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In the mid-summer of the Guiwei year, Yang Wo from Shan Hua suffered from food stagnation. He then drank cold water, which caused malaria and dysentery to occur simultaneously. He felt restless and stifled in his chest and was unable to eat. The previous treatment with formulas containing Chaihu (Bupleuri Radix) and Shaoyao (Paeoniae Radix) to clear the exterior instead exacerbated the condition, leading to manic delirium. Upon examination, I found his six pulses slippery, rapid, and forceful, with the pulse at the Pi Guan (Spleen Gate) position being particularly prominent. I prescribed Er Chen Tang (Two-Cured Decoction) added with Shen Qu (Massa Medicata Fermentata) and other substances. After taking two doses, all symptoms suddenly decreased, and he slept quietly for two nights. Only the accumulation in the dysentery had not yet been eliminated; after ten days of regulation, he fully recovered.

Zhang Zhongjing treated bleeding due to Shaoyin disease using Taohua Tang (Peach Kernel Decoction), which contains Ganjiang (Dried Zingiberis Rhizoma); this illustrates the same principle. Who says that blood diseases cannot be treated with hot-natured agents?

In the mid-summer of the Guiwei year, Zheng Sinian from Puwai, aged over sixty, usually enjoyed drinking and eating. Because he lay sleeping in a draft while drunk, he developed headache and fever, with a bluish-dark complexion, vomiting, refusal to eat, abdominal distension and pain, coldness in both feet, and hematochezia (bleeding from the rectum). His pulse beat six or seven times per breath, appearing surging, rapid, and striking the finger forcefully. I said, "This is wind-cold attacking internally, damaging the Yin collaterals, thus causing bleeding; it is not bloody dysentery. A surging and rapid pulse indicates deficiency of true Qi and excess of pathogenic factors." I urgently prescribed a large dose of Renshen (Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma), Baizhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma), Danggui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix), and Fuling (Poria), with Rougui (Cinnamomi Cortex), Fuzi (Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata), and Paojiang (Prepared Zingiberis Rhizoma) as assistants, and Muxiang (Aucklandiae Radix), Chenpi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium), and Zhigancao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma Preparata cum Melle) as guides. After two doses, the heat subsided, the body became cool, bleeding stopped, abdominal distension resolved, and the pulse also became calm. This was my approach of prioritizing symptoms over the pulse. The next day, he began to pass dysenteric stools, mixed in color with yellow, white, and slight red; this was the discharge of old accumulations, so there was no need to worry. As I had other matters to attend to and the patient was anxious to recover, he consulted another doctor who used astringent agents such as Binglang (Arecae Semen) and Sukexiao (Papaveris Pericarpium), which suddenly caused severe abdominal distension and obstruction of urination and defecation. I prescribed Er Chen Tang (Two-Cured Decoction) added with Dahuang (Rhei Radix et Rhizoma), Huomaren (Cannabis Semen), Fangfeng (Saposhnikoviae Radix), and Zhike (Aurantii Fructus Immaturus). After several days, the accumulation was completely cleared, Qi was restored, and he recovered.

In the mid-summer of the Jiashen year, my wife's brother, Chen Kehui, suffered from a common cold with headache and fever. An old physician used Qianghuo Tang (Notopterygii Decoction) with a small amount of Mahuang (Ephedrae Herba). After three doses, several days later, the patient developed jaundice, with both eyes turning yellow and urine becoming dark, scanty, and difficult to pass. I prescribed Yinyin Wuling San (Yinchen Five-Ingredient Powder) added with Zhizi (Gardeniae Fructus). After ten doses, he finally recovered. Mahuang Tang (Ephedra Decoction) was originally designed for true Shanghan (Cold Damage) in the deep winter, but it was used during warm and summer seasons. Fortunately, he was young and his pulse and symptoms were both excess patterns, yet he still suffered from macules and jaundice. Adhering rigidly to fixed formulas for treating diseases leads to great errors.

In the mid-autumn of the Guiwei year, the younger brother of Wu Taiwai's family member from the same village suffered from cold contraction due to labor. Initially, exterior-releasing agents were administered, but five consecutive doses were ineffective. The treatment was changed again, and the condition gradually worsened. On the thirteenth day, I was invited to examine him. The pulse was surging, scattered, and irregular like pounding with a mortar; he was unconscious and experienced continuous muscle twitching. I said, "This was originally cold contraction due to labor, but the rash use of exterior-releasing agents led to deficiency of both Qi and Blood. Qi fails to protect the exterior, and Blood fails to nourish the sinews, hence these symptoms. However, many physicians do not understand this condition and mistakenly treat it as Wind syndrome." He said, "Yesterday, a physician from East Gate indeed treated it as Wind syndrome." I replied, "Wind-dispelling agents are all dispersing in nature; dispersion damages Yang Qi. Moreover, wind-dispelling agents are often drying; dryness further damages Yin fluids. The previous medicines intended to cure the illness are like adding firewood to a burning house." I declined to treat him, predicting that he would die in three days. It happened exactly as predicted.