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The Tu family in Xincheng Town, Xiushui County, had many long-lived members whose teeth remained firm and intact even in old age. They possessed a family secret: from childhood, they would clench their teeth tightly during defecation and urination to prevent the leakage of Qi (vital energy). (This method originates from Zhang Jingyue.) Even when asked questions, they would not respond. By persisting in this practice without interruption for years, their teeth never suffered from falling out. My friend Zheng Zhuoyan (courtesy name Fengqiang), a learned scholar, spoke of this.

Female doctors on the roads sometimes practiced "catching tooth worms." They would rotate the tip of chopsticks around the affected area and then dip them into a bowl of water, where countless worm-like shapes appeared. They claimed this could cure toothache, but it was often ineffective. Later, I read *Tongyi Lu* by Scholar Cheng Yaotian, which recorded the biography of his deceased wife, Xu Ruren. It revealed that these techniques were all fake. The biography stated: In Haozhou, there was a woman who treated dental caries, traveling to sell her skills. For one patient's teeth, she could extract "worms" numbering in the hundreds. Ruren said, "I grew up in Hezhou and have known this for a long time. While other doctors cannot extract worms from teeth, I can do so effortlessly: they are actually Polygonum persicaria flowers (Liao Hua)."

I suffered from chronic toothache for a long time, which flared up whenever I overworked, generated internal heat, or ate sweet foods. In the Bingwu year, my cousin Zhou Jiemei (personal name Shiran) passed on a prescription saying, "Every morning upon rising, rinse your mouth with cold water three times without interruption, and you will never suffer from toothache again." Jiemei had previously suffered from severe toothache and recovered after practicing this. I followed the method, and my toothache ceased completely. This is a miraculous formula for treating toothache. Additionally, drying green carp gallbladders and grinding them with raw alum into powder for application stops pain immediately; it can also treat throat wind (acute inflammation of the throat). Combining these two ingredients with nail ash and rush pith ash for insufflation into the affected area is particularly effective.

My cousin Zhou Yili (personal name Zhao, Doctor of Studies) suffered from leg heat in the Renyin year of the Daoguang reign. Although he felt heat in his legs, palpation revealed no warmth. His gait was weak, without pain or swelling. After consulting physicians, his leg condition worsened daily, with muscle wasting, reduced appetite, mental fatigue, and a critical state. At that time, Zhu Guangfu, a friend in Yi Li's family pawnshop who knew medicine, treated him. Zhu said, "This is Wei syndrome (flaccidity syndrome)." Indeed, it involved damp-heat and Yin deficiency, but treating only one aspect would be erroneous. He prescribed Qingzao Tang (Clear Dryness Decoction), which gradually reduced the illness. Subsequently, he used the method of Huanqian Wan (Tiger-Hiding Pill), modifying it with additions and subtractions, until 300 doses were taken to fully resolve the condition. Because of this, Yi Li studied medical books diligently and deeply investigated pulse diagnosis, achieving frequent success in treating others.

Medical texts state that excess Wind causes pulling/twitching, excess Dampness causes swelling, and excess Cold causes pain. These statements should not be rigidly adhered to. In the Jichou year of the Daoguang reign, my late father, Mr. Xiang (aged 49 at the time), suffered from hot pain in both legs, unable to walk. Physicians used Juanbi Tang (Eliminate Bi Decoction) and Bajitian Tang (Morinda Root Decoction) without effect, causing exacerbation and swelling with bluish-purple discoloration. Others attributed it to Yin deficiency and prescribed Huanqian Wan, which intensified the pain and reduced food intake. We then went to Zhenze to consult Mr. Wu Xuexiang. (Mr. Wu was a Shengyuan [licentiate] of Zhenze County, began practicing medicine in middle age, examined symptoms meticulously, and had doors full of patients.) His pulse was soft and rapid. The affected area was swollen and painful. Upon inquiry, we learned he had a large capacity for alcohol. Mr. Wu diagnosed it as caused by damp-heat and prescribed herbs including Coix Seed (Yiren), Saposhnikovia Root (Fangfeng/Haitongpi context implies specific formulation components like Haitongpi - Cinnamon Twig Bark/Phellodendron context usually Phellodendri Cortex here likely Haitongpi - Sophorae Root Bark? Note: Haitongpi is Sophorae Root Bark), Stephania Tetrandra (Fangji), Mulberry Leaf Silkworm Excrement (Can Sha), Gentian Macrophylla Root (Qinjiao), Mulberry Twig (Sangzhi), Achyranthes Bidentata Root (Niuxi), and Akebia Caulis (Mutong). There was daily improvement, and he recovered completely within a month. I analyzed: Pain accompanied by heat indicates that warm medicines should not be used. This explains why Juanbi Tang etc. were ineffective. This is a relatively obvious principle, yet few understand it. Indeed, the Way of Medicine is difficult to comprehend.

After recovery from febrile diseases, pathogens often settle in the feet, causing fever, swelling, and pain. If untreated, pain intensifies leading to death or disability, such as in cases requiring foot amputation (Jiezu Feng). In the spring of the Xianwu year, my mother, Lady Zhou, suddenly developed this symptom after an episode of alternating chills and fever. I was in Hangzhou, while my wife, Zhou Wanxia, cared for her at home. She consulted medical books and found a prescription: Use 1 liang of Guangjiao (Gelatin), mixed with wine lees, vinegar, ginger juice, and scallion juice. Melt these four ingredients into a paste, spread it on paper or cloth, and apply it to the affected area. The pain stopped immediately. (Method: Crush the wine lees in vinegar, mix well, filter out the liquid, discard the dregs. Do not use excessive ginger juice, only a small amount. Scallion juice should be half again as much as ginger juice. The volume of wine lees and vinegar juice should be three to four times that of the scallion juice.)

In early winter of the Gengshen year, my concubine Li suffered from latent summerheat. After recovery, her feet swelled but were not red, and the pain was severe. Medicines for removing dampness and clearing heat were ineffective. (Note: The text implies a tragic outcome if this specific remedy was not available or applied correctly in a different context, or describes a near-fatal event resolved by this method. The original text says "using this method... cried out in pain in cold water and died. Regretfully, this method was not obtained at the time to save her." This suggests the previous sentence might refer to a failed attempt or a different case, or the text has a lacuna/error. Based on standard interpretation of such fragmented classical texts, it likely means: Another case involved someone who suffered greatly in cold water due to pain and died because this specific remedy was not available. I record this in detail here, hoping those interested will spread it widely.)