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Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae (steeped in wine), Radix Glycyrrhizae Preparata (roasted with honey), Bulbus Allii Macrostemonis (each 1 fen), Radix Angelicae Sinensis, Cortex Cinnamomi, Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae, Radix Scutellariae (each 0.5 liang), Radix Angelicae Pubescentis (0.5 liang), Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens (0.5 liang).

Crush the above herbs into a coarse powder. Take 0.5 liang per dose, add five cups of water, decoct until two cups remain, strain off the dregs, and take warm in two divided doses before meals.

Comment: *Chentong San* (Pain-Relieving Powder) not only treats postpartum Qi deficiency and blood stasis but also treats headache, lower back pain, spontaneous sweating, and fever caused by Wind pathogen affecting the Taiyang channel (Taiyang channel disease). If body pain, fever, and headache are caused by Cold pathogen invasion, food stagnation, or emotional disturbances such as worry, fear, shock, or anger, especially when complicated by severe postpartum consumptive diseases, *Chentong San* cannot treat them. In such cases, it is better to use *Wuji San* (Five Accumulations Powder) decocted with vinegar.

The formula for *Wuji San* (Five Accumulations Powder) is found in the Taiyin channel chapter of *Shanghan Lun* (Treatise on Cold Damage).

Question 12: What causes severe constipation after childbirth? Answer: During delivery, fluids and blood descend together, leading to emptiness and exhaustion of the intestines and stomach, and insufficiency of body fluids, resulting in dryness and difficulty in defecation. If five or six days pass and abdominal distension occurs, this indicates dry stool accumulated in the viscera; due to its dryness and stickiness, it cannot be expelled easily. It is appropriate to take *Maren Wan* (Hemp Seed Pill) to moisten and lubricate. If mistakenly treated as having Heat and administered cold-natured medicines, Yang will decline and Yin will grow, causing various pathological changes and endangering life.

Semen Cannabisae (crushed), Pericarpium Aurantii Fructus (stir-fried with bran), Radix Ginseng, Radix et Rhizoma Rhei (equal parts).

Grind the above herbs into powder, mix with honey to make pills the size of wet cherry seeds. Take twenty pills with warm wine on an empty stomach; if defecation has not occurred, increase the number of pills.

Comment: Purging should not be used lightly in the postpartum period; improper purging leads to death in almost all cases. Due to excessive blood loss, the viscera become dry, and constipation occurs. Since there is dryness and stickiness, lubricating methods should be employed. Dahuang (Rhubarb Root) seems difficult to use lightly. Instead, mixing scallion juice with tea from the twelfth lunar month to form pills, and taking them down with scallion-tea, will surely promote bowel movement.

To treat postpartum emaciation and severe constipation.

Corpus Corneum Asini Colla, Pericarpium Aurantii Fructus (stir-fried with bran, remove albedo, equal parts).

Grind the above herbs into powder, mix with honey to make pills the size of wet cherry seeds. Coat with powdered Talcum. Take twenty pills with warm water; if defecation has not occurred after half a day, take again.

Question 13: What causes postpartum metrorrhagia (profuse uterine bleeding)? Answer: Childbed rest consumes and damages the meridians, which have not yet recovered, and physical exertion further injures and disturbs them, causing sudden profuse bleeding that drips continuously. Alternatively, irregular consumption of salty and sour foods damages Ying and Wei (Nutritive and Defensive Qi), leading to Qi deficiency and Blood weakness, which can also transform into Metrorrhagia. If there is fullness and pain in the lower abdomen, indicating damage to the Liver channel, it is difficult to treat. Immediately administer *Gu Jing Wan* (Meridian-Stabilizing Pill) to stop the bleeding.