Library

**Toxic Appendix: Floating Stone (Fushí)**
Grows among stones and earth.

**Stone Crab (Shixie):** Indicated for blindness (qingmang), turbidity on the eyelid margins and cornea (muyin fuyi), as well as carbuncle-related nebulae (dingyi) and lacquer dermatitis (qichuang). Grind it finely, process by water flotation (shuifei), and use in combination with other herbs; applying it to the eyes yields good results. (Recorded by Famous Physicians) [Origin] (*Tujing Bencao* states): It is produced in the South Sea, and currently, all prefectures near the coast in Lingnan produce it. Its texture is stone-like, yet its shape resembles a crab; some say it is an ordinary crab that, over many years, has had sea foam adhere to it and thus transformed into stone. It floats out whenever there is a high tide. Another type enters caves and undergoes similar transformation over time. (*Yanyi Bencao* says): The true stone crab looks exactly like a living crab today, with no other differences, except for the mud and coarse stones adhering to it. There is also Floating Stone (Fushí), which is neutral in nature and non-toxic, also produced at the seashore. Currently, leather craftsmen use it to grind off dirt from skin; nothing surpasses this stone. It can also treat strangury (linzheng), quench thirst, and kill poisons from wild beasts. Processed by water flotation, it is also effective in treating ocular nebulae, hence appended here. [Time] (Collection time): No fixed time. [Usage]: Those with complete form are preferred. [Quality]: Shape resembles a living crab. [Color]: Cyan-black. [Flavor]: Salty. [Nature]: Cold and soft. [Qi]: Qi is thin, flavor is strong, Yin in nature. [Odor]: Rotten. [Indication]: Dissolves abscesses and swelling, removes ocular nebulae. [Processing]: Remove mud and coarse stones, grind finely, and process by water flotation before use. [Treatment] (Therapy) (*Rizhenzi Bencao* says): Promotes labor, treats blood syncope (xueyun) and epidemic febrile diseases (tianxing reji); grind with warm water and take orally. (Floating Stone) Stops.

**Raw Gold is Toxic, Cooked Gold is Non-Toxic: Gold Dust (Jinxiè)**
Indicated to calm the spirit, strengthen the bone marrow, promote the free flow of the Five Viscera, and eliminate evil toxins and vapors. Taking it makes one a immortal. (Recorded by Famous Physicians) [Name] Raw Gold (*Baozang Lun* says): There are twenty types of gold: Hundan Jin (Cinnabar-Refined Gold), Shuizhong Jin (Gold from Water), Guazi Jin (Melon Seed Gold), Qingfu Jin (Green Bran Gold), Caosha Jin (Grass Sand Gold). The above five are True Gold and can be used medicinally; Xionghuang Jin (Male Yellow Gold), Cihuang Jin (Female Yellow Gold), Zengqing Jin (Malachite Gold), Liuhuang Jin (Sulfur Gold), Tuzhong Jin (Earth Middle Gold), Shengtie Jin (Raw Iron Gold), Shutie Jin (Cooked Iron Gold), Shengtong Jin (Raw Copper Gold), Toushi Jin (Stolen Stone Gold), Shazi Jin (Sand Particle Gold), Zhusha Jin (Cinnabar Gold), Baixi Jin (White Tin Gold), Tulusazi Jin (Earth Wheel Sand Particle Gold), Jinmusazi Jin (Gold Mother Sand Particle Gold), Heiqian Jin (Black Lead Gold). The above fifteen are False Gold and are not used medicinally. [Origin] (*Tujing Bencao* states): Although gold is produced in several places, the Liang, Yi, and Ning provinces produce the most. It grows in the sand at the bottom of water and is called Raw Gold. Nowadays, people collect it by washing on felt. Additionally, Suifu in Southern Qian and Jizhou also produce Bran Gold. *Lingbiao Luyi* states that in Qiaya County, Guangzhou, there is a Gold Pool, where locals often raise geese and ducks and frequently wash gold from their feces. *Shanhaijing* states that mountains produce the most gold, not just growing in water. Caizhou produces Melon Seed Gold, Yunnan produces nugget gold, both mined from mountain rocks. Gold from Raozhou, Xinzhou, Nanjianzhou, and Dengzhou is also abundant. Some resemble mountain rocks, others resemble rice or bean grains. These unrefined forms are all called Raw Gold and are unsuitable for medicinal use. Gold dust is rarely seen in ancient prescriptions, whereas Gold Leaf (Jinbo) is most convenient for medicinal use; formulas such as Hongxue (Red Snow) and Zixue (Purple Snow) all use Gold Juice (Jin Zhi), which is also processed by refinement. (*Yanyi Bencao* says): Gold dust is called "dust" rather than just "gold" because it has been ground into powder, resembling jade slurry. Raw gold cannot be used medicinally if not ground into dust. Nugget gold in mines can be up to a hundred or ten feet deep; if associated mineral stones are seen, gold can be determined. The stone is brownish, with one end looking blackened as if burnt; this type has deep red-yellow gold color. Bran gold is obtained by washing in river water and has a pale yellow color. These are all Raw Gold. If smelted and refined, Bran Gold has less loss, while Nugget Gold has more loss. For medicinal use, Nugget Gold should be used, presumably because its deeper gold color indicates sufficient Gold Qi. [Time] (Collection time): No fixed time. [Usage]: Those that have been refined are preferred. [Quality]: Resembles sand and is yellow. [Color]: Yellow. [Flavor]: Pungent. [Nature]: Neutral and dispersing. [Qi]: Thin Qi, Yang within Yin. [Odor]: Rotten. [Indication]: Expels evil, removes malice, calms the heart and anchors the soul. [Antagonism]: Fears Mercury (Shuiyin), dislikes Tin (Xi). [Processing]: Refine with fire to become Cooked Gold, grind into dust for use; or decoct to obtain juice; or make into Gold Leaf for pill use. [Treatment] (Therapy) (*Yaoxing Lun* says): Mainly treats pediatric shock injuring the Five Viscera, wind epilepsy with loss of will. (*Rizhenzi Bencao* says): Calms the heart, benefits the vessels and blood. (*Bencao Jing Jiuyi* says): Treats wind-heat rising qi, cough, lung damage from cold damage with hemoptysis, bone-steaming consumptive fever, extreme exhaustion, and thirst. [Tonification] (*Rizhenzi Bencao* says): Benefits the Five Viscera, adds essence and replenishes marrow. [Contraindication]: Ingestion without refining kills; excessive intake damages muscles. [Detoxification]: Poison from native gold can be resolved with Partridge meat.