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Wan Mizhai treated the son of the Wang family. The child had a good appetite and once suffered from abdominal pain, which was identified as worm pain (worm-induced abdominal pain). He administered An Chong Wan (Worm-Expelling Pill). Three days later, an unusually large worm was expelled, approximately one chi long, with a red body and thickness like a finger. When held by both ends and pulled, it could stretch to over ten chi in length, resembling a thread; upon release, it would instantly contract back to its short form. This was the mother worm, which was burned with fire, leading to recovery.

The son of the Hu family once suffered from abdominal pain. Wan diagnosed it as a worm disease. When asked how to distinguish it, he replied: "Abdominal pain that persists continuously is due to food stagnation (accumulation pain). Abdominal masses with salivation are due to worms." He prescribed An Chong Wan combined with Jie Du Wan (Detoxifying Pill), but repeated doses were ineffective. Thinking the worm might be cunning, he devised a plan. He selected an auspicious day for expulsion in the early part of the lunar month, keeping it secret from the child. The night before, he decocted a soup made from the root bark of *Toosendan Fructus* (Kutian Gen Tang). At dawn on the next day, he fried an egg pancake in clear oil. Letting the child smell the aroma, the child eagerly wanted to eat it, so Wan delayed giving it. He gave only a small amount first. The child felt something surging up to the heart and chest area. Only then did Wan administer the medicine. Shortly after, the object in the chest descended. The child was fed an egg and stopped eating. At the Si hour (9–11 AM), loud borborygmi occurred in the abdomen, followed by the expulsion of a strange worm, about the length of a finger, with a head, hands, and feet, resembling an infant. Wan stated: "This is the San Chuan Lao Chong (Three-Generation Consumption Worm). It originated from the father, passed to the mother, and then to the son. Fortunately, it has been removed." A maid was ordered to use iron tongs to carry it to the river and burn it. The maid inhaled some smoke and subsequently died of consumption-like illness, while the child remained healthy. (Note by Xiong: The Ziting Fang states that at the initial stage, the Lao Chong resembles an infant. It is unknown what basis Wan's theory has.)

A boy surnamed Yan suffered from a worm disease, presenting with yellowish emaciation, intermittent abdominal pain, and craving. If meat was consumed, the pain did not occur; if no meat was eaten for a day, the pain became severe. Observing his weak constitution, Wan dared not use harsh purgatives. Instead, he used the root bark of *Toosendan Fructus* boiled in meat broth, taken alone for three days. This resulted in the expulsion of a basin full of tadpole-like worms, yellowish-black in color. Subsequently, Yang Pi Wan (Spleen-Nourishing Pill) was used for regulation, leading to stability.

A seven-year-old boy loved meat and frequently suffered from abdominal pain. His father asked about the difference between stagnation pain and worm pain. Wan explained: "Stagnation pain occurs at fixed locations, is aggravated by pressure, involves aversion to food, and dry mouth; worm pain has no fixed location, is relieved by massage, involves cravings, and spitting of clear fluid. This child has worm pain." Medication was given to expel the worms, resulting in the passage of more than ten large worms, after which the pain ceased. Less than a month later, the pain returned. Wan said, "I will not purge again, fearing damage to Stomach Qi." He formulated a prescription using Huang Lian (Coptidis Rhizoma), Mu Xiang (Aucklandiae Radix), and Bing Lang (Arecae Semen) primarily to remove stagnation, and Chen Pi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium), Qing Pi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Viride), San Leng (Sparganii Rhizoma), E Zhu (Curcumae Rhizoma), Zhi Shi (Aurantii Fructus Immaturus), and Shan Zha (Crataegi Fructus) specifically to eliminate worms. These were ground into powder, formed into pills with Shen Qu (Massae Fermentatae) the size of hemp seeds, and taken with rice water. Regular consumption led to the periodic expulsion of small worms, and eventually a large worm, finger-sized and about one chi long, which was the mother worm. Thereafter, the pain gradually diminished.

Wu Fuxian treated a maid who was sallow and emaciated, with a strong craving for oil, even consuming the grease from lamp wicks. After medical treatment, several shrimp-like worms were expelled, her craving ceased, and she soon regained health and robustness. (*Ben Cao Gang Mu* records cases of individuals with Fa Xia [abdominal masses] capable of consuming up to five jin of oil.)

A young boy ate his own cloth clothes, starting from the sleeves up to the shoulders. Wu used Jian Chong Wan (Worm-Expelling Decoction/Pill), resulting in the expulsion of several silkworm-like worms, leading to recovery.

Qian Zhongyang treated the daughter of the Xin family, aged five, suffering from worm pain. Previous physicians used Ba Dou (Crotonis Fructus), Gan Xi (Drynariae Rhizoma), and Nao Sha (Natrii Boras) without effect. By the fifth day, the child cried frequently, tossed about, slept restlessly, rubbed her own heart and abdomen, screamed intermittently, displayed varying facial colors (blue, yellow, white, black), had dull eyes, pale lips, and foaming at the mouth. On the sixth day, her chest was elevated when lying down, and she became increasingly restless. Qian examined her and prescribed Wu Yi San (Meliosma Powder) three times. Noticing the persistence of bluish discoloration around the eyes, he exclaimed in alarm: "The condition is critical. If diarrhea ensues, it will be a adverse sign." Indeed, at midnight, she experienced diarrhea resembling medicinal juice. Stirring it with a stick revealed undigested pill remnants. Qian said: "This child has thick flesh and should have excess Qi, yet the symptoms indicate deficiency. It is incurable." Xin asked why. Qian replied: "Spleen deficiency and Cold Stomach cause worms to move. The bluish eyes indicate Liver overacting on Spleen. Combined with diarrhea, this indicates extreme Qi depletion. The pills passing with feces suggest Spleen and Stomach collapse. The mismatch between physical signs and disease severity confirms a fatal prognosis." The child fell into deep coma on the fifth day and died on the seventh. (This outcome was due to the misuse of Gan Xi and Ba Dou by previous physicians.)

Gong Zicai treated a boy suffering from severe abdominal pain, appearing near death, with palpable lumps in the abdomen. Other physicians failed. Gong instructed someone to slowly rub the painful area by hand. After half a day, the worms were expelled via defecation, and the boy recovered.

A girl of the Gu family in Siming, over ten years old, was severely emaciated ("bone standing"), unresponsive to various treatments, and dying. During the Dragon Boat Festival, her family prepared realgar wine. She secretly drank some, became drunk, and vomited profusely. Among the vomitus was an organism resembling a turtle, wriggling, pure red in color with bright green eyes. The family stepped on it, stretching its neck long. Using tongs, it bit back, making grating sounds, and resisted beating. It was crushed thoroughly and buried. The next day, only a blood clot remained. From then on, the girl grew up healthy. (Recorded by Fang Mao of Xin'an.)

Zhu Zhaoneng, a Go enthusiast, had a daughter with many abdominal worms. Discussing this with He Ju, a physician suggested eating Fei Zi (Torreya Seeds). Upon consumption, worms were expelled and dried, measuring eight chi in length. (From *Xu Jinling Suoshi*.)

In a rural area, a prominent family had a one-year-old son suffering from generalized body pain and incessant crying during hot weather. Physicians were helpless. Wang Qiyun arrived and promised a cure within an hour for ten taels of silver. The owner agreed. Wang prepared a strong decoction of Gan Cao (Licorice Root) for a bath. The child soon fell asleep, woke up after half a day, and the pain had ceased. Delighted, the owner paid him and asked for the diagnosis. Wang explained: "The wet nurse was holding the child for cool air, and the child was stung by thorns/hairs (likely caterpillar hairs, commonly called 'Yang La Zi'). Hence, the licorice bath cured it. If I had helped beforehand, would you have offered ten taels?" Everyone laughed and parted. (From *Yunjian Zaji*.)

Zhang Zihe treated a child crying sorrowfully, also curing him through bathing. He attributed it to Heart Fire overacting on the Lung; bathing induced sweating, dispersing Lung Heat. (Note by Xiong: For injuries caused by hairy caterpillars, the skin immediately becomes red and swollen. Bathing is strictly contraindicated; vegetable oil should be applied instead.)

If a child spits saliva or clear fluid, has a pale face, and experiences intermittent epigastric/abdominal pain, it is worm pain, similar to epilepsy but distinguished by the absence of eye deviation and hand convulsions. An Chong San (Worm-Expelling Powder) is the primary treatment. Prepared by frying Hu Fen (Lead Carbonate) until yellow, and mixing with Bing Lang (Arecae Semen), Chuan Lian Zi (Toosendan Fructus), and He Shi (Chrysanthemi Indici Flos), each 3 qian, and Ku Bai Fan (Alumen Exsiccatum) 2.5 qian. Grind into powder. Take 5–6 fen per dose, mixed with rice water during pain episodes.