Library

Strangulation (Self-hanging) When rescuing a person who has died from hanging, one must immediately press on the heart region. Do not cut the rope; instead, lift the body and slowly untie it. If warmth remains below the heart, have someone blow air into the victim's abdomen through mouth-to-mouth contact, ensuring no air escapes. Then, have two people blow air into both ears for about half a day until the victim belches (Yi). Once belching occurs, stop blowing.

Heatstroke (Zhong Re) Apply hot earth from the roadside to pile over the heart area. Replace with fresh hot earth as soon as it cools down, continuing until respiration is restored. Do not give water under any circumstances; exposure to cold will cause death. This is also discussed in the "Summerheat" chapter.

Drowning Spread kiln ash on the ground to a thickness of approximately half a foot. Place the drowning victim prone on a steamer basket or wooden stool so that the head hangs slightly downward. Take two square-inch spoons of fried salt, place them in a bamboo tube, and blow the salt powder into the nostrils. Water should be vomited out. After the water is expelled, remove the steamer basket and wrap the victim in warm ash to expel cold from the nose and mouth, which can restore life. If the ash becomes damp, replace it with warm ash. Another method: bury the victim directly in warm ash, covering both head and feet, leaving only the seven orifices exposed. Yet another method: flex the victim's legs onto the shoulders of a living person, stand back-to-back, and carry the victim while walking briskly; life is restored once water is vomited. In winter cases of drowning due to freezing, place a bag of warm ash thinly over the heart area, replacing it when it cools. When warmth returns to the heart, eyes move, and mouth opens, administer warm drinks for small swallows. If the heart is not warmed first and fire is applied directly, the conflict between cold and heat will cause death.

Freezing Death Have someone lie close to the victim using their own warm body, cover with warm blankets, and do not use open fire, as direct heating can cause death. For sudden cold invasion causing limb coldness and reversal (Si Ni), treat with Sini Decoction (Four Reversal Decoction) or Lizhong Decoction (Regulate the Middle Decoction).

Burns For burn injuries, strictly avoid washing with cold water, as cold causes fire-toxin to penetrate deeper into the bones. Immediately after injury, apply moxibustion near the fire source. Endure the severe pain; it will subside shortly. For burns causing unconsciousness, drink hot urine while still warm; mixing with honey is also beneficial. If the jaw is clenched, pry it open to administer. Subsequently, decoct Zhi Zi (Gardenia Fruit), Bai Ji (Bletilla Rhizome), and Huang Qin (Scutellaria Root), each 5 liang, in 5 sheng of water and 1 he of oil. Strain and apply lukewarm liquid to soak the wound to dispel fire-toxin and relax the tissue. Alternatively, soak the wound in wine immediately to stop pain instantly; pure wine is also effective. For all burns and scalds, burn Bi Jia (Tartar Testudinis, Turtle Shell) to ash, grind finely, sieve, and mix with sesame oil for topical application to relieve pain. Alternatively, take one mouse drowned in water, fry it in pig fat rendered in the twelfth lunar month until fully dissolved, and apply topically. Reapply if dry; this is equivalent to oil-soaked mice. Or, finely chop Bai Pi (Phellodendron Bark), fry in pig fat for four or five boils until color changes, strain, and apply. For established ulcers, sprinkle Yang Mei Pi (Myrobalan Peel) powder to heal. For continuous crying day and night due to scalds, grind Song Zhi (Pine Resin) finely, melt with beeswax, add pig fat and sheep fat, and apply.

Metal Weapon Wounds (Jin Chuang) For arrowheads embedded in flesh, prepare a powder from Bai Lian (Ampelopsis Radix) and Sheng Ban Xia (Raw Pinellia Tuber). Administer one square-inch spoonful with wine, three times daily. Superficial wounds heal in ten days; deep wounds in twenty days. Topically, apply freshly crushed Qiang Lang (Dung Beetle) to the affected area. If unavailable, crush Gua Lou (Trichosanthes Fruit) and apply to the arrowhead to extract it. If extraction fails, apply crushed rat liver. For poisoning by She Wang arrows causing coma, swelling, and pain, take Lan Zi (Isatis Leaf/Powder) 5 he, Sheng Ma (Cimicifuga Rhizome), Wang Bu Liu Xing (Vaccaria Seed), and Gan Cao (Licorice Root), each 3 liang, grind into powder. Take three square-inch spoonfuls with water, three times during the day and twice at night. Also, mix powder with water and apply to the wound, changing when dry. For needles broken off in flesh, crush Xi Tie Shi (Magnetite) into fine powder and apply thickly to the site to extract the needle. Alternatively, scrape Ya Xu (Ivory Dust) into fine powder, mix with water, and apply to the broken needle to extract it.

Lacquer Dermatitis (Qi Chuang) Crush Liu Ye (Willow Leaves), boil to make a decoction, adjust to a suitable temperature, and wash the affected area.

Snake and Insect Bites If a snake enters the mouth and seven orifices while sleeping in cool air, cut pig tail blood, collect it in a vessel, and drip it near the snake's mouth to induce expulsion. If suddenly wrapped by a snake and unable to loosen, pour hot water over it. If hot water is unavailable in an emergency, pour human urine over it. For snake or scorpion stings causing pain, crush Xiao Suan (Small Allium/Garlic Chive) to extract juice, ingest it, and apply the dregs thinly to the wound. Another method: apply Xiong Huang (Realgar) powder topically, changing once daily. Another method: crush fresh Dou Ye (Bean Leaves), extract juice for ingestion, and apply dregs topically for good effect. To repel snakes in mountains, mix Gan Jiang (Dried Ginger), She Xiang (Musk), and Xiong Huang (Realgar) into powder, store in a small red sachet, and wear it. For snake bites, mix with honey and apply to the wound. Burning sheep horns to produce smoke repels tigers, wild wolves, etc. If sheep horns are unavailable, water buffalo horns can be burned. For urine from Qu Sou (Earwig) causing skin eruptions with white pus like millet grains, rub Xi Jiao (Rhinoceros Horn) with water and apply. Alternatively, burn Yang Xu (Sheep Whiskers) to ash, mix with pig fat from the twelfth lunar month, and seal the wound. Or, mix Su (Butter) and Hu Fen (Lead White) for application.

Dog Bites If bitten by a dog, symptoms may manifest every seven days. If no symptoms appear within twenty-one days (three sevens) and there is no barking sound in the abdomen, there is no danger. One must wait one hundred days to be safe. Lifelong abstinence from dog meat and silkworm pupae is required, as consumption triggers recurrence. During healing, avoid raw fish, fatty/cold foods, and alcohol. Strict adherence for one year is ideal. Treatment: First, wash away evil blood and debris with hot child's urine. Untangle any hair caught in the wound; pluck out any red fibers. Ingest Fa Hui (Hair Ash) and Pi Hui (Skin Ash) mixed with water. Drink 1 sheng of Jiu Zhi (Chinese Chive Juice), three times daily, until healed. Topically, roast Xing Ren (Apricot Kernel) until black, grind into paste, and apply.