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An adult refers to a person over fifteen years of age; if they fall ill, it is termed "Lao" (Consumptive Disease). Those under fifteen are all termed "Gan" (Infantile Malnutrition). This is because children possess deficient Qi and Blood from congenital endowment, and their Zang-Fu organs are delicate and susceptible to injury. If caused by excessive intake of milk and food, or unregulated consumption of rich and sweet foods, the food stagnates in the Zhongwan (epigastrium), leading to sluggish digestion and transmission. The intestines and stomach are gradually damaged, generating accumulated heat. Excessive heat transforms into Gan syndrome, which then consumes Qi and Blood and scorches Body Fluids.

In the initial stage of Gan disease, the urine is turbid like rice wash water, and there is tidal fever in the afternoon. If left untreated for a long time, superficial veins become exposed, the abdomen becomes distended and hard, the complexion is greenish-yellow, muscles emaciate, skin and hair become withered, and the eyes appear dim. Thus, Gan syndrome is established. However, treatment must be differentiated according to the affected organ to avoid errors.

Spleen Gan presents with yellowish complexion, muscle emaciation, body heat, fatigue, and a preference for sleep. There is epigastric fullness, hardness, and swelling; a preference for sleeping on cool surfaces and eating dirt; abdominal pain with a hard abdomen; a large head with a thin neck; poor appetite; vomiting and diarrhea; irritability and thirst; and foul-smelling, sticky stools. Treatment should first attack the accumulation and eliminate Gan using Fei'er Wan (Fetus-Enriching Pill); to tonify the Spleen, Shenling Baizhu San (Ginseng, Poria, and Atractylodes Macrocephala Powder) is used first.

[Note]
The Spleen belongs to Earth, its color is yellow, and it governs muscles. Therefore, Spleen Gan manifests as yellowish complexion and muscle emaciation, body heat, fatigue, and somnolence; epigastric stuffiness and hardness with anorexia; a preference for cool sleeping surfaces and geophagia; abdominal pain with a hard abdomen; macrocephaly with cervical thinning; occasional vomiting and diarrhea; dry mouth with irritability and thirst; and foul, sticky stools. It is appropriate to first purge the accumulation, treating with Xiaogan Lipi Tang (Accumulation-Eliminating and Spleen-Regulating Decoction) or Fei'er Wan (Fetus-Enriching Pill). After the accumulation recedes, regulate the Spleen and Stomach using Shenling Baizhu San (Ginseng, Poria, and Atractylodes Macrocephala Powder).

(Xiaogan Lipi Tang / Accumulation-Eliminating and Spleen-Regulating Decoction): Ingredients include: Trogopterus Dung (Wuyi), Burreed Tuber (Sanleng), Curcuma Rhizome (Ezhu), Fried Green Tangerine Peel (Qingpi), Tangerine Peel (Chenpi), Aloe (Luhui), Areca Seed (Binglang), Jujube Kernel (Shijunzi), Raw Licorice Root (Gancao), Coptis Rhizome (Chuan Huanglian), Picrorhiza Rhizome (Hu Huanglian), Fried Malt (Maiya), and Fried Medicated Leaven (Shenqu). Decoct with Centella Herb (Dengxincao) as a guide.

(Fang Ge / Formula Song):
Xiaogan Lipi yong Wuyi, Sanleng Ezhu Qing Chenpi.
Luhui Binglang Shijun cao, Lian Hu Lian Maiya Qu.

(Fei'er Wan / Fetus-Enriching Pill): Ginseng (Renshen) 2.5 qian, Atractylodes Macrocephala Rhizome (Baizhu) 5 qian (soil-fried), Poria (Fuling) 3 qian, Coptis Rhizome (Huanglian) 2 qian, Picrorhiza Rhizome (Hu Huanglian) 5 qian, Jujube Kernel (Shijunzi Rou) 4 qian, Fried Medicated Leaven (Shenqu Chao), Fried Malt (Maiya Chao), Hawthorn Fruit (Shanzha Rou) each 3.5 qian, Honey-fried Licorice Root (Gancao) 1.5 qian, Calcined Aloe (Luhui) 2.5 qian. Grind the above into fine powder, mix with yellow millet paste to form pills the size of mustard seeds. Take 20-30 pills per dose, dissolved in rice soup.

(Shenling Baizhu San / Ginseng, Poria, and Atractylodes Macrocephala Powder): Ginseng (Renshen) 2 qian, Poria (Fuling), Soil-fried Atractylodes Macrocephala Rhizome (Baizhu), Fried Coix Seed (Bian Dou), Fried Coix Seed (Yimi), Fried Chinese Yam (Shanyao) each 5 qian, Tangerine Peel (Chenpi) 3 qian, Amomum Fruit (Suosha), Platycodon Root (Jiegeng) each 2 qian, Honey-fried Licorice Root (Gancao) 1 qian, Heartless Lotus Seed (Jiansu Lianzi) 5 qian. Grind the above into fine powder. Take 1 qian per dose, mixed with old rice soup.