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Question 1: What is "Nao Hua" (Brain Flower)? Answer: The brain is the head of all Yang meridians and the convergence of all collaterals. "Hua" resembles a lotus pod, with several or dozens of pores. Initially, it is as large as a millet grain, with slight pain and itching. After three to four days, heat and pain develop, and the pathogenic toxin gradually intensifies. If there is redness and swelling without pus for ten-plus days, followed by pus discharge, it is easy to treat. If no pus forms and the center rots like cotton waste, it is difficult to treat. Question: How should it be treated? Answer: At the onset, apply "Maliang Gao" (Cooling Hemp Paste) externally, then fumigate and wash with "Xunxi Tang" (Fumigation and Washing Decoction). When pus is fully discharged, apply "Jiedu Gao" (Detoxifying Paste). Only after all necrotic tissue falls off can muscle regeneration begin. If Qi and Blood are robust and the pulse is surging, internally administer "Zhongjiu Wan" (Nine-Step Pill), allowing the toxin to gradually recede and heal. In the past, a woman developed this sore without pores, resembling a steamed bun, with redness and swelling but no holes; this was "Nao Yong" (Brain Abscess), which cannot be treated using methods for "Hua". Due to excessive application of herbal remedies by others, the epidermis became hard, and it was misdiagnosed as an unnamed swelling-toxin, leading to treatment failure. I applied "Huaron Gao" (Flesh-Dissolving Paste) and punctured it with a needle to drain pus. However, the pus did not dry up for a long time; only after inserting medicinal threads for drainage did it heal.

Question 2: What are "Duikou Hua" (Opposite-Mouth Flower), "Duikou Ju" (Opposite-Mouth Carbuncle), and "Duikou Ding" (Opposite-Mouth Spore)? Answer: "Hua" is characterized by multiple pores; "Ju" has a flat top; "Ding" has a sharp tip and is often itchy. Question: How are these three treated? Answer: Although named differently, their treatment principles are identical. The head is a pathway for meridians, connected anteriorly to the mouth and tongue, so it must not be taken lightly. One must first clearly identify the Five Good Signs and Seven Bad Signs (prognostic indicators) to ensure successful treatment. If pus forms within ten-plus days, it is easy to treat; if no pus forms and it resembles a packet of cotton waste, it is difficult to treat. Treatment involves internally administering "Zhongjiu Wan", externally applying "Maliang Gao", and using fumigation and washing methods, leading to natural recovery. If sinus tracts (tubes) are present, medicinal threads should be used to extract them, followed by muscle-regenerating medicines to close the wound.

Question 3: What is "Bei Hua" (Back Flower)? Answer: The toxicity of Bei Hua is extremely severe, as the Zang-Fu organs are connected to the back. Therefore, toxicity arising in the center of the back requires pus discharge to be considered a favorable condition (Shun Zheng). It is treatable only when necrotic tissue falls off completely and pain is felt. If it starts like a millet grain with a pus head, regardless of age, moxibustion with over ten moxa cones should be applied immediately to expel the toxin. For this condition, pills are more effective than decoctions. Patients must have normal diet and bowel/bladder functions, have pus, no blackened surrounding flesh, and feel pain/itching to be classified as having good signs. The treatment principle is consistent: internally take "Zhongjiu Wan", externally use "Huaron Gao" to dissolve necrotic tissue, ensuring easy recovery.

Question 4: Which meridian does "Ding Du" (Spore Toxin) originate from? Answer: It originates from the Heart Meridian and is an extremely hot, malignant condition. Those developing in the Six Fu Organs are easy to treat; those in the Five Zang Organs are difficult. Those that are painless, non-itchy, and surrounded by blackness are difficult to treat. There are thirty-six types of Ding, plus five unpredictable external types, caused by eating beef, mutton, dog, or horse meat, or drinking toxic substances. Initially painless and non-itchy, it may produce fluid, flower-like protrusions, or have no head and fail to form pus, resembling winter melon skin, with white or black heads. The toxin travels through the nine orifices, generating pus and blood in the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, tongue, and bones. Transmission from the head/face to the throat is fatal. Within two to three days of onset, specific external signs appear: for those on the head/face, throat pain indicates impending "Zou Huang" (spreading toxin/internal collapse); for those on hands/feet, lumps in the armpits and red lines attacking inward near the lesion indicate impending Zou Huang, distinct from other sores. Initially, like a millet grain with itching but no pain upon scratching, turning white before maturity, with tidal fever and chills after three to four days, hardness like a nail, fluid discharge, or pain, turning purple-blue on days five to six. Internally administer "Dingdu Fusheng Tang" (Honeysuckle, Gardenia, Tree Bark, Niu Dalì, Akebia, Forsythia, Rhubarb, Trichosanthes Root, Dandelion, Chrysanthemum, Frankincense, Myrrh, water decoction). Externally prick the red line to bleed, apply tobacco oil, then apply a paste of fresh Purslane, fresh Cypress leaves, Alum, and Egg White. As the saying goes, "Treat Ding by pricking blood first." For painful Ding on hands/feet, wash with hot sesame oil and apply Toad Skin. Another type, "Mazi Ding" (Hemp Seed Ding), rises and falls continuously, indicating a malignant condition; treat with "Taishui Mo" (Tai Sui Ink) internally and externally to turn danger into safety.

Song of Ding Appearance:
Initially like millet with slight itch, white head appears before maturity with increasing headache;
First burn, second heat, chills arise; by day three-four, hardens like a nail;
Skin breaks, fluid flows, pain decreases; day five red-purple, day six blue-green;
If one contracts this non-pus-forming condition, determine fortune or doom beforehand.

Question 5: How to distinguish "Bin Ju" (Temple Carbuncle), "Bin Lou" (Temple Sinus), and "Ermen Yong" (Ear Gate Abscess)? Answer: Ju arises between temple hairs, resembling a boil; Yong has a flat, raised head and extreme pain; Bin Lou fails to heal for many years. At onset, apply "Taishui Mo", then take "Jingong Wan" (Golden Centipede Pill) and "Zhongjiu Wan" for self-healing. Ermen Yong arises between the ear gates. Although different, their treatment principles are the same; treat according to symptoms without rigidity.

Question 6: What are "Tan He" (Phlegm Nodule) and "Luo Li" (Scrofula)? Answer: Tan He consists of only one or two connected nodules; Luo Li presents in tiers or mother-child clusters, varying from three to five or even ten-plus in a string. Toxic phlegm and blood toxins stem from two main causes, treated by resolving phlegm, regulating Qi, softening hardness, and relieving depression. Early stage treatments include herbs like Seaweed, Kelp, Cuttlebone, or aggressive agents like Blister Beetle and Scorpion, or herbal decoctions/pastes. If these fail, internal resolution is best for hard nodules; for unbroken ones, apply "Huaron Gao" and use medicinal threads to remove nodules, showing results in seven days. For persistent edema, combine "Jingong Wan" and "Zhongjiu Wan"; "Zixia Gao" is also effective. "Madao Ying" (Knife-shaped Goiter) is stone-hard, located pre/post-auricularly or at Quepen/Jiache, flat, red-hot, and excruciatingly painful. Urgently take "Jingong" and "Zhongjiu" pills; if ineffective, no cure exists. Tan He accompanied by tidal fever at Wu and Zi hours indicates Tuberculosis (Lao Bing), which is also difficult to treat.

Question 7: What are "Xiangxia Tao" (Under-Chin Peach), "Dan Jian Liu" (Shoulder-Carrying Tumor), and "Cuan Xie Yong" (Flank-Attacking Abscess)? Answer: Toxin under the chin is Xiangxia Tao; toxin above Jianjing point is Dan Jian Liu; toxin under the flank is Cuan Xie Yong. Treatment is uniform; refer to previous prescriptions.

Question 8: What is "An Men Shuan" (Hidden Door Bolt)? Answer: Arising below the ear root opposite the throat, resembling a door bolt, hence the name. Treatment is the same as for abscesses and carbuncles.

Question 9: What are "Ru Yong" (Breast Abscess), "Ru Yan" (Breast Rock/Cancer), and "Ru Hua" (Breast Flower)? Answer: Ru Yong begins with severe redness, swelling, and pain, forming pus in six-seven or ten-plus days. Causes include pregnancy ("Nei Chui") or breastfeeding ("Wai Chui"). Treat early with Dandelion or Pulsatilla leaf pounded with wine lees, or powdered Strychnos seed fried in sesame oil taken with yellow wine (induces sweating for cure). Ru Yan results from emotional stagnation, starting bean-sized, growing to marble-sized over four-five years or decades, becoming stone-hard. Ulceration resembles rock cliffs. If pus forms after taking "Jingong Wan" and "Zhongjiu Wan", it is treatable; chronic non-healing ulcers are difficult. Surgery is strictly forbidden due to hemorrhage risk. Presence of Five Good Signs without Seven Bad Signs indicates treatability; otherwise, mortality is high. Ru Hua resembles Back Flower with fleshy protrusions; treatment is similar. For un-ulcerated cases of all three, internally administer "Xianfang Huoming Yin" (Panax Notoginseng, Licorice Node, Saposhnikovia, Angelica Tail, Tangerine Peel, Honeysuckle, Frankincense, Myrrh, Trichosanthes Root, Fritillaria, Angelica Dahurica, Rhubarb in first dose, removed in second, wine-decocted), "Shenxiao Gualou San", or "Lianqiao Jinbei San" for recovery.

Question 10: How to treat "Duixin Lou" (Heart-Opposing Sinus) and "Duixin Yong" (Heart-Opposing Abscess)? Answer: Follow previous treatments for abscesses, sinuses, and flank attacks. Survival chances are minimal as these are terminal conditions.

Question 11: What are "Shang Du Jiao" (Upper Belly Corner), "Xia Du Jiao" (Lower Belly Corner), "Yu Kou" (Fish Mouth), "Bian Du" (Urine Toxin), "Yin Gan" (Genital Chancre), and "Dou Jing Chuang" (Semen-Battling Sore)? Answer: Shang Du Jiao is level with the navel, four fingers away; Xia Du Jiao is three fingers above the genitals, two fingers above the groin crease. Yu Kou is in the groin crease, elongated; Bian Du is in the same location, round. All share the same treatment. For early Yu Kou/Bian Du, use "Tongsheng San" added with Centipede (head/feet removed, fried), Scorpion (head/tail removed, desalted), Pangolin Scale (fried), Silkworm (fried), Processed Frankincense, and Processed Myrrh, ground and mixed into decoction to expel toxin. For chronic cases, follow previous methods. Yin Gan differs from Candle Flower: Yin Gan involves skin breakdown, itching, pain, or rotting; Candle Flower starts as a small bump, ulcerates, discharges pus, grows into a fleshy ball, causing penile ulceration. Treat initially with "Huaron Gao" to dissolve the ball, then apply powder made from Tin, Mercury, and "Tianran San" (Natural Powder) internally mixed with "Zhongjiu Wan". If ulceration reaches the penis forming Dou Jing Chuang, with butter-like or fleshy protrusions due to sexual excess and damp-heat/fire, use "Tianran San" added with Calomel, Processed Child's Tea, Gypsum, Processed Malachite Green, and Vinegar-processed Azurite. Apply dry powder if wet, or mix with boar bile if dry, internally taking "Zhongjiu Wan" for gradual recovery.

Question 12: How to distinguish "Luan Han" (Testicular Hernia), "Luan Yong" (Testicular Abscess), "Luan Hua" (Testicular Flower), and "Luan Lou" (Testicular Sinus)? Answer: Luan refers to the testicle. Swelling with pus requires needle drainage. Luan Yong features red, swollen skin with superficial toxin. Luan Hua shows seven-eight ulcerations on the swelling, flower-like. Luan Lou has internal perforations discharging clear/yellow pus chronically. Causes include damp-heat sinking to the Bladder or excessive alcohol/sex. Even testicular rupture may not be fatal; syphilis residue can also cause this. Externally wrap with Perilla Leaf and dust with "Tianran San" plus Red Halloysite; internally take "Zhongjiu Wan". This applies to all testicular conditions.

Question 13: How to distinguish "Fugu Han" (Bone-Clinging Chancre), "Fugu Yong" (Bone-Clinging Abscess), "Fugu Ju" (Bone-Clinging Carbuncle), and "Fugu Lou" (Bone-Clinging Sinus)? Answer: Fugu Ju involves toxin at the hip tip, non-red/swollen, shifting pain between upper/lower hip, intermittent severity, resembling tibia pain. Chronic localized pain with normal skin but tenderness on pressure and unclear shape indicates Fugu Ju. Treat with "Zhongjiu Wan" internally and "Huaron Gao" externally; needle if pus forms. Fugu Han/Yong begins with tidal fever or alternating chills/heat, bone/muscle pain, followed by red/swollen/hard skin. Post-chickenpox variants are called "Hanhou Tuoyi" (Post-Sweat Abandonment), unbearable pain. Treat with "Maliang Gao" externally and "Zhongjiu Wan" internally. Fugu Lou results from non-healing abscesses invaded by wind pathogens and impatience, leading to callus/sinus formation with chronic pus. Must extract sequestra, remove callus/necrosis, apply "Tianran San", and take "Zhongjiu Wan". For Hanhou Tuoyi before ulceration, paste of wax, vinegar, and aged rice flour may heal it.

Question 14: How to distinguish "Hexi Feng" (Crane Knee Wind), "Hexi Yong" (Crane Knee Abscess), "Renmian Chuang" (Human Face Sore), and "Chan Chuang" (Chan Sore)? Answer: Hexi Feng causes chronic knee pain and eventual swelling like a crane's knee. Treat with internal analgesics and external Ox Hide Gelatin paste with Ginger Juice. Hexi Yong is favorable if red/swollen/painful; non-inflammatory/non-suppurating cases are untreatable; protruding heads indicate terminal stages. Renmian Chuang is a facial-looking tumor on the knee with eyes/nose/mouth; rarely curable. Treat with crushed Fritillaria externally. Chan Chuang arises on the shin bone from trauma/wind/itching, recurrent chancre toxin, or unresolved wind-heat/damp-toxin. If non-itchy, apply "Zixia Gao" and take "Zhongjiu Wan"; or apply paste of Calomel, Pig Fat, and Steamed Bun Skin.

Question 15: How to distinguish "Qunbian Chuang" (Skirt-Edge Sore), "Ceng Chuang" (Rubbing Sore), "Huai Hua" (Ankle Flower), "Ezhang Ding" (Goose Palm Spore), "Ezhang Feng" (Goose Palm Wind), and "Niupixuan" (Cowhide Ringworm)? Answer: Qunbian Chuang affects women, caused by scratching, chronic damp-heat-wind, or poor circulation from athlete's foot. Hard to treat due to thin flesh and poor Qi/blood flow at the feet. Apply "Zixia Gao" or "Baiyu Gao" and fumigate/wash with Vinegar and Wax Leaf decoction with Calomel. Ceng Chuang on the instep is easy if it drains pus; difficult if chronic/non-healing; treat with medicinal threads. Huai Hua on the ankle bone discharges pus via pores; treat with threads. Multiple pores with bad signs are incurable. Ezhang Ding on the sole resembles a tumor, discharging fluid/pus; treat with threads to remove tumor/necrosis for healing. Ezhang Feng follows Syphilis treatment errors, trapping toxin internally; treat with "Zhongjiu Wan", Tung Oil, and Black Cow Dung smoke. Niupixuan on neck/waist/legs is wind-heat toxin in skin; treat with silver needle acupuncture, Vitex Vinegar rub, "Zhongjiu Wan", or paste of Sulfur, Azurite, Croton Seed, Vitex, and Pot Residue.

Question 16: What is "Zhi Lou" (Hemorrhoidal Sinus)? Answer: Zhi arises on the anal rim, pomegranate-seed shaped; Lou has pores discharging pus/fluid. There are twenty-four types, rooted in damp-heat sinking or lifestyle damage. Rare in youth, common in middle age. Treat Zhi with pores using medicinal threads to drop the tube, apply "Tianran San" + Red Halloysite, cover with "Shengji Gao", add Silver/Green minerals. For bloody Zhi, take "Zhongjiu Wan". For intestinal fistulas, insert Tribulus (Arctium) herb into the intestine, then use medicinal threads for gradual healing.

Question 17: How to distinguish "Chong Gan" (Worm Chancre), "Re Gan" (Heat Chancre), and "Zouma Ya Gan" (Running-Horse Tooth Chancre) in the mouth? Answer: Chong Gan involves worms in flesh spreading to bone, rotting like waste. Zouma Ya Gan features swollen lips, healthy outer skin, rotten inner flesh, and nasal bridge collapse/rot resembling orange peel. Eye/ear/nose involvement is incurable; vinegar cleaning to reveal blood offers 10-20% survival. Treat with Pot Residue, Malachite Green, Tianran San, Thread Powder, Sulfur, and Borneol sprinkled internally with "Zhongjiu Wan". Ulcers with pus/fluid are treatable; liver-like non-pus ulcers are not. Re Gan involves gum bleeding; treat similarly or with Calcined Human Bone, Earthworm, and Arsenic powder.

Question 18: What is "Ekou Chuang" (Goose Mouth Sore)? Answer: White coating on tongue/mouth with salivation. Treat with equal parts Coptis, Dried Ginger, and Fried Knotweed powder applied externally; stops salivation and heals.

Additionally, "An Men Shuan" in the throat is "Hou Yong" (Throat Abscess). Two tumors beside the tongue/throat with pores should be treated with medicinal threads and muscle-regenerating powder. Phlegm abscesses on the jawbone are stone-hard, causing asymmetric swelling; treat with lancet opening and threads. This is malignant, with low cure rates, mentioned again here for emphasis.