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Did not respond to herbs such as *Polygonatum odoratum* (Rhizoma Polygonati Odorati, Weirui) and *Glycyrrhiza uralensis* (Radix Glycyrrhizae, Gancao). Therefore, a bowl of *Zhu Fu Tang* (Pig Skin Decoction) was prepared. The patient was instructed to warm it in hot water and take small amounts frequently. After three days, the voice became clear, and upon completing the course, the illness disappeared completely.

Zhu Danxi treated Shi Bu, aged forty. Due to excessive moxibustion and fire therapy, he suffered from intestinal bleeding mixed with stool and abdominal pain. Although the pain had ceased, he frequently vomited clear fluid and could not retain food. It was appropriate to clear the heat in the stomach. The prescription consisted of *Scutellaria baicalensis* (Radix Scutellariae, Huangqin), *Glycyrrhiza uralensis* (Radix Glycyrrhizae, Gancao), and *Poria cocos* (Sclerotium Poriae Cocos, Fushen), each 5 fen; *Citrus reticulata* (Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae, Chenpi) and *Rehmannia glutinosa* (Radix Rehmanniae Preparata, Dihuang), each 1 qian; *Lonicera japonica* (Flos Lonicerae Japonicae, Lianqiao) and *Atractylodes macrocephala* (Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae, Baizhu), each 1.5 qian; and three slices of *Zingiber officinale* (Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens, Shengjiang).

Yang Chengliu treated Yao Youzeng who suffered from "Gan Syndrome" (the term need not be taken literally here). Symptoms included external coldness with internal heat, cold limbs, thirst, chest fullness, drowsiness, delirious speech, anorexia, and constipation. (Women with blood deficiency and hyperactive fire after childbirth often present this syndrome without necessarily having an external contraction.) Physicians treated it as constrained fire in the Liver channel, using *Xiaoyao San* (Free and Easy Wanderer Powder) supplemented with *Rehmannia glutinosa* (Radix Rehmanniae, Shengdi) and *Mentha haplocalyx* (Herba Menthae Haplocalycis, Bohe). After two doses, irritability worsened. The pulse was deep and hidden; pressing to the bone revealed a fine and rapid quality. The complexion was dark and dull, and the tongue coating was yellow and dry. This indicated that fire was constrained in the Yangming channel, preventing Stomach Yin from nourishing and expanding. Thus, the pulse and symptoms internally displayed Yang signs while externally presenting Yin manifestations. Someone asked: Since the condition is fire constraint, the method should be dispersing. Why did the previous formula aggravate it? The answer was: Chaihu and Bohe in Xiaoyao San are wind-dispelling herbs that act specifically on the Liver and Gallbladder. If used for Yangming disease, the fire would be fanned and become more intense. Instead, only *Zuo Gui Yin* (Left Restoring Decoction) minus *Poria cocos* (Sclerotium Poriae Cocos, Fuling) was used to nourish Stomach Yin, adding *Rehmannia glutinosa* (Radix Rehmanniae, Shengdi) and *Angelica sinensis* (Radix Angelicae Sinensis, Danggui) to clear Stomach fire. The symptoms subsided naturally. As reported, the illness improved, and several doses led to recovery. Years later, the illness recurred. The physician observed cool body temperature and a fine pulse, and added *Aconitum carmichaelii* (Radix Aconiti Lateralis Preparata, Fuzi) to Zuo Gui Yin. This resulted in mental confusion, Qi stagnation, restlessness, and agitation. Immediately, Fuzi was removed from the previous formula and *Panax notoginseng* (not specified, likely *Adenophora* or *Bletilla*, text says Huafen - *Tetrastigma hemsleyanum* Rhizome / *Panax notoginseng* root? No, Huafen is *Trichosanthes kirilowii* Radix / *Trichosanthis Radix*) was added. One dose brought peace. Then Huafen was removed, and several more doses cured the patient.

Gong Zicai treated a man with headache, fever, vertigo, urgent panting, profuse phlegm-saliva, frequent urination, dry mouth with desire to drink, thorny protrusions all over the tongue shrinking like a lychee, cracked and scorched lower lip, red face and eyes, irritability, insomnia, and occasional sensation of smoke/fire rushing up the throat. Drinking cold tea provided slight relief, but he was near death. The pulse was excessively large and forceful; his body felt burning to the touch. This was deficient fire of the Kidney channel wandering outward. He was administered *Shiquan Dabu Tang* (Comprehensive Great Tonifying Decoction) [Commentary: With such pulse and symptoms, how was it diagnosed as Kidney deficient fire? Since Shiquan Dabu Tang was effective, there must have been definite evidence. Not stating the reason misleads future generations?] supplemented with *Cornus officinalis* (Fructus Corni, Shanzhuyu), *Alisma orientalis* (Rhizoma Alismatis, Zexie), *Paeonia suffruticosa* (Radix Paeoniae Rubra, Danpi), *Dioscorea opposita* (Rhizoma Dioscoreae Oppositae, Shanyao), *Ophiopogon japonicus* (Radix Ophiopogonis, Maidong), *Schisandra chinensis* (Fructus Schisandrae, Wuweizi), and *Aconitum carmichaelii* (Radix Aconiti Lateralis Preparata, Fuzi). One cup was taken [Must be taken cold]. After sleeping soundly for a long time, the pulse and symptoms decreased by three or four tenths. He then took *Ba Wei Wan* (Eight-Ingredient Pill), and all symptoms retreated. He recovered after avoiding cold foods.

Xue Lizhai treated Li Ge Lao Xu'an. A student presented him with *Kanli Wan* (Kanli Pill), which he happily took. Xue said: That pill contains *Phellodendron amurense* (Cortex Phellodendri Amurensis, Huangbai) and *Anemarrhena asphodeloides* (Rhizoma Anemarrhenae, Zhimu), which may not be suitable. The *Neijing* states: Strong fire consumes Qi, mild fire generates Qi. Currently, your Liver and Kidney pulses are rapid but weak. You should nourish the source of transformation, not drain fire and injure Qi. Disbelieving, he took it for nearly two months. His Spleen Qi gradually weakened, fever intensified, urination became difficult and stagnant, and both flanks swelled and hurt. He thought it was toxin from sores. Xue said: This is deficiency of the Liver and Kidney channels causing deficient fire. Nourishing these two channels is best. Thus, he used *Buzhong Yiqi Tang* (Tonify the Middle and Augment the Qi Decoction) in the morning and *Liuwei Dihuang Wan* (Six-Ingredient Pill with Rehmannia) in the evening. All symptoms healed. He often saw cases of Spleen/Stomach weakness and Liver/Kidney Yin deficiency with fever where patients took *Shiwei Guben Wan* (Ten-Ingredient Root-Firming Pill) and herbs like Huangbai and Zhimu. This instead drained true Yang, leading to infertility. How can one not be cautious?

A man suffered from oral and lingual ulceration, shortness of fluids, red eyes, frequent urination, profuse phlegm-saliva, weakness in feet and knees, sometimes cold, sometimes hot feet in the afternoon, worsening with fatigue. Unhealed for years, he recovered after taking *Jiajian Bawei Wan* (Modified Eight-Ingredient Pill).

A man suffered from cough, urgent panting, fever, irritability, red face, sore throat, and a large pulse. He used *Huanglian Jiedu Tang* (Coptis Decoction to Relieve Toxicity). After two doses, symptoms slightly receded. Switching to *Zhizi Tang* (Gardenia Decoction), he recovered after four doses.

Jiang Zhongfang treated a merchant in Chu who was impatient and addicted to smoking. After three days, he experienced five-center heat, severe cough, and failed treatments with various medicines. Diagnosis revealed all six pulses were large, indicating a Fire syndrome. Could it be smoke toxicity? The patient realized: Smoking worsens the cough. Therefore, *Ophiopogon japonicus* (Radix Ophiopogonis, Maidong), *Anemarrhena asphodeloides* (Rhizoma Anemarrhenae, Zhimu), *Gardenia jasminoides* (Fructus Gardeniae, Shanzhi), *Trichosanthes kirilowii* (Radix Trichosanthis, Huafen), *Scutellaria baicalensis* (Radix Scutellariae, Huangqin), *Perilla frutescens* (Fructus Perillae, Suzi), *Glycyrrhiza uralensis* (Radix Glycyrrhizae, Gancao), *Benincasa hispida* (Semen Benincasae, Louren), and *Eriobotrya japonica* (Folium Eriobotryae, Pipaye) were decocted, strained, and mixed with one liang of rock sugar. Four doses cured him. (This is a cough due to Fire damaging fluids without external contraction, hence this treatment method.)

Nie Jiuwu stated: My constitution has always been weak. Although my Spirit is strong, my Essence is weak. Both Spleen and Kidney are deficient, even with sexual restraint. Around age twenty, I frequently took tonics for the Spleen like *Panax ginseng* (Radix Ginseng, Renshen) and *Atractylodes macrocephala* (Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae, Baizhu), merely avoiding illness. By age thirty, Spleen and Stomach function improved slightly, but I felt significant heat in the upper jiao, with occasional tooth and mouth ulcers. Taking upper-clearing herbs usually resolved it without major harm. In the spring and summer of the Yiwei year, self-palpation revealed weak Chi (Kidney) pulses, and Cun/Guan pulses were also not vigorous. Suspecting lower deficiency where Water fails to control Fire, I decided to tonify the lower and nourish Water to control it. Merely clearing the upper is not treating the root. Consulting an old doctor surnamed Rao, he agreed. Thus, *Panax ginseng* (Radix Ginseng, Renshen), *Angelica sinensis* (Radix Angelicae Sinensis, Danggui), *Rehmannia glutinosa* (Radix Rehmanniae Preparata, Shudi), *Poria cocos* (Sclerotium Poriae Cocos, Fuling), *Schisandra chinensis* (Fructus Schisandrae, Wuwei), *Ziziphus jujuba* (Semen Ziziphi Spinosae, Suanzaoren Rou), *Morinda officinalis* (Radix Morindae Officinalis, Bajitian), *Psoralea corylifolia* (Fructus Psoraleae, Guzhi), *Cynomorium songaricum* (Herba Cynomorii, Rongshou), *Cervus nippon* (Cornu Cervi Dissolutum, Lu Jiao Jiao), *Curculigo orchioides* (Rhizoma Curculiginis, Xianmao), *Polygala tenuifolia* (Radix Polygalae, Yuanzhi), *Ziziphus jujuba* (Semen Ziziphi Spinosae, Zaoren), *Asparagus cochinchinensis* (Radix Asparagi, Tian Dong), *Ophiopogon japonicus* (Radix Ophiopogonis, Maidong), *Lycium barbarum* (Fructus Lycii, Gouqi), and *Cuscuta chinensis* (Semen Cuscutae, Tusizi) were used. Made into pills with *Dioscorea opposita* (Rhizoma Dioscoreae Oppositae, Shanyao) powder and rice wine paste. After two to three months, upper jiao deficient fire was eliminated, and dental/mouth issues did not recur. Since then, taking tonic pills daily for over twenty years, free from deficient fire, is the merit of nourishing Water to control Fire. (Can be cross-referenced with the case of Huang Lusù in the Deficiency section.)