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Mercury (Hydrargyrum), Alum (Alumen), Table Salt (Natrii Chloridum), Green Vitriol (Sideritis Sulphas), and Saltpeter (Nitrums), each one tael, ground into powder. Use a large silver smelting pot, place it on a stove, and slowly pick up small amounts of the medicine into the pot with tweezers, stirring continuously without stopping. Gradually it solidifies until the medicine becomes hard and the surface turns yellow; this is called "forming the embryo" (Jie Tai). The fire control has reached its limit. This method is extremely difficult to judge whether the degree of heating is appropriate or not, within this critical moment. (If it is too undercooked or overcooked, when covering the pot for refining, the contents will fall off and become useless.) Quickly remove the pot from the stove. Next, take a clay basin slightly smaller than the silver pot, align the mouth of the pot upside down inside the basin, and seal the four sides of the pot's mouth with leather paper soaked in salt water. Then, protect half of the pot's circumference with sand and ash, and place it on level ground. Surround the basin with flat bricks aligned with the rim of the basin. Place charcoal at the bottom of the pot, gradually adding it around the sides. Start with a gentle fire (Wen Huo), then switch to a strong fire (Wu Huo). Refine for the time it takes to burn three incense sticks. After cooling, open the pot and scrape off the medicinal flakes from the bottom of the basin. Rinse them clean with clear water, dry them in the sun, and grind them into powder. In cold weather, cook glutinous rice, mash it until melted, and mix it with the medicine to form strips as thick as incense sticks and one to two cun long for use. Refining must be done in a quiet room, prohibiting people from entering or leaving.

When carbuncles and sores progress to a state of exhaustion of both Qi and Blood, they cannot push out toxins to excrete them, transform putrefaction, and generate muscle tissue, leading to the internal sinking of toxins. The affected area has flesh rotting like soft cotton, depressed and discharging turbid fluid, not adhering to the surrounding flesh. Or the color is purple-black like charcoal, completely lacking vibrant vitality. Or the rotten flesh is soft and difficult to detach, or after the decay detaches completely, fresh red granulation tissue does not grow, resembling pomegranate arils. Or the lesion resembles a deep cavity, only bleeding serous fluid, with an odor like a corpse. Or the pus resembles tofu brain, with oily scum floating when poured into water, or the color is purple like pig liver. All these indicate the internal failure of Righteous Qi (Zheng Qi). Only the method of tonifying and pushing out toxins can exert human effort to save the patient.

A sore developing on the thyroid cartilage (Jie Hou Gu) is extremely difficult to suppurate and drain. If swelling is hard and obstructs Qi flow, preventing the intake of liquid food, it is a critical condition. Or if after ulceration, the wound fails to heal and forms a fistula.

Skin deficiency with Heat in the Blood, combined with internal accumulation of Wind-Dampness, attacking upward to the head. When Wind is predominant, itching occurs; when Damp-Heat is heavy, there are many crusts, pus, and scales. Cases may be contagious. One must avoid "Fa Wu" (stimulating foods that trigger disease) and wash frequently with herbal decoctions. Every morning, apply Sesame Oil (Sesami Oleum) to the affected area; every evening, rub it with slices of Ginger (Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens). (Sesame Oil moisturizes the skin, Ginger opens the pores.) Persist without interruption for one to two months, and recovery is assured.