. California has done something that big cities like New York and Boston have not been able to do." After saying that, Robinson didn't care about the dirt on the ground and sat down directly. He was too tired. For a week in a row, he slept less than four hours a day. Even in his dreams, he often dreamed of patients who were on the verge of death and asked him for help, which made him suddenly wake up from his dreams. "I think California's experience in preventing and controlling cholera can be extended to the East. If the East can do the same, cholera will soon disappear from the United States and will no longer be an epidemic that people are afraid of." "Things are not that simple. The situation in the East is more complicated than in California. There is no politics in California, but everything in the East involves politics. Moreover, cholera in California has not been eradicated yet. It is too early to say victory. We cannot take it lightly." Robinson's idea was still too simple, but he didn't have time to talk to Robinson anymore. "Dr. Robinson, I have to receive Mr. Vanderbilt these two days. I will leave the hospital affairs to you. Please!" After speaking, Liang Yao patted Robinson on the shoulder and said goodbye to Robinson.

Before he took a few steps, a Zhongyihui leader wearing a gold black bear badge came to inform him that Vanderbilt had arrived at the hospital entrance.

Liang Yao didn't expect Vanderbilt to come here to find him, so he had to go out to meet Vanderbilt.

The lights were on, and the street lights in the hospital and on the street lit up with whale oil, dispelling the darkness.

Vanderbilt and Elizabeth stood under the street lights, and next to them was a rather unsightly slogan with English and Chinese words on it: "Farming and farming, no entry for idle people".

Vanderbilt was very tall. According to statistics, the average height of adult white men born in the United States in 1850 was 1 cm. Vanderbilt, who was 183 cm tall, was much taller than this standard.

Vanderbilt's clothes were more casual.

His arms and legs are long and strong, his hairline is high, but he has thick brown hair. Perhaps because of the sea voyage, his beard has not been shaved for some time, and he looks a little sloppy.

His lips are thick, his chin looks strong, and under his high forehead are a pair of sharp eyes. His long and pointed nose is like the bow of a sailing ship.

Liang Yao's first impression of this person is more like a captain, sailor or soldier, rather than a successful businessman.

Vanderbilt is far from the image of a successful businessman in a suit and tie in Liang Yao's impression.

"Hello, Mr. Vanderbilt, I didn't know you came here in person. I'm sorry for not welcoming you."

Liang Yao took off his gloves and shook hands with Vanderbilt.

"Hello, Mr. Liang, I heard a lot of rumors about you when I was in Nicaragua."

Although Vanderbilt was born in Staten Island, New York, USA, and is a native American, perhaps influenced by his parents, he speaks with a faint Low Dutch accent.

This is one of the few Dutch marks on him.

Vanderbilt tightly grasped Liang Yao's hand, as if he wanted to compete with Liang Yao to see who was stronger.

In the past six months in California, Liang Yao has paid attention to diet and physical exercise. His physique is no longer the physique of the weak scholar. Since Vanderbilt wants to arm wrestle with him, he will accompany him to the end.