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[General Discussion] Leprosy (Mafen) is mostly caused by contagion. Sometimes it results from temporarily contracting the abnormal qi of heaven and earth. Therefore, even virgins who live in seclusion can contract this disease. However, one must verify that it is indeed this disease before using these medicines for treatment. Or it may be caused by wind-heat, presenting with cloud-like rashes all over the body, which are similar but not identical. If treated with incorrect medication, it may instead accelerate the progression into true leprosy. The method of verification: At the onset, there will inevitably be one or two spots on the whole body, some the size of a lotus seed, some like an olive, some like an egg. These spots may appear on the trunk or on the limbs and hands/feet; their color may be red, cyanotic, slightly white, or the same as healthy skin; they are painless and itchless, feeling numb and dull. As months pass, the spots gradually enlarge. Alternatively, there may be a sensation of insects or ants crawling under the skin, or pain like bee stings, or stabbing pain in the sinews and bones, or numbness behind the knees, or paralysis of a single toe on the great or little foot. Wherever there is numbness, if pricking it with a finger does not cause pain, it is a sign of leprosy. If any of the above symptoms are present, it is called true leprosy. Individuals differ in the density and thinness of their qi and blood, and the depth of wind-damp contraction varies, so treatments also vary in intensity. Patients eager for quick results often use harsh purgatives such as Crotonis Semen (Badou), Pharbitidis Semen (Qianniu), and Mylabris (Bmao) to induce diarrhea, or use drugs like Semendendrobii Macrophylli (Dafengzi) and Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata (Chuanwu) to induce sweating/rash eruption. Secondly, they use drugs like Calomelas (Qingfen), Moschus (She), and Borneolum Syntheticum (Nao) to astringe toxins. These methods may yield immediate effects. However, relapses occur quickly, and symptoms become more severe. This is because purging and diaphoresis both deplete qi and blood, so initially the condition seems reduced and redness fades to slight whiteness. Astringents trap toxic gases within the zang-fu organs, causing swelling and redness to recede, but accumulated fire-toxin erupts later with greater ferocity. Many physicians abandon these three methods [Note: Context implies physicians rely on these aggressive methods or lack better ones], unable to achieve rapid effects. Thus, few patients with this disease can be cured. Sun Simiao was an immortal in medicine. He often said that in his life, eight or nine out of ten cases of this disease relapsed because patients did not observe dietary and behavioral restrictions. However, if one is truly cautious, gradual improvement is possible. Why does the disease persist? Generally, when a person contracts this illness, parents, wife, children, and friends despise its filth and cut off relations. Such a person is abandoned by heaven and earth; living is worse than dying. In this situation, if the patient can sever desires, observe fasting and precepts, keep taboos, and trust the physician, how could the disease not heal? Ancients called this disease "Heaven's Punishment." Patients may have contracted it due to impropriety in youth or without obvious cause, implying a fixed destiny. Since one is considered abandoned in this life, one should accept fate and repent for past sins. I often see people in recent times who, knowing their wives despise them, cannot let go, and even engage in lust with others, spreading contagion through saliva and snot, committing various filthy and self-degrading acts. Servants do not know that this disease is highly contagious; harming others in this way invites heavenly wrath. It is not only that medical treatment fails, but sins increase. However, this applies not only to this disease. For those with established deficiency consumptive diseases, forgetting the physical form and resting quietly can ensure longevity. For chronic stubborn diseases incurable by medicine, calming the mind, repenting, and doing good deeds often leads to receiving immortal prescriptions. Not only are there numerous books recording this, but witnessed cases are also plentiful.

[Treatment of Major Leprosy] Rhubarbi Radix et Rhizoma (Dahuang) (roasted), Gleditsiae Sinensis Spina (Zaoyaoci) (each 1 liang). Grind into powder. Take 3 qian each time, with warm wine on an empty stomach. Expel foul matter resembling fish brain. If not fully expelled, take again. The expelled worms resemble tangled hair. Stop the medicine once the worms are cleared.

[Leprosy with Loss of Eyebrows and Hair] Pine Resin (Songxiang) (amount unspecified). Melt and remove dregs. Use clean river water in a pot to boil the resin, stirring constantly until the water looks like rice washings and tastes extremely bitter. Pour into cold water. Pull and stretch the resin while hot. Once cooled and hardened, change to fresh water and repeat boiling and pulling dozens of times until the resin becomes loose, white, and pure, and the boiled water no longer tastes bitter. Boil once more with green onion juice, dry in shade, and grind into an ultra-fine powder. Each dose is 2 jin. Mix an appropriate amount of white porridge with the powder daily and eat. Do not chew excessively. Take several times a day. Do not eat dry rice; only consume small amounts of dried vegetables or bamboo shoots. Avoid all oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, meat, fish, alcohol, and fruits. If thirsty, drink only plain boiled water. Take a few qian daily, increasing gradually, not too rapidly. After taking, toxic matter will be excreted in stool. Completing one course cures the disease naturally. Can also be made into honey pills. After recovery, take qi-tonifying agents.

Purple-backed Duckweed (Zibei Fuping) cleaned and spread on a bamboo basket, dried under water-reflected sunlight, then ground into powder. Form pills the size of bean seeds with honey. Take 3 qian with black soybean decoction. After expelling worms from the abdomen, taking this greatly removes wind-toxin from the whole body. (Generally, duckweed treats severe wind-paralysis and malignant diseases effectively; after taking 100 pills, no case is ineffective. For symptoms similar to leprosy, it works immediately.)

One raw Pangolin Scales (Chuanshanjia), place 3 jin of Raw Lacquer (Shengqi) inside its belly and coat the outside. Seal firmly with salt mud. Roast over charcoal fire until charred but retaining nature (cun xing), then grind into powder. Take 3 qian each time, with plain water. (Lacquer kills parasites effectively; pangolin scales penetrate directly to the root of the disease. This is highly effective for loss of eyebrows and hair. If a person fears lacquer and develops lacquer dermatitis after taking it despite curing the worms, drink iron slurry water or Rhus javanica juice to detoxify.) A monk suffered from major leprosy with total loss of eyebrows and hair, suffering bitterly. He suddenly received an immortal prescription teaching him to take Changsong. (Grows under ancient pines in valleys; leaves resemble pine needles, roots resemble ginseng, 3-5 cun long, slightly bitter taste, pleasant fragrance. Eat the roots. Even for those with rotting flesh, taking it for half a month restores hair growth. This is a divine prescription.) Take 1 liang of Changsong each time, add a little Licorice Root (Gancao), decoct in water and drink. Taking it when healthy greatly benefits longevity.

[Green Cloud Powder] Treats lung-toxic wind sores resembling major leprosy. Good Mulberry Leaves (Sangye) (washed and steamed). Dry overnight in the sun, grind into powder. Mix with water, take 2 qian.

[Fangfeng Tianma Pill] Treats wind-leprosy and leonine facies, with miraculous effect. This formula should be an immortal transmission. Often treats several people in a year. Vomiting upon initial intake is normal; do not doubt or discard. Long-term use leads to self-healing. Saposhnikoviae Radix (Fangfeng) (remove radicle), Gastrodiae Rhizoma (Tianma), Cimicifugae Rhizoma (Shengma), Bryoniae Radix Praeparata (Baifuzi - Note: Text says Baifuzi炮, usually Pinelliae/Typhonii but listed here with Shengma/Fangfeng context, likely Typhonii Rhizoma Praeparatum), Dingfeng Cao (Stem of Aconitum carmichaelii), Asari Radix (Xixin) (remove sprouts), Ligusticum Chuanxiong Rhizoma (Chuanxiong), Panax Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Renshen), Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix (Danshen), Sophorae Flavescentis Radix (Kushen), Scrophulariae Radix (Xuanshen), Codonopsis Pilosula Radix (Zishen - Note: Zishen usually refers to Perilla leaf, but in formula contexts often Codonopsis or distinct herb, keeping literal), Viticis Fructus (Manjingzi), Spirit Plant Root (Weilingxian), Pangolin Scales (Chuanshanjia) (stir-fried), Polygoni Multiflori Preparata Radix (Heshouwu) (separately pounded, each 2 liang), Wugong (two pieces). Grind all into fine powder, mix evenly with Heshouwu powder. Add 1 jin of Sesame Seeds (Zhima) (washed, dried, roasted fragrant, finely ground). Mix 2 liang of the previous powder with sesame powder. Make into 10 pills with refined honey. Take anytime, 3 pills daily. Chew thoroughly and swallow with plain water. Avoid sexual exertion. Must eat bland white porridge for four to five months.

[Baihua She Gao] Treats various wind-leprosy and leonine facies, with sores all over the body. White-scaled Snake Meat (Baihuashe Rou) (4 liang, soaked in wine), Gastrodiae Rhizoma (Tianma) (7 qian), Schizonepetae Spica (Jingjie), Menthae Haplocalycis Herba (Bohe) (each 3 qian). All ground into powder. Use 2 jin of good wine and 4 liang of honey. Boil in a porcelain vessel into a paste. Take one wine cup warm each time, three times daily. Take regardless of meals. Sweating in a warm environment indicates efficacy.