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The world passes down that in Fujian and Guangdong, some people manufacture poison, secretly hiding it in food to harm others. Those poisoned have a bluish-yellow complexion, restlessness, chest fullness, hematemesis (vomiting blood), abdominal pain as if bitten by insects, and vomit and stool resembling rotten cotton. Urination is dribbling; without urgent treatment, death ensues. There are also slower cases where death occurs after a year. The disease can transmit to others, named "Gu Zhu" (Gu Poison Transmission). A guest marrying locally who wishes to return home may be subjected to an annual Gu poison by the wife; failing to return by the deadline results in death.

Testing methods: Spit saliva into clear water; sinking indicates true Gu, floating does not. Hold a soybean in the mouth; if the bean swells, the skin peels off, and chewing yields no fishy odor, it is true Gu. Boil an egg, remove the shell, insert the foot of a hairpin, hold in the mouth for a duration; if both the pin and egg turn black, it is true Gu. Hold alum in the mouth; if it tastes sweet rather than astringent, it is Gu poison. In Fujian, vessels made from the brain bone of the croaker fish placed in food will suddenly burst if Gu poison is present. If already poisoned by a specific item, avoiding its consumption for life ensures safety; cold food must be strictly avoided. Upon entering a region with Gu, observe doors and windows; rooms devoid of dust harbor Gu poison. When eating the first chopstickful of rice, pinch it, exit the house, and bury it at a crossroad to ensure safety. Alternatively, ask the host directly: "Is there Gu poison here?" Speaking it aloud causes no harm. A surging pulse indicates survival; a fine pulse indicates death. Treatment: Administer Jiedu Yushu Dan (Detoxifying Jade Pivot Pill). If grinding is impossible, chew finely and swallow. Excessive dosage induces vomiting or purging of toxic matter. If vomiting has not occurred, administer one qian of Bai Fan (Alumen) mixed with five fen of Dan Fan (Chalcanthite), or five fen of Zao Jia Mo (Gleditsia Sinensis Powder), mixed with boiling water. Alternatively, use a goose feather dipped in Tung Oil to induce emesis until all toxic matter is expelled. For umbilical abdominal pain, administer two qian of Yu Jin Mo (Curcuma Longa Powder) with plain warm water on an empty stomach; excreting the toxic matter onto the ground is beneficial. Sweet foods are forbidden on the day of poisoning; Si Jun Zi Tang (Four Gentlemen Decoction) is taken the next day.

Main Formula: Wanbing Jiedu Dan (Ten Thousand Diseases Detoxifying Pill), which refers to Yushu Dan (Jade Pivot Pill), Zijin Ding (Purple Gold Ingot), and Shenxian Zhuidu Wan (Immortal Pursuing Poison Pill). It treats various mountain miasmas, fog and dew, cold and heat pathogens, wilderness evils, malevolent spirits, Gu poison, accidental ingestion of various fungi, turtle, poultry, beast toxins, epidemics, snakes, and scorpions. For long journeys, carrying this aromatic medicine, if one feels slightly unwell upon smelling it, chewing and swallowing a small amount brings relief.

Ingredients: Chuan Wen Ge (Clam Shell, specifically Wubeizi/Five-gall nut). Crushed, purified, sun-dried, and ground into fine powder. Shan Ci Ru (Shan Cigu/Bulbus Fritillariae Thunbergii). Best sourced from Chuzhou and Suichang. Purified and ground into fine powder. Each four liang. Xu Sui Zi (Semen Euphorbiae Lathyri/Qianjinzi). Take four liang of white kernels, grind finely, wrap in bamboo paper and then straw paper, pound on a cold iron plate in a glass shop, changing paper frequently until oil is exhausted, then sieve into pure powder, two liang. Hong Ya Da Ji (Radix Radicis Rubra/Euphorbiae Pekinensis Root with Red Sprout). Do not confuse with Chai Da Ji. Take fresh roots, wash with cold water, sun-dry, remove woody core, peel, slice, avoid eyes and nose, sun-dry, and grind into fine powder, two tael five qian. Zhen She Xiang (Moschus/Musk). Extremely fragrant. Xiong Huang (Realgar). Transparent. Zhu Sha (Cinnabar). Fresh red, split from walls, processed by water levigation, water settled, dried, and re-ground twenty thousand times. Each six qian.

Grind the above ingredients uniformly. The best time for preparation is Dragon Boat Festival (Duanwu); Qixi (Double Seventh) or Double Ninth Festival days with auspicious moon and sun stars are also acceptable. Observe fasting and solitary lodging in advance. On the appointed day, offer incense and candles before the deity with the wrapped powder, then bathe and change clothes. Pray in a clean room, ensuring no women, mourners, strangers, chickens, dogs, raw meat, or alcohol are present. Mix one liang of powder with seven qian of cooked glutinous rice dough. If too dry, add two qian of dough paste. Pound in a mortar over a thousand times, roll into strips, stamp into ingots. For convenience in wearing, pierce holes, air-dry in shade, slightly sun-dry, and store tightly sealed. For all sores, carbuncles, back infections, ding tumors, and boils, grind with water and apply frequently; take with scallion wine, cover thickly to induce sweating. For snake, scorpion, centipede, insect bites, mad dog bites, yaws, rheumatism, lymphatic nodules, tonsillitis, erysipelas, etc., grind with water, apply to affected area, and take with wine. For wind-stroke, qi stagnation, evil invasion, sudden collapse and unconsciousness, dysphagia, and swelling, take with wine. For cold damage, epidemics, dry huoluan, bloody and white dysentery, throat wind, various food poisons, and pediatric convulsions/worms, take with mint decoction. For heart and abdominal pain, qi accumulation, and gu distension, take with ginger decoction. For hanging, drowning, and traumatic injuries, take with wine. For various headaches, grind with ginger and scallion juice, apply to Taiyang acupoint, and take with Chuanxiong decoction. For toothache, apply with wine. For malaria onset, grind with east-flowing water, take with peach and willow branch decoction. For amenorrhea with abdominal pain in women, take with safflower wine; pregnant women should not use. For ghostly disturbances, take with wine and burn several ingots. For livestock epidemic toxins, grind and灌 (administer via gavage). Avoid all sweet foods. Medical families and large households should prepare this; carrying it on journeys repels all evils, facilitating humanitarian aid, generating boundless merit.

Simple Prescription for Gu Poison: Equal parts Bai Fan (Alumen) and Gan Cao (Licorice Root), ground into powder. Two qian each time, taken with plain warm water; inducing vomiting and diarrhea is effective.

Another Prescription: Xiong Huang (Realgar) and Bai Fan (Alumen) in equal parts. Melt yellow wax during Duanwu Festival to mix. Roll into pills the size of tung tree seeds by multiple hands. Recite the Bodhisattva Yao Wang (Medicine King) seven times, swallow seven pills with warm water.

Another Prescription: Ping Wei San (Peaceful Stomach Powder) made from raw materials ground into powder. Mix with raw lacquer to form pills the size of tung tree seeds. Take seventy pills with wine each time, gradually increasing the dose.