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Saliva-reducing medicines (medicines used to drain phlegm and saliva) are frequently used for conditions such as infantile salivary overflow (excessive secretion of saliva or gurgling sound in the throat) and convulsions. However, they should not be taken continuously or in excessive amounts; excessive intake causes its damaging effects to manifest simultaneously. If accompanied by fright palpitations, extreme caution is required. This is because fright palpitations stem from a deficiency of Heart Qi (vital energy of the heart), and purgative methods should not be used. Using purgatives leads to interior deficiency, allowing fright Qi to enter the Heart, making it incurable. If the patient's constitution is inherently deficient, this category of medicine must be strictly prohibited; this is an utmost precaution.

Realgar is not the "sprout" of metal (i.e., not a naturally formed mineral crystal). Currently, there is no realgar in places with gold mines. Texts such as *Jin Gui Yao Lue* mention that wherever gold is generated, realgar exists everywhere; yet, can it be obtained everywhere? Another method involves treating snakebites by burning realgar to fumigate, which drives snakes away. Additionally, realgar from Wudu, when carved and polished into shapes, still inevitably retains an odor. Zhen Liyan of the Tang Dynasty served as Taichang Cheng. A Daoist priest suffered from chest and abdominal fullness and irritability for two years. Zhen diagnosed: "There is a gu poison in the abdomen, caused by accidentally ingesting hair." He prescribed one dose of Realgar (Xionghuang). Shortly after, the patient vomited a snake about the thickness of a thumb, without eyes, which emitted the smell of burnt hair when incinerated, and the illness was cured. This is verification of the efficacy of killing toxic gu poisons.

Realgar is rare in medicinal use; those taking stone medicines should examine it carefully. It has many external therapeutic applications and is often used by alchemists in transmutation techniques, though the final outcomes remain unknown. Painters sometimes use it as well.

Currently, people use it to treat coldness in the lower origin (deficiency of Kidney Yang causing coldness in the lower body), impending exhaustion of Yuan Qi (primordial qi), chronic cold diarrhea, spleen and stomach weakness, and critical condition where life is fading; administration is invariably effective. One should stop medication once the disease is addressed (zhong bing - hitting the mark/curing the symptom) and not consume the entire dose. The world knows that using it brings blessings but does not know that long-term use brings disaster. This substance has both beneficial and harmful effects. If completely discarded and unused, how could it be omitted in emergencies? Or, if processed by other methods to resist fire toxicity while allowing long-term consumption, this is also a failure to think deeply. In our dynasty (Song), it is not said that such usage is excellent, but rather it is specialized for treating women's diseases. Those who do not understand often administer it with wine; is this advisable? If there is long-standing cold in the zang organs, taking it may first cause diarrhea. If the disease trend is critical, the number of pills can be increased; too little will be ineffective. It is still necessary to add Fuzi (Prepared Aconite Root), Ganjiang (Dried Ginger), and Guizhi (Cinnamon Twig).

Realgar resembling wild wolf teeth is superior. Its outer color is not white, resembling Jiangshi (Ginger Stone). Large pieces are also white inside. It is used to treat coldness in the lower parts of men and women, exhaustion of Kidney Qi, and long-standing cold in the Zi Zang (uterus); it must be used after being ground via the water-flying method (shui fei). All stone medicines, whether cold or hot natured, possess toxicity; therefore, dosage must be carefully weighed.