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An uncle contracted the infectious toxic leprosy (Lifeng, 疠风), initially presenting with numbness in the toes, which gradually progressed to insensitivity of the muscles and red rashes on the body. He had been frequently taking specialized wind-disease pills and powders from Jingkou, which were largely purgative and detoxifying preparations, such as Kushen Wan (Bitter Sophora Pill) and Bisheng San (Victory Powder). Initially, he had three to four bowel movements daily; although the red rashes subsided, his spirit declined day by day. After lingering for several years, he suffered from loss of eyebrows and deviation of the eyes. I stated that expelling toxins should be combined with tonifying the primordial qi (Yuan Qi); otherwise, if healthy qi sinks and pathogenic toxins stagnate, it is not a proper treatment method. Therefore, I used the ingredients of Bazhen Wan (Eight Treasures Pill) plus processed Polygonum multiflorum (Zhi Shouwu), raw Eucommia bark (Sheng Duzhong), honey-fried Astragalus root (Zhi Huangqi), steamed Achyranthes root (Zheng Niuxi), Polygonatum odoratum (Yuzhu), Gastrodia elata (Tianma), Angelica pubescens (Duhuo), Gentian macrophylla (Qinjiao), Spikenard (Weilingxian), Frankincense (Ruxiang), and Myrrh (Moyao), made into honeyed pills. Concurrently, he took medicinal wine prepared with Bungarus multicinctus (Baihuashe), Pangolin scales (Chuanshanjia), Pine nodes (Songjie), Cibotium barometz (Jinmao Gouji), Spikenard (Weilingxian), Taxillus chinensis (Sangjisheng), Sophora flavescens (Kushen), Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen), Angelica sinensis (Danggui), Polygonatum odoratum (Yuzhu), Quisqualis indica (Mugua), and Cinnamon twig (Guizhi), soaked and decocted, taken warm. One dose resulted in slight recovery of spirit and stabilization of bi-syndrome pain. Later, he resumed taking the Jingkou pills and powders, leading to diarrhea, reduced appetite, tendon spasms, and muscle decay, ultimately resulting in ineffective treatment.

Another patient presented with early-stage leprosy, characterized by fluid exudation from the left heel and paralysis/inability to move the left hand. The pulse was deficient, soft, and weak, failing to rise upon heavy pressure, indicating deficiency of yin blood compounded by wind-damp-leprosy toxin invasion. Treatment consisted of Rehmannia glutinosa (Shudi), Angelica sinensis (Danggui), Ligusticum chuanxiong (Chuanxiong), Lycium barbarum (Gouqi), Polygonum multiflorum (Shouwu), Atractylodes macrocephala (Baizhu), Astragalus membranaceus (Huangqi), Achyranthes bidentata (Niuxi), raw Eucommia bark (Sheng Duzhong), Acanthopanax senticosus (Wujiaopi), Angelica pubescens (Duhuo), Cinnamon twig (Guizhi), Uncaria rhynchophylla (Gouteng), and Turmeric rhizome (Jianghuang), decocted into an extract and mixed with wine. This alleviated the tremors and stiffness of the hands and feet. However, this condition involves leprosy toxin invading the meridians due to deficiency, as the classic text states: "Where pathogenic factors gather, qi must be deficient." If one does not isolate oneself (avoiding contact with contaminated environments/patients) and carefully regulate lifestyle, prolonged suffering will lead to stabbing pain in bones and tendons, loss of eyebrows, eye deviation, nasal collapse, and muscle decay, with less than one in ten surviving.

Mr. Zhou, in his prime, contracted the aforementioned disease. It began with swelling and induration of the arm and bi-pain in the wrist, spreading throughout the body, causing joint spasms and pain, facial erythematous patches, and profuse damp-toxin discharge, mostly concentrated in the extremities. His pulse was deep and rapid. This indicated that the leprosy toxin had penetrated from the meridians into the bone marrow. It required phlebotomy with stone needles (Bian) to remove bad blood and vent the toxin, a task beyond the reach of herbal medicine alone; therefore, I declined to treat him.