Weeping

The venom of the dusk claw is a powerful and highly effective anticoagulant. But due to the difficulty of obtaining the venom, early pioneers in medicine created an artificial substitute known to laymen as Juice, due to its derivation from several popular sweet fruits. Juice is nearly as effective as the natural toxin but without the euphoria associated with dusk claw venom.
Post surgery patients (or other patients at risk of clotting) are almost universally administered Juice because of its effectiveness and low cost. Unfortunately in rare cases a condition known as Weeping occurs. Generally application of Juice is short term and after cessation of treatment the patient's blood returns to its prior consistency. With Weeping the patient's blood becomes progressively thinner after stopping the use of Juice.
Sometimes restarting the patient on Juice can stop Weeping, but the patient is then dependent on Juice and various blood thickeners for the duration of their life. More often Weeping leads to bleeding of pores, ducts, glands and gums culminating in a massive intracranial hemorrhage.
Unfortunately blood thickeners are ineffective against Weeping if Juice does not stop the progression. The other serious complication of treatment by Juice is an acquired severe reaction to dusk claw venom. Any Juice patient's medical record is boldly noted as a Juice patient as any dose of dusk claw venom received after Juice treatment is fatal. Weeping affects populations across Eilea, among branded and non-branded alike. People afflicted with Weeping are commonly known as Weepers.

Transmission & Vectors

Weeping is communicable through blood to blood contact. Non-treatable Weeping patients are isolated or euthanized as the condition is terminal, rapid and painful. More problematic are the lifelong Juice users as bleeding is still a common occurrence because of their thin blood. Generally Juicers (as the lifelong users are commonly known) wear heavy hypoallergenic bracelets as an alert to others, and will commonly wear heavy long sleeved outfits as a protection from injury and because they are hypersensitive to low temperatures.

Causes

The specific reaction or mutation that causes Weeping in the affected patients is still unknown at this time. While it is believed to be a biochemical reaction, scientists have been unable to document the active mechanism. A common theory that Weeping originates with branded bloodlines has been proven false and has almost certainly been put forward and propagated by the Order of the Unbranded.

Symptoms

Weeping symptoms include the following:

• Bleeding from skin pores, tear ducts, mammary and salivary glands, and mucous membranes
• Allergic sensitivity to metals
• Thinning of skin leading to easier injury
• Internal hemorrhaging
• Lethal allergy to dusk claw venom

Treatment

The only effective treatment of Weeping is the resumption of Juice doses combined with blood thickeners. The treatment is readily available and inexpensive, but can lead to excessive weight gain. Intermittent nausea is a rare side effect.

Prognosis

Juicers can live a fairly normal life, if care is taken to prevent injury. Otherwise a Weeper's condition is fatal, disease progression usually takes less than a month.

Affected Groups

All human races are susceptible to Weeping. Juice is fatal to non-human creatures and Weeping does not cross species.

Hosts & Carriers

Weepers are the only carriers of Weeping. Anyone can become a Weeper.

Prevention

Those who are worried about exposure to Weeping take measures to prevent blood to blood contact. Those who fear contracting Weeping restrict themselves to using dusk claw venom in the event of needing such medicine, but in turn risk addiction.

Epidemiology

Weeping almost exclusively spreads from medical centers. Occasionally malicious Weepers will set out to infect others, then pockets of Weeping will persist for a short duration. Those who don't seek treatment immediately rarely live beyond a month.

History

The use of dusk claw venom reaches to prehistory as a medical treatment, but the problem of addiction to venom euphoria necessitated an alternate treatment. Juice was developed in the early 1800's CE based on traditional treatments. It wasn't until 1853 the first case of Weeping was recorded. The treatment had been thought completely safe so transmission vectors were unknown. The first case of Weeping spread through the Stoat family so rapidly that only five young girls survived 10 weeks later. In a fortuitous accident, some Juice was mixed with one of the blood thickeners being used one of the girls, and the treatment that would save her life was found. The brands of the Stoat family were lost and the girls married into other families and the Stoat line ended.

Cultural Reception

Any Weepers that survive for any length of time are isolated and only seen by the attending physician. Juicers are viewed with pity and considered, appropriately, fragile.

Type

Physiological

Origin

Engineered

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired

Rarity

Uncommon