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*Shennong Bencao Jing* (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica) refers to it as "Shufu" (Crab Louse), which are insects born from dampness.
Acid and salty in flavor, neutral in nature, non-toxic.

[Invention] In *Jingui Yaolue* (Essential Prescriptions of the Golden Cabinet), it is used in Biejia Jian Wan (Turtle Shell Pill for Reducing Masses) to treat chronic malaria, because it governs alternating chills and fever and removes blood stasis and accumulations. Ancient formulas often used it for treating fright epilepsy and blood diseases; it is a drug entering the Jueyin (Liver) blood level. In *Qianjin Fang* (Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold), to treat postpartum urinary incontinence, seven Shufu are roasted, ground into powder, and taken with warm wine. For inverted acne lesions (where pustules fail to erupt or retract), powdered Shufu taken with wine in a dose of one "zi" (a small unit of measurement) causes them to rise; it also detoxifies Radix Belamcandae (Shegan) and spider venom.

*Shennong Bencao Jing* refers to it as "Dibie" (Ground Beetle).
Salty in flavor, cold in nature, toxic. It may be used after removing its legs and stir-frying, or killed by drowning in wine, then legs removed and pounded into juice.
*Shennong Bencao Jing* states it treats chilling sensations in the heart and abdomen, blood accumulations, and zheng jia (masses), breaking hardness and promoting the passage of obstructed menstruation/blood.

[Invention] The Dibie burrows in soil and excels at penetrating crevices; it survives injury, similar to the pangolin (Lingli). Thus, it can treat traumatic injuries and dissipate accumulated blood in the Yangming channel. The chilling sensations in the heart and abdomen mentioned in *Shennong Bencao Jing* are also caused by blood accumulation. In *Jingui Yaolue*, Dahuang Zhechong Wan (Rhubarb and Ground Beetle Pill for Removing Stagnation) uses Leech (Shuizhi) and Dibie to break hard masses and descend accumulated blood. It should not be used when there is no solid accumulation. For severe trauma from falls, dried and powdered Dibie taken with wine in a dose of two qian effectively promotes bone healing.

This is Feimeng (Horsefly).
Bitter in flavor, slightly cold in nature, toxic. These are flies that feed on cattle blood, used after removing wings and legs and stir-frying.
*Shennong Bencao Jing* states it expels blood stasis, breaks hard痞 masses (pi), zheng jia (masses), and associated chills/fever, and unblocks the blood vessels and nine orifices.

[Invention] Meng feeds on blood to treat blood disorders, utilizing its nature for therapeutic application; it is a drug entering the Liver channel blood level. The treatment of zheng jia-induced chills and fever in *Shennong Bencao Jing* occurs because the mass itself generates chills and fever, similar to how Dung Beetle (Qiangling) treats abdominal distension-induced chills and fever. Although Leech and Meng are used together in Zhang Zhongjing's Didang Tang and Didang Wan, their pure yin natures differ significantly. For amenorrhea, taking Siwu Tang (Four Substances Decoction) with added Feimeng as pills is very effective, as it breaks blood stasis without damaging healthy blood. Bitter flavors enter the blood; for blood结 (knotting/stagnation) that does not flow, bitter flavors attack it. Although its action is slow, it can induce abortion.

Toad skin is pungent, cool, and slightly toxic; toad meat is sweet, neutral, and non-toxic. After capture, dry in wind, seal with mud, and calcine to preserve properties. Those with red eyes and red mouths are toxic. A variety that is green and lives in marshes is called Frog (Wa), which is different.

[Invention] Toad is the essence of earth; creatures skilled in burrowing rely on it. The large ones with bumpy backs are toads. Earth has heavy properties and moves extremely slowly; since earth generates all things, it can also transform/detoxify all things. Therefore, it is used to kill ganji (childhood malnutrition/accumulation), treat shulou (scrofula), yinshi (genital ulceration), ju (carbuncles), and li (leprosy); ash applied externally is effective for malignant sores. Tao Hongjing treated severe febrile diseases causing profound fatigue by using toad intestines; pounding one or two fresh toads and drinking the juice ensures recovery. For dog bites, first pull out three or four bloody hairs from the crown of the head, then consume raw juice of one or two toads; if foam appears in urine, the toxin is resolved. For treating tetanus (broken wind disease), use two toads, slice raw into paste, add one liang of Sichuan peppercorn, stir-fry with wine, add two zhan of wine, and drink hot; profuse sweating ensues, leading to cure. For early-stage back carbuncles (Fabei), fix a live toad on the swelling for half a day until it becomes lethargic, then place it in water to save it. Replace with another toad; if it staggers, replace again; when the toad remains normal, the toxin has dispersed. Its Jinchan Wan (Golden Toad Pill) treats abdominal swelling and fullness, and pediatric ganlao (chronic wasting syndrome) characterized by a distended abdomen and thin legs. The formula uses one large toad, fills its abdomen with Amomum villosum (Sharen), seals with salt mud, calcines to preserve properties, and takes one or two qian mixed with brown sugar. Recovery occurs upon passing green/yellow stagnant feces. If incomplete, repeat after two to three days until abdominal reduction and heat elimination. If stool passes only in drops without force, this indicates exhaustion of primordial qi and is incurable.