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Zeng Shirong said: In the spring of Yiwu year of Yuanzhen era, a Commander Wang came from Guangxi and moored his boat by the river. His son, only two weeks old, suffered from headache. Medication and acupuncture were ineffective.

I was summoned to examine him. The child's complexion and pulse were both good, except for a slight redness on the forehead. Upon palpation, the child cried loudly with tears. His mother angrily questioned me, but I ignored her remarks and focused entirely on investigating the cause of the illness. I asked again about the circumstances when the illness began. Commander Wang said: "Initially at Jingjiang, a strong wind blew the sail against him, after which he became unwell." I said: "If you carefully palpate the head, the symptoms will be revealed." He agreed, sent his family members away to visit relatives, and held the child himself. Upon palpation, I indeed found a small bamboo splinter pierced into the subcutaneous tissue below the fontanelle, which was a splinter from the sail. After moistening the skin thoroughly with clarified butter and extracting it with tweezers, the pain ceased and the child recovered. Had I retreated due to the woman's chatter, my compassion for the infant would have been insufficient. Physicians in later times, if they encounter infants with good complexion and pulse but no response to medication, should realize there must be another cause, investigate carefully, and avoid being dogmatic. (From *Youyou Xinshu*)

Fu Cilü said: The method for treating bamboo or wood splinters is recorded in *Shenghui Fang*. I once used it to save a servant in a manor, and it was extremely effective. The patient had severe stabbing pain in the sole of his foot, nearing death. At dusk, medicine was applied, and the pain intensified. By the fourth watch (1-3 AM), upon inspection, the splinter had emerged, and he was safe. The treatment involved mashing black sheep dung, mixing it with water, and applying it thickly to the wound. (From *Baibai Fang*)

Commissioner Zhang Jian resided in Jiannan. Judge Zhang Yanshang was suddenly bitten on the head by a spider. Overnight, two red lines appeared at the bite site, thin as tendons, encircling the neck and descending from the chest to the heart meridian. After two nights, the head swelled with bruising to the size of a measuring bowl, and the abdomen gradually swelled, nearly leading to death. Lord Zhang offered five hundred thousand cash, plus several hundred thousand from Zhang Jian's wealth, to recruit a healer. Suddenly, a man responded, claiming he could cure it. Lord Zhang doubted him and wanted to inspect his prescription. The man said: "I do not know prescriptions; I only know how to save lives." He took a bowl of indigo juice, put the spider in it, until the juice turned dead (discolored). He then added musk and realgar to the indigo juice, put the spider in again, and it immediately dissolved into water. Lord Zhang was amazed and ordered him to apply it to the bite. Within two days, it completely healed, not just a minor wound. (From *Bencao Gangmu*)

*Zilin* states: Ting resembles a lizard, originates from Weixing, lives in trees, jumps down to bite people when seen, returns to the tree after biting, hangs its head listening to crying sounds before leaving. It is also known as Qiansui Fu snake. Its shape is uniform from head to tail, as thick as a laundry pestle, commonly called Hemu Snake, one to two chi long. Tan Ye Weng named it Zhuomu Snake, also known as Wangbangui. To treat the bite, mash fresh Huangjing leaves and apply them. (From *Bencao Gangmu*)

Scholar Liu Yi, living in seclusion on Mount Wangwu, once saw a bee trapped in a spider web in his study. The spider attacked it but was stung by the bee and fell to the ground. Soon, the spider's abdomen swelled as if bursting. It slowly walked into the grass, bit open a taro root, and rubbed the wound against the bitten area. After a while, the swelling subsided, and it regained its agility. Since then, anyone stung by a bee can be cured by applying mashed taro root. (From *Bitan*)

Earthworm feces can treat bee stings. When I was young, picking yellow citrus fruits, I was stung by a bee. I urgently mixed earthworm feces with well water and applied it, stopping the pain immediately. I heard from elders that while cooling under an eaves, they saw a bee caught by a spider. The spider came out to take the bee, got stung, and fell. After regaining consciousness, it crawled to the corner of the wall, pressed its hind legs against earthworm feces to cover the wound. Soon, it walked healthily and finally ate the bee in the web. Indeed, all things possess wisdom. Shen Cunzhong's *Bitan* also records a similar incident, but mentions using taro stems instead. I record this here. (From *Kejian Jianji*)

Ma Zhiji was walking in the village when he was bitten by a dog. Brought home, his neck was swollen like a jar, hard as iron, with toxic qi entering the interior, causing vomiting, inability to eat, and heavy headache. He sought help from Dairen. A female servant said: "Pain decreases with purgation." Using Binglang Wan to purge, two rows of stool were passed, but no improvement. Dairen returned from Wuyang and asked Ma: "With such leg swelling, can the Yin and Yang meridians of the foot be needled?" Ma said: "None are suitable." Dairen said: "Strong purgation is needed." He instructed Ma to take 150 pills of Zhouche Wan and 3-4 qian of Tongjing San before sleep. By midnight, fourteen rows of stool were passed, the swelling disappeared instantly, and the skin wrinkled like a walnut shell, thinner than the uninjured leg. He was told not to apply plasters, allowing toxic qi to discharge as pus and blood. The next day, fearing incomplete detoxification, another 100+ pills of Zhouche Wan and 3-4 qian of Xunchuan San were taken, resulting in six rows of stool. The patient asked: "Why was passing fourteen rows easier than six?" Dairen replied: "When the disease is strong, it overcomes the medicine; when the disease weakens, it cannot withstand the medicine." After six days, the pus cleared. He was advised not to fear wind during discharge, but to avoid it afterwards. Yu Feng Bingzi was taken three times daily. Two days later, Shengji San was applied once, forming a scab. Alas! The dosage makes a vast difference. Without meeting Dairen, the saying 'pain decreases with purgation' would seem false. This shows the difficulty of medicine, and even greater difficulty in applying it. (Dairen is Zhang Zihe.)

For bites from mad dogs or venomous snakes, simply apply human feces to the wound; fresh feces are best. No other medicine compares. (Chu Jishi, from *Yanbu Outan*)

Chan Jiang Huai had his nose bitten off by a donkey. A monk used hair sealed in a jar with salt mud, burned it, powdered it, and urgently dabbed the nose in the ash to reattach it, binding it with soft silk. Effective. For fallen ears or noses, this method is also effective. (From *Yixue Gangmu*)

Xue Lizhai treated a man bitten by a dog, with severe pain and nausea. He instructed urgent suction of toxic blood, followed by garlic-separated moxibustion on the site for several moxa cones, stopping the pain. Taie Gao was applied, and Yuzhen San was administered, leading to recovery.

A man bitten by a mad dog presented with locked jaw and unconsciousness. Urgent needle drainage of toxic blood and garlic-separated moxibustion revived him after some time. Taie Gao was applied, and Yuzhen San was given twice, showing slight improvement. Then, Jieshu San was given twice for full recovery. For severe cases, Suhexiang Wan should be forced first, followed by decoctions.

*Zhenjiu Jing* states: Waixiu point treats rabid dog bites. If fever and chills occur, quickly moxa three cones, then moxa the bite site for immediate cure. In late spring and early summer, if bitten by a rabid dog, peace comes after a hundred days. Lifelong abstinence from dog meat and silkworm pupae is required, as consumption causes relapse that is incurable. Remove bad blood first, moxa the bite ten times, then one cone daily thereafter for a hundred days. Avoid alcohol for seven days. Drink 1-2 cups of crushed leek juice. Another method: suck out bad blood, moxa the bite 100 times, highly effective.

For snakes entering the seven orifices, urgently moxa the snake's tail. Another method: cut the snake's tail slightly, insert seven Sichuan peppercorns, and the snake will exit. Immediately mix realgar and cinnabar powder in ginseng decoction and administer to resolve internal toxicity. Mountain dwellers bitten by snakes should wash the bite with urine, dry it, and moxa it for immediate effect. Another method: place slices of single-clove garlic on the wound, moxa on top of the garlic, changing the garlic every three cones. More moxa is better.

Lizhai treated Chen Jian from Junyuguan, stung by a scorpion on the hand. Bruised pain penetrated the heart, spreading to the armpit within moments, accompanied by chills, fever, stiffness, headache, and nausea. This was due to the struggle between pathogenic and healthy Qi. Feilong Duoming Dan was applied, and painkillers given, but neither worked. Garlic-separated moxibustion was then used, resulting in a cure. Xue's mother and Xue himself had been stung similarly; moxibustion stopped the pain immediately. Xue's mother was also injured by a centipede on her finger and healed with the same method. For injuries from centipedes and similar toxins, this treatment is universally effective. Materia Medica states garlic treats sores and toxins, having the power to revive the dying.

A hunter's leg was bitten by a wild wolf, causing severe pain. Ruxiang Dingtong San was ineffective. Considering the injury was in the lower yin area where Qi and Blood stagnate, making drug efficacy difficult, garlic-separated moxibustion was performed for over fifty cones, eliminating the bruised pain. Toli medicines and plasters were applied for recovery.

Student Wang was bitten on the leg by a rabid dog, with pain spreading to the thigh instantly. The next day, his jaw locked. Yuzhen San failed. Garlic-separated moxibustion for thirty-plus cones revived him. Recovery followed with Yuzhen San and Toli detoxifying medicines.

Lizhai's father once had an insect enter his ear while sleeping, causing painful dizziness. Ginger was rubbed on a cat's nose to induce urination. Cat urine was dropped into the ear, expelling the insect and curing the pain. Also, Hundred户 Zhang Jin claimed to have an ear sore causing intermittent agonizing pain, but his pulse was calm. During conversation, pain struck suddenly. Suspecting an insect, he was sent home to urgently get cat urine for the ear. A smelly bug emerged, and pain ceased. Applying sesame oil kills the bug but makes removal difficult. Sleeping on fried sesame seeds also expels insects but slower than cat urine. (This case is also recorded in Ear Gate, not a duplicate. Fear that patients might not realize it is an insect and skip searching ear sections.)

*Hua Tuo Biography*: Madam Pengcheng of Pengcheng went to the toilet at night and was stung on the hand by a earwig. She groaned helplessly. Hua Tuo instructed her to soak her hand in warm, near-boiling water, allowing her to sleep. Attendants frequently changed the water, keeping it warm. She was cured by morning. (From *Records of the Three Kingdoms*)

A monk suffered from a snake bite, with one foot ulcerating. Hundreds of medicines failed. A wandering monk washed the decay with several buckets of fresh water until white tendons were visible, drained it, and sprinkled a mixture of Angelica dahurica powder, alum, and a little musk. Foul fluid gushed out daily. After one month, he recovered. (From *Qiji Fang*)

Su Taoguang stayed at Kuixing Pavilion outside Wunv City. Someone wrote a formula on the wall claiming it cures all insect bites miraculously. Su used it repeatedly with success. The formula uses Fritillaria powder mixed with wine, drunk by the patient as much as possible. If unable to drink, stop. Soon, liquid flows out from the wound. When flow stops, stuff the wound with Fritillaria powder for cure. Even if clinically dead, if there is faint breath and swallowing is possible, administration leads to life. Miraculous effects beyond words. (From *Jicheng*)

Late Chongning era: Longxi soldiers stood barefoot in a hall during midsummer heat and were bitten by earthworms, leading to death. Days later, others were poisoned similarly. Learned individuals taught drinking a cup of salt water first, then soaking feet in salt water the next day, resulting in cure.

*Tan Shi Fang* treats spider bites causing widespread sores. Take one green onion, remove the tip, make a hole, insert an earthworm, pinch both ends tightly without leaking air, shake until it turns to water. Drip this water on the bite for cure. (Materia Medica)

Sun Simiao, in the sixth month of Wude era, suffered from earwig urine disease. After five or six days, persistent heart oppression remained despite other treatments. Someone taught drawing an earwig shape on the ground, carefully scraping soil from the belly of a live earwig, mixing it with saliva into mud, and applying it repeatedly for cure. Only then did he understand the mutual resonance of all things in the world, though the reason remained unknown. (From *Qianjin Fang*)

Lizhai treated a man with dog bite causing cyanosis and pain. Radish juice mixed with Gardenia powder was applied. Siwu Tang added with Bupleurum, Scutellaria, Trichosanthes root, and Pangolin scales was given for two doses, showing slight improvement. Then, Tuoli San added with Rehmannia, Bupleurum, and Safflower was given for several doses until suppuration. Finally, Tuoli and Spleen-strengthening medicines led to recovery.

Ma Mingju transmitted a formula for centipede bites: Slugs applied stop pain instantly, tested many times with miraculous effect. Another method: Burn the head of an old bamboo rib in fire until black, take a little, grind fine, and apply to the site for instant cure. (From *Guang Biji*)