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The mother and the fetus are connected by one Qi. The fetus relies on maternal blood for nourishment. If the mother contracts a heat epidemic, toxic fire accumulates in the blood, meaning the maternal blood becomes toxic blood. If the toxins in the blood are not cleared urgently, how can the fetus remain unharmed? It must be understood that when the fetus is hot, it moves; when cool, it remains stable. If the mother suffers from a heat epidemic, the fetus naturally becomes heated. One must strive to clear heat and resolve toxicity to cool the blood, so that when the mother's illness is cured, the fetus will be safe. If this principle is not understood, and treatment focuses solely on preserving the fetus while neglecting the disease, both mother and child will inevitably perish. This logic applies similarly to postpartum periods or during illness when menstruation occurs. To claim that cooling agents are contraindicated during postpartum or menstrual periods would lead to fatal errors; such misconceptions cause death.

In the initial stage of plague diagnosis, the six pulses are fine, rapid, deep, and hidden. The complexion is cyanotic and grim, consciousness is confused and dazed, limbs are cold (reversal cold), head sweats profusely like rain, pain feels like splitting, abdominal intestines churn, there is an urge to vomit but nothing comes out, an urge to defecate but nothing happens. Males lie supine, females lie on their side, shaking the head and trembling the jaw, experiencing various discomforts. This is called "stifling plague" (Men Yi). Death may occur within half a day. To salvage even a slight chance of recovery, a large dose of Qingwen Baidu Yin (Clear Plague and Resolve Toxicity Decoction) is indispensable. Even if the physician dares to prescribe it, the patient's family will absolutely refuse to administer it. Rather than waiting helplessly for death, it might be better to die after taking the medicine, although this is extremely difficult!

Wang Shixiong notes: What is meant by "stifling" is that heat-toxin lies deeply concealed internally without manifesting externally. As it gradually sinks deeper, entering the zang organs, death ensues before the day ends. This is correct. The treatment method should involve needling Quchi (LI11) and Weizhong (BL40) acupoints to drain toxin from the Ying (Nutrient) level. Subsequently, Zixue (Purple Snow Elixir) should be administered to clear and penetrate latent pathogens, allowing them to emerge outward. Yang states: The treatment method is excellent. Recovery might be possible; how could Qingwen Baidu Yin be casually attempted? Wang notes: This formula has a suppressing effect but lacks dispersing and penetrating properties, thus it should absolutely not be used.

In the Wuzi year of the Qianlong reign, a plague rash epidemic swept through my county. Initially, patients experienced aversion to cold followed by fever, headache feeling like splitting, lower back pain as if beaten with a staff, abdominal churning, simultaneous vomiting and diarrhea. Both rich and poor families fell ill, with identical symptoms across thousands. Some physicians treated it as Taiyang disease (Taiyang Bing), others as Lianggan disease (Liang Gan Bing), and still others as Huoluan (Cholera-like disorder). By the second day, ominous signs emerged in swarms, with numerous critical conditions too numerous to enumerate. The number of deaths was incalculable. This was undoubtedly due to physicians' adherence to ancient formulas. In essence, using Shanghan (Cold Damage) formulas to treat epidemics inevitably leads to death. People do not die from the disease itself, but from the medication; nor do they die from the medication per se, but from physicians who rigidly adhere to ancient prescriptions. Epidemic syndromes are caused by external excessive heat; only Shigao (Gypsum Fibrosum) can achieve efficacy. Moreover, medicine requires intuition. Shigao represents cold water. Using cold to overcome heat, and water to extinguish fire, the prescription yields hundred percent success. In May, I myself contracted the epidemic. Unable to visit those who invited me, I asked for their symptoms, recorded the prescription, and gave it to them. They circulated it among themselves, saving countless lives. In the Guichou year, plague was prevalent in the capital. Even Vice Censor-in-Chief Wang and Attendant Gentleman Feng circulated my prescription. Those who had failed with other medicines recovered instantly. Thus, I wrote it down in a book, naming it Qingwen Baidu Yin. Modifications based on symptoms are detailed below.

Wang Shixiong notes: Gu Songyuan (Jingyuan) from Wu men became determined to study medicine after his father died from being prescribed Renshen (Ginseng Radix) and Fuzi (Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata) by incompetent doctors. He studied tirelessly for thirty years, authoring *Yi Jing* (Medical Mirror), sixteen volumes. Xu Bingyi, Vice Minister of Personnel, wrote the preface, praising it for being concise, clear, practical, and effective. Unfortunately, no printed edition exists, and I could not obtain a copy. Recently, I saw Lu Dingpu, a Jinshi degree holder from Tongxiang, in his *Lenglu Yihua*, record a case where he treated Wang Zuangong's Yangming heat syndrome primarily using Baihu Tang (White Tiger Decoction). Each dose contained three taels of Shigao (Gypsum Fibrosum). After two doses, the fever subsided abruptly. However, the patient developed generalized cold sweat, cold limbs, and hiccups. Famous senior physicians in the prefecture claimed that without Renshen and Fuzi, Yang could not be restored. Other physicians agreed, clamoring that administering Baihu Tang again would cause death. Gu cited Zhang Zhongjing’s principle that "the deeper the heat, the deeper the cold extremities," and Jiayan’s statement that sudden transformation of Yang syndromes into Yin cold extremities is rare (one in ten thousand), arguing earnestly against the opposition. The opposing physicians remained obstinate. They administered formulas containing Renshen and Fuzi to restore Yang and stop sweating. Consequently, sweating increased, body temperature dropped further, and they blamed Baihu Tang for the harm. With Yang qi on the verge of collapse, the situation was critical, causing panic throughout the family. They sought Gu’s consultation again. Gu still advocated Baihu Tang, prescribing three taels of Shigao in a large dose. After two doses, sweating stopped, and body warmth returned. Using modified versions of this decoction over several doses led to full recovery. He subsequently wrote *Bianzhi Lun* (Treatise on Differentiation and Treatment), asserting that Baihu Tang is suitable for warm-heat diseases and does not harm the patient, aiming to dispel popular misconceptions. Lu Jinshi stated: This view aligns with Shi Yu’s (Yu Lin’s) arguments, and *Yi Jing* contains many excellent formulas. His formula for treating deficiency consumptive disease uses Dihuang (Rehmanniae Radix), Shudihuang (Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata), Tiandong (Asparagi Rhizoma), Maidong (Ophiopogonis Radix), Guiban (Testudinis Carapax et Plastrum), Longyanrou (Longan Arillus), Yuzhu (Polygonati Odorati Rhizoma), Fuling (Poria), Shanyao (Dioscoreae Rhizoma), and Renru (Human Milk). However, *Wu Yi Huijiang* attributes this to Wang Zuangong, adding Niuxi (Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix) to the formula. Was Gu’s *Yi Jing* plagiarized by Wang? I mention this to consult scholars. Wang notes: In deficiency consumptive disease accompanied by cough, there must be pathogenic factors in the lungs; Maidong and Yuzhu are unsuitable.