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Neritina (Neritina)
Limax (Limax)

Salty in flavor, cold in nature. Slightly toxic. After the spring rain clears, they are mostly found growing among grasses in ponds and marshes; during the hot summer days, they hang beneath tree leaves. (When hanging under leaves, Neritina often climbs upward; once its mucus is exhausted, it withers and dies.) It has four horns on its head, hence named "Cow." It carries a shell on its back while walking, extending its head and horns when moving; upon being startled by objects, it retracts, hiding both head and tail completely. (Hiding inside the shell.) For medicinal use, select large and round specimens for efficacy; process by stir-frying over fire to eliminate toxicity. It primarily treats facial paralysis caused by thief wind (wind-stroke), and manages convulsions and muscle spasms due to fright epilepsy. It can retract prolapsed rectum and stop thirst (xiao ke). In prescriptions for infants, it often holds a prominent reputation. Its shell is highly effective in treating infantile malnutrition (gan ji), and its mucus is also effective in relieving thirst. Limax belongs to the same category as Neritina, sharing identical flavor and nature. It possesses a shell but lacks the two types of head horns mentioned previously; some consider it an aged Neritina, where aging leads to shell shedding. The physical principles are difficult to fully elucidate, yet its therapeutic indications remain unchanged. Limax is as thick as a hairpin shaft, with a color close to true yellow; its numerous feet resemble those of a centipede, and it bears no shell on its back. It is attracted to grease and may crawl into human ear canals, hence the name, requiring vigilant prevention. The *Shennong Bencao Jing* notes: "Calamus repels fleas and lice but attracts Limax," which is due to the alluring fragrance of Calamus.

Scorpion (Buthus)

Sweet and pungent in flavor. Toxic. Abundant in Shaanxi and north of the Yangtze River, with those from Qingzhou being superior. A bite by the front claws is called "shi" (sting), while a sting by the rear tail is called "chai." A male scorpion's bite causes pain localized to one area; a female scorpion's sting causes radiating pain throughout various areas. Applying Neritina resolves the toxicity immediately. (This is because Neritina commonly feeds on scorpions.) Immersing the hand in cold water also alleviates the pain. Currently, merchants collect them at irregular intervals, subjecting them to intense sun exposure causing severe dehydration. They are fed green mud to fill their abdomens, then roasted over fierce fires until death. This results in a reddish color that facilitates sales, increasing weight for greater profit. When used in medicinal preparations, soil impurities must be removed. Whether using the whole scorpion or just the tail segment, they are stir-fried until brown. They can be decocted into liquid forms or combined into powders and pills. They treat pediatric wind-epilepsy characterized by twitching and jerking of hands and feet; expel wind-stroke in adults manifesting as facial deviation; dispel wind-phlegm causing deafness; and resolve wind-toxicity rashes (yin zhen).