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American ginseng (Radix Panacis Quinquefolii), raw gypsum fibrosum (Gypsum Fibrosum), pumice (Lapis Pumex), oyster shell (Concha Ostreae, used raw), donkey-hide gelatin (Colla Corii Asini) (or swallow's nest may be used as substitute), white peony root (Radix Paeoniae Alba), raw rehmannia root (Radix Rehmanniae Preparata), old tortoise plastron (Plastrum Testudinis), pearl mother-of-pearl (Margaritifera Concha), ophiopogon tuber (Tuber Ophiopogonis, heart removed), rhinoceros horn (Cornu Rhinocerotis).

The above eleven medicinal materials are first decocted with inula flower (Flos Inulae) and bamboo shavings of young bamboo (Caulis Bambusae in Taenia) to prepare the water for decoction. When administering the medicine, jingzhu li (Bamboo Sap from Young Bamboo) and fresh radish juice (Succus Raphani Sativi) should be mixed in. If phlegm and saliva are excessive, preventing the medicine from being swallowed, perilla seed (Fructus Perillae) should be separately decocted and added to the mixture. Once the medicine can be taken down smoothly, the perilla seed should be removed immediately. In severe cases, a few drops of ginger juice (Succus Zingiberis Recens) can be added as a guiding agent. For children under several years of age, although the dosage should be adjusted appropriately, it must not be too light; otherwise, the sedimentative nature of the medicine will be ineffective, potentially exacerbating phlegm accumulation.

If laryngeal diphtheria (Baihou) has been mistreated and the pathogen remains confined to the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian, the above method should be employed. If the pathogen has affected other meridians, the syndrome must be carefully examined, and medication should be administered according to meridian differentiation. One must not casually dismiss it as a "ruined disease" (complex condition resulting from misdiagnosis or mistreatment) and treat vaguely, as this could prove fatal.

Laryngeal diphtheria is fundamentally a disease of dryness-fire affecting the Metal element of the Lungs. The Lung is the "Canopy" (Huagai) and the master of all vessels. Diseases of Lung Qi easily spread to other meridians, and so does laryngeal diphtheria. If the pathogen remains confined to the Hand-Taiyin primary channel, the aforementioned treatment applies. If it affects other meridians, one must carefully distinguish the origin and progression, prescribing medication according to the specific meridian. Below is a brief outline of the transmission patterns across the Twelve Meridians and the key principles for medication:

Suppose the primary symptoms of the initial three stages have not resolved, and heat pathogens sink into the Jueyin Liver/Gallbladder channels, causing limb twitching or spasmodic convulsions. Urgent collateral-unblocking and wind-extinguishing measures are required. Add antelope horn (Cornu Saigae Tataricae), realgar-calculus bovis (Calculus Bovis), fresh earthworm (Pheretima), loofah network (Retinervus Luffae Fructus), and honeysuckle vine (Caulis Lonicerae Japonicae) to the primary formula.

If the heat sinks into the Foot-Shaoyin Kidney channel, manifesting as lethargy ("only wanting to sleep"), lower back pain, fever, and frequent thirst, yin-nourishing methods should incorporate clearing Shaoyin pathogenic fire. Add phellodendron bark (Cortex Phellodendri), scrophularia root (Radix Scrophulariae), cornus fruit (Fructus Corni), and tortoise plastron (Plastrum Testudinis) to the Hand-Taiyin primary formula, or combine with Da Bu Yin Wan (Great Tonify Yin Pill), employing the "Drain South and Supplement North" method.

If the heat sinks into the Foot-Yangming Stomach fu-organ, presenting with constipation, abdominal pain, and tenderness upon pressure, this indicates internal binding of excess fire. Combine the primary formula with Xuan Bai Cheng Qi Tang (Disperse White and Descend Qi Decoction), or directly apply Wu Shi Zeng Ye Cheng Qi Fa (Wu’s Method of Increasing Fluids and Descending Qi).

If the heat sinks into the Foot-Yangming Stomach channel, presenting with extreme thirst and profuse sweating, double the dosage of gypsum fibrosum (Gypsum Fibrosum) and American ginseng (Radix Panacis Quinquefolii) in the primary formula, adding anemarrhena rhizome (Rhizoma Anemarrhenae) and rice grain (Oryza Sativa), analogous to Ren Shen Bai Hu Tang (Ginseng White Tiger Decoction).

If the heat sinks into the Foot-Taiyin Spleen channel, presenting with heavy head, cheek pain, bluish complexion, nausea, alternating chills and fever, inability to bend or stretch, abdominal fullness, and diarrhea, add dendrobium stem (Caulis Dendrobii), raw licorice root (Radix Glycyrrhizae uralensis), coix seed (Semen Coicis), and lotus seed flesh (Endocarpus Nelumbinis). Alternatively, if early-stage overuse of mirabilite (Natrii Sulfas) and rhubarb (Radix et Rhizoma Rhei) caused persistent loose stools due to injured and sinking Spleen Qi, first administer spleen-fortifying medicines, such as Si Jun Zi Tang (Four Gentlemen Decoction) added with hawthorn fruit (Fructus Crataegi), stir-fried coix seed (Semen Coicis), and chicken gizzard lining (Endothelium Keratinaceum Gigeriae Galli). In severe cases, prepared aconite (Radix Aconiti Lateralis Preparata) may be temporarily used. After diarrhea ceases, resume treating the primary disease.

In cases of flourishing wind-fire, where Liver Wood overacts on Spleen Earth, and Kidney Water fails to secure, significantly increase raw oyster shell (Concha Ostreae) in the previous formula, referencing Wu Shi Yi Jia Jian (Wu’s Single Shell Decoction). Do not mistake diarrhea for Spleen cold and indiscriminately use warming and astringent agents. These are all methods for rescuing errors in treating laryngeal diphtheria, merely indicating general pathways. Fine details must still be flexibly adapted to the clinical situation to ensure appropriate treatment, thereby fulfilling the physician's responsibility to save lives.