气微寒。味辛。无毒。主中风寒热。心下逆气惊喘。口干舌焦不能息。腹中坚痛。
除邪鬼。产乳。金疮。（ ）
石膏气微寒。禀天初冬寒水之气。入足太阳寒水膀胱经。味辛无毒。得地西方燥金之味
入手
太阴肺经、足阳明燥金胃、手阳明燥金大肠经。气味降多于升。阴也。中风者。伤寒五种之
一也。风为阳邪。中风病寒热。而心下逆气惊喘。则已传阳明矣。阳明胃在心之下。胃气本
下行。风邪挟之上逆。乘肺则喘。闻木声则惊。阳明火烁津液。致口干舌焦。不能呼吸。故
用石膏辛寒之味。以泻阳明实火也。腹中大肠经行之地。大肠为燥金。燥则坚痛矣。其主之
者。辛寒可以清大肠之燥火也。阳明邪实。则妄言妄见。如有神灵。若邪鬼附之。石膏辛寒
清胃。胃火退而邪妄除。故云除邪鬼也。产乳者。产后乳不通也。阳明之脉。从缺盆下乳。
辛寒能润。阳明润则乳通也。金疮热则皮腐。石膏气寒。故外糁合金疮也。
制 方:
石膏同川莲、甘草。治发狂。同知母、甘草、粳米。名白虎汤。治阳明中风热病。同知
母、
麦冬、甘草、竹叶。名竹叶石膏汤。治阳明邪热。同防风、荆芥、细辛、白芷末。擦胃火牙
痛。同银朱末。治金疮不合。
气寒。味辛。无毒。主周痹风湿。肢节中痛不可持物。洗洗酸消。除大热烦满。及
耳聋。（醋 研）
磁石气寒。禀天冬寒之水气。入足少阴肾经。味辛无毒。得地西方之金味。入手太阴肺
经。
气味降多于升。阴也。其主周痹风湿肢节中痛不可持物洗洗酸者。盖湿流关节。痛而不可持
物。湿胜筋软也。湿而兼风。风属木。木曰曲直。曲直作酸。洗洗酸痛。所以为风湿周痹也
。磁石味辛入肺。金能平木。可以治风。肺司水道。可以行湿也。肾水藏也。水不制火。浊
气上逆。则大热烦满。磁石入肾。气寒壮水。质重降浊。所以主之。肾开窍于耳。肾火上升
则聋。磁石气寒可以镇火。所以主耳聋也。
制 方:
磁石同生地、白芍、五味、小茴、归身、山药。治膈症。同生地、肉桂、炮姜、五味。
治龙
雷火逆。同麦冬、五味、牛膝、白芍、知母、归身、苏梗。治大热烦满。及耳聋。
[Shigao (Gypsum Fibrosum)]
The nature is slightly cold, the flavor is pungent, and it is non-toxic. It primarily treats chills and fever caused by wind-stroke, rebellious qi below the heart with palpitations and wheezing, dry mouth and scorched tongue with inability to breathe, and hardness and pain in the abdomen.
It expels evil spirits (hallucinations/delusions), aids in lactation after childbirth, and treats traumatic injuries from metal weapons.
Shigao has a slightly cold nature, inheriting the cold water energy of early winter, and enters the Foot-Taiyang Bladder Channel of Hand-Yangming. Its pungent and non-toxic flavor corresponds to the dry metal quality of the West, entering the Hand-Taiyin Lung Channel, Foot-Yangming Stomach Channel, and Hand-Yangming Large Intestine Channel. Its descending effect outweighs its ascending effect, belonging to Yin.
"Wind-stroke" is one of the five types of Cold Damage diseases. Wind is a Yang pathogen. Wind-stroke presents with chills and fever; if accompanied by rebellious qi below the heart and palpitations/wheezing, the pathogen has transmitted to the Yangming channel. The Stomach (Yangming) is located below the heart. Stomach Qi naturally descends, but wind pathogens carry it upward in rebellion. When attacking the Lungs, it causes wheezing; hearing wooden sounds induces fright (as Metal controls Wood, and Wood relates to fright). Yangming fire scorching body fluids leads to a dry mouth, scorched tongue, and difficulty breathing. Therefore, Shigao's pungent and cold nature is used to drain excess fire in the Yangming.
The abdomen is the pathway of the Large Intestine Channel. The Large Intestine belongs to Dry Metal; dryness leads to hardness and pain. Shigao treats this because its pungent and cold nature clears the dry heat/fire of the Large Intestine.
When Yangming pathogenic factors are excessive, patients may speak or see things irrationally, as if possessed by spirits or evil ghosts. Shigao clears Stomach heat with its pungent and cold nature; as Stomach fire recedes, the irrational phenomena disappear. Hence, it is said to "expel evil spirits."
"Chanru" refers to postpartum milk stasis. The Yangming meridian descends from the clavicle region through the breasts. Shigao's pungent and cold nature provides moistening; when the Yangming is moistened, milk flow is restored.
Traumatic injuries from metal weapons become infected and rot due to heat. Shigao's cold nature allows it to be applied externally to such wounds.
Prescriptions:
Shigao combined with Chuanlian (Coptidis Rhizoma) and Gancao (Licorice Root) treats mania.
Combined with Zhimu (Anemarrhenae Rhizoma), Gancao (Licorice Root), and Jingsmi (Rice), it is named Baihu Tang (White Tiger Decoction), treating Yangming wind-stroke heat disease.
Combined with Zhimu (Anemarrhenae Rhizoma), Maidong (Ophiopogonis Radix), Gancao (Licorice Root), and Zhuye (Bamboo Leaf), it is named Zhuye Shigao Tang (Bamboo Leaf and Gypsum Decoction), treating Yangming pathogenic heat.
Combined with Fangfeng (Saposhnikoviae Radix), Jingjie (Schizonepetae Spica), Xixin (Asari Radix et Rhizoma), and Baizhi (Angelicae Dahuricae Radix) powder, applied topically to treat toothache due to Stomach fire.
Combined with Yinzhu (Cinnabaris) powder, it treats non-healing traumatic injuries.
[Cishi (Magnetitum)]
The nature is cold, the flavor is pungent, and it is non-toxic. It primarily treats generalized bi-syndrome due to wind-dampness, pain in limbs and joints making holding objects impossible, shivering soreness, excessive heat with fullness and irritability, and deafness. (Grind with vinegar)
Cishi has a cold nature, inheriting the cold water energy of winter, and enters the Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Channel. Its pungent and non-toxic flavor corresponds to the metal quality of the West, entering the Hand-Taiyin Lung Channel. Its descending effect outweighs its ascending effect, belonging to Yin.
It treats generalized bi-syndrome with wind-dampness, limb/joint pain preventing object holding, and shivering soreness because dampness flows into joints, causing pain and inability to hold objects due to dampness overwhelming and softening tendons. Dampness combined with wind: wind belongs to Wood, Wood is described as bending and straightening, which produces sourness. Thus, shivering soreness occurs, constituting generalized wind-damp bi-syndrome.
Cishi's pungent flavor enters the Lungs; Metal can level Wood, thus treating wind; the Lungs govern water passages, thus moving dampness.
The Kidney is the storehouse of Water. If Water fails to control Fire, turbid Qi rebels upward, causing excessive heat and fullness/irritability. Cishi enters the Kidney; its cold nature strengthens Water, and its heavy substance descends turbidity, hence it treats these conditions.
The Kidney opens into the ears. Rising Kidney Fire causes deafness. Cishi's cold nature suppresses Fire, hence it treats deafness.
Prescriptions:
Cishi combined with Shengdi (Rehmanniae Radix), Baishao (Paeoniae Radix Alba), Wuweizi (Schisandrae Fructus), Xiaohui (Foeniculi Fructus), Guishen (Angelicae Sinensis Radix), and Shanyao (Dioscoreae Rhizoma) treats gezheng (dysphagia/chest obstruction syndrome).
Combined with Shengdi (Rehmanniae Radix), Rougui (Cinnamon Bark), Paojiang (Prepared Ginger), and Wuweizi (Schisandrae Fructus), it treats rebellion of Longlei Fire (Dragon and Thunder Fire).
Combined with Maidong (Ophiopogonis Radix), Wuweizi (Schisandrae Fructus), Niuxi (Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix), Baishao (Paeoniae Radix Alba), Zhimu (Anemarrhenae Rhizoma), Guishen (Angelicae Sinensis Radix), and Sugeng (Perillae Caulis), it treats excessive heat with fullness/irritability and deafness.