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Tan Gan (River Otter Liver)
Sweet in flavor, toxic. Primarily treats Gui Zhu (ghostly infection, a contagious chronic wasting disease) and Gu Du (poisonous pestilence), removes fishbones stuck in the throat, stops chronic coughing, and is administered after being calcined.

Chen Yuxi et al., according to *Yao Xing Lun* (Treatise on the Properties of Medicinals): Tan Gan is the Sovereign herb, salty in flavor, slightly warm, non-toxic. It can treat upper Qi cough, Lao Sun diseases (damage from overwork/chronic illness), Shi Zhu (disease transmitted from corpses), and Shou Bing (emaciation). Its bones treat persistent vomiting and hiccups. *Yao Dui* (Pairs of Medicinals) states: Tan Gan is neutral. Meng Shen says: Tan Gan primarily treats Zhu Bing (infectious diseases). If an entire household is infected with this disease, take one liver, roast it over fire until dry, powder it, mix with water, and administer one Fang Cun Bi (a square-inch measure) per dose, twice daily. Note: After administration, if abdominal distension due to fluid retention occurs, but it is merely heat-toxin wind-deficiency distension, it will heal upon taking this. If it is cold-qi deficiency distension, eating it will worsen the edema. It only treats heat patterns, not cold patterns; one cannot generalize. Ri Hua Zi says: Tan Gan treats Xu Lao (deficiency consumption) and Chuan Shi Lao Ji (transmissible tuberculosis-like diseases).

Meat
Treats Yi Wen (epidemic febrile diseases) and Niu Ma Shi Xing Bing (seasonal epidemics in cattle and horses). Administering boiled decoction is also effective.

Tao Hongjing says: There are two types of Tan: One is Bin Tan (Bīn Tǎ), which is large, has a horse-like head and bat-like body, and is not used in medicine; one should select those that sacrifice fish to heaven. Its bones also treat fishbone impaction. Households with cattle or horses may collect their feces. Tan is mostly found by stream banks; its meat should not be eaten mixed with rabbit meat.

*Tang Ben Zhu* (Tang Dynasty Commentary) says: *Bie Lu* (Record of Distinct Medicinals) states that Tan has four feet and treats hand-foot chapping. Currently consulting Chen Cangqi's *Ben Cao*: Tan treats unremovable fishbone impaction; using its feet to scratch the neck area, or drinking the boiled juice, is effective. Fur and skin treat Shui Zhong (edema); making mattresses and shoes from them, or drinking the boiled juice, works. Feces treat Yu Qi Chuang (fish-navel sores); powdered and applied externally, it also treats Lv Ma Chang Sang (parasitic lesions in donkeys/horses); finely powdered and instilled into the nose. Chen Yuxi et al., citing Ri Hua Zi: Tan meat is neutral and non-toxic. Treats Shui Qi (water qi/pathology).

*Tu Jing* (Illustrated Canon) says: Tan, old texts do not specify its origin; now abundant in rivers and lakes. People in the north also tame them for amusement. *Guang Ya* calls it Water Dog. However, there are two types: One is Bin, the other is KT (Pín) Tan, large, horse-headed, bat-bodied. *Huainanzi* says: Those who raise pond fish do not keep Tan. Xu Shen's annotation says: KT is a type of Tan. For medicinal use, select those that sacrifice fish to heaven; its meat is cold-natured. Treats Gu Zheng Re Lao (bone-steaming heat consumption), blood vessel obstruction, Ying Wei (nutritive and defensive Qi) deficiency/fullness, women's meridian obstruction, blood heat, and constipation of large and small intestines. However, it dissipates Yang Qi and does not benefit men; consume sparingly. The five viscera and meat are all cold, only the liver is warm. Treats severe Chuan Shi Lao (transmissible consumption), limb cold malaria, deficiency sweating with external heat, and Chan Lao (postpartum consumption). The lobes of various animal livers are fixed in number. Only this Tan liver grows one lobe per month, twelve lobes in twelve months, with some shedding lobes; verification requires seeing the shape, otherwise many are fake. Zhang Zhongjing had a formula for treating Cold Lao: Tan Gan Wan. Also treats Gui Zhu; if the whole family is infected, take one liver, roast it, and swallow with water, one Fang Cun Bi, twice daily. Cui Shi's Tan Gan Wan treats ninety types of Gu Zhu, Chuan Shi, Gu Zheng, Fu Lian, and various ghost-toxin plagues. Both formulas are excellent. Kidney tonifies men. Feet treat fishbone impaction; scratching the neck or drinking boiled juice works. Fur/skin treat edema. Feces treat fish-navel sores. Gallbladder treats eye nebulae, black spots, floating flies, and blurred vision. Can also be used in eye drops.

For dietary therapy, those with coughs burn it to ash and take with wine. Meat is cold-natured and non-toxic. Boiled juice treats seasonal epidemics and cattle/horse plagues; cool before administering. Additionally, for Han Re Du (cold-heat toxin) and Feng Shui Xu Zhang (wind-water deficiency distension), take one river otter, remove skin, combine with five viscera, bones, head, tail, etc., roast until dry, powder, take one Fang Cun Bi with water, twice daily, heals in ten days. *Waitai Miyao* treats fishbone impaction by holding otter bone in mouth. *Qianjin Yifang* treats ghosts/demons. Take otter liver powder with water, three times daily, heals. *Jingyan Houfang* treats fractures. One river otter, sealed in a jar with salt mud, dried, burned to fine ash. Cook yellow millet porridge, spread on injury, sprinkle one qian of otter ash on porridge, wrap tightly with cloth. Pain stops immediately. *Zhouhou Beiji Fang*: Shi Zhu Gui Zhu disease, Ge Hong says it is one of the Five Shi (corpses), combined with ghost evils. Disease changes vary from 36 to 99 types. Generally causes chills, dripping sweat, lethargy, unknown pain locations, universal aversion. Accumulates over years/months, leading to stagnation and death. Transmits to others after death, potentially wiping out families. Upon sensing such symptoms, treat urgently: one Tan liver, dried in shade, powdered, take one Fang Cun Bi with water, three times daily, repeat if not healed. Yao says it is miraculous. Another formula: Treats intestinal hemorrhoids with frequent blood in stool. Burn Tan liver, take one qian bi. Another formula: Treats cattle plague. Two sheng of otter feces, steep in hot water, extract juice, administer. *Gujin Luyan* treats severe dysentery with red discharge. Take white parts from otter's red feces, burn to powder. Take one small cup with water on empty stomach morning, three mornings to cure. *Zimu Milu*: Facilitates childbirth, let mother wear otter skin. *Youyang Zazu* says: Wu Sun He favored Lady Deng. Once, while dancing drunk, his Ruyi scepter accidentally cut her cheek, bleeding and crying bitterly. Ordered Wu Imperial Physician to make medicine. Said: Obtain White Tan Marrow, mix with Jade and Amber powder, to erase scar. Sun He bought White Tan ointment for hundred gold pieces; too much amber was used; after healing, a red spot like a mole remained on left cheek.

*Yanyi* says: Tan, four short feet, head/body/tail flat, fur color like old purple silk. Large ones, body and tail over three chi long, eat fish, live in water, survive out of water; can rest on large trees, known as River Otter. Once tethered in a large water vat, it spun like wind, creating a whirlpool, high edges, depressed center, startling observers. Skin, Western Regions people use to trim collars/cuffs of wool garments. Asked why, they said: Fur tips indeed do not collect dust, a unique trait. Also, *Ben Cao Xu Li* says: Tan Gall Bladder Divides Cup. Tried it, failed; only when applied to cup rim, causing wine level to rise above cup surface. The "dividing cup" story is an ancient error, needs correction. Liver usage is verified.