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Bai Fan (Alumen, Alum), with a sour taste and cold nature, is non-toxic. Its properties are drying and possess emergency astringent effects; it detoxifies, clears heat, descends turbidity, treats all diseases generated by damp-heat, and serves as an astringent agent. Lv Fan (Green Vitriol) mainly treats sores; Hei Fan (Black Vitriol) is used to dye hair black.

Placing Bai Fan in the nasal cavity removes polyps, eliminates stubborn heat within the bone marrow, relieves Hou Bi (sore throat with obstruction), stops eye pain, arrests diarrhea and dysentery, alleviates toothache, washes prolapse of the rectum and Yin Ting (prolapse of the uterus or vaginal wall), and manages Jie Xuan (scabies and tinea) and excessive dampness skin conditions. Xi Xian San (Thin Saliva Powder), when ground together with Zao Jia (Gleditsia Sinensis Fruit) and taken, induces vomiting to expel wind-phlegm; Tong Qiao Shen Fang's La Fan Wan (Beeswax Alum Pill), made into pills with honey and beeswax, swallowed to calm abscesses, is an important agent for protecting membranes. Long-term consumption damages the Heart and Lungs and injures the bones.

Commentary: The applications of Bai Fan have four aspects: inducing vomiting of wind-heat phlegm and saliva, utilizing its sour and bitter properties to promote purging and excretion; treating various bleeding, rectal prolapse, Yin Ting, and sores, utilizing its sour and astringent properties to consolidate; treating wind-phlegm, diarrhea, dysentery, metrorrhagia, and leukorrhea, utilizing its consolidating and damp-drying efficacy; managing Hou Bi, carbuncles, snake bites, and insect toxins, utilizing its detoxifying efficacy. However, it primarily achieves success through sour and astringent actions, not like Qi and Blood which nourish yet cure disease, as stated in *Wu Zhen Pian*: "Things of different categories are difficult to make skillful." It temporarily aids symptom treatment, but excessive intake damages the Heart and Lungs and injures the bones.

Lv Fan, also known as Zao Fan, and again as Qing Fan, becomes Fan Hong (Red Alum residue) after being quenched in red vinegar. Its flavor and aroma endowment are the same as Bai Fan. Its functions of sour purging, astringent consolidation, damp-drying, detoxification, and phlegm-resolving are similar to Bai Fan, though its strength is milder. *Ben Jing* records it as treating Hou Bi due to its sour purging and phlegm-resolving power; treating dental ulcers, malignant sores, scabies, and tinea due to its damp-drying, heat-clearing, and detoxifying power; treating Chang Feng blood in stool due to its subsequent astringent power after dissipating damp-heat. However, beyond these treatments, it excels at eliminating stagnation. For any hard flesh accumulations in the abdomen that other medicines cannot resolve, administering pills made of Fan Hong combined with Spleen-strengthening and stagnation-resolving medicines usually resolves them; however, people with weak Stomach function should not use it excessively. Those taking this medicine must avoid eating Buckwheat for life; violating this results in immediate death.

Shi Xie (Stone Crab) applied to the eyes treats cloudiness and swelling/pain, resolves internal poisoning causing Gu Zhang (abdominal distension due to parasites/toxins), calms abscesses and rashes, promotes labor, and induces abortion. Shi She (Stone Snake) effectively resolves Jin Shi Du (metal and stone toxicity). Shi Yan (Stone Swallow), when boiled in water and the juice drunk, is effective for treating Lin Zheng (dysuria). If a woman experiences difficult labor, holding one in each hand yields immediate results. For patients suffering from Xiao Ke (wasting-thirst syndrome), boiling it with Shui Niu Bi (Water Buffalo Horn) and drinking the decoction leads to recovery. Shi Can (Stone Silkworm) breaks Shi Lin (stone dysuria) and blood stasis, primarily treating Jin Chuang (metal weapon wounds) and promoting tissue regeneration.