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(Recorded in the Middle Category of *Mingyi Bielu*)

[Names] White Eel (*Bai Shan*, from *Bencao Gangmu*); Snake Fish (*She Yu*, from *Bencao Gangmu*).
Li Shizhen stated: The ancient pronunciation for Manli (Eel) was "Man Li". According to Xu Shen's *Shuowen Jiezi*, "Li" (鲡) is identical to "Li" (鳢, snakehead fish). Zhao Bigong also wrote in *Zalu*: This fish has males but no females; it mates with the shadow of the snakehead fish, and its offspring attach themselves to the snakehead fish to grow. Hence it is called Manli. It is called "Snake" or "Eel" because of its shape resembling a snake.

[Collected Explanations] Su Song said: It is found everywhere. It resembles an eel but has a larger abdomen, and is yellowish-green. It is said to belong to the category of dragons and water spirits, good at eroding riverbanks, and people fear it greatly.
Chen Cangqi said: In the streams and pools of Shezhou, there is a type with five-colored patterns on its back and a head resembling a viper. It is best for medicinal use. Those with five-colored patterns are rare in rivers and lakes.
Li Shizhen said: The eel resembles a snake, has a fleshy fin connecting to the tail, lacks scales but has a tongue, and is white on the belly. Those with yellow veins on the back are named Golden-thread Eel (*Jinsi Manli*).

[Correction of Errors] Tao Hongjing said: Eels can climb trees to eat vine flowers.
Su Gong said: Giant salamanders (*Ni Yu*) can climb trees. Eels have no feet, how can they climb trees? This is a fallacious statement.

[Flavor and Properties] Sweet, neutral, toxic.
Sun Simiao said: Greatly warm.
Meng Xian said: Cold.
Chen Cheng said: Induces wind (triggers wind-related disorders).
Wu Rui said: Those with black spots on the belly are highly toxic. Consuming them with ginkgo nuts causes soft wind disease.
Kou Zongshi said: Small ones can be eaten. Those weighing four or five jin, or those that raise their heads while swimming in water, should not be eaten. I once saw boatmen who ate them, and all seven died.
Li Shizhen said: According to *Yijian Xuzhi*, those with four eyes kill humans. Those with white spots on the back and no gills should not be eaten. If pregnant women consume them, it causes diseases in the fetus.

[Therapeutic Actions] Treats five types of hemorrhoids, kills various parasites (*Mingyi Bielu*. Chen Cangqi said: Smoking the hemorrhoids kills the worms. To kill various parasites, roast and powder it, take on an empty stomach, three to five times will cure it.). Treats malignant sores, vaginal sores with itching caused by parasites, treats transmission corpse and zombie qi (a chronic consumptive infectious disease), treats damp gout, damp-wind bi syndrome in the waist and kidneys (feeling as if washed by water). Boil and eat with five flavors, very nourishing. People suffering from various sores and wind rashes should eat it long-term (Meng Xian). Treats pediatric gan-accumulation and labor heat, and worm-induced heart pain (Li Shizhen). Treats leukorrhea in women, cures all kinds of wind rashes feeling like insects crawling, and does no harm (Zhang Ding).

[Elucidation] Su Song said: Although the fish is toxic, boiling it into soup with five flavors can tonify deficiency and damage, and treat chronic labor-zhai (consumptive diseases like tuberculosis).
Li Shizhen said: The efficacy of eel in treating various diseases lies specifically in killing parasites and dispelling wind. Being similar to snakes, its therapeutic actions are close. *Jishen Lu* records: Someone suffered from consumption, infecting and killing several people. The patient was placed in a coffin and thrown into the river. A young woman survived, was taken to a fishing hut, and fed eel each time, eventually recovering. She later became the fisherman's wife. Zhang Ding said: Burning smoke repels mosquitoes, turning them into water. Smelting felt and bamboo/wood in houses eliminates woodworms. Placing bones in clothes chests eliminates bookworms. Observing this, the statement in *Mingyi Bielu* about killing various parasites is further verified.

[Attached Prescriptions] Three old prescriptions.
Various worm-induced heart pain, often vomiting clear fluid: Boil eel lightly without strong seasoning, eat until full, three to five times will cure it. (*Waitai Miyao*)
Bone-steaming consumption and emaciation: Use two eels... (Text fragment)
Intestinal wind with bleeding/worms: Same as above.

[Therapeutic Actions] Various sores (Tao Hongjing). Ear pain caused by insects... Dry and slightly roast to extract oil, apply to Baibofeng (Vitiligo), color changes immediately, cures in five to seven applications (Chen Cheng. *Jiyan Fang* says: Baibofeng appears on the face, spreads gradually like tinea. Scrape until dry and painful... bone and head...)

[Therapeutic Actions] Roast and grind for medicine, treats gan-dysentery, intestinal wind, metrorrhagia and leukorrhea. Burn to ash and apply to malignant sores. Burn and smoke hemorrhoids, kill...

[Attached Prescriptions] One old prescription.
All malignant sores: Roast snake fish bones to powder, mix into various colored plasters and apply, protect externally with paper. (*Jingyan Fang*)

[Therapeutic Actions] For herpes zoster entering the eye causing corneal opacity, apply a small amount (Li Shizhen).