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[The Seller of Leprosy] Wealthy individuals suffering from leprosy often acquire the disease through sexual relations with women. Because women infected with leprosy are difficult to detect externally, they may seduce reckless young men to alleviate their own symptoms; these deceived men then marry many women as concubines and instruct them to "sell leprosy" (infect others), creating a vicious cycle that exacerbates the condition, which is truly terrifying. However, this was the situation in the past; recently, this trend of spreading leprosy has become less common.

[Testing for Leprosy] Extremely mild cases of leprosy, or hereditary leprosy within three generations (e.g., if the grandfather had leprosy), appear indistinguishable from normal people, except for slight linear patterns on the skin, making it hard to distinguish. The only method of verification is to burn a specific yellow paper (commonly known as "leprosy-testing paper") in front of the person being tested at night. Patients with leprosy will immediately show a bluish-purple discoloration on their face in patchy areas.

[Treatment of Leprosy] Although leprosy is considered incurable, there is a method to alleviate it: cut open the abdomen of a live horse and let the patient lie naked inside it. Change the horse every 48 hours; the more horses used, the lighter the illness becomes, avoiding the risk of ulceration of muscles in the hands and feet. However, this is a folk remedy. Regarding scientific treatments, although new inventions have emerged in Western medicine, they have not yet become widespread.

Such a severe and dreaded disease is known nationwide, yet Western medicine deliberately opposes this view, claiming that leprosy is not contagious. Mr. Lv Yikuang from Hong Kong wrote to inquire: Recently, Western doctors claim that leprosy cannot be transmitted to others and that sharing food and living quarters with lepers poses no harm. Is this statement credible? Is there a method to test those who have not yet shown symptoms? If you do not disdain me, please clearly explain the methods of Chinese medicine and pharmacology for verifying and curing leprosy, so they can be published in newspapers, thereby benefiting the common people.

My reply: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) discusses wind diseases, listing over four hundred types (see *Zhubing Yuanhou Lun*). Leprosy belongs to categories such as Evil Wind, Li Feng (Leprosy), and Gu Feng, all of which have the potential to be contagious. As for treatment, the approaches are complex and require differentiation by meridian and syndrome, detailing various symptoms, tongue coating, and pulse conditions. It cannot be answered simply or casually. According to classics, the symptoms of Li Feng include heat in the Ying Qi causing swelling of the lower legs, unclear Qi leading to collapse of the nasal bridge, deterioration of complexion, and ulceration of the skin. When Wind-Cold pathogens lodge in the vessels and do not depart, it is named Li Feng; this is the root source and accumulation of the disease.

Since Western medicine claims new knowledge that leprosy is not contagious, I invite this Western doctor to conduct a practical experiment: cohabiting and dining with lepers. Facts speak louder than arguments. I ask this Western doctor, surely he would agree.

Record of Yao Mingda's Inquiry about Illness: Microorganisms, as substances, vary in shape: bow-shaped, rod-shaped, spherical, double-rod shaped, single-rod shaped, most spherical, single spherical, etc. Western medicine studies these bacterial shapes meticulously and analyzes their types, believing that the source of all diseases lies here. Once a disease involves bacteria, people turn pale at the mere mention.

In our TCM perspective, microorganisms are also disgusting and detestable, but unlike Western medicine, we do not consider them the source of all diseases. TCM knows there is another source of disease, definitely not outside of microorganisms. We must not confuse one thing for another or substitute life for death, allowing the true source of disease to escape punishment and wreak havoc.

TCM regards microorganisms inside the human body as similar to lice outside the body—both are disgusting and detestable. Do we deny that they are disgusting, detestable, and harmful? No. But we absolutely refuse to mistakenly identify them as the source of all diseases, which would divert the attention and energy of practitioners solely towards bacteria, neglecting the true source of disease, allowing it to grow secretly and wreak endless havoc. Facts prove better than arguments; I am not speaking empty words but am moved to speak. On April 30, 1935 (Republic of China Year 24), Ju Xuan, grandson of my fellow townsman and senior Chen Lianfang, held his wedding ceremony at the Ningbo Fellow Townsmen Association on Tibet Road. Invited as a relative, I attended. After the banquet, returning home at 10:30 PM, old friends Zhu Dake, Chen Danyue, and two new acquaintances were waiting in my consulting room. Zhu Dake brought his son, Xiao Ke.

Danyue introduced one of the new friends, Mr. Yao Mingda, a professor at Jinan University and Fudan University. Mr. Yao sought advice for his wife's illness. I asked about her condition. Mr. Yao said: "My wife has given birth five or six times and is now six months pregnant. Previously, she consulted Western doctors for headaches. They believed her lung disease was quite serious and insisted that the fetus must be aborted before treatment could proceed. My wife refused. The Western doctor said, 'If you refuse abortion, you cannot expect a quick cure.' Thus, she received daily injections." I asked if she coughed. Mr. Yao said: "No." Despite careful treatment by Western doctors, her headache showed no improvement and worsened, extending to her arms. An X-ray examination revealed that her lung disease was not serious. The Western doctor then suggested the arm pain might be rheumatism and switched to rheumatism injections, which were also ineffective. Recently, her headache became even more severe, preventing sleep, accompanied by stiffness in the neck and back. The Western doctor diagnosed this as meningitis/myelitis, insisting hospitalization was necessary. Several Western doctors gave the same opinion. She was admitted to the hospital. The hospital doctors stated the condition was critical and untreatable, requiring my signature on a document stating life and death depend on fate. Mr. Yao spoke with a Jiangnan accent. Zhu Dake, fearing I might not understand, translated for him.

Zhu Dake said: Mrs. Yao is a contemporary female writer who runs a Women's Bookstore at No. 523 Xiafei Road. Most products sold there are her works. I deeply respect her as an outstanding talent among women in our country and will exert all my efforts to treat her. I told Mr. Yao: "Since your wife has been carefully treated by many Western doctors who deemed it untreatable, how dare I claim certainty for a condition I have not yet examined? However, the patient is hospitalized seeking a cure. Since the hospital doctors say there is no hope, hospitalization makes no difference. For your sake, the priority should be discharge. The sooner she is discharged, the sooner we can find a solution." Mr. Yao requested a prescription first. I wrote a small formula with only two herbs: Fresh Bamboo Leaves (6 qian) and Fresh Rehmannia Root (2 liang). Mr. Yao asked again if I had confidence in this condition. I said: "I must examine the patient before making a judgment. The most urgent matter now is discharge." The next day, May 1st, afternoon, Mr. Yao called to report the patient's condition was quite good. I asked if the medicine was taken. He replied it was finished. I asked when she would be discharged. He said the next day. On the 2nd, I called the Women's Bookstore three times (morning, noon, evening) to ask if Mrs. Yao had returned home. The reply was still in the hospital. Helpless! On the afternoon of the 3rd, Mr. Yao came to my residence. I immediately asked if his wife had been discharged. He said no. I said: "Then the condition must have improved?" He said the patient's eyes were dim and unable to see. I exclaimed: "The Liver and Kidneys are exhausted." Mr. Yao said the hospital doctors had no办法 and did not allow discharge, only draining fluid from the patient's spine. Speaking of this, tears welled up in his eyes. At this moment, I could only offer verbal comfort.

I have several doubts regarding this case: How can occasional headache be definitively diagnosed as lung disease? In TCM, the Lung meridian does not ascend to the head; how can headache be diagnosed as a lung disease? Even if Western doctors do not understand pulses, they should know the distance between the head and the lungs. This diagnosis is incomprehensible to me, point one.

Even if it is indeed lung disease, the pathology is in the Lung; treating the Lung suffices. What does the fetus have to do with it? The fetus resides in the Uterus below, while the Lung resides in the Upper Jiao above. The Lung and the fetus are unrelated. Why must abortion be the prerequisite? In TCM, if the disease is not caused by pregnancy, even if located in the Lower Jiao, there is no logic in abandoning the disease to abort the fetus. This diagnosis is incomprehensible to me, point two. Human life is precious. Our knowledge is limited. When encountering severe diseases that we cannot resolve, TCM practitioners advise families to seek other experts, both verbally and in writing. We never refuse to help while simultaneously refusing to release the patient, thereby delaying the optimal treatment time. Your Western colleagues' refusal to discharge Mrs. Yao is profound and unfathomable to us. This method is incomprehensible to me, point three. I respectfully request that your Western colleagues publish these reasons in the newspaper one by one. I await your response.

Postscript to Record of Yao Mingda's Inquiry: After drafting the Record of Yao Mingda's Inquiry and submitting it for publication, I met Mr. Zhu Qishi. Qishi is Dake's younger brother and also knew Mr. Yao. Qishi said: "Mr. Mingda's wife has died in the hospital. Do you know?" I said: "Her eyes were dim and unable to see; the Liver and Kidneys were exhausted. I had long predicted her death." Qishi said: "If Mrs. Yao had sought TCM treatment earlier, this would not have happened." I said: "Although TCM may not cure all diseases, by prescribing according to meridians and addressing both root and branch, the benefits outweigh the harms." Qishi said: "Mrs. Yao is dead. Her orphan cries loudly, suddenly becoming a motherless child. When Mr. Yao returns late, the toddler pulls his clothes asking for mother. This scene is pitiable and heartbreaking." I said: "The dead cannot be revived; regret is useless. I wish that after Mrs. Yao's death, her friends and Mr. Yao's friends will always remember the circumstances of her medical consultation, engraving it in their hearts and bones. I wish those in the world suffering from similar illnesses to Mrs. Yao will constantly recall her case, using her as a warning to avoid repeating mistakes. I fear that after Mrs. Yao's death, successors will become 'Second Mrs. Yao' or 'Third Mrs. Yao,' leaving the future bleak and tragic." Therefore, after the Record of Yao Mingda's Inquiry, I unrolled the paper and dipped the brush to write this postscript.

Loquat Paste: Commercial Loquat Paste advertisements boast extensively of its efficacy, seeming trustworthy. However, is this paste made from loquat fruit or loquat leaves? Pharmacologically, the functions of loquat fruit and loquat leaves differ significantly. National Drug Stores' Loquat Paste is made from decocting loquat leaves, not loquat fruit. Loquat fruit is sweet and neutral, moistens the Lung, clears heat, and generates fluids; excessive consumption promotes dampness and phlegm production. Loquat leaf is bitter and neutral, remains green in deep winter and does not wither in midsummer. It possesses the nature of clearing turbidity and promoting clarity, enduring cold and heat. Calm yet capable of dispersing, it protects the delicate Metal (Lung) and regulates governance against Wind-Warmth, Warm-Thermal, Summer-Heat-Dryness pathogens in the Lung. Fragrant but not drying, it clarifies turbid Qi and purifies the Middle Jiao against Damp-Warmth, Epidemic Toxins, and Filthy Poisons in the Stomach. Therefore, Loquat Leaf clears Lung heat, transforms phlegm, and stops coughing, whereas Loquat Fruit Paste promotes dampness, generates phlegm, and causes loose stools. With loquats now in season, I hope paste makers pay attention to this. Discarding the fruit for the leaf benefits patients more. Historically, loquat fruit has never been used as medicine. The properties of fruit and leaf are vastly different and cannot be interchanged. This must be known.

Radio Medical Question: Respected Physician Shuo: Over the years, reading *The Diamond*, I have admired your grand treatises. I have loved this field but remain limited by my ignorance. Yesterday, a local physician mentioned Warm-Thermal disease, citing the saying "Starvation does not kill Typhoid," arguing that Warm-Thermal disease at onset strictly forbids eating. One must wait until recovery to eat grains. Even if the disease lingers for weeks or months, this rule applies. My view is that Stomach Qi is the foundation of life. Even healthy people suffer harm from fasting, let alone the sick. Should they be forced to fast? Reducing food intake is acceptable. I do not know which view is correct. I beg for your guidance to follow. If you do not disdain my ignorance, please provide some words for *The Diamond* to share with enthusiasts. I apologize for disturbing your spirit. Respectfully wishing you peace. Lin X.

Typhoid originally belongs to the general category of External Contraction; Warm-Thermal is also a type of Typhoid. The colloquial saying "Starvation does not kill Typhoid" likely refers to Cold-Damp or Damp-Warmth. Due to obstruction by turbid dampness, symptoms such as chest fullness, poor appetite, and nausea inevitably occur. At this time, the stomach is filled with damp-turbidity; not only is there no desire to eat, but eating is also impossible. The phrase "starvation does not kill" is directed at the patient's family, meaning do not force-feed the patient, rather than prohibiting food entirely. If the dampness resolves and the patient feels hungry and asks for food, it is not forbidden, provided they are not overfed. If one claims that contracting Typhoid means banning all food, it is a misunderstanding. Observe Zhang Zhongjing's *Treatise on Cold Damage*: after taking Guizhi Tang, one must drink hot thin porridge; Baizhu Tang and Taohua Tang both contain Coix Seed (Job's Tears). Zhang Zhongjing, the Sage of Medicine, treated Typhoid thus. The Stomach is the sea of water and grain. Life exists with Stomach Qi and dies without it. This erroneous saying is unbelievable. Please convey this to Eastern Zhejiang to avoid mutual delay. Respectfully replying.

Physicians' Cutting Corners: "Langzhong" is the common name for TCM practitioners. For simplicity, I refer to my colleagues as Langzhong rather than TCM physicians. If Langzhongs read this article, do not be angry. Since I am also a Langzhong, recalling a story from *Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio* ("The Fox's Wit"), where a fox says, "Why don't I scold foxes instead of people?" I adopt the same method: scolding foxes. Before starting, I greet you, Langzhongs, please do not glare.

Langzhongs love cutting corners the most, whether in speech, writing characters, or composing texts.

First, cutting corners in speech: For example, in syndromes like Mahuang Tang Syndrome, Guizhi Tang Syndrome, Baihu Tang Syndrome, Chaihu Tang Syndrome, Zhichi Tang Syndrome, practitioners often omit the character "Tang" (Decoction), calling them Mahuang Syndrome, Guizhi Syndrome, etc. Regarding medicines, Pipa Ye Gao (Loquat Leaf Paste) is a crucial herb for clearing heat, expelling wind, transforming phlegm, and stopping coughs. Yet, corner-cutting occurs by omitting the character "Ye" (Leaf), calling it Pipa Gao (Loquat Paste). This seemingly ordinary character causes major confusion. Ordinary people, following names without examining reality, hear "Loquat Paste" and assume it is made from loquat fruit, not realizing it is made from loquat leaves. They fail to realize that the properties and functions of loquat fruit and loquat leaves are vastly different and cannot be interchanged. Loquat fruit is sweet and neutral, moistening the Lung; Loquat leaf is bitter and neutral. This is difference one. Loquat fruit transforms phlegm and generates fluids; Loquat leaf remains evergreen, clearing turbidity and promoting clarity, protecting the Lung against Wind-Warmth and Damp-Warmth, and purifying the Stomach against Epidemic Toxins. This is difference two. Excessive consumption of loquat fruit promotes dampness and phlegm; regular use of Loquat Leaf clears summer-heat and dispels filth. This is difference three. Loquat is a snack, not medicine. Paste made from loquat fruit is fundamentally useless. In formulas, Chaihu Guizhi Tang is clearly a combined formula of Xiaochaihu Tang and Guizhi Tang. Corner-cutting omits "Hu" and "Zhi," turning it into Chaigui Tang. At first glance, one might think it contains only Chaihu and Guizhi. This is cutting corners in speech.

Next, cutting corners in writing characters: Writing "Shen" (Ginseng) as "Can"; writing "Men" (Gate) for Tianmendong and Maimendong as "Men"; writing "Xie" (Drain) for Zexie as "Xie"; writing "Bo" (Cypress) for Huangbai as "Bo"; writing "Jiang" (Ginger) as "Jiang"; writing "Gu" (Grain) for Guya as "Gu"; writing "Chai" (Firewood) for Cihu as "Chai"; writing "Ru" (Bamboo Shoot) for Zhuru as "Ru". Additionally, writing Xuanfuhua as Quanfu Hua, Shenqu as Shenqu, Kuandonghua as Kuandong. All are corner-cutting. Long-standing habits make wrong seem right. If you try to correct it by using original characters, even pharmacy staff won't recognize them. I tried this in Songjiang, causing much ridicule, and the result remained unchanged. This is cutting corners in writing.

Regarding cutting corners in composition: Recent TCM authors' understanding of TCM theory and proficiency in native language are questionable. If they understood theory and language well, their works would not be filled with unorthodox terms like blood cells, liquids, atomic cells, lymph glands, bronchitis, blood pressure, microorganisms, etc. Instead of calling them hybrids of East and West, I call it selling wild heads (making false claims) or simply having dry literary inspiration, forcing them to cut corners. This is cutting corners in composition.

These are the corner-cutting practices of us Langzhongs. Facts are undeniable. Some say that although Langzhongs cut corners, National Drug Stores are rigorous. Their Loquat Paste is made from cleaned Loquat Leaves, using no fruit, and adding rock sugar, making it reliable. While writing and compositional corner-cutting are facts, fortunately, they do not greatly affect the general public. We can ignore them and let Langzhongs cut corners as they wish. Hearing this, I am speechless.