Library

Qian Yi stated: A deep and slow pulse in children indicates food stagnation (Shang Shi); a tight and excessive pulse at the Qi Kou position on the right hand also indicates food stagnation.

Whenever food stagnates in the Middle Jiao (Middle Burner, referring to the spleen and stomach) and fails to digest, causing fever, the child will necessarily have an aversion to food. Symptoms may include belching with an sour taste, aversion to the smell of food, a sensation of wanting to vomit but being unable to do so, incomplete vomiting, nausea, shortness of breath, chest and epigastric fullness and oppression, pain at the appetite center, or fullness below the heart that is painful upon palpation. These are all signs of retained food and can be identified accordingly. These conditions arise from irregular breastfeeding or feeding, overconsumption of raw, cold, hard, or tough foods, leading to the spleen and stomach's inability to transform and transport, resulting in accumulation and stagnation in the Zhong Wan (Middle Epigastrium). Externally, they may be constrained by wind-cold pathogens, or caused by sleeping uncovered at night, leading to headache, sallow complexion, body heat, slight swelling of the eyes, abdominal pain, abdominal distension, cold feet with a hot abdomen, lethargy, mental confusion, loss of appetite, vomiting, hiccups, sour belching, and sour-smelling stool. This is injury caused by old accumulations. If there is retained food combined with cold pathogen invasion, both the Ren Ying pulse on the left hand and the Qi Kou pulse on the right hand will be large. External symptoms include headache, aversion to cold, and limb stiffness, along with epigastric fullness, vomiting, retching, or pain. In such cases, Huoxiang Zhengqi San (Agastache Powder for Rectifying the Qi) or Renshen Yangwei Tang (Ginseng Decoction for Nourishing the Stomach) should be used, with additions such as Muxiang (Aucklandiae Radix) and Sharen (Amomi Fructus). If meat food is not digested, Tangqiu Zi (Crataegi Fructus) powder must be added; if flour-based foods are not digested, Shenqu (Massa Medicata Fermentata) and Damai (Hordei Fructus Germinatus) should be added; if raw, cold, meat, or fruit foods are not digested, Caoguo (Tsaoko Fructus), Sharen, Zhishi (Aurantii Fructus Immaturus), and Qingpi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Viride) must be added as the main treatment. If the food remains above the stomach opening and has not yet entered the stomach, emesis (inducing vomiting) may be employed; if it does not vomit, resolution and guidance methods should be used. Once the food enters the stomach and transforms into waste, and external symptoms have resolved, purgation (downward draining) may then be used to expel the food. Sanwu Nongpo Tang (Three-Ingredient Magnolia Bark Decoction) is suitable; if heat is predominant, Da Chaihu Tang (Major Bupleurum Decoction) should be used. If there is no external contraction and only food injury exists, Zishuang Wan (Purple Frost Pill) should be used to purge. When treating Taiyang disease complicated by food retention, one must not first attack the food; rather, one must first disperse the cold pathogen, and only then proceed to resolve and guide the food.

Huoxiang Zhengqi San (Agastache Powder for Rectifying the Qi)
Indicated for pediatric internal injury from raw/cold foods and external contraction of wind-cold; suitable for use in both cases.
Ingredients: Huoxiang (Agastetis Herba), Nongpo (Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex), Baizhi (Angelicae Dahuricae Radix), Dafupi (Arecae Pericarpium), Zisu (Perillae Folium), Chenpi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium), Banxia (Pinelliae Rhizoma Praeparatum), Jiegeng (Platycodonis Radix), Gancao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma), Baizhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma), Baifuling (Poria).
These are coarsely powdered. Use one zhong of water and three slices of fresh ginger, decoct until six-tenths remain, and take warm.

Renshen Yangwei Tang (Ginseng Decoction for Nourishing the Stomach)
Ingredients: Renshen (Ginseng Radix), Banxia (Pinelliae Rhizoma Praeparatum), Chenpi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium), Fuling (Poria), Cangzhu (Atractylodis Rhizoma), Nongpo (Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex), Huoxiang (Agastetis Herba), Caoguo (Tsaoko Fructus).
Use one zhong of water, three slices of fresh ginger, and one jujube, decoct and take.

Sanhuang Zhizhu Wan (Three-Yellow Aurantium and Atractylodes Pill)
Indicated for injury caused by meat, damp wheat noodles, and strongly flavored spicy foods, leading to stuffiness, oppression, and discomfort.
Ingredients: Zhishi (Aurantii Fructus Immaturus, stir-baked with bran, 5 qian), Huanglian (Coptidis Rhizoma, remove roots, soak in wine and wash), Dahuang (Rhei Radix et Rhizoma, wrapped in wet paper and baked), Ju Pi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium), Baizhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma, each 1 liang above), Huangqin (Scutellariae Radix).
Grind into an extremely fine powder. Moisten with soup/gruel and form pills the size of mung beans. Take 50 pills per dose with plain boiled water, adjusting dosage according to the amount of food injured.

Badou Sanleng Wan (Croton and Curcuma Pill, also known as Muxiang Jianqi Wan)
Indicated for heart and abdominal fullness, oppression, and pain caused by injury from raw, cold, and hard foods.
Ingredients: Badoushuang (Crotonis Fructus Pulvis, 5 fen), Muxiang (Aucklandiae Radix, 2 qian), Shengma (Cimicifugae Rhizoma), Chaihu (Bupleuri Radix, each 3 qian above), Caodoukou (Cardamomi Fructus, wrapped in flour and baked, use kernel), Xiangfu (Cyperi Rhizoma, stir-fried, each 5 qian above), Shenqu (Massa Medicata Fermentata, stir-fried to yellow), Sanleng (Sparganii Rhizoma, peel and bake), Jing Sanleng (Curcumae Rhizoma, bake, each 1 liang above).
Grind into powder. Moisten with soup/gruel and form pills twice the size of mung beans. Take 10-20 pills per dose with warm plain boiled water, adjusting dosage according to the amount of food injured.

Baizhu Wan (Atractylodes Pill)
Indicated for injury caused by bean powder, damp wheat noodles, and greasy foods.
Ingredients: Baijian (Alumen, calcined, 3 fen), Huangqin (Scutellariae Radix, 2 qian), Ju Pi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium, 3 qian), Shenqu (Massa Medicata Fermentata, stir-fried to yellow), Banxia (Pinelliae Rhizoma Praeparatum, each 1 liang above), Zhishi (Aurantii Fructus Immaturus, stir-baked with bran to yellow, 1 liang 1 qian), Baizhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma, each 1 liang above).
Grind into an extremely fine powder. Moisten with soup/gruel and form pills twice the size of mung beans. Take 35 pills per dose with plain boiled water. For injuries from vegetarian foods, use Ganjiang Huangqin Tang (Dry Ginger and Scutellaria Decoction) to purge.

Caodoukou Wan (Cardamom Pill)
Indicated for cold-induced food stagnation in autumn and winter, causing pain in the epigastrium directly below the heart, and obstruction in the upper limbs, hypochondrium, pharynx, and diaphragm.
Ingredients: Chao Yan (Stir-fried salt, 5 fen), Gan Jiang Sheng (Dried Fresh Ginger), Qingpi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Viride), Ju Pi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium, each 2 qian above), Mai Ya Mian (Malt Flour, stir-fried to yellow), Sheng Huangqin (Scutellariae Radix, not used in winter; washed seven times in boiling water in summer), Shenqu (Massa Medicata Fermentata, stir-fried, each 5 qian above), Caodoukou (Cardamomi Fructus, wrapped in flour, baked, peel removed, use kernel), Baizhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma, each 1 liang above), Zhishi (Aurantii Fructus Immaturus, stir-baked with bran, 2 liang).
Grind into an extremely fine powder. Moisten with soup/gruel and form pills the size of mung beans. Take 50 pills per dose.