治痰涎郁塞胸膈，满闷短气。或渍于肺中为喘促咳逆。停于心下为惊悸不寐。滞于胃口为胀满哕呃。溢于
经络为肢体麻木或偏枯。留于关节，着于筋骨，为俯仰不利，牵引作疼。随逆气肝火上升，为眩晕不能坐立。
生芡实（一两） 清半夏（四钱） 黑芝麻（三钱，炒捣） 柏子仁（二钱，炒捣） 生杭芍（二钱）
陈皮（二钱） 茯苓片（二钱）
世医治痰，习用宋《局方》二陈汤，谓为治痰之总剂。不知二陈汤能治痰之标，不能治痰之本。何者？痰
之标在胃，痰之本原在于肾。肾主闭藏，以膀胱为腑者也。其闭藏之力，有时不固，必注其气于膀胱。膀胱膨
胀，不能空虚若谷，即不能吸引胃中水饮，速于下行而为小便，此痰之所由来也。又肾之上为血海，奇经之冲
脉也。其脉上隶阳明，下连少阴。为其下连少阴也，故肾中气化不摄，则冲气易于上干。为其上隶阳明也，冲
气上干，胃
气亦多上逆，不能息息下行以运化水饮，此又痰之所由来也。此方以半夏为君，以降冲胃之逆。即重用芡实，
以收敛冲气，更以收敛肾气，而浓其闭藏之力。肾之气化治，膀胱与冲之气化，自无不治，痰之本原清矣。用
芝麻、柏实者，润半夏之燥，兼能助芡实补肾也。用芍药、茯苓者，一滋阴以利小便，一淡渗以利小便也。用
陈皮者，非借其化痰之力，实借其行气之力，佐半夏以降逆气，并以行芡实、芝麻、柏实之滞腻也。
友人毛××，曾治一妇人，年四十余。上盛下虚，痰涎壅滞，饮食减少，动则作喘。他医用二陈汤加减治之，
三年，病转增剧。后延毛××诊视，投以此汤，数剂病愈强半。又将芡实减去四钱，加生山药五钱，连服二十余
剂，痰尽消，诸病皆愈。至今数年，未尝反复。
毛××又尝治一少妇，患痫风。初两三月一发，浸至两三日一发。脉滑、体丰，知系痰涎为恙。亦治以此
汤，加赭石三钱，数剂竟能拔除病根。后与愚觌面述之。愚喜曰∶向拟此汤时，原不知能治痫风，经兄加赭石
一味，即建此奇功，大为此方生色矣。
按∶此方若治痫风，或加朱砂，或加生铁落，或用磨刀水煎药，皆可。
Treats phlegm-fluids stagnating and obstructing the chest and diaphragm, causing fullness, oppression, and shortness of breath. Or if it soaks into the lungs, it causes panting, rapid breathing, coughing, and rebellious qi. If it stays in the epigastrium (heart below), it causes palpitations with fright and insomnia. If it stagnates at the stomach opening, it causes abdominal distension and hiccups or belching. If it overflows into the collaterals, it causes numbness of the limbs or hemiplegia. If it remains in the joints and adheres to the sinews and bones, it leads to difficulty in bending and extending, and pulling pain. Following rebellious qi and liver fire ascending, it causes dizziness and vertigo, making one unable to sit or stand.
Raw Euryale Seed (1 liang) Processed Pinellia Rhizome (4 qian) Black Sesame Seed (3 qian, stir-fried and crushed) Biota Seed (2 qian, stir-fried and crushed) Raw Hangzhou Peony Root (2 qian)
Tangerine Peel (2 qian) Poria Cocos (2 qian)
Physicians of the world, when treating phlegm syndromes, are accustomed to using Er Chen Tang (Two-Aged Decoction) from the Song Dynasty's *Tai Ping Hui Min He Ji Ju Fang* (Formulas for Relief of the People), claiming it as the general formula for treating phlegm. They do not know that Er Chen Tang can only treat the branch (symptoms) of phlegm, but cannot treat the root (origin) of phlegm. Why? The branch of phlegm lies in the Stomach, while the original root of phlegm lies in the Kidney. The Kidney governs closure and storage, and its fu-organ is the Bladder. Its power of closure and storage sometimes fails to be secure, inevitably directing qi into the Bladder. When the Bladder becomes distended and cannot remain empty like a valley, it cannot attract water and fluids from the Stomach to descend rapidly and transform into urine; this is the origin of phlegm. Furthermore, above the Kidney is the Sea of Blood, which is the Chong Mai (Penetrating Vessel) among the Extraordinary Vessels. This vessel attaches superiorly to the Yangming Stomach channel and connects inferiorly to the Shaoyin Kidney channel. Because it connects inferiorly to the Shaoyin Kidney, when the Qi transformation of the Kidney fails to grasp and hold, the Chong qi easily rebels upward. Because it attaches superiorly to the Yangming, when Chong qi rebels upward, Stomach qi also often rebels upward, failing to descend with every breath to transport and transform water and fluids; this is another origin of phlegm. This formula uses Ban Xia (Pinellia Rhizome) as the sovereign herb to direct downward the rebellion of Chong and Stomach qi. It simultaneously heavily employs Qian Shi (Euryale Seed) to consolidate Chong qi, and further to consolidate Kidney qi, thereby thickening its power of closure and storage. Once the Qi transformation of the Kidney is regulated, the Qi transformation of the Bladder and Chong will naturally be regulated, and the root origin of phlegm will be cleared. Sesame seeds and Biota seeds are used to moisten the dryness of Ban Xia and simultaneously assist Qian Shi in tonifying the Kidney. Shao Yao (Peony Root) and Fu Ling (Poria Cocos) are used; one nourishes Yin to promote urination, and the other promotes dampness leaching to facilitate urination. Chen Pi (Tangerine Peel) is used not to borrow its power to resolve phlegm, but to borrow its power to move qi, assisting Ban Xia in directing downward rebellious qi, and also to move the stagnation and cloying nature caused by Qian Shi, sesame seeds, and Biota seeds.
My friend Mao XX once treated a woman in her forties. She presented with excess above and deficiency below, congestion of phlegm-fluids, reduced appetite, and panting upon exertion. Other physicians treated her with modified Er Chen Tang (Two-Aged Decoction). After three years, her condition worsened. Later, Mao XX examined her and prescribed this decoction. After several doses, her illness improved by more than half. Then, four qian of Qian Shi were removed, and five qian of Raw Dioscorea Rhizome (Shan Yao) were added. After continuously taking it for more than twenty doses, all phlegm was eliminated, and all diseases were cured. For several years since then, there has been no recurrence.
Mao XX also once treated a young woman suffering from epilepsy (Xian Feng). Initially, it occurred once every two or three months, gradually progressing to once every two or three days. Her pulse was slippery, and she was obese, indicating that phlegm-fluids were the cause. She was also treated with this decoction, with three qian of Hematite (Zhe Shi) added. After several doses, the root of the disease was completely eradicated. Later, he recounted this to me face-to-face. I rejoiced and said: "When I originally drafted this decoction, I did not know it could treat epilepsy. Thanks to your addition of Zhe Shi (Hematite), such a miraculous effect was achieved, greatly enhancing the merit of this formula."
Note: If this formula is used to treat epilepsy, one may add Cinnabar (Zhu Sha), or Raw Iron Filings (Sheng Tie Luo), or decoct the herbs in water used for sharpening knives; all are acceptable.