咸温无毒。苗人以麋竹通节削锋利，活刺心血收干者良，宰取者不堪用。
发明 山羊产滇蜀诸山中，性善走逐好斗，肉能疗冷劳，山岚疟痢，妇人赤白带下。其
心血《纲目》失载。性温味咸，为和伤散血之神药。其治跌扑损伤，单用酒服，取醉，醉醒
其骨自续，每用不过分许，不可多服，虽不伤耗元气，而力能走散阴血。然必初患便服得效
最速。若过三五日血凝气滞无济于治矣。但举世用者绝罕，间有收取，而市者其价重于牛黄
，且心血绝不易得。渗血丹用之，真虚劳失血之续命丹也。
甘温无毒。形如茄子，色如玛瑙者良，紫润圆短者为上，毛瘦枯绉尖长生岐者为
下。酥炙酒炙各随本方，但不可过焦，有伤气血之性，炙后去顶骨用茸。
《本经》主漏下恶血，寒热惊痫，益气强志，生齿不老。
发明 鹿是山兽属阳，性淫而游山。夏至得阴气而解角，从阳退之象。麋是泽兽属阴，
性淫而游泽，冬至得阳气而解角，从阴退之象。鹿茸功用专主伤中劳绝腰痛，羸瘦，取其补
火助阳、生精益髓、强筋健骨、固精摄便。下元虚人头旋眼黑，皆宜用之。《本经》治漏下
恶血，是阳虚不能统阴，即寒热惊痫，皆肝肾精血不足所致也。角乃督脉所发，督为肾脏外
垣，外垣既固肾气，内充命门相火，不致妄动，气血精津得以凝聚，扶阳固阴非他草木可比
，八味丸中加鹿茸、五味子，名十补丸，为峻补命门真元之专药。传尸痨瘵，脊中生虫，习
习痒痛，淅淅作声者，同生犀、鳖甲入六味丸中，其杀虫之力与天灵盖同功。近世鹿茸与麋
茸罕能辨别。大抵其质粗壮而脑骨坚浓，其毛苍黧而杂。白毛者为麋茸，其形差瘦而脑骨差
薄。其毛黄泽而无白毛者为鹿茸，鹿茸补督脉之真阳，麋茸补督脉阴中之阳，不可不辩。
[Goat Blood]
Salty in taste, warm in nature, non-toxic. The Miao people use the joints of Mi bamboo (Elaphurus davidianus bamboo), sharpened to a point, to pierce the heart and collect fresh blood for drying; this method yields the best quality. Blood obtained from slaughtered goats is unsuitable for use.
[Invention/Commentary]
Goats are produced in the mountains of Yunnan and Sichuan. Their nature is fond of running, chasing, and fighting. Their meat can treat cold lao (consumption due to cold pathogen), mountain malaria and dysentery, as well as leukorrhea (red and white discharge) in women. Its heart blood was omitted in *Bencao Gangmu* (Compendium of Materia Medica). Goat blood is warm in nature and salty in taste, serving as a divine medicine for harmonizing injuries and dispersing blood stasis. It treats traumatic injuries; when used alone taken with wine to induce intoxication, the bones will knit themselves together upon waking. The dosage should not exceed one fen (approx. 3-5 grams); excessive consumption is prohibited. Although it does not damage the primordial qi, its force can disperse yin blood. However, it must be taken immediately after the injury occurs for the fastest effect. If taken after three or five days, when blood has coagulated and qi is stagnant, it will be of no help. Nevertheless, its use is extremely rare in the world. Even if collected, its market price is heavier than that of Niuhuang (Calculus Bovis, Bezoar), and heart blood is extremely difficult to obtain. When used in Shenxue Dan (Blood Seeping Pill), it truly serves as a life-extending pill for deficiency-lao with blood loss.
[Deer Antler Velvet]
Sweet in taste, warm in nature, non-toxic. Those shaped like eggplants and colored like agate are good; those that are purple, moist, round, and short are superior; those with sparse, dry, wrinkled fur, pointed, long, and branched are inferior. Processing with butter or wine should follow the specific prescription, but care must be taken not to over-roast, which would damage its property of nourishing qi and blood. After processing, remove the hard bone at the tip and use only the velvet.
*Shennong Bencao Jing* states that it treats abnormal uterine bleeding with dark blood, alternating chills and fever with convulsions and epilepsy, benefits qi, strengthens willpower, promotes tooth growth, and prevents aging.
[Invention/Commentary]
The deer is a mountain beast belonging to yang; its nature is lustful and it roams the mountains. At the Summer Solstice, it receives yin energy and sheds its antlers, representing the retreat of yang. The elk is a marsh beast belonging to yin; its nature is lustful and it roams the marshes. At the Winter Solstice, it receives yang energy and sheds its antlers, representing the retreat of yin. The function of Deer Antler Velvet mainly focuses on treating lower back pain and emaciation caused by internal injury and exhaustion. It is used to supplement fire and assist yang, generate essence and marrow, strengthen sinews and bones, secure essence, and control urination. For deficiency of the lower origin causing dizziness and blurred vision, it is suitable. *Shennong Bencao Jing* mentions treating abnormal uterine bleeding with dark blood because yang deficiency fails to control yin; similarly, alternating chills and fever with convulsions and epilepsy are all caused by insufficiency of liver and kidney essence and blood. The antler originates from the Du Meridian (Governing Vessel). The Du Meridian is the outer wall of the Kidney. Once the outer wall is solid, the kidney qi internally fills the Mingmen Fire (Gate of Vitality), preventing it from moving recklessly. Qi, blood, essence, and body fluids can then condense. The ability to support yang and consolidate yin cannot be compared to other herbs. Adding Deer Antler Velvet and Wuweizi (Schisandra Fruit) to Bawei Wan (Eight-Ingredient Pill) creates Shibu Wan (Ten-Supplement Pill), a specialized medicine for vigorously tonifying the true yuan of the Mingmen. For Chuan Shi Lao Zhai (transmitted corpse tuberculosis/laziness disease), where worms grow in the spine causing itching, pain, and rustling sounds, using it with raw Xijiao (Rhinoceros Horn - note: substitute with legal alternatives in modern practice) and Biejia (Tartaric Testudinis Carapax) added to Liuwei Wan (Six-Ingredient Pill) yields insect-killing power equivalent to Tianlinggai (Human Skull). In recent times, it is rare to distinguish between Deer Antler Velvet and Elk Antler Velvet. Generally, if the texture is thick and coarse with a solid and dense cranial bone, and the hair is dark gray/black mixed with white hairs, it is Elk Antler Velvet; its shape is thinner and the cranial bone is thinner. If the shape is slender, the cranial bone is thin, the hair is yellowish-bright without white hairs, it is Deer Antler Velvet. Deer Antler Velvet supplements the true yang of the Du Meridian, while Elk Antler Velvet supplements the yang within yin of the Du Meridian; this distinction must not be overlooked.