(人)补阴润燥泽肤
人乳(专入肝肾肺)。气味甘润。按据诸书有言此为阴血所化。生于脾胃。摄于冲任。
未受孕
则下为月水。既受孕则留而养胎。已产则变赤为白。上为乳汁以养小儿。乃造化之玄微也。
服之益气血。补脑髓。所谓以人补人也。(弘景曰。张汉苍年老无齿。常服人乳。故年百岁
余。身肥如瓠。)若大人服之。则能止渴。泽肤润燥。且目得血能视。凡赤涩多泪。可用黄
连浸点。(宗 曰。上则为乳汁。下则为月水。故知乳汁则血也。用以点眼。岂不相宜?)
实为补虚润燥要剂。取无病妇人乳水。(时珍曰。人乳无定性。其人和平。饮食冲淡。其乳
必平。其人暴躁。饮酒食辛。或有火性。其乳必热。凡服乳须热饮。若晒暴为粉。入药尤佳
。南史载宋何尚之积年劳病。饮妇人乳而瘥。又言穣城老人。年二百四十岁。惟饮曾孙妇乳
也。)顿如摊粉皮法取用。名为乳丹丸。但脏寒胃弱作泄者。不宜多服。(有孕之乳。谓之忌
奶。小儿饮之。多成吐泻疳 之病。最为有毒也。)
肾虚而在于火。则当用辛用热。肾虚而在于水。则当用甘用润。至于水火并衰。则药有
难兼
施。惟取其性温润。与性微温力专入肾者以为之补。则于水火并亏之体。自得温润调摄之宜
矣!按地黄体润不温。因于火日蒸晒而温。实为补水温肾要剂。其药自属不易。然有肝肾虚
损。气血凝滞。不用杜仲牛膝续断以通。而偏用肉桂阳起石以燥。风湿内淫。不用巴戟天狗
脊以温。而偏用淫羊藿蛇床子以燥。便结不解。不用苁蓉肉锁阳以温。而偏用火麻枸杞冬葵
子以润。遗精滑脱。不用菟丝子覆盆子山茱萸胡桃肉 葡萄等药以收。而偏用粟壳牡蛎等
药以进。软坚行血。不用海狗肾温暖以润。而偏用食盐青盐咸寒以投。补精益血。不用麋茸
鹿胶犬肉紫河车何首乌等药以温。而偏用硫黄沉香以胜。鬼疰蛊毒。不用獭肝温暖以驱。
而偏用川椒乌梅以制。凡此非失于燥。而致阴有所劫。即失于寒而致火有所害。岂温暖肾脏
之谓哉?噫。误矣!
(Human Milk) Nourishes Yin, moistens dryness, and moistens the skin.
Human milk (specifically enters the Liver, Kidney, and Lung meridians). Its flavor is sweet and its nature is moistening. According to various texts, it is believed to be transformed from Yin blood. It originates in the Spleen and Stomach, and is regulated by the Chong and Ren vessels.
When not pregnant, it flows downward as menstrual blood; once pregnant, it remains inside to nourish the fetus; after childbirth, it changes from red to white, flows upward as milk to nourish the infant. This is truly a subtle mystery of creation.
Taking it benefits Qi and Blood, supplements brain marrow. This is what is meant by "using humans to supplement humans." (Hongjing said: Zhang Hancang lost his teeth due to old age, but frequently consumed human milk, thus living over one hundred years, with a body plump like a gourd.) If taken by adults, it can quench thirst, moisten the skin, and relieve dryness. Moreover, the eyes require blood to see. For symptoms of redness, astringency, and excessive tearing, one may use Coptidis Rhizoma (Huanglian, 黄连) soaked for eye drops. (Zong said: Upward it becomes milk, downward it becomes menstrual blood, so we know milk is blood. Using it for eye drops is indeed appropriate.)
It is truly an essential remedy for tonifying deficiency and moistening dryness. Take milk from healthy women without illness. (Shizhen said: Human milk has no fixed nature. If the person is peaceful and their diet is bland, the milk will be balanced. If the person is irritable, drinks alcohol, or eats spicy food, or has fire-nature, the milk will be hot. When taking milk, it must be drunk warm. If dried into powder, it is especially good for medicinal use. The History of the Southern Dynasties records that He Shangzhi of Song suffered from chronic consumption disease and was cured by drinking women's milk. It also mentions an elder from Rangcheng who lived to 240 years old, consuming only the milk of his great-granddaughter's wife.) Consume it in one dose, similar to the method of making rice noodle sheets, named Rudan Pill. However, those with cold viscera and weak stomachs causing diarrhea should not take it in large amounts. (Milk during pregnancy is called "forbidden milk"; if infants drink it, it often leads to vomiting, diarrhea, and malnutrition diseases, possessing significant toxicity.)
If Kidney deficiency manifests as hyperactive ministerial fire, acrid and hot substances should be used. If Kidney deficiency manifests as insufficient true water, sweet and moist substances should be used. In cases where both water and fire are deficient and declining simultaneously, it is difficult for medicines to act jointly. One should select substances with a warm and moist nature, specifically those with a slightly warm property and potent action entering the Kidney, to provide supplementation. Thus, for a constitution deficient in both water and fire, appropriate warm and moist regulation can naturally be achieved! Radix Rehmanniae Preparata (Dihuang, 地黄) is moist in texture but not warm in nature; it becomes warm due to sun-drying and steaming processes. It is truly an essential agent for replenishing water and warming the Kidney. Its medicinal properties are inherently unchangeable. However, in cases of Liver and Kidney deficiency damage with Qi and Blood stagnation, instead of using Eucommiae Cortex (Duzhong, 杜仲), Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix (Niuxi, 牛膝), or Dipsaci Radix (Xuduan, 续断) to promote circulation, one erroneously uses Cinnamomi Cortex (Rougui, 肉桂) or Fulguris Lapis (Yangqishi, 阳起石) which are drying. In cases of internal invasion by wind-dampness, instead of using Morindae Officinalis Radix (Bajitian, 巴戟天) or Acanthopanacis Senticosi Caulis (Gouji, 狗脊) to warm, one erroneously uses Epimedii Folium (Yinyanghuo, 淫羊藿) or Cnidii Fructus (Shechuangzi, 蛇床子) which are drying. In cases of constipation, instead of using Cynomorii Herba (Congrong, 肉苁蓉) or Yangsuoyang (Suo Yang, 锁阳) to warm and moisten, one erroneously uses Cannabis Seed (Huomaren, 火麻仁), Lycii Fructus (Gouqi, 枸杞), or Malvae Semen (Dongkuizi, 冬葵子) to moisten downwards. In cases of seminal emission and sliding loss, instead of using Cuscutae Semen (Tusizi, 菟丝子), Rubi Fructus (Fupenzi, 覆盆子), Corni Fructus (Shanzhuyu, 山茱萸), Juglandis Semen (Hetaorou, 胡桃肉), or Vitis Vinifera Fruit (Putaotao, 葡萄) to astringe, one erroneously uses Popaver Pericarpium (Suke, 粟壳) or Ostrea Concha (Muli, 牡蛎) to secure. To soften hardness and move blood, instead of using Urocyon Penile (Haigoushen, 海狗肾) to warm and moisten, one erroneously uses Sal (Yan, 食盐) or Qingyan (Qingyan, 青盐) which are salty and cold. To benefit essence and nourish blood, instead of using Cervi Corneum (Lurong, 鹿茸), Cervi Cornus Colla (Lujiao jiao, 鹿角胶), Canis Meat (Gourou, 犬肉), Placenta Humana (Ziheche, 紫河车), or Polygoni Multiflori Radix (Heshouwu, 何首乌) to warm, one erroneously uses Sulfur (Liuhuang, 硫黄) or Aquilariae Lignum Resinatum (Chenxiang, 沉香) to overcome. In cases of ghostly afflictions and gu poison, instead of using Leporis Hepaticum (Tagan, 獭肝) to drive out via warmth, one erroneously uses Zanthoxyli Pericarpium (Chuanjiao, 川椒) or Mume Fructus (Wumei, 乌梅) to control. All these instances either fail due to dryness, leading to the robbery of Yin, or fail due to cold, leading to harm to Fire. How can this be considered warming the Kidneys? Alas, this is a mistake!