Library

A woman suffered from coughing with blood in the sputum, defecating five to six times a day, and extreme difficulty swallowing food. As soon as food passed the throat, she felt discomfort in the abdomen, immediately desired to defecate, and relief came only after complete evacuation. She exhibited emaciation, afternoon fever, numbness of the four limbs preceding the onset of fever, and trembling of both knees. The pulse at the Cun (inch) and Guan (bar) positions on both wrists was slippery and rapid, while the Chi (cubit) positions were deep and fine. This indicates a condition of deficiency complicated by excess, specifically phlegm-fluid retention. Although the pulse was rapid and there was afternoon fever, cold-natured herbs were not lightly employed. Instead, warming and tonifying the Lower Yuan (Lower Burner/Kidney system) was adopted to secure the "gate" (anal sphincter/kidney control), thereby stopping diarrhea. After taking Cornus Fructus (Shanzhuyu), Dodder Seed (Tusizi), Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Renshen), Psoralea Fructus (Pogu Zhi), Eucommia Bark (Duzhong), Dioscorea Rhizome (Shanyao), Poria (Fuling), Alisma Rhizome (Zexie), Cinnamon Heart (Guixin), and Amomum Fruit (Sharen), she felt very comfortable. After four doses, the trembling of the lower body ceased. However, mild abdominal pain followed by an urge to defecate occurred after eating. Cornus Fructus was removed from the previous formula, and Atractylodes Macrocephala Rhizome (Baizhu), Myristica Seed (Rouguo), and Aucklandiae Radix (Muxiang) were added. The condition was cured after eight doses.

My clan nephew, Huang, suddenly experienced epistaxis and chills following a Spring-Warmth disease. His urination was difficult, the upper part of his tongue was yellow, his eyeballs were extremely red, and all six pulses were hidden and imperceptible, causing panic throughout the household. I stated: "This is a sign of sweating, caused by extreme heat. Because perspiration was not thorough previously, residual heat in the Yangming channel forced blood upward, overflowing through the nasal cavity." Therefore, Gypsum Fibrosum (Shigao), Talcum (Huashi), Rehmanniae Radix (Sheng Dihuang), Cimicifugae Rhizoma (Shengma), Red Peony Root (Chishao), Moutan Cortex (Mudanpi), Ophiopogon Tuber (Maimendong), and Trichosanthes Root (Tianhuafen), along with Licorice Root (Gancao), were decocted and administered. Sweat poured like rain down to both ankles, the tongue became moist, the coating disappeared completely, epistaxis stopped, the color of the eyeballs faded, and the pulse gradually emerged. The prescription was changed to Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Renshen), Ophiopogon Tuber (Maimendong), Schisandra Fruit (Wuweizi), White Peony Root (Baishao), Licorice Root (Gancao), Anemarrhena Rhizome (Zhimu), Scutellaria Root (Huangqin), Bupleuri Radix (Chaihu), Bamboo Leaf (Zhuye), and Gypsum Fibrosum (Shigao), decocted and taken. His stool, which had been retained for five days, began to pass. His spirit greatly improved, and his diet gradually increased.

Mrs. Wang of Fuyang, a daughter of the Cheng family across the river, was only thirty-six years old. Her menstruation had ceased for half a year, her abdomen was enlarged like a bucket, hard as stone, and occasionally painful. Local physicians treated her for over a month without success. Friends from Shexian were invited to assist, and treatment continued for another month, yet the abdominal distension worsened, becoming urgent, with no urine passing drop by drop. Mimicking my method for treating Sun Zhongan, warm-tonifying formulas for the Lower Yuan were used, resulting in severe distending pain threatening rupture and continuous vaginal bleeding. Nan Ying, a literary scholar, pitied her and recommended me. Upon examination, the pulse at the Guan positions on both wrists was surging, slippery, and forceful against the fingers, unyielding to pressure, indicating an excess pattern. Although the condition was severe, there was hope for recovery. Inquiring about the cause, it was found that her mother-in-law was extremely frugal, and her own mother indulged her, often having young girls hide cooked chicken tongues and beef tongues in their sleeves to secretly feed her. Due to consuming cold foods, stagnation accumulated, gradually forming abdominal distension (Gu Zhang). Previous practitioners failed to identify the source or examine the pulse, mistakenly treating it as Qi deficiency with middle fullness, hence the severe distending pain. Ji Kuai Wan (Accumulation Mass Pill) was administered three times to purge, resolving the distension and removing the accumulation. Subsequently, Bao He Wan (Preserve Harmony Pill) by Danxi was used for one month of recuperation until cure. Ji Kuai Wan is listed in Volume 5 of *Chishui Xuanzhu* after the section on insect-related abdominal masses.