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A female servant presented with headache, sore throat, cough, nausea, vomiting with phlegm expectoration, and distension in the chest and diaphragm. Her menstruation had just begun, accompanied by fever and dry mouth. This is a Phlegm-Fire Syndrome of the Shaoyang Channel (Shaoyang Jing Tan Huo Zheng). The prescription used Chai Hu (Bupleuri Radix) as the Sovereign (Jun), Ban Xia (Pinelliae Rhizoma), Bai Shao Yao (Paeoniae Radix Alba), and Zhu Ru (Bambusae Caulis in Taeniam) as the Ministers (Chen), Ge Gen (Puerariae Lobatae Radix), Tian Hua Fen (Trichosanthis Radix), Ju Hong (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Rubrum), Sang Bai Pi (Mori Cortex), Huang Qin (Scutellariae Radix), and Zhi Mu (Anemarrhenae Rhizoma) as the Assistants (Zuo), Gan Cao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma) and Jie Geng (Platycodonis Radix) as the Envoys (Shi). After one dose, slight sweating occurred, heat dissipated, and pain ceased. However, the phlegmy cough persisted, and urination was scanty and difficult. A modified formula was prescribed: Chai Hu, Zhi Mu, Mai Dong (Ophiopogonis Radix), and Zhu Ru each 8 fen; Bai Shao Yao 1 qian; Hua Shi (Talcum) 3 qian; Huang Qin, Bei Mu (Fritillariae Bulbus), and Jie Geng each 7 fen; Wu Wei Zi (Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus) 12 grains; Gan Cao 3 fen. One dose resulted in recovery.

The wife of my clan's nephew, Ms. Fan, was an elderly lady whose husband held the title of Grand Secretary (Da Can). She habitually suffered from excessive phlegm and saliva, along with fullness and distension in the chest and abdomen. Recently, due to breast swelling, she developed severe chills and fever, threatening to form an abscess. Initially, two doses of Jia Wei Shen Xiao Gua Lou San were administered. Although the chills and fever subsided, the swelling remained. Subsequently, Bei Mu and Bai Zhi (Angelicae Dahuricae Radix) were used as Ministers, Gua Lou (Trichosanthis Fructus) as the Sovereign, Chi Shao Yao (Paeoniae Radix Rubra), Dang Gui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix), and Lian Qiao (Forsythiae Fructus) as Assistants, and Qing Pi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Viride), Gan Cao, and Chai Hu as Envoys. Pain decreased, but swelling persisted. Palpation revealed a near-rapid pulse, indicating that pus had formed. Neituo Shixuan San was continued, supplemented with Jin Yin Hua (Lonicerae Japonicae Flos) and Pu Gong Ying (Taraxaci Herba). After two doses, the abscess ruptured. Because sores appeared on her feet accompanied by edema, Pu Gong Ying and Jin Yin Hua were removed from the previous formula, and Yi Yi Ren (Coicis Semen) and Cang Er Zi (Xanthii Fructus) were added. She recovered fully after regulation.

Ms. Huang, my cousin's granddaughter, contracted dysentery with red stool at seven months of pregnancy, accompanied by abdominal pain and tenesmus. Her constitution was inherently weak, causing great worry for the family. She was treated with Bai Shao Yao 3 qian, Tiao Qin (Scutellariae Radix) 1.5 qian, Bai Zhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma) and Di Yu (Sanguisorbae Radix) each 8 fen, and Gan Cao 3 fen. She recovered after two doses. Five days later, news arrived that the dysentery relapsed due to slight exertion. She was instructed to take Dang Gui 3 qian, Chuan Xiong (Ligustici Chuanxiong Rhizoma) 1.5 qian, Zhen E Jiao (Colla Corii Asini) 2 qian, and Ai Ye (Artemisiae Argyi Folium) 3 fen. One dose led to complete cure.

Ms. Cheng, a young woman under my grandson's care, suffered from dysentery with red stool twenty days post-miscarriage. She defecated more than ten times a day, felt aversion to cold, lost appetite, and experienced lower abdominal distension and pain. Examination of her right Cun pulse revealed it to be slippery and large, indicating deficiency with internal heat. Recalling that her lochia was not yet completely expelled, I attributed the lower abdominal distension and pain to this cause. Specialists, adhering rigidly to Danxi's principle of greatly tonifying Qi and Blood after childbirth, applied general tonification, which exacerbated the dysentery. Her father asked, "The patient still fears cold; how can you say there is heat?" I replied, "The classics state that aversion to cold does not necessarily mean cold syndrome; it is clearly a heat syndrome where extreme heat mimics water-like cold." She would realize this after taking the medicine. The prescription used Bai Shao Yao, Dang Gui, and Hua Shi as Sovereigns; Tao Ren (Persicae Semen), Jiu Qin (Scutellariae Radix prepared with wine), and Jiu Lian (Coptidis Rhizoma prepared with wine) as Ministers; Mu Xiang (Aucklandiae Radix), Gui Pi (Cinnamomi Cortex), and Bing Lang (Arecae Semen) as Assistants; and Qing Pi as Envoy. Upon ingestion, a significant amount of foul-smelling black blood clots were discharged, and the lower abdomen immediately relaxed. However, she still had dry mouth, scanty urine, nausea, fear of food intake, fatigue, and tenesmus. A second prescription consisted of Ren Shen (Ginseng Radix), Chuan Xiong, and Bai Shao Yao each 1 qian; Dang Gui 1.5 qian; Jiu Lian and Chen Pi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium) each 6 fen; Mu Xiang 2 fen. Additionally, Qing Liu Wan was administered externally/orally. Heat was eliminated, and dysentery reduced by eighty percent. However, stools remained loose, with persistent nausea and weakness. She was nourished with Sijunzi Tang (Four Gentlemen Decoction) supplemented with Jiu Chao Bai Shao Yao, Chen Pi, Mu Xiang, Rou Guo (Myristicae Semen), Jiu Lian, and Dang Gui, leading to stabilization.