童便(二九七)味咸,气寒,沉也,阴也。咸走血,故善清诸血妄行,止呕血咳血衄血,血闷热
狂,退阴火,定喘促,降痰滞,解烦热,利大小两便,疗阳暑中 声喑,扑损瘀血晕绝,难产胎衣
不下,及蛇犬诸虫毒伤。若假热便溏,胃虚作呕者,俱不可妄用。
紫河车(二九八)一名混沌衣。味甘咸,性温。能补男妇一切精血虚损,尤治癫痫失志,精神
短少,怔忡惊悸,肌肉羸瘦等证,此旧说也。但此物古人用少,而始于陈氏《本草》,自后丹溪复
称其功,遂为时用。予于初年,亦惑于以人补人之说,尝制用之,及用之再三,则无所奇效。且制
用之法,若生捣之,则补不宜生,若炖熟烘熟,则亦犹肉 之类耳。又尝见有以酒煮而食之者,后
必破腹泄泻,总亦因其性滑也。近复有以纯酒煮膏,去 收贮,而日服其膏者,较前诸法似为更善。
然其既离毛里,已绝生气,既无奇效,又胡忍食之,以残厥子之先天。东方朔曰∶铜山西崩,洛钟
东应。此母子自然之理,不可不信,故并述此以劝人少用可也。
血余(二九九)味微苦,性温气盛,升也,阴中阳也。在古药性不过谓其治咳嗽,消瘀血,止
五淋、赤白痢疾,疗大小便不通,及小儿惊痫,治哽噎、痈疽疔肿,烧灰吹鼻,可止衄血等证。然
究其性味之理,则自阴而生,自下而长,血盛则发盛,最得阴阳之生气。以火炮制,其色甚黑,大
能壮肾,其气甚雄,大能补肺。此其阴中有阳,静中有动,在阴可以培形体,壮筋骨,托痈痘;在
阳可以益神志,辟寒邪,温气海,是诚精气中最要之药,较之河车、鹿角胶阴凝重着之辈,相去远
矣。凡补药中,自人参、熟地之外,首当以此为亚。
人中白(三百) 味咸,
性微凉。能降火清痰,消瘀血,止吐血衄血,退劳热,清肺痈肺痿,心膈烦热。烧研为末,大治诸湿溃烂,下疳恶疮,
口齿疳蚀,虫 肿痛,汤火诸疮,及诸窍出血,生肌长肉,善解热毒。或生用为末亦可。
Human urine (297) has a salty taste and a cold nature; it is heavy and sinking, belonging to Yin. Saltiness enters the blood level, thus it is effective in clearing various types of hemorrhage due to reckless blood movement, such as hematemesis, hemoptysis, and epistaxis; it treats mania caused by blood heat, subdues deficient fire, calms panting and shortness of breath, reduces phlegm stagnation, relieves irritability and heat, promotes urination and defecation, treats aphonia due to summerheat-yang, syncope due to traumatic blood stasis, difficult labor with retained placenta, and injuries from venomous snakes, dogs, and other insects. However, if there are false-heat symptoms accompanied by loose stools, or vomiting due to deficiency of stomach Qi, it must not be used recklessly.
Placenta humana (298), also known as Hundun Yi (Garment of Chaos), has a sweet and salty taste and a warm nature. It can tonify essence and blood deficiency in both men and women, especially treating epilepsy, loss of willpower, scanty spirit, palpitations, anxiety, and emaciation, according to old theories. However, ancients rarely used this substance; its use began in Chen’s *Bencao* (Materia Medica). Later, Zhu Danxi again praised its efficacy, making it popular at that time. In my early years, I was also misled by the theory of "using humans to supplement humans" and once prepared and used it. After repeated use, I found no miraculous effects. Regarding preparation methods: if crushed raw, tonification should not be done with raw material; if stewed or dried cooked, it is merely like eating meat. I have also seen people boil it in wine and eat it, which inevitably leads to abdominal rupture and diarrhea later, primarily because of its slippery nature. Recently, some boil it purely in wine to make a paste, remove impurities, store it, and take the paste daily, which seems better than previous methods. Nevertheless, since it has left the body and lost vital energy, and having no miraculous effects, how can one bear to consume it, thereby damaging the congenital essence of the fetus? Dongfang Shuo said, "When the copper mountain collapses in the west, the bell in Luoyang responds in the east." This is the natural principle between mother and child, which cannot be ignored. Therefore, I state these views to advise people to use it sparingly.
Hair waste (299) has a slightly bitter taste and a warm nature with vigorous Qi; it ascends and belongs to Yang within Yin. In ancient materia medica, it was only said to treat cough, resolve blood stasis, stop five types of strangury, red and white dysentery, difficulty in urination and defecation, pediatric convulsions, dysphagia, carbuncles, sores, and boils; when burned to ash and blown into the nose, it can stop epistaxis. However, investigating its nature and taste principles, it naturally grows from Yin and from below; abundant blood leads to lush hair, obtaining the vital energy of Yin and Yang. When processed by fire roasting, its color becomes very black, strongly strengthening the Kidney, and its Qi is vigorous, strongly tonifying the Lung. This demonstrates Yang within Yin and movement within stillness; in the Yin aspect, it can nourish the form, strengthen sinews and bones, and expel pus from sores and smallpox; in the Yang aspect, it can benefit the spirit, dispel cold pathogens, and warm the Qi Sea. It is truly one of the most essential medicines for essence and Qi. Compared to Placenta humana and Deer horn gelatin, which are heavy and turbid in Yin, it differs greatly. Among all tonifying herbs, apart from Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Renshen) and Prepared Rehmanniae Radix (Shudihuang), this should be considered the next best choice.
Nacreum (300) has a salty taste and a slightly cool nature. It can descend fire, clear phlegm, resolve blood stasis, stop hematemesis and epistaxis, relieve consumption fever, clear lung abscess and flaccidity, and clear irritability and heat in the heart and diaphragm. When burned and ground into powder, it effectively treats various damp-related ulcers, chancres, severe sores, oral and dental gangrene, insect-bite swelling and pain, burns, scalds, and other sores, as well as bleeding from various orifices; it generates flesh and tissue, and is good at resolving heat toxins. Using it raw and grinding it into powder is also acceptable.