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The birth rate in this era was extremely high. Women, much like hens confined to their homes, would constantly get pregnant and give birth, only to helplessly watch their children die young.
There were many issues with child-rearing. Mothers were intentionally separated from their children by the church and patriarchy so that they could continue to conceive and bear more children, rather than spend most of their time caring for the ones they already had.
Babies, from the moment they were born, would have their bones wrapped with ropes and cloths, and when they couldn’t move, they would be suspended high above the bed or placed in precarious cradles.
As they grew older, almost anything could become a threat to their survival, from rabid dogs to malicious adults.
Moreover, with all the various plagues and natural disasters, those who survived and grew up healthy were already the lucky ones.
While observing these poor children, Hedy suddenly remembered something else important — cowpox.
The horror of cowpox might not have been as deeply felt by people in other countries, but it certainly left a dark mark in the history of America.
In the 15th century, European colonists arrived in the Americas and, along with the settlers, brought various viruses, including smallpox, through contaminated blankets.
In just about a century, the indigenous population of the Americas plummeted from tens of millions to a mere fraction, as if they had endured a catastrophe.
Hedy understood the mechanism and principles of cowpox well, but she had been busy with different fields of work over the past few years and had not been able to focus on everything at once.
She decided that during breakfast this morning, she would ask Da Vinci to help her conduct some related experiments.
When Da Vinci walked into the dining room and saw her, he was suddenly reminded of the dream.
In that dream, she was so soft and warm, and there was that feather-like kiss...
He coughed awkwardly and sat down beside her.
Breakfast had been prepared and brought to the table, and the aroma of bacon made him feel a bit hungry.
He lowered his head to cut the food, while listening to her explain some complex concepts. His gaze, however, unconsciously drifted to her fingertips.
Her long, slender fingers, with beautifully defined lines, even had the soft glow of the silver fork reflecting off her fingertips.
"Leonardo?"
Da Vinci snapped back to attention, quickly replying, "So, can we use small animals for the experiment?"
Hedy shook her head, explaining, "I'm afraid not, because this condition is meant to treat humans."
She seemed a bit concerned, but clearly didn't want to use the farmer's children for the experiment. Regardless of whetherthe children succeeded in the inoculation or not, she could be misunderstood as a cruel witch, attracting unnecessary trouble.
Da Vinci pondered for a moment, then suddenly said, "What about I undergo the inoculation?"
"No," she replied instinctively, "After the inoculation, we need to expose the person to smallpox to confirm the success. I will go to the lord’s estate; maybe there are some prisoners on death row."
"Alright," he put down his knife and fork. "I'll accompany you to do this—vaccination?"
"Yes. I’ll be relying on you," she sighed with relief.
After breakfast, the servants cleared away the plates, and Hedy took a scroll from Dechio and spread it out in front of him.
"I also thought of a new facility," she said with some hesitation. "But since I’ve never designed a building before, I’ll need your help to look it over."
Da Vinci nodded, taking the blueprint and staring at it for a long time. "This is a... garden of sorts?"
"Kinder-garten," Hedy instinctively used the German word, then realized she needed to explain further. "Kinder means 'children,' and 'garten' means garden."
"What does that mean?" Da Vinci asked curiously. "Are you suggesting the children should work on growing flowers?"
