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The *Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon* states: The pharynx (throat) is the pathway for food and drink. The larynx (windpipe) is where qi ascends and descends. It also states: When the Shaoyin Kidney meridian and Shaoyang Sanjiao meridian qi become knotted, it is called Hou Bi (throat obstruction). Chen Feixia said: The pharynx connects to the esophagus, primarily responsible for receiving food and drink, located posteriorly; the larynx connects to the lungs, primarily responsible for respiration, located anteriorly. Together, they are the vital hub of the entire body. If heat toxins accumulate in the chest, generating wind-phlegm that stagnates and fails to disperse, it manifests in the throat. Although there are many disease names, they are all essentially due to heat toxins. One must clear and resolve them quickly; otherwise, delay may lead to incurable conditions. For mild cases, Gan Jie Tang (Licorice and Platycodon Decoction) is used; for severe cases, Hua Du Tang (Toxin-Resolving Decoction) is used. If throat pain occurs due to smallpox, it is caused by toxic qi attacking upward, and a modified Gan Jie Tang should be used. If ulcers form in the throat and the infant refuses to nurse, use Hua Du Tang. If a child is choked by various bones, and the bone is large and difficult to swallow, sweep the throat with a goose feather to induce vomiting and expel the bone; if the bone is small, treat it with Hai Shang Fang (Sea Superior Formula).

Gan Jie Tang: Used for children suffering from Hou Bi (throat obstruction) due to accumulated heat in the diaphragm generating wind-phlegm.
Fen Gan Cao (Powdered Licorice Root) (2 qian), Ya Jie Geng (Tooth-like Platycodon Root) (1 qian). Decoct in clean water and swallow slowly.

Hua Du Tang: Used for critical and urgent throat conditions in children.
Ya Jie Geng (Platycodon Root) (1 qian), Bo He (Mint) (1 qian), Jing Jie Sui (Schizonepeta Spike) (1 qian), Zhi Gan Cao (Honey-fried Licorice Root) (1 qian), Mang Xiao (Mirabilite) (1 qian), Shan Dou Gen (Sophora Tonkinensis Root) (1 qian), Ma Ya Xiao (Marine Mirabilite) (1 qian), Peng Sha (Borax) (1 qian), Ming Xiong Huang (Realgar) (1 qian), Jing Mian Sha (Mirror Sand/Arsenic Trioxide) (1 qian).
Grind all into fine powder. Take 1 qian per dose, mixed with warm water. Additionally, blow this medicine into the throat.

Hai Shang Fang: Used for children choked by various bones.
Crush the root of Jin Feng Hua (Golden Phoenix Flower, *Canna indica*), decoct strongly with rice vinegar. Hold the mouthpiece of a spouted bottle containing the liquid, tilt the head back, inhale the medicine, and swallow. The bone will then descend. Ensure the medicine does not touch the teeth. Alternatively, the root of Yu Zan Hua (Daylily, *Hemerocallis citrina*) can be used,
decocted and swallowed as described above.

Tu Weisheng said: Throat pain, although often caused by wind-fire, predisposes those with Yin deficiency. Even if children have not damaged their Kidney Yin through other means, heat generated from food stagnation can scorch Yin, which is no different from damaging Yin. Therefore, for children who suffer from chronic or recurrent throat diseases, one must also attend to nourishing their Yin. In Yang Shi’s *Seventy-Two Throat Syndromes*, modifications of Liu Wei Di Huang Tang (Six-Ingredient Rehmannia Pill) are universally employed, precisely for this reason. However, when Yin deficiency reaches an extreme, causing deficient fire to flare upward resulting in swelling and pain, it is sometimes necessary to add a small amount of Gui (Cinnamon Twig) and Fu Zi (Aconite Root) as a counter-agent (reverse adjuvant). This immediately guides the fire back to its source, resolving swelling and stopping pain. This point must not be overlooked. But Gui and Fu Zi must be of superior quality to avoid errors; such usage applies only to one or two percent of cases.