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Place a rush horizontally across the mouth to measure its width. Using this width as a scale, measure upwards from the nipple to the end of the scale. Apply moxibustion with fourteen moxa cones (moxa balls) at the measured endpoint.

Discussion: If a postpartum mother does not breastfeed her infant herself, or if she has lost her infant and no one is available to breastfeed, milk may accumulate and form an abscess. If the infant is not allowed to suckle, breast swelling will occur. In such cases, apply a mixture of egg white and *Vigna radiata* powder (Adzuki Bean Powder) to the breast to resolve the accumulation. If the infant suckles but the milk remains unemptied, repeatedly squeeze it out by hand. Alternatively, have an older child hold cold water in their mouth and suckle to expel the stagnant milk. If the older child does not rinse their mouth with cold water, it may cause sores on the nipple and block the milk ducts.

Women frequently suffer from Ru Yong (Breast Abscess). For those under forty years old, treatment usually leads to recovery. For those over fifty, treatment should be avoided; aggressive treatment often results in death, whereas leaving it untreated allows them to live out their natural lifespan.

Formula for treating Du Ru (Milk Stagnation) and Ru Yong (Breast Abscess):
Qiaoshao (*Forsythiae Fructus*, Forsythia Fruit), Mangxiao (*Natrii Sulfas*, Mirabilite) (each 2 liang); Shaoyao (*Paeoniae Radix Alba*, White Peony Root), Shegan (*Belamcandae Rhizoma*, Blackberry Lily Rhizome), Shengma (*Cimicifugae Rhizoma*, Black Cohosh Rhizome), Fangji (*Stephaniae Tetrandrae Radix*, Stephania Root), Xingren (*Armeniacae Semen Amarum*, Bitter Apricot Seed), Huangqin (*Scutellariae Radix*, Scutellaria Root), Dahuang (*Rhei Radix et Rhizoma*, Rhubarb Root), Chaihu (*Bupleuri Radix*, Bupleurum Root), Gancao (*Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma*, Licorice Root) (each 3 liang).
The above eleven ingredients are cut into small pieces. Decoct in 9 sheng of water until 2.5 sheng remains. Divide into three doses.

Formula for treating Ru Yong (Breast Abscess):
Mendong (*Ophiopogonis Radix*, Ophiopogon Root) (1 sheng); Huangqin (*Scutellariae Radix*, Scutellaria Root), Shaoyao (*Paeoniae Radix Alba*, White Peony Root), Fuling (*Poria*, Poria Cocos) (each 2 liang); Sangjisheng (*Taxilli Herba*, Loranthus Herb), Renshen (*Ginseng Radix*, Ginseng Root), Huangqi (*Astragali Radix*, Astragalus Root), Fangfeng (*Saposhnikoviae Radix*, Saposhnikovia Root), Gancao (*Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma*, Licorice Root) (each 3 liang); Yitang (*Maltose*, Malt Sugar) (8 liang), Dazao (*Zizyphi Fructus*, Jujube Fruit) (5 pieces).
The above eleven ingredients are cut into small pieces. Decoct in 10 dou of water until 3 sheng remains. Strain, add sugar, boil once, and divide into four doses.

Another Formula: First administer the preceding decoction. After five days, administer this pill formula for cure.
Tianmendong (*Asparagi Radix*, Asparagus Root) (5 liang), Zelan (*Lycopus Herba*, Bugleweed Herb), Dahuang (*Rhei Radix et Rhizoma*, Rhubarb Root) (10 fen), Shengma (*Cimicifugae Rhizoma*, Black Cohosh Rhizome) (6 fen), Qianghuo (*Notopterygii Rhizoma et Radix*, Notopterygium Rhizome), Sangjisheng (*Taxilli Herba*, Loranthus Herb), Fangfeng (*Saposhnikoviae Radix*, Saposhnikovia Root), Renshen (*Ginseng Radix*, Ginseng Root), Huangqi (*Astragali Radix*, Astragalus Root), Dihuang (*Rehmanniae Radix Preparata*, Prepared Rehmannia Root), Baizhi (*Angelicae Dahuricae Radix*, Angelica Root), Tongcao (*Tetrapanacis Medulla*, Tetrapanax Pith) (each 2 fen), Huangqin (*Scutellariae Radix*, Scutellaria Root), Zhishi (*Aurantii Fructus Immaturus*, Immature Bitter Orange), Wuweizi (*Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus*, Schisandra Fruit), Fushen (*Poria cum Radix Pinelli*, Poria with Pinellia Root), Tianxiong (*Aconiti Lateralis Radix Preparata*, Prepared Lateral Root of Aconite), Xiong (*Chuanxiong Rhizoma*, Szechwan Lovage Rhizome), Danggui (*Angelicae Sinensis Radix*, Dong Quai Root) (each 1 fen).
The above nineteen ingredients are ground into powder. Form pills with honey. Take 20 pills with wine, twice daily. Increase gradually to 40 pills.

Method for treating early-stage Ru Yong (Breast Abscess) (Recorded in *Guangji Fang*: Treats breast abscess that is hard, purple-red, intolerable to touch by clothing, and extremely painful):
Dahuang (*Rhei Radix et Rhizoma*, Rhubarb Root), Lianshi (*Meliae Fructus*, Melia Fruit), Shaoyao (*Paeoniae Radix Alba*, White Peony Root), Matihou (*Hippocampi Spina*, Sea Horse) (equal parts).
The above four ingredients are processed and sifted. Take one fangcun bi (approx. 1 cubic inch spoonful) of powder with warm water to induce discharge of pus/toxins for cure. (*Guangji Fang* records: Take with wine, cover to induce sweating, and sleep.)

Another Formula: Huangqin (*Scutellariae Radix*, Scutellaria Root), Bailian (*Pseudostellariae Radix*, Psuedostellaria Root), Shaoyao (*Paeoniae Radix Alba*, White Peony Root) (equal parts).
The above three ingredients are ground into powder. Take half a qianbi (approx. 1/2 gram spoonful) of powder with Jiangshui (fermented rice water), three times daily. If milk stagnation occurs on the left side, express milk from the right side; if on the right side, express milk from the left side. (*Duanju* records: Treats Du Ru/Milk Stagnation.)

Another Formula: Lu Jiao (Deer Antler) processed and sifted. Take one fangcun bi of powder mixed with clarified lard (pig fat juice). Do not exceed two doses. It can also be taken with vinegar and Jiangshui (fermented rice water).