（瓜、娲、涡三音。《别录》中品）
【释名】蠡牛（蠡音螺。《药性》）、
山蜗（弘景）、蜗螺
弘景曰∶蜗牛，山蜗也。形似瓜字，有角如牛，故名。《庄子》所谓“战于蜗角”是矣。
时珍曰∶其头偏戾如 ，其形盘旋如涡。故有娲、涡二者，不独如瓜字而已。其行延引
，故曰蜒蚰。《尔雅》谓之 蠃。孙炎注云∶以其负蠃壳而行，
【集解】
弘景曰∶蜗牛生山中及人家。头形如蛞蝓，但背负壳耳。
大明曰∶此即负壳蜒蚰也。
保升曰∶蜗牛生池泽草树间。形似小螺，白色。头有四黑角，行则头出，惊则首尾俱缩
入壳中。
颂曰∶凡用蜗牛，以形圆而大者为胜。久雨乍晴，竹林池沼间多有之。其城墙阴处，一
种扁而小者，无力，不堪用。
时珍曰∶蜗身有涎，能制蜈、蝎。夏热则自悬叶下，往往升高，涎枯则自死也。
蜗牛
【气味】咸，寒，有小毒。畏盐。
【主治】贼风 僻， 跌，大肠下脱肛，筋急及惊痫（《别录》）
权）。治小儿脐风撮口，利小便
毒，研烂涂之（时珍）
【发明】
颂曰∶入婴孩药最胜。
时珍曰∶蜗牛所主诸病，大抵取其解热消毒之功耳。
【附方】旧三，新二十。
小便不通∶蜗牛，捣贴脐下，以手摩之。加麝香少许更妙。（《简易》）
大肠脱肛∶《圣惠》∶治大肠久积虚冷，每因大便脱肛。用蜗牛一两，烧灰，猪脂和敷，
立缩。又治上证及痢后脱肛。用干蜗
水一盏，煎半盏调服。日三。
蜗牛一枚，
盏，汤瓶中封一夜，取涎水，入真蛤粉旋调，扫敷疮上。日十余度，热痛止则疮便愈。（《集
验方》）瘰 未溃∶连壳蜗牛七个，丁香七粒，同烧研，纸花贴之。（危氏）瘰 已溃∶蜗牛
烧研，轻粉少许，用猪脊髓调，敷之。（危氏方）。喉痹肿塞∶用蜗牛绵裹，水浸含咽，须臾
立通。又用蜗牛七枚，白梅肉三枚，研烂。绵裹含咽，立效。（《圣惠方》）喉风肿痛∶端午
日午时，取蜒蚰十余条，同盐三、四个，小瓶内封固，俟化成水，收水点之。（唐氏）喉塞
口
噤∶蜒蚰（炙）二七枚，白梅肉（炒）二七枚，白矾（半生半烧）二钱。研为末。每水调半
钱服，
得吐立通。（《圣济总录》）耳腮 肿及喉下诸肿∶用蜗牛同面研，敷之。面上毒疮初起者∶
急寻水蜒蚰一、二条，用酱少许共捣，涂纸上贴之，即退。纸上留一小孔出气。此乃凌汉章
秘传极效方也。（谈野翁《试验方》）。赤白翳膜∶生蜗牛一枚，捣丹砂末于内，火上炙沸，
以绵染汁敷 中，日二。（《圣惠方》）鼻血不止∶蜗牛（爆干）一枚，乌贼骨半钱，研末吹
之。
（《圣济总录》）撮口脐风∶乃胎热也。用蜗牛五枚去壳，研汁涂口，取效乃止。又方∶用蜗
牛十枚，（去壳，研烂），入莳萝末半分，研匀，涂之，取效，甚良。滴耳聋闭∶蜗牛膏∶用
蜗牛一两，石胆、钟乳粉各二钱半。为末，瓷盒盛之，火 赤，研末，入片脑一字。每以油
调一字，滴入耳中。无不愈者。（并《圣惠方》）蚰蜒入耳∶蜗牛椎烂，置于耳边，即出也。
（《瑞竹堂方》）染须方∶用蜒蚰四十九条，以京墨水养之三日，埋马屎中一月，取出，以白
丝头试之，如即黑到尾，再入马屎中埋七日，再取试之，性缓乃以捻须，庶不致黑皮肤也。
（《普济方》）消渴引饮不止∶崔元亮《海上方》∶用蜗牛十四枚（形圆而大者），以水三合，
密器浸一宿。取水饮之，不过三剂愈。《圣济总录》∶用蜗牛（焙）半两，蛤粉、龙胆草、桑
根白
蜗壳
【主治】一切疳疾（颂）。
【附方】旧二，新一。
一切疳疾∶用自死蜗壳七枚（皮薄，色黄白者）洗净，不得少有尘滓，日干，内酥蜜于
壳中。
以瓷盏盛之，纸糊盏面，置炊饭上蒸之。下 时，即坐甑中，仍装饭又蒸，饭熟取出，研如
水淀。渐渐与吃，一日令尽，取效止。（韦丹方）
之，良。（《圣惠》）
(Gua, Wa, Wo three pronunciations. Listed as Medium Grade in *Bie Lu* [Classic of Famous Physicians' Additional Records])
【Names】Li Niu ("Li" pronounced like "Luo". From *Yao Xing Lun* [Treatise on Medicinal Properties]), Shan Wo (called by Tao Hongjing), Wo Luo.
Tao Hongjing stated: Snail is also called Shan Wo. Its shape resembles the character "Gua", and it has horns like a cow, hence the name. This refers to what is mentioned in *Zhuangzi* regarding "battle on the snail's horn".
Li Shizhen stated: Its head is tilted to one side, resembling [missing character/variant], and its body spirals like a vortex. Hence the names Wa and Wo, not just because it resembles the character "Gua". It moves by extending and pulling, thus called Yan You. *Erya* calls it Luo. Sun Yan noted: Because it walks carrying a shell.
【Collection and Explanation】
Tao Hongjing said: Snails grow in mountains and near human dwellings. The head shape is like a slug, but it carries a shell on its back.
Ma Zhi (Da Ming) said: This is the slug that carries a shell.
Su Baosheng said: Snails grow among grass and trees in ponds and marshes. They resemble small snails/spirals, are white in color. They have four black horns on the head; when walking, the head extends, and when startled, both head and tail retract into the shell.
Su Song said: For medicinal use, round and large ones are superior. After long rain clears up, there are many in bamboo forests and ponds. There is a flat and small variety found in shady places of city walls which lacks efficacy and is unsuitable for use.
Li Shizhen said: Snails have mucus that can counteract centipedes and scorpions. In summer heat, they hang themselves under leaves, often climbing higher; when the mucus dries up, they die naturally.
Snail
【Flavor and Property】Salty, Cold, slightly toxic. Averse to salt.
【Indications】Treats wind-stroke causing facial paralysis, traumatic injuries, rectal prolapse, tendon spasm, and convulsions (*Bie Lu*). Treats infant umbilical tetanus with mouth closing, promotes urination (Li Xun). Detoxifies; grind and apply externally (Li Shizhen).
【Elucidation】
Su Song said: Most effective when used in medicines for infants.
Li Shizhen said: The various diseases treated by snails generally derive from its ability to clear heat and detoxify.
【Attached Prescriptions】Three old prescriptions, twenty new prescriptions.
Urinary retention: Grind snails and apply to below the navel, massage with hand. Adding a little musk is better (*Jian Yi Fang*).
Rectal prolapse: *Sheng Hui Fang*: Treats chronic deficiency-cold of the large intestine causing rectal prolapse during defecation. Use one liang of snails, burn to ash, mix with lard and apply; immediate retraction occurs. Also treats the above condition and post-dysentery prolapse. Use one dried snail, one cup of water, decoct to half a cup, take mixed. Three times daily.
One snail, place in one cup of water, seal in a tea pot overnight, extract the mucus water, add true clam powder and mix as needed, sweep onto sores. More than ten times daily; once heat and pain stop, the sore heals (*Ji Yan Fang*). Scrofula un-ulcerated: Seven snails with shells, seven cloves, burn together and grind; apply with paper flower (Wei Shi). Scrofula ulcerated: Burn snails and grind, add a little calomel, mix with pig spinal cord and apply (Wei Shi Fang). Throat obstruction and swelling: Wrap snail in silk, soak in water, hold in mouth and swallow; immediately patent. Or use seven snails, three white plum meats, grind fine. Wrap in silk, hold in mouth and swallow; immediate effect (*Sheng Hui Fang*). Sore throat swelling and pain: At noon on Dragon Boat Festival, take over ten slugs, seal with three or four salts in a small bottle, wait until liquefied, collect water and drop on affected area (Tang Shi). Throat blockage and lockjaw: Fourteen roasted slugs, fourteen fried white plum meats, two qian of alum (half raw, half calcined). Grind to powder. Take half a qian mixed with water per dose; vomiting leads to immediate patency (*Sheng Ji Zong Lu*). Swelling of ears, cheeks, and throat: Grind snails with flour and apply. Early stage facial toxin sores: Quickly find one or two water slugs, crush with a little soy sauce, spread on paper and apply; subsides immediately. Leave a small hole in paper for breathing. This is an extremely effective secret prescription of Ling Hanzhang (Tan Ye Weng *Shi Yan Fang*). Red and white corneal opacity: One raw snail,捣 cinnabar powder inside, boil over fire, dip silk in juice and apply to eye, twice daily (*Sheng Hui Fang*). Unceasing epistaxis: One dried snail, half a qian cuttlebone bone, grind to powder and insufflate into nose (*Sheng Ji Zong Lu*). Umbilical tetanus with mouth closing: This is fetal heat. Use five snails, remove shell, grind juice and apply to mouth; stop when effective. Another method: Ten snails (remove shell, grind fine), add half fen of dill powder, mix evenly, apply; effective and very good. Ear deafness and blockage: Snail ointment: One liang snails, two and a half qian each of copper sulfate and stalactite powder. Grind to powder, store in porcelain box, fire until red, grind again, add one zi of borneol. Mix one zi with oil per dose, drip into ear. All heal (All from *Sheng Hui Fang*). Centipede entering ear: Crush snail, place beside ear; centipede comes out (*Rui Zhu Tang Fang*). Beard dyeing formula: Forty-nine slugs, raise in Beijing ink for three days, bury in horse manure for one month, take out, test with white silk thread; if turns black to tip, bury in horse manure for seven more days, take out and test again; when potency is mild, then twist beard, lest skin turns black (*Pu Ji Fang*). Excessive thirst in Xiao Ke: Cui Yuanliang *Hai Shang Fang*: Use fourteen snails (round and large), soak in three he of water in sealed vessel overnight. Drink the water; cure within three doses. *Sheng Ji Zong Lu*: Use half liang dried snails, clam powder, Gentian root, Mulberry root bark...
Snail Shell
【Indications】Treats all types of Gan disease (Su Song).
【Attached Prescriptions】Two old prescriptions, one new prescription.
All types of Gan disease: Use seven self-dead snail shells (thin skin, yellow-white color), wash clean, ensure no dust remains, dry in sun, put butter and honey inside shell. Place in porcelain cup, cover cup surface with paper, steam over rice cooking steamer. When bottom reaches heat, sit in steamer, still load rice and steam again. Take out when rice is cooked, grind into water-like sediment. Gradually feed, finish in one day; stop when effective (Wei Dan Fang)... Good (*Sheng Hui*).