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A woman surnamed Wu suffered from an embarrassing ailment. Her husband visited me for treatment, coming to my door three times but refusing to speak each time, leaving in embarrassment. Later he came again; before he could speak, his face turned red first. I then questioned him, saying, "Those who come to me all claim that I can resolve doubts and treat emergencies. Now you have come four times; there must be something troubling you. If you keep your doubts hidden without uttering a word, even if you come a hundred times, the doubt will never be resolved, nor will the illness ever be cured. Moreover, strange occurrences in the world are numerous; they cannot be fully known by the sagely and wise, yet it is also not beyond their ability to understand and treat them. Collections such as *Zhe Gong Ling*, *Yi Shuo*, and *Yi Jian* record countless strange cases. If these were not diagnosed and treated by enlightened individuals, how could the knowledge of future generations be expanded?" The husband then bowed his head and slowly replied, "It is extremely shameful to speak of this. Sir, you are an elder; even if I speak, I trust you will not disdain it."

"My wife has suddenly grown a mass in her vagina. Initially it was about three cun long, and now it is approximately five cun. It resembles a hard tendon, is reddish in color, and is large enough to fill a hand's grasp. It is swollen and painful, making it inconvenient to rise, sit, or walk. She experiences aversion to cold and high fever, and both her sleep and appetite have decreased. Ashamed to speak of it, she often wishes to end her life. Hearing that you can resolve doubts and treat strange ailments, comparable to Bian Que and Hua Tuo, I specially came to seek your diagnosis." I asked, "How many years has this illness lasted?" He replied, "Nearly one hundred days." I said, "Generally speaking, what is called a 'strange disease' refers to conditions unseen by eyes and ears and unrecorded in books. What you describe is actually Yin Ting syndrome (prolapse of the uterus or vaginal wall). Since it is documented in medical texts, how can it be considered strange?" The husband asked, "How does Yin Ting arise? What is the treatment method? How many months will it take to heal? Will it affect fertility?" I said, "The vagina belongs to the Foot Jueyin Liver Meridian, and the Liver corresponds to Wood in the Five Elements. Damp-heat in the Liver causes Yin Ting, just as damp-heat on a tree causes mushrooms to grow. The treatment should involve Long Dan Xie Gan Tang (Gentian Decoction to Drain the Liver) and Huang Bo Pi San (Phellodendron Bark Powder). Grind Dang Gui (Angelica Sinensis), Huang Qin (Scutellaria Baicalensis), Mu Li (Oyster Shell), Huang Bo (Phellodendron Bark), and Chi Shao Yao (Red Peony Root) into powder. Take two qian each time, mixed with rice water on an empty stomach. Following this regimen, the mass should disappear in about a month. How could it possibly hinder fertility?" The husband clasped his hands and kowtowed on the ground, saying, "I hope it goes as the Medicine King [Sun Simiao] predicted. I dare to request a dose." I prepared the medicine according to the prescription and gave it to him. Just three months later, the messenger reported that the previous illness had indeed disappeared without a trace. However, her menstrual period had been absent for one month, so he dared not ask further. I said, "This is pregnancy." The husband said, "The illness has just healed; it is unlikely she can conceive immediately. I fear other illnesses may arise." I said, "The previous condition was an excess syndrome of the Liver Meridian. The Liver is the Sea of Blood. As the classics state: 'When a woman's blood is abundant, she conceives.' Given the abundance of blood, menstruation should have occurred earlier. The fact that it is overdue indicates true pregnancy, not illness." Eventually, she delivered a healthy son at full term.