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Min Shenlou suffered from deficiency consumption with coughing, which was lighter during the day and heavier at night. His wife, Lady Ding, was the daughter of a wealthy man in Changxing. She was very obese and had an irritable temperament. She suffered from gout (Tongfeng), unable to comb her hair or wash her face with her hands, and unable to put her feet on the ground. All painful areas were slightly swollen, accompanied by groaning and shouting. At that time, Mr. Zhu Yuanzhai was highly regarded by contemporaries. Her husband relied on Dr. Zhu for treatment for over seven months, but there was not the slightest improvement. Mr. Wu Jiuyi then recommended me (Sun Yikui) for treatment. Upon arriving at their home, Shenlou’s elder brother, Yue Lou, stayed with me morning and evening. After completing the pulse diagnosis, I said to Yue Lou: "Your younger brother's condition, although easy to show initial results, cannot be cured completely without a hundred days. Lady Ding's condition can have its root removed in ten days, but I fear she will not complete the five doses. What should we do?" Yue Lou asked: "What do you mean?" I replied: "Your younger brother's cough is due to un-cleared Lung Fire, exacerbated by excessive intake of Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Renshen) and Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma (Baizhu). By clearing and benefiting the Lung, the cough can stop immediately. Afterward, nourishing with formulas that tonify the Heart and calm the Spirit will ensure complete recovery." The prescription included Ophiopogonis Radix (Maidong), Morus Albae Cortex (Sangbaipi), Dioscoreae Hypoglaucae Rhizoma (Baiyaizi), Fritillariae Cirrhosae Bulbus (Beimu), Platycodonis Radix (Jiegeng), Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Gancao), Scutellariae Radix (Huangqin), and Aurantii Fructus Immaturus (Zhike). After ten doses, the cough ceased completely. However, due to insufficient Heart Blood and unstable Spirit, she was treated with Ziziphi Spinosae Semen (Suanzaoren), Polygalae Radix (Yuanzhi), Ophiopogonis Radix (Maidong), Nelumbinis Plumula (Lianhua Xin), and Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Danshen) for a hundred days of recuperation. Indeed, she eventually recovered enough to go out and study.

Lady Ding's condition was caused by Damp-Phlegm stagnating in the collaterals, leading to pain. Dr. Zhu attributed it to Blood Deficiency and prescribed Rehmanniae Radix Preparata (Shudihuang), Paeoniae Radix Alba (Baishao), Angelicae Sinensis Radix (Danggui), Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Renshen), and Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix (Niuxi). No wonder her pain intensified and the illness prolonged. Now, drying-dampness and moving-phlegm agents are required to dredge and drain the system. This would ensure smooth collaterals; even without tonic medicines, the essence from grain and food would suffice for self-nourishment. However, these draining agents do not relieve pain immediately, so I feared she might lose trust and discontinue treatment. Yue Lou said: "Since you have explained clearly, we obey your command." The prescription was Er Chen Tang (Two-Cured Decoction) modified with Linderae Radix (Wuyao Ye), Atractylodis Rhizoma (Cangzhu), Bombyx Batryticatus (Jiangcan), and Paederiae Scandentis Caulis (Haitongpi). After five doses, she indeed became displeased and wanted to stop taking the medicine. Yue Lou said: "Dr. Sun stated beforehand that results would appear in ten doses. We are past halfway; why not persevere to avoid failure at the last moment?" She took one more dose and then stopped, refusing all persuasion. She publicly declared: "The doctor treats pain but increases it. What medicine shall I take? I absolutely refuse the next four doses." It was already Shen hour (3-5 PM). Knowing she was indulged as a wealthy family member, I did not force the medication. Instead, I prepared Veratris Semen (Yuanhua) stir-fried with vinegar, 0.3 fen, and Chrysosplenii Herba (Haijinsha), 1 fen, both powdered, mixed with plain boiled water for administration. By evening, she had one bowel movement, expelling half a basin of thick phlegm. Her foot pain reduced by more than half, and she could move slightly.

After the first watch (9-11 PM), while our drinking party had not yet dispersed, news came suddenly that she had severe abdominal pain, and I was urgently summoned. As I walked to the inner chamber, someone inside came out to stop me, saying: "The patient has passed away; no need to come in." I said: "This must be syncope due to extreme pain, not death. How can I not enter to check?" Upon entering, I saw profuse cold sweat, her sitting alone on a urinal, face cyanotic, and breath seemingly absent. Holding her hand, it was ice-cold, but all six pulses were present, merely deep and hidden. I realized this was due to extreme pain. I administered fresh ginger juice, and she revived. Slowly, I told the nearby maids: "She just had severe abdominal pain earlier." Later, firelight flashed, her anus felt like burning, and there was a loud bang. Nobody knew what was expelled. The crowd looked and found a blood leech, six cun long and half a cun wide, with scales and eyes intact, still swimming in the basin. Everyone was terrified. Yue Lou asked: "Is she better now that the leech is out?" I answered: "This is a remarkable creature. Its expulsion is good. But Lady Ding's illness was truly caused by Phlegm. I specifically treated the Phlegm. Initially, I did not know about the parasite. In this case, it was merely because Yuanhua in the medicine has insecticidal properties, so it happened by chance. It is also your brother's fortune." The next day, her hands and feet could move. She continued with Er Chen Tang (Two-Cured Decoction) modified with Coicis Semen (Yiren), Carthami Flos (Honghua), and Acanthopanacis Senticosi Caulis (Wujia Pi). After four doses, she recovered completely. The Min household respected me even more because I did not boast of my merit.