萧山来某。素病痰火。作时言语謇涩。手颤足疲。频年医治罔效。就诊于余。脉洪大而滑。溢出寸口。大便常秘。
而胃口颇旺。余曰。是痰火为患也。以羚羊角、石菖蒲、郁金、竹沥。少加姜汁、麦冬、远志、石斛、黄连、竹茹、茯
神、生地、川贝母等为剂。并令吞白金丸三钱。接服数日。脉敛音清。手亦不颤。诸恙降序。乃去羚羊、竹沥、黄连、
白金丸。加牡蛎、西洋参、生枣仁、龟版、阿胶、杞子、白蒺藜、天王补心丸。调理数剂而愈。至次年新正。因纵酒而
痰火又升。声音又涩。又就
余治。余曰。痰为易生之物。若旧症复发。仍用前方常服。当以西洋参、辰砂、茯神、麦冬、淮山、菊花、杞子、蒺藜、
石斛、远志、石菖蒲、橘红、牡蛎、川贝母、龙骨、竹沥为剂。青果膏入矾末少许。每早开水冲服四钱。惟酒宜少饮为
妙。从此相安年余。后因不戒酒。且食浓味。而病又作。劝其行倒仓法吐去其痰。以清胃府。复疑惧交集。致病终不脱
体。
一徽州客。年五十许。忽一日右半身如瘫痪。卧床不能转动。筋脉不拘急。亦无痛苦。召余诊之。右脉沉细如丝。
虚软无力。左脉和缓无病。细审毫无风象。体肥肌丰。又非痰火。乃气血两虚。归并一偏之病也。仿王清任补阴还阳
五汤法。用黄 四两。当归五钱。赤芍二钱。干地龙、川芎各一钱。续断、忍冬藤各三钱。红花一钱。丹参三钱。服三
剂。而右脉渐大。手足略能展动。八剂而起居如常矣。方信归并之说为不谬。后以归、芍、参、 、苓、草、丹参、桂
枝、木瓜、红花、川芎、牛膝、续断、狗脊等养血补气。舒经活络。嘱其浸酒常服。
A patient surnamed Lai from Xiaoshan. He had a chronic condition of Phlegm-Fire (Tan Huo, pathological accumulation of phlegm and heat). During attacks, he suffered from slurred speech (Jian Se), hand tremors, and leg weakness. Medical treatments over many years were ineffective. He consulted me. The pulse was surging and slippery (Hong Da Er Hua), extending beyond the Cun position at the wrist. His bowels were often constipated, yet his appetite was quite good. I said: This is caused by Phlegm-Fire. The prescription consisted of Antelope Horn (Ling Yang Jiao), Acorus Rhizome (Shi Chang Pu), Curcuma Tuber (Yu Jin), and Bamboo Sap (Zhu Li) as main ingredients, with small amounts of Ginger Juice (Jiang Zhi), Ophiopogon Tuber (Mai Dong), Polygala Root (Yuan Zhi), Dendrobium Stem (Shi Hu), Coptis Rhizome (Huang Lian), Bamboo Shavings (Zhu Ru), Poria Sclerotium (Fu Shen), Rehmannia Root (Sheng Di), and Fritillaria Bulb (Chuan Bei Mu). He was also instructed to swallow three qian of Baijin Pill (Platinum Pill). After taking this for several days, the pulse became restrained, his voice cleared, and his hands stopped trembling. All symptoms gradually subsided. Then, Ling Yang Jiao, Zhu Li, Huang Lian, and Baijin Pill were removed, and Oyster Shell (Mu Li), American Ginseng (Xi Yang Shen), Raw Ziziphus Seed (Sheng Zao Ren), Turtle Plastron (Gui Ban), Donkey-hide Gelatin (E Jiao), Goji Berry (Qi Zi), Tribulus Fruit (Bai Ji Li), and Tianwang Buxin Wan (Emperor of Heaven’s Heart-Nourishing Pill) were added. After regulating with a few doses, he recovered. In the first month of the following year, due to excessive drinking, Phlegm-Fire rose again, and his voice became hoarse/slurred. He sought my treatment again. I said: Phlegm is an easily generated pathogenic factor. If the old disease recurs, continue taking the previous formula regularly. The prescription should include American Ginseng, Cinnabar (Chen Sha), Poria Sclerotium, Ophiopogon Tuber, Chinese Yam (Huai Shan), Chrysanthemum Flower (Ju Hua), Goji Berry, Tribulus Fruit, Dendrobium Stem, Polygala Root, Acorus Rhizome, Tangerine Peel (Ju Hong), Oyster Shell, Fritillaria Bulb, Dragon Bone (Long Gu), and Bamboo Sap. Add a small amount of alum powder to Green Olive Paste (Qingguo Gao). Take four qian dissolved in warm water every morning. It is advisable to drink alcohol sparingly. From then on, he remained stable for over a year. Later, because he did not quit drinking and ate rich, greasy foods, the illness recurred. I advised him to undergo Dao Cang Fa (a method of inducing vomiting to clear stomach accumulation) to expel phlegm and clear the Stomach Fu organ. However, he was filled with suspicion and fear, causing the disease to persist until the end.
Another guest from Huizhou, around fifty years old, suddenly found his right half-body paralyzed, unable to move while lying in bed. There was no muscle spasm or pain. Upon examination, the Right pulse was deep, fine like a thread, weak and powerless. The Left pulse was harmonious and normal. Careful examination revealed no signs of Wind pathogen. The patient was obese with ample flesh, ruling out Phlegm-Fire. This was a case of Qi and Blood deficiency, leading to a deviation of Qi and Blood to one side. Mimicking Wang Qingren’s Bu Yang Huan Wu Tang (Tonify Yang and Restore Five Limbs Decoction), I used Astragalus Root (Huang Qi) 4 liang, Angelica Sinensis Root (Dang Gui) 5 qian, Red Peony Root (Chi Shao) 2 qian, Earthworm (Gan Di Long) and Ligusticum Rhizome (Chuan Xiong) 1 qian each, Teasel Root (Xu Duan) and Honeysuckle Vine (Ren Dong Teng) 3 qian each, Safflower (Hong Hua) 1 qian, and Salvia Root (Dan Shen) 3 qian. After three doses, the Right pulse gradually enlarged, and the limbs could move slightly. After eight doses, his daily activities returned to normal. Only then did I believe the theory of "returning to the center" was correct. Subsequently, using Dang Gui, Peony, Ginseng, Astragalus, Poria, Licorice, Dan Shen, Cinnamon Twig (Gui Zhi), Quince (Mu Gua), Hong Hua, Chuan Xiong, Achyranthes Root (Niu Xi), Xu Duan, and Dogspine (Gou Ji) to nourish Blood and tonify Qi, and to unblock meridians and activate collaterals, I instructed him to soak these herbs in wine and take it regularly.