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Wu Yang treated the aunt of Wang Boyu, surnamed Du. In winter, shortly after giving birth to her second son, she fell ill with aphonia (loss of voice) and flaccidity syndrome (weakness and atrophy of limbs), profuse sweating on the four limbs, and severe aversion to cold. The condition worsened through spring and summer; even wrapped in silk wadding and huddled in cotton quilts, she shivered uncontrollably.

Wu Yang said: "When things reach an extreme, they reverse. I intend to push this to the extreme first. Her illness stems from deficiency due to consecutive deliveries. The condition is severe and cannot be reversed quickly. By stimulating the body's response before reversal, it will be easier to treat." Consequently, he used Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Renshen) and Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma (Baizhu) for tonification, Cinnamon Twig Decoction (Guizhi Tang) for astringing sweat, and Dragon Bone (Longgu) and Oyster Shell (Muli) for securing and consolidating. After a year, the aversion to cold remained unchanged. Wang expressed concern, but Wu Yang replied: "Do not think progress is slow; treatment can only proceed when the melon is ripe." Another year passed into summer. One month in advance, upon pulse diagnosis, he said: "The medicinal efficacy has accumulated sufficiently; cure is now possible." He then instructed that water from a basin be poured over two green towels twice, and a melon floating on stone-cold water be cut three times. He told Wang: "I am not joking. Today, we will restore her speech and remove her clothes and bedding." He ordered a female servant to bring the basin of cold water. Du hesitated, signaling with her hands that as a postpartum patient, she should not use water. Wu Yang said: "No harm. Just press your hands on the green towel to test it." The patient agreed, whereupon the two towels were soaked. She then rinsed her mouth with water from the basin, drank some, ate half a peeled melon, and subsequently, her sweating stopped, her voice returned, and she dressed in single garments as usual. Previously, the wife of Wu Qian from Xinan suffered from identical symptoms, and Wu Yang cured her using the same method. (From *Taihan Ji*. Note by Yu Zhenxiong: This is a method of first rescuing the exterior, then clearing the interior. However, waiting until the melon is ripe requires patience that patients may lack, despite the physician's insight.)

Shen Yaofeng stated: "Postpartum asthma presents as either obstruction syndrome or collapse syndrome. Excessive blood loss indicates collapse syndrome, characterized by rapid breathing from the throat and imminent death. Although medical texts mention Shen Su Yin (Ginseng and Perilla Decoction), it may be too late to administer. Poor expulsion of lochia indicates obstruction syndrome, which can be settled with Duoming Dan (Life-Restoring Pill). If ineffective, it should be treated as phlegm. These are all acute conditions. There is also a chronic type. Lou Quanshan stated: 'Most postpartum asthmatics die.' For example, a woman who bathed two months postpartum developed asthma, unable to lie down. Five months later, with warmth aiding lochia discharge, she was treated with Moutan Cortex (Danpi), Peach Kernel (Taoren), Cinnamon Twig (Guizhi), Poria (Fuling), Dried Ginger (Ganjiang), Immature Bitter Orange (Zhishi), Magnolia Bark (Houpo), Mulberry Bark (Sangbai Pi), Perilla Leaf (Zisuye), Schisandra Fruit (Wuweizi), and Trichosanthes Fruit (Gualou). After decoction and ingestion, she could lie down, and the disease vanished. This was treated as blood stasis complicated by cold invasion. Analysis shows this is also a phlegm syndrome, hence its persistence; phlegm obstructing the yang meridians causes aversion to cold. The key herbs in the formula are Gualou, Houpo, Zhishi, Guizhi, Fuling, Ganjiang, and Wuweizi; the others are largely superfluous.

Lou Quanshan treated a woman who developed asthma immediately after bathing postpartum, able only to sit, not lie down, for five days. She had aversion to wind, slight relief with warmth, pulsating pulses at both Guan positions, and deficient pulses at Cun and Chi positions. All medicines failed. Using Moutan Cortex, Peach Kernel, Cinnamon Twig, Poria, Dried Ginger, Immature Bitter Orange Peel (Zhike), Mulberry Bark, Perilla Leaf, Schisandra Fruit, and Trichosanthes Seed, she felt relieved after one dose and could lie down after two or three doses, with the disease disappearing. This was treated as cold invasion following sweating. (From *Zhi Fa Hui*. Note by Yu Zhenxiong: If the Cun pulse is deficient, why use Zhishi and Houpo? If the Chi pulse is deficient, why use Danpi and Taoren? If lochia retention is the cause, why is it not mentioned in the case record?)

Xue Lizhai treated a postpartum woman with rapid asthma, spontaneous sweating, cold extremities, and a habit of protecting her abdomen with her hands. This indicated deficiency and collapse of yang qi. She was cured with four doses of Renshen Fuzi Tang (Ginseng and Prepared Aconite Decoction).

Miao Zhongchun stated: "In the Jichou year, my wife, five days postpartum, consumed cold food. Anger injured the spleen, causing diarrhea, followed by mild cough. Three days later, diarrhea persisted, extremities became cold, asthma developed, the bed shook, and her spirit was scattered. A physician administered five qian of Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma and five qian of Prepared Aconite Root (Fuzi), with no effect. Gradually increasing Ginseng to three liang and Fuzi to three qian, one dose resulted in a dramatic recovery. (From *Guang Biji*.)

Miao Zhongchun treated the wife of Yu Zhongfu for postpartum asthma. He administered five qian of Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma, three qian each of Sappan Wood (Sumu) and Ophiopogon Tuber (Maidong). She recovered after one dose."