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Continuous rain and lack of sunlight cause the evil of yin and haze to fill the universe, while dampness from the earth rises. The yang qi of the human body is easily suppressed, leading to an excess of yin. For diseases characterized by pathogenic heat transforming into macules (skin eruptions), light dispersing methods should always be preferred. Although the disease has persisted for days with high fever and restlessness, if the tongue is not dry and there is no thirst, it appears that heat has transformed without damaging yin fluids; however, this is actually yin stagnation internally rejecting yang externally. Thus, heat manifests only on the skin without injuring the Stomach organ. The treatment should focus on venting yang to harmonize yin, rather than assisting yin which would trap yang. If cold-natured formulas are administered, it will lead to coma, delirium, and unceasing irritability. Furthermore, excessive rain generates damp-cold, often injuring Spleen Earth, causing dysfunction of Middle Jiao Qi, manifesting as malaria, dysentery, bi-syndrome pain, cholera, etc.; medications should be warm in nature and avoid cold.

The throat is connected to the Lung, and the Lung opens into the nose; thus, the nose communicates externally with heaven's qi. Upon contact with abnormal pestilential qi out of season, the pathogen transmits from the Lung to the Stomach, initially presenting with nasal congestion, cough, aversion to cold, and fever, followed by sore throat, swelling, and ulceration, resembling wind-throat disease. It is contagious to others; severely, it causes diffuse swelling below the ears or swelling spreading bilaterally, lockjaw, phlegm obstruction with rapid breathing, or red macules on the body. (Swollen areas should be treated with Qing San Gao plaster.) Treatment methods are described in *Qing Nang Ji*. Mistakenly using bitter-cold medicines initially freezes wind-heat, leading to spreading ulceration, hoarseness, and choking cough. (Difficult to treat in adults, incurable in children.)

When a ding carbuncle first appears, it presents as a millet-sized nodule feeling numb, itchy, and painful. Mistakenly consuming meat and fish aids fire and generates phlegm, closing the toxin inside so it cannot exit, becoming more swollen, hard, and painful; this is called "Zou Huang" (running yellow/toxin spreading). If toxic qi spreads to other parts, it may present like pouring phlegm. (Mistaken puncture with fire needles leads to incurable conditions.) Mild cases are treatable; severe toxicity is incurable. After ten days, when pus matures and pain decreases, there is no harm. For all fire-toxin diseases such as back carbuncles and neck carbuncles, meat consumption is taboo.

Men and women infected with toxins who fear shame do not disclose their condition, seeking only quick cures. Some use one qian of Light Powder (Calomel) or one qian of Sheng Yao (Red Sublimate), mixed with several jujube meats, formed into pills taken in divided doses. This causes oral and tongue ulceration, sore throat swelling, difficulty swallowing, and frequent salivation. After over ten days, the throat loosens, but the toxin enters the bone marrow, mixing like oil and dough. Though sores temporarily heal, months or years later, the toxin re-emerges externally. Nodules appear anywhere, varying in size, with normal skin color, slowly breaking open with hidden pain, turning black, rotting, and extremely foul-smelling, with deep embedded necrotic tissue. For lesions on the upper body, apply a fine powder of Sheng Yao, Raw Gypsum, Coptis Rhizome, and Rhubarb, cover with plaster to gradually heal. If located below the knee, temporary cure is followed by frequent recurrence; take Du Jin Fang (Toxin-Resolving Formula) frequently. Note that Light Powder and Sheng Yao are refined from mercury, possessing fierce properties that aid fire and scorch yin fluids upon entering the stomach. When encountering such cases, physicians must inquire about syphilis history or prior use of toxin-blocking pills to ensure accurate diagnosis. Such negligence leaves toxins for future generations. Bitter, lascivious, damp-fire evils, failing to drain downward, blaze upward scorcing the Lung system, causing sore throat and swelling without chills or fever, allowing normal diet. (If wind-throat presents with chills/fever and inability to eat, prognosis is poor.) Ulcers resemble honeycombs, may have odor, or swell and rot involving the uvula, even detaching, spreading to the nose, or causing nasal detachment spreading to lips and mouth, facial ulceration. Toxin attacking the brain gate spreading to forehead is called "Opening the Sky Window"; full tongue foul ulceration like honeycomb is called "Tongue Chan"; nasal swelling/pain with small red sores is called "Nose Chan"; nasal spreading to lips/mouth/throat; or isolated throat ulceration called "Throat Chan". Apply Qing Shuang San mixed with Sheng Yao (see *Qing Nang Ji*). Externally apply Yu Xian Dan (see *Qing Nang Ji*). Apply plaster externally, take Xian Yi Liang San orally to reduce toxicity (formula see later). If ulceration starts on the outer upper lip, causing hare-lip spreading to nose, it is incurable.