Library

Myrrh (Moyao), with a bitter and pungent taste, neutral qi, and non-toxic nature. It enters the Spleen and Kidney meridians. It reduces swelling and eliminates malignant sores, abscesses, and ulcerated putrefaction; it breaks blood stasis and relieves pain with miraculous efficacy, particularly effective for treating injuries from falls and blows. It is a medication suitable for both internal and external use, with external application being especially remarkable.

There are also counterfeit Myrrh, which are particularly difficult to distinguish. The method of identification is to throw it into water; if the color darkens immediately, it is genuine; otherwise, it is fake matter, useless for treatment, and better not used.

Omphalia Lapidescens (Leiwu), with a bitter and salty taste, cold qi, and slight toxicity. It enters the Spleen, Stomach, and Large Intestine meridians. It can resolve Stomach heat and possesses the power to kill parasites. Regardless of the type of parasite, it can expel them all. It benefits both men and women, not benefiting only men while harming women. It primarily treats epilepsy and manic running, and rapidly causes the expulsion of "ghost fetus" (miscarriage attributed to supernatural causes). In cases of strange abdominal diseases where no other medicine works, adding Omphalia Lapidescens often yields immediate results. Named "Lei Wan" (Thunder Pill), it signifies swiftness like thunder and rotation like a pill; it moves without staying, attacks solid accumulations, and removes stagnant pathogenic factors, truly a divine substance. However, due to its slight toxicity, it inevitably damages Stomach Qi. Once the disease is eliminated, it should be stopped; it must not be taken in excess. It is suitable for expelling pathogenic factors but unsuitable for depleting healthy Qi.

Someone asked: I have heard that Omphalia Lapidescens is good at treating strange diseases. Is this true? How can Omphalia Lapidescens treat strange diseases? When used with rationale, it appears miraculous; when used without cause, it appears clumsy. I deeply criticize people who seek to dazzle with novelty without rationale.

Someone asked: Can Omphalia Lapidescens expel pathogenic factors, and can it also expel ghosts? Since it can expel pathogenic factors, why could it not expel ghosts? However, expelling ghosts differs slightly from expelling pathogenic factors. Expelling pathogenic factors requires assisting with medicines that attack pathogens, whereas expelling ghosts must rely on tonifying healthy Qi as the sovereign agent; one cannot solely use attacking formulas.

Someone asked: How do one distinguish between pathogenic factors and ghosts? Answer: When chills and fever follow a regular pattern, these are pathogenic factors rather than ghostly influences. When chills and fever are irregular, these are ghostly influences rather than mere pathogenic factors. Nevertheless, one should not be rigid. There are cases in the world where ghosts possess individuals without chills or fever, and there are cases where chills and fever have not resolved while the ghostly influence departs first. Although it is said that expelling pathogenic factors uses attacking medicines and expelling ghosts uses tonifying medicines, if one takes tonifying healthy Qi as the main approach and assists with medicines that expel pathogenic factors and ghosts, then everywhere will be appropriate.

Someone asked: Omphalia Lapidescens has an extremely urgent nature. Is it possible to slightly process it to缓 (slow/relax) its effect? If Omphalia Lapidescens is processed, it becomes useless. Generally, medicines that expel pathogenic factors rely precisely on their swiftness; processing them would lose their nature, how could they exert their therapeutic function? If placed among a group of medicines, assisted by mild flavors, they will regulate each other and naturally achieve appropriateness. This is also a form of processing without actual processing.