泰西医士有听肺木,长不过尺,遇患肺疾者,一头根据病者胸前,医者枕其一端而听之。
随听随移,审其呼吸,辨其部位,能知病之所在而施治云。
鸦片烟为中国四千年来未有之毒,今竟于数万里外传染及之,抑且日变月异,几不知迁
流所
极,在受其害者,既难屈数,即言其害者,率多痛哭流涕,不能更赘一词。然其间亦有创深
痛钜,悔之甚而仍不戒者,则以烟有瘾而未易脱也。是欲戒烟,当先除瘾,而欲除瘾,必先
觅方。今肆中所售戒烟药,品目种种,服之似皆有效,而不知其仍用烟膏,故不服而瘾如故
。
近于友人处得方,药以易而价廉,功虽缓而无损。据云已救多人,如浙宁叶某,烟瘾本大,
如法制服,不半年而戒绝矣,其方惟用粗大粉甘草一味,不拘两数,熬膏如烟。初以烟九分
,入甘草膏一分,照常吸之。继则烟降序,而膏渐增。至膏有八九分,烟仅一二分,则瘾自
断矣。所愿有志之士,咸起而试之。如果有效,则是方也,不诚烟瘴世界中之特健药哉!
两苍氏曰∶余尝集方十余,出试诸人,初无不验,而卒无一能脱。静思其故,知凡人干
事,
皆气为之帅,但烟之为瘾,恰非一日,而气之所用,多在一时,再而衰,三而竭,及气馁而
瘾犹未绝,则攻败矣。昔人谓慷慨殉节易,从容赴义难,亦此意也。然则当如何?曰∶法宜
恒久,更忌因循。必绝之甚确,而持之又甚坚,然后选方服药。如是而犹不验,我不信矣。
又尝闻之友人曰∶卉本棉花,初产西藏,元世祖谓可以被天下,因欲带入中原。时有老僧止
之曰∶利与害常相因。是物虽甚利赖,然愿陛下姑舍之,若必传种入内,恐五百年后。复有
一
物踵此而进,为华人害,世祖不听,棉遂盛传,而其所谓为害者,由今思之,疑即鸦片。故
或于花时择棉之雄者,取根捣汁饮之,即可止瘾,似乎物理相制,其间原有交关云云。据此
则鸦片之害,或不尽由人事,倘得天去其疾,陡绝来源,则是瘾也,岂待戒而始除哉。
Thai Western physicians possess a device known as "Ting Fei Mu" (Listening Wood for Lungs), which is no longer than one chi in length. When encountering patients suffering from lung diseases, they place one end against the patient's chest while resting their ear on the other end to listen.
By moving the device as they listen, carefully examining the patient's respiration and distinguishing the specific location of symptoms, they can identify the site of the disease and administer treatment accordingly.
Opium smoke is a toxic substance unprecedented in China over the past four thousand years. It has now spread from tens of thousands of miles away, changing daily and varying monthly, with its ultimate trajectory almost unknowable. The number of those harmed by it is incalculable; even those describing its harms often weep bitterly, unable to add another word. However, among them are some who suffer deep wounds and great pain, repent intensely, yet still cannot quit, because opium addiction is difficult to break. Therefore, to quit smoking, one must first eliminate the addiction; and to eliminate the addiction, one must first find a prescription. Currently, the anti-smoking medicines sold in shops come in various types, seemingly effective when taken, but unknown to the users, they still contain opium paste. Consequently, when not taken, the addiction remains unchanged.
Recently, I obtained a prescription from a friend. The herbs are easy to acquire and inexpensive. Although the effect is slow, it causes no harm. It is said to have saved many people. For example, Mr. Ye from Ningbo, Zhejiang, had a heavy opium addiction. By following this method, he completely quit within half a year. This prescription uses only one herb: coarse *Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma Praeparata cum Melle* (Prepared Licorice Root with Honey). The dosage is not fixed. It is boiled into a paste resembling opium gum. Initially, use nine parts opium paste mixed with one part licorice paste, smoking as usual. Subsequently, gradually decrease the proportion of opium and increase the licorice paste. When the mixture consists of eight or nine parts licorice paste and only one or two parts opium, the addiction will naturally cease. I hope those with determination will all rise to try it. If it proves effective, is not this prescription truly a potent medicine in this world shrouded in opium haze?
Liang Cang Shi stated: I once collected more than ten prescriptions and tested them on people. Initially, none failed to show efficacy, but ultimately, not a single person was able to break free. After quiet contemplation regarding the cause, I realized that for any human endeavor, "Qi" (Vital Energy) acts as the commander. However, opium addiction is not formed in a day, whereas the power of Qi is often momentary—it wanes upon the second attempt and is exhausted by the third. When Qi becomes depleted while the addiction persists, the attack fails. The ancients said that it is easy to die heroically for righteousness, but difficult to face death with composure; this conveys the same meaning. So, what should be done? I reply: The method must be persistent, and procrastination must be avoided. One must resolve firmly to cut it off completely and hold fast with great firmness before selecting a prescription and taking medicine. If, after doing so, it still does not work, I would not believe it.
I also heard from a friend that cotton (*Gossypii Herba*), originally produced in Tibet, was introduced to the Central Plains by Emperor Shizu of Yuan, who believed it could benefit the world. At that time, an old monk advised against it, saying: Benefit and harm often accompany each other. Although this item is highly beneficial, I beg Your Majesty to temporarily abandon it. If you insist on introducing its seeds inland, I fear that five hundred years later, another substance will follow suit and become a disaster for the Chinese people. Emperor Shizu did not listen, and cotton spread widely. The "harm" he mentioned, looking back from today, is suspected to be opium. Thus, some say that during the flowering season of cotton, one should select male plants, crush their roots to extract juice, and drink it to stop opium addiction. This seems to imply that physical properties mutually constrain each other, suggesting an inherent connection. Based on this, the harm of opium may not be entirely due to human affairs. If Heaven were to remove this affliction and abruptly cut off its source, then this addiction would not need to be forcibly quit to be eliminated.