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The primary disease of the Hand-Taiyin (Lung) channel. The symptoms are as described previously. At the onset, there is dryness in the throat with no phlegm; after seven or eight days, sudden gurgling sounds of phlegm appear, and it may even progress to panting, shortness of breath, and irritability. This must be due to mismanagement or prolonged delay, causing excessive Lung Fire (excessive heat in the Lung organ), leading the body to draw in fluids for self-rescue, gathering the five fluids to transform into phlegm. In this situation, Sanjiang Longdan (Three-Descent Dragon-Subduing Pill) should be used urgently as the main treatment. All bitter-dry phlegm-resolving medicines, such as Niuhuang (Calculus Bovis), Danshenxing (Arisaema cum Bile), Lou (Trichosanthes Radix), and Bei (Fritillariae Bulbus), are contraindicated. Especially, one must not use throat-powdering medicines containing Bingpian (Borneolum Syntheticum) and Shexiang (Moschus) to assist dryness. If there is abundant saliva and phlegm from the onset, accompanied by Wind-Fire, this case does not fall under this category.

This is an extremely severe condition of Baihou (Diphtheria). People only know of the gurgling phlegm sound and seek help from Danshenxing and Niuhuang; seeing panting and restlessness, they expect efficacy from Lou and Tingli (Semen Lepidii). When these attempts fail, they instead increase the dosage, ultimately resulting in worsened phlegm and panting, leaving them helpless, and thus resigning themselves to the belief that the disease is incurable. They do not realize that this syndrome is purely due to excessive Taiyin Dryness-Fire, with Lung fluids exhausted to the extreme. The momentum is like a prairie fire, sucking in Yin fluids from the entire body for self-rescue. Consequently, Longlei Fire (Ministerial Fire associated with Kidney) follows Kidney Water upward, driving all Yin turbidity to obstruct between the throat and larynx, transforming everything into phlegm. This phlegm is actually formed by the衝击 (impact/irritation) of Yin-Fire. Therefore, only large doses of cooling combined with sweet-salty-cold medicines can cause it to descend. Sanjiang Longdan is a medicine that guides the Dragon Fire back to its sea (Kidney). Guiban (Testudinis Carapax et Plastrum), Muli (Concha Ostreae), and Zhenzhumu (Margaritifera Haliotidis) possess the essence of supreme stillness; shellfish-type herbs can subdue Yang, hence named "Sanjiang" (Three Descents). Dongdi (Radix Ophiopogonis processed with Rehmannia), Xiyangshen (Panax quinquefolius Radix) specifically protect Lung juice; Ejiao (Colla Corii Asini) and Baishao (Radix Paeoniae Alba) simultaneously guide the descent of Longlei Fire; Shigao (Gypsum Fibrosum) directly clears Dryness-Fire and sinks all Phlegm-Heat; Xijiao (Rhinocerotis Cornu) unblocks the throat and carries the various medicines downward;uanfu (Flowers Inulae) and Zhuru (Bambusae Caulis in Taenia) are used instead of water for decoction, making the heavy medicines non-stagnant and further unblocking the meridians and collaterals. Generally, this condition arises inevitably in Baihou, whether due to mismanagement or prolonged duration. Failing to understand the treatment method is most likely to cause errors. My eldest daughter once suffered from this illness: dry throat, hoarseness, panting, irritability, gurgling phlegm sounds like surging tides, and diarrhea. She exhibited eight out of the nine untreatable signs listed by Zhang Shi. Yet, she recovered by taking this prescription, three doses daily. After one dose, the diarrhea stopped, and panting eased slightly; after two doses, the phlegm sounds disappeared. Physicians of the world, unaware of the root cause, always take Niuhuang and Danshenxing as primary medicines for every case of phlegm and panting. They do not know that these two substances are specialized medicines for eliminating Phlegm-Fire in the Foot-Jueyin (Liver) and Foot-Shaoyang (Gallbladder) channels, having nothing to do with this syndrome. Moreover, bitter flavors can assist dryness and are also contraindicated. Other herbs like Bei and Tingli, being acrid and drying, are even less suitable. If there is abundant saliva and phlegm from the onset, accompanied by Shaoyang and Shaoyin Wind-Fire manifesting diseases, then the methods in the chapter on resolving phlegm and descending fire are naturally applicable. Yin-nourishing medicines must not be administered indiscriminately. The key insight here must be promptly grasped.