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The local custom in She County involves belief in deities. Ignorant people mix names of medicinal herbs with poems from temple fortune sticks. When villagers fall ill, they go to seek these sticks, calling the results "divine medicine," causing much harm.

My friend Jing engaged in foreign trade; his young daughter was still in swaddling clothes. At that time, it was winter cold. The child caught external pathogens, presenting with fever and coughing. His wife, misled by hearsay, went to seek a divine stick. The prescription indicated three qian of Fritillariae Bulbus (Beimu, 贝母). Unfamiliar with herbal properties, she simply purchased and decocted it at the market for the infant to drink. The cough stopped abruptly, and the family considered it a miraculous effect.

Shortly after, phlegm surged, breathing became rapid, the head tilted back, and the chest elevated. The child tossed and turned all night. The next morning, Jing invited me to examine the child. I observed body heat with cold limbs, open mouth, flaring nostrils, and a croaking cry like a crow. After being informed of the circumstances by the mother, I said: "This is a severe case of Feibi (Lung Bi - obstruction of lung qi), with a rapidly critical prognosis. The Lung governs the skin and hair. When pathogens invade the skin and hair, Lung Qi becomes obstructed, leading to fever and cough. Instead of dispersing and resolving the pathogen, cold and astringent herbs were administered, particularly in high single doses, exacerbating the harm. The Classics state: 'When wind-cold invades the person, it causes all fine hairs to stand erect, the skin pores close, and heat ensues. If the disease enters and resides in the Lung, it is named Lung Bi.' How could a toddler with weak constitution endure this?" I declined to prescribe.

My friend, Mr. Tan Cuisheng, pleaded on my behalf to attempt treatment, hoping for a lucky break. Considering the patient was near death, I reasoned that without potent remedies, efficacy would be unlikely. The formula consisted of Ephedrae Herba (Mahuang, 麻黄), Cinnamomi Ramulus (Guizhi, 桂枝), Armeniacae Semen Amarum (Xingren, 杏仁), Platycodonis Radix (Jiegeng, 桔梗), Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium (Juhong, 橘红), Pinelliae Rhizoma Preparatum (Banxia, 半夏), and Ginger Juice (Jiangzhi, 姜汁). I instructed that the child be held upright and walked around after medication, preventing her from lying down. After one day and night, the child began to produce cough sounds, and the phlegm-wheezing slightly stabilized. Recognizing that the obstruction had somewhat loosened, but noting the severity of the condition, I dared not relax immediately despite the initial response. The dose of Mahuang used yesterday was 3 fen; I ordered it halved, while other ingredients remained as originally formulated, to be taken for another dose. Subsequently, sweating occurred, the skin became moist, fever subsided, and wheezing ceased. Then, Liu'an Decoction (Liu'an Jian, 六安煎) was prescribed with added Jiegeng. The child slept steadily, and coughing decreased. I stated: "The obstruction has opened, the disease is departing; the major situation is secure." As the ancients said, children should not take excessive medication because their constitutions are weak and zang-fu organs are delicate; too many drugs may damage true qi. Medication can now be stopped; nursing and dietary regulation will facilitate natural recovery. Indeed, it recovered as predicted. This record serves as a warning to ignorant villagers who blindly seek divine medicines.

Note by Anbo: The disasters caused by so-called "divine medicines" are countless. I have witnessed two cases where patients suffering from Shanghan (Cold Damage) died after consuming human milk prescribed in the fortune sticks. Should we not be vigilant?