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Wild Boar Gallstone (Yezhu Huang)

Pungent, sweet, neutral in qi. Non-toxic. Although it is a wild beast, its form resembles the domestic pig. The differences lie in its brownish-black hair, exposed tusks, small abdomen, and long legs with a running gait. Upon reaching three years of age, a yellow stone forms within its gallbladder. Its shape is comparable to a jujube pit; upon acquisition, it can be ground with water and taken orally. It treats infantile fright (Ke Wu) and convulsive disorders (Tian Diao), and also expels malnutrition distension (Gan Zhang); it governs adult Gui Zhu (a chronic wasting disease attributed to ghostly influences) and epilepsy, and generally heals metallic wounds (Jin Chuang). Mixed with wine, the bile paste immediately promotes lactation; taking it for ten days can sustain three or four infants. The meat, made into soup (the female's meat is superior), strongly tonifies skin and flesh; consuming it for half a month causes generalized puffiness. The teeth effectively counteract snake and insect venom when burned and powdered; the gall has exceptional merit in clearing irritability, heat, and pathogenic qi, taken as juice and swallowed. The fat luster enhances complexion, applies to wind-induced swelling, scabies, and tinea, and also promotes lactation; winter-aged specimens should be stir-fried. The external kidneys (testes) stop leukorrhea and metrorrhagia, and treat bloody dysentery and intestinal wind bleeding; they must be charred to retain their properties (ground fine and mixed with rice drink). The hedgehog is called Gang Lie; its species reproduces parthenogenetically (thus possessing both yin and yang aspects, self-sufficient in gender). The quills on its neck are large like a box, white with black tips; seven to eight inches long, penetrating the skin only two to three fen, with the middle white part often hidden, visible only as black bristles. When angry, it shoots these quills at objects, relying on this ability. People consider it outstanding and strange, hence named after its quills. The meat contains much fat and tastes sweet and delicious; boiled as food, it should not be eaten frequently. It promotes bowel movements but may trigger wind pathogens. The stomach is indeed an important medicine; physicians should seek it. Dried, burned to ash, and ground together with pig feces into powder; divided evenly, mixed with wine, and taken orally on an empty stomach, two qian per dose. It drives out jaundice due to alcohol consumption and yellowing of the eyes, specifically eliminating edema and abdominal distension. Heat-type distension responds easily; cold-type distension is difficult to cure. This is likely because this pig eats Sophora flavescens (Kushen) daily, causing its feces to have a great cold nature. The river pig lives in rivers; its taste is sour, and its qi is neutral and warm. Hunters obtain it, and its meat can be made into sauce (with a slight fishy odor upon entry). Do not eat too much, as weight gain will be hard to bear. The fat, cooked with five flavors to resolve pus, taken as juice in one dose; it also strengthens the spleen and stomach, promotes appetite, and tonifies deficiency and emaciation.