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(Turtle and Soft-shelled Turtle) Eliminate blood heat, blood stasis, and transform coagulated blood into fluid for excretion.
Crab (primarily enters the Stomach and Liver meridians). Its nature is extremely Yin and Cold. Therefore, the pros and cons described in medical texts often cause alarm. For instance, consuming crab together with persimmons can lead to diarrhea and induce *Jia* masses (abdominal lumps). If consumed by pregnant women, it may cause immediate miscarriage, with the crab claws being particularly harmful. Burning crab smoke can attract rats to the courtyard. (Tao Hongjing stated: After feeding crabs black dog's blood for three days and then burning them, all rats will arrive.) Burning it together with Cinnabar (Yin Zhu) can kill bedbugs instantly. When near lacquer trees, crab can transform lacquer into water. For damaged or fractured tendons and bones, crushing the crab, lightly stir-frying it, and applying it to the wound can reconnect the tendons. Other conditions such as heat accumulation in the chest, facial swelling, jaundice due to retained blood, breast abscesses with hardness and swelling in women, and open fontanelles in infants—all caused by heat accumulation and stagnation—respond immediately to its use. Its efficacy in transforming blood into fluid, dispelling heat, and resolving stasis is unparalleled! This is primarily because its nature is salty and cold; it has an external shell and internal meat, appearing green when raw and red when cooked, symbolizing Yang enveloping Yin, with pure Yin Qi distributed throughout, thus making its effects swift and potent. However, if blood stasis is due to Cold, or if there is abdominal pain with a preference for warmth and aversion to cold, it must be strictly avoided. Pickled crab should be prepared with garlic to prevent irritation. For those poisoned by crab, crushed lotus root nodes mixed with hot wine should be taken orally. (Chen Cangqi noted: This substance easily triggers Wind; patients with Wind diseases should not consume it, as numerous cases have been observed.)

Diseases do not go beyond the categories of Deficiency (Xu), Excess (Shi), Cold, and Heat. Treatments do not exceed the principles of Purging (Gong), Tonifying (Bu), Exterior-releasing (Biao), and Interior-resolving (Li). Thus, the origin of all diseases lies fundamentally in Deficiency, Excess, Cold, and Heat. Even treatment does not transcend this single principle for integration. How could there be talk of chaotic treatments and miscellaneous prescriptions? It is merely that Deficiency and Excess present different forms, and Cold and Heat arise from different causes. Consequently, internal stagnation that fails to resolve may become *Chuanshi Guizhu* (a chronic consumptive infectious disease), while external knotting that fails to dissipate may become carbuncles, sores, and ulcers. In parasitic diseases, there are distinctions between Deficiency and Excess, and Cold and Heat; furthermore, toxins differ in their Exterior/Interior location and Ascending/Descending dynamics. These are the reasons why parasites must be eliminated and toxins must be treated. Regarding medication for treating diseases, one must especially scrutinize whether the medicinal flavors are balanced and harmonious with the body's Qi and Blood, prioritizing compatibility. If pungent, bitter, drying, and acrid substances are used without careful consideration, disaster will follow swiftly. Therefore, within miscellaneous prescriptions, highly toxic substances are compiled separately in another volume, allowing people to understand them at a glance, perhaps gaining more than half of the profound meaning of Materia Medica. Furthermore, according to records: Parasites arise from the depletion of the body's Healthy Qi (Zheng Qi). Those with strong constitutions rarely develop parasites, and if they do, they are easily eradicated. Those with weak constitutions allow parasites to accumulate internally; once accumulated, they cause harm, which is difficult to treat. Examining medical texts, there are many drugs for treating parasites, but methods are varied. For example, Huanglian (Coptidis Rhizoma), Kushen (Sophorae Flavescentis Radix), Heiqian Niu (Pharbitidis Semen), and Bianxu (Polygoni Avicularis Herba) eliminate Damp-Heat to kill parasites; Dahuang (Rhei Radix et Rhizoma) and Puxiao (Natrii Sulfas) eliminate Heat Evil to kill parasites; Kulianzi (Meliae Semen), Qingdai (Indici Folium), and Lanzishen (Baphicacanthis Cusiae Folium) eliminate Depressed Heat to kill parasites; Leiwan (Omphalia Lapidescens), Lushen (Aloe), and Qiuyin (Lumbricus) eliminate Heat Accumulation to kill parasites; Guanzhong (Cyathulae Rhizoma) eliminates Epidemic Heat Toxins to kill parasites; Qingxiangzi (Celosiae Semen) eliminates Liver Meridian Wind-Heat to kill parasites. Thus, these drugs are Cold but not Warm. Can'erzi (Xanthii Fructus), Songzhi (Pini Resina), and Mituosen (Gallicum) eliminate Wind-Dampness to kill parasites; thus, these drugs are slightly Warm but not Cool. Chuanjiao (Zanthoxyli Pericarpium) and Jiaomu (Zanthoxyli Semen) descend Cold-Damp and Water-Dampness to kill parasites; thus, these drugs are Warm and Drying but not Balanced. Suhe Xiang (Styrax), Xionghuang (Realgar), Awei (Ferulae Resina), Zhangnao (Camphora), and Shetui (Bovis Colla Degradatum) eliminate Abnormal Evil Qi to kill parasites; thus, these drugs are most Pungent and most Warm. Shuiyin (Hydrargyrum), Yinzhu (Cinnabar), Qingfen (Calomelas), Qianfen (Minii Carbonas Rubrum), Huangdan (Minii Oxidum Rubrum), Dafengzi (Aleuritidis Fructus), Shanyinch'en (Artemisiae Scopariae Herba), Wubeizi (Gallae Chinensis), and Baiyaojian (Fermented Medicinal Leaven) eliminate Sores and Scabies to kill parasites; thus, these drugs vary in Cold and Heat properties. Zibei (Concha Tridacnatis), Taoren (Persicae Semen), Ganqi (Resina Draconis), Zaofan (Ferric Sulfas), and Baicaoshuang (Carbonis Herbae) eliminate Blood Stasis to kill parasites; thus, these drugs also vary in Cold and Heat. Houpo (Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex) and Binglang (Arecae Semen) eliminate Damp-Fullness and Miasma to kill parasites; thus, these drugs are Bitter-Warm and Balanced. Guchong (Tineidae Larva), Heshi (Carpesii Fructus), and Shijunzi (Quisqualis Fructus) eliminate Phlegm-Food Accumulation to kill parasites; thus, these drugs are both Warm and Cold. Tagan (Enhydris Corium) Tonifies Liver and Kidney Deficiency to kill parasites; thus, its flavor is Salty and its nature is Warm. Feishi (Torreya Seed) moistens the Lung to kill parasites; Wumei (Mume Fructus) astringes the Lung to kill parasites; Baibu (Stemonae Radix) clears Lung Heat and disperses Heat to kill parasites; none carry the risk of being excessively Cold or Drying. Moreover, parasites stop when encountering Sour flavors: Are not Wumei and Wubeizi among the most Sour substances to arrest parasites? Parasites descend when encountering Bitter flavors: Are not Dahuang, Huanglian, Kulian Gen (Meliae Cortex), Lushen, and Kushen among the most Bitter substances to purge parasites? Parasites subside when encountering Pungent flavors: Are not Chuanjiao, Xionghuang, Ganqi, Dafengzi, Awei, Qingfen, Zhangnao, and Binglang among the most Pungent substances to suppress parasites? Parasites move when encountering Sweet flavors: When using toxic anti-parasitic drugs, Sweet Honey is always added as a guiding agent; is this not using the most Sweet flavor to guide parasites? As for parasites generated by extreme Cold, Ginger (Shengjiang) and Aconite (Fuzi) can be used for elimination. For parasites attempting to exit upwards, Veratrum (Lilu) can be used to induce vomiting. For heat-closure preventing downward expulsion of parasites, Euphorbia (Yuanhua) and Heiqian Niu can be used. For parasites eating teeth (caries), Hu Tong Lei (Populi Flos), Langdang (Daturae Semen), Jiuzi (Allii Tuberosi Semen), and Chansu (Bufonis Venenum) can be used. For wind-squamous caused by parasites on the skin, Chuan Jin Pi (Hibisci Mutabilis Cortex) and Haitong Pi (Sapindii Cortex) can be used. For the nine types of Gu poison and genital erosions, Qingxiangzi and Fupen Ye (Rubi Caulis Fructus) can be used. For tuberculosis-causing parasites, Decayed Drum Heart (Baiguxin), Tiger Excrement Bone (Hufen Gu), Otter Claws (Ta Zhua), and Stork Bones (Guan Gu) can be used. Most of these employ Pungent, Bitter, Sour, and Astringent flavors. Only Shijunzi and Feishi treat parasites, relying predominantly on Sweet flavors according to texts, which holds true rationale. This cannot be discussed with those who are not proficient in medical arts.