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Your son, Mr. Caishi, suffers from phlegm generated by damp-heat in the Middle Jiao (Middle Burner), resulting in chest and epigastric fullness and oppression (Pi Men). He experiences a sensation of fullness in the stomach every morning between 5 and 7 AM (Wu Geng Dao Bao), and often has spasmodic pain in the tendons below the thighs or knees in the afternoon. He frequently belches, his complexion is sallow, and he occasionally experiences nocturnal emissions. I prescribed two formulas, Qingqi Da'an Huatan Wan (Clearing Qi and Resolving Phlegm Pill) and Zhudu Wan (Pig Stomach Pill), for regulation and treatment, which brought relief.

The formula for Zhudu Wan consists of: Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma (Baizhu) five liang, Sophorae Flavescentis Radix (Kushen) two liang stir-fried with wine, Oyster Shell (Muli) calcined three liang, ground into powder. Take one male pig stomach, remove the fat, wash it with Licorice Decoction (Gancao Tang), stuff the powder inside, sew the opening, and steam it in rice until extremely soft. Mash it thoroughly and form pills. This formula strongly strengthens the Spleen, eliminates damp-heat, and consolidates essence to stop emissions.

The formula for Qingqi Da'an Huatan Wan consists of: Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma (Baizhu) four liang, Tangerine Peel (Juhong), Pinellia Tuber (Banxia), and Hawthorn Fruit (Shanzha) each three liang; Scutellaria Root (Huangqin) and Coptis Rhizome (Huanglian) each one tael and five qian, stir-fried with ginger juice; Immature Bitter Orange (Zhishi) and Trichosanthes Seed (Gualou Ren) each two liang; White Mustard Seed (Baijiezi) and Radish Seed (Luobozhi) each one liang, stir-fried; Curcuma Longa Rhizome (Jianghuang) one liang, boiled in alkali water and dried; Indigo Naturalis (Qingdai) five qian; Malt (Maiya) processed into paste as a binder to form pills. The pills are sized like mung beans. Take two qian with tea after meals and at night.

Your granddaughter was only six years old when she suddenly developed alternating chills and fever for one day. Afterwards, a lump swelled up at the bone joint between the Mingmen acupoint (Gate of Life) in her lower back and spine. It resembled a large steamed bun, standing three or four cun high. From then on, she could not stand upright and was completely unable to walk on the ground. This condition persisted for half a year. Everyone considered it an incurable case of "Turtle Back" (Kyphosis/Guibei) and had no method to treat it. Even using ancient pediatric formulas for Turtle Back proved ineffective. I said, "This is not Turtle Back. Turtle Back affects the upper part, whereas this lesion is in the lower part. It must be due to the wet nurse placing her on the ground and allowing her to sit too early in childhood. At that time, her bones and tendons were not yet firm; prolonged sitting caused curvature of the back, leading to invasion by Wind pathogenic factors. Initially unnoticed, the pathogen gradually entered the joints, generating phlegm-fluids, causing the joints to swell and enlarge. If not treated promptly, it would become an intractable disease. Since the onset is recent, you can apply Wanning Heihu Bitian Gao (Ten Thousand Spirits Black Tiger Bi-Tian Plaster). Externally, wash Late Silkworm Sand (Wancansha) with vinegar, stir-fry until hot, wrap it in silk cloth, fix it over the plaster, and apply heat compression while warm, once per night. Internally, use Clematis Root (Weilingxian) as the chief herb, combined with Eucommia Bark (Wujia Pi), Lindera Root (Wuyao), Safflower Honghua), Saposhnikovia Root (Fangfeng), and Angelica Pubescens Root (Duhuo), decocted in water and taken orally. After one month, the swelling reduced by half, the joints became soft, no longer swollen and hard, and she could walk on the ground as before. People regarded this as miraculous.

Three months later, she suddenly became unable to walk. Upon inquiry, her feet and knees were sore and weak, unable to support her body weight, hence the inability to walk. I understood that although the pathogenic factor had been eliminated, the Lower Yuan (Kidney Essence/Essence and Qi of the Lower Body) was deficient. Therefore, I used Eucommia Bark (Duzhong), Late Silkworm Sand (Wancansha), Eucommia Bark (Wujia Pi), Coix Seed (Yiyiren), Angelica Sinensis Root (Danggui), Ginseng Root (Renshen), Achyranthes Root (Niuxi), Angelica Pubescens Root (Duhuo), Cocklebur Fruit (Cangerzi), and Curculigo Rhizome (Xianmao), decocted in water and taken orally for twenty doses. Her mobility returned to normal."