My Analysis Of Akutagawa's Sickness

My analysis of Akutagawa's sickness

DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor, nor a med student

tw: spoilers about Akutagawa's background, mentions of illnesses and death, unprofessional diagnosis

Akutagawa had untreated pneumonia caused by moderate hypothermia as a consequence of poor living conditions as an orphan in the slums. As we've seen in BEAST, some of his friends went to sleep and have never woken up, having freezed to death during the night.

The pneumonia caused bronchiectasis, a long term illness which gives the recipient chronic cough (sometimes with blood), chest pains and shortness of breath.

If the disease is left untreated (like it was in Ryu's case), it can cause lung and heart failure.

Best treatment for it are antibiotics. Oral are suggested for most cases, but serious infections may need for intravenous IV antibiotics.

All these illnesses reduce appetite and may cause anorexia. It explains why he eats so little and why Gin is often worried about his food intake.

I'm guessing that, by the time Akutagawa joined the port mafia, his lungs were already withering away, that all that was left was medication to prolong his life.

It should also be said that there are more possibilities that may have aided his sickness:

his lungs could have been wounded by third parties

that there is a chance he was born prematurely or had a lung deficiency since birth

he overworked himself and strained his lungs, worsening his condition and guaranteeing his early death

We know for sure he overworks himself, but to what extent that hindered his lungs is, as of yet, unknown, but in any case it doesn't matter. If there was a chance to heal his respiratory system, Mori would have done it. Meaning his lungs were already failing by the time he saw an actual doctor.

At this point, either Yosano can heal him or his state of being in the recent manga chapter will do it itself.

I guess we'll have to wait and see.