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Bamboo shoots of any variety can be soaked, but those with a bitter taste and bright color are particularly effective. Slice the bamboo shoots using a clean knife and cutting board, place them in a clay jar, and soak them in water collected in the afternoon. Do not allow contact with meat or bran. The water level should just cover the shoots; do not use too much water. If fresh shoots are added later, add fresh water accordingly.

Additionally: In regions where gu poison is prevalent, some individuals take realgar (Realgar), garlic, and Acorus tatarinowii Rhizome (Changpu) mixed with boiling water to induce vomiting. Subsequently, they take Perilla Leaf (Zisu), Mint (Bohe), and bamboo shoot water with boiling water to induce diarrhea. Vomiting clears toxins from the upper body, while diarrhea clears toxins from the lower body, leading to spontaneous recovery.

Individuals poisoned by gu will always have abdominal borborygmi. If the sound seems to originate outside the viscera, taking antidotes will cause the sound to move inside the viscera. Among the Zhuang customs, burying snakes in the soil to obtain fungal toxins to harm others causes the victim to experience mental confusion, dizziness, and erratic behavior, laughing and scolding indiscriminately. Alternatively, upon drinking alcohol, the drug toxicity may suddenly erupt, causing uncontrollable anger and ferocity; this is called "Dian Gu" (Manic Gu). Treat this according to the four Peppermint Decoctions listed below. Sexual abstinence is not required during treatment, as is the case in the following section.

Poisoned individuals will always have abdominal borborygmi. "Zhong Gu" (Swelling Gu), known among the Zhuang as "Fang Zhong," presents with abdominal distension, borborygmi, constipation, and in severe cases, unilateral ear blockage and reduced purulent discharge from the other ear. Treatment methods are found in the four Suhe Decoctions listed below. If the condition is critical, salt and meat must be avoided for the treatment to be effective. Externally, wash with decoction of Colocasia esculenta (Cigu) leaves.

"Gan Gu" (Wasting-Gu) is referred to by bandits as "Fang Dan," "Fang Gan," or "Fang Feng." It is most common in Guangdong and Guangxi. On the Dragon Boat Festival, collect centipedes, small snakes, ants, cicadas, maggots, earthworms, slugs, and human hair, and grind them into powder. The victim often carves a small statue of one of the Five Plague Gods and worships it in their room or chest, placing poisonous drugs before the statue.

If the powder of snakes and insects is placed in meat, vegetables, wine, or rice for others to consume; or if the powder is scattered on the road and enters the body upon stepping on it, adhering to the intestines and viscera: Mild poisoning initially causes slight abdominal bloating and mild borborygmi, resembling boiling porridge, with a sensation of needing to defecate but resulting in hard stools, and a blackish head.

Severe poisoning causes abdominal pain and constant borborygmi, with toxic qi rushing upward, feeling as if there are one or two insects in the nose or one insect in the ears. When lying down, the abdomen roars loudly like a snake turning over. Defecation becomes infrequent, once or twice a day, with black stools and small volume. The person becomes emaciated and dark-complexioned. While sitting quietly, they may feel ant bites in their hair, which disappear when rubbed. At night, listening quietly, they may feel insects crawling on the face, hair tangling, flea bites, sudden muscle twitching, ant bites on the body, or movement of small insects or maggots in the anus. They may feel earthworms crawling on the body, slugs sticking to the mouth corner (leaving no trace when wiped), sudden extreme numbness in one hand or foot (or half-hand/half-foot). These are all effects of the drug toxicity spreading through the body.

Initially unaware of the poisoning, after three or four days, while bathing or sitting quietly outdoors, they may feel bee stings. Listening closely, they may feel dozens of ant bites on the body, which dissipate when rubbed. This indicates ingestion of human gu poison. Unaware victims often mistake it for wind syndrome.

However, internal gu poison cannot be expelled via diarrhea if treated improperly. As the drug dissolves and stains the viscera, its qi circulates throughout the body, causing sensations of insect bites where the qi travels, though no real insects exist. When qi descends to the anus, it feels like moving insects or maggots, exiting with feces as black or blue substances, again, not real insects.

After seven or eight months of gu exposure, if the drug is not fully metabolized, borborygmi persists. Qi rushes upward like a snake turning over, with sensations of insects crawling and ants biting all over the body. The crown of the head feels extremely cold, as if insects are entering and exiting. Muscles feel like insects, ants, and small centipedes are crawling. The vengeful ghosts and yin snakes/insects killed by the gu master previously attach themselves to the patient. The patient hears flying sounds that others cannot hear. Exposure to wind worsens symptoms, feeling like insects entering pores, with dozens of insects gathering at the nose. The genitals and soles feel like ant bites. These are all manifestations of drug qi circulating, not real insects. At this stage, hands and feet become numb, the body feels like wind blowing through burlap, pores open, fingers and toes may extend, lips may retract, and muscles twitch. With swelling drugs, one ear feels full, the other has less red pus. With manic drugs, dizziness, mental confusion, and abdominal distension occur. With suffocating incense, purple blisters appear on the face.

Those infected must strictly abstain from sex. If they fail to do so, and white turbid urine appears, filth and toxin enter the bladder, transforming into "Wu Gan" (Five Wasting Syndromes), where gan worms first appear in the lower body. Only then are there truly worms. This is often misdiagnosed as Ymei Chan (Chancre), leading to death within months. Even if sexual abstinence is maintained without medication, death from swelling may still occur. This advice comes from gu masters and has been verified repeatedly. See the four Suhe Decoctions below for treatment.

For Gan Gu patients with clear urine, even in critical condition, strict sexual abstinence and adherence to the prescription ensure recovery. For wet ulcers beside the penis, externally wash with decoction of Sophora flower (Huaihua, 1 liang), Alum (Baifan, 2 qian), and Gentian Root (Longdan Cao, 3 qian).

For Gan Gu patients with clear urine, sensations of ants and fleas crawling/biting are due to drug qi movement, not real insects. There is no need for fear. Co-habitants can sleep and eat together without risk of transmission. Patients must abstain from sex, salt, meat, fried foods, sweets, red dates, sugarcane, and all pungent/fishy foods including birds, aquatic animals, scales, and insects.

Patients with severe Gan Gu and clear urine may eat: Tofu, Amaranth, Garlic, Perilla, Mint, Bamboo Shoots, Horse Meat (excellent), Green Vegetables, Napa Cabbage, Ginger, Cucumber (eat sparingly), White Melon (eat sparingly), and Taro Sprouts. For reducing swelling, considering severe toxicity affecting Large Intestine, Lung, and Liver, Mint, Perilla leaves, and Tea Oil are relevant.

For Gan Gu patients not critically ill, or those critically ill who show improvement after one month of medication, the following foods are permissible: Chili peppers, Celery (eat sparingly), Radish (edible, but not leaves), Daylily, Artemisia selengensis, Lettuce, Pepper, Vinegar (eat sparingly), Chinese Chives, Mutton, Citrus, Kumquat, Sand Pear, Pomegranate, Radish, Kudzu, Sweet Potato, Plum, Water Chestnut, and Watermelon.

For mild Gan Gu infection, wind exposure may cause itching on the face like ants crawling, which disperses when rubbed or stopped by heat. After several days, listening quietly may reveal movement of three or four small insects in the anus. Occasionally, a maggot may seem to jump into the ear or nose. Extreme numbness in one hand/foot or half-hand/half-foot may occur once or several times a month. Abdominal borborygmi with hard stools may occur. Eating triggering foods may cause drug qi to surface, feeling like lice crawling, hair tangling, or flea bites on the face/body. If these symptoms come and go, sexual activity should be avoided.

Taking detoxifying, breaking, or releasing drugs for Gan Gu may cause constipation. The drug toxin moves down to the Large Intestine. Severe cases pass black stool first, then green, then blue. Feces may contain foul matter resembling rotten wood ear mushrooms, representing evil blood draining from the body through the intestines. Some patients may pass blood for two to three days after two or three doses, accelerating recovery. Gu poison circulates, turning all blood black. After medication, old blood is purged, and new blood generates; this is not to be feared. After one month, toxin qi decreases significantly. Stools may turn yellow, then black or blue. Yellow stool indicates retained evil blood; blue stool indicates purging of evil blood. If even a trace remains, stool may intermittently show blue. Even with severe poisoning, strict abstinence and medication for four to five months allow resumption of meat and sex, provided salt and fried foods are avoided. Chicken and duck should be avoided for three years; fish and shrimp for five years. If stool is not purely yellow, residual drug qi may exit the ears/an anus like insects, or feel like ant bites in the hair/head. This is due to incomplete clearance of evil blood and requires no fear. Continue the prescription. For severe cases, continue medication after resuming diet. Those with limited means may simmer Perilla, Mint, and Colocasia in water as tea. Stop medication only when stool and food reactions normalize completely.

When nearing recovery, eating may cause whole-body itching due to conflict between new and old blood. Symptoms subside after eating.

During recovery, if stool is partially unchanged or the anus feels distended after eating, the toxin is nearly cleared. Do not take tonics. Wait until food reactions normalize completely, indicating toxin elimination. Stool will turn yellow, and the disease will resolve.

If three to five insects appear in stool but are invisible, and stool is black or blue (or contains blood streaks), this is drug qi, not real insects. No fear is needed.

Once gu toxin is cleared, Spleen and Stomach deficiency-cold may require tonics. However, if blue stool recurs after tonification, residual toxin remains. Take Perilla and Mint with a cup of bamboo shoot water, decocted in water. No dietary restrictions on meat, salt, or fried foods are needed. For mild poisoning, stool remains yellow; after antidotes, it may turn slightly gray-white.

Initial doses of medication for Gan Gu may cause red-purple patches on the body; this is harmless and resolves after ten more doses.

If gu poison is ingested while drunk, the Lung, Liver, Heart, and Spleen suffer heavy toxicity. After one month of medication, gu toxin recedes, but alcohol toxicity erupts, causing hot, ulcerated mouth and tongue. Pause bamboo shoot water, Perilla, and Mint for half a month. Use Forsythia Fruit (Lianqiao), Rehmannia Root (Sheng Dihuang), Licorice Root (Gancao), Rehmannia Root Prepared (Sheng Di), Bupleurum Root (Chaihu), Sophora Flower (Huaihua), Phellodendron Bark (Huangbai), Coptis Rhizome (Huanglian), Scrophularia Root (Yuanshen), and Gypsum (Shigao), decocted in wine and water. Once heat subsides, resume original prescription.

Gan Gu may manifest as tinea from eating fish/shrimp, ulcers on feet, damp-heat ulcers in the lower body, or weeping sores on hands/back/fingers resembling scabies lasting years. Or, eating horse meat triggers toxin eruption from nose/mouth. Intermittent leg numbness, abdominal pain, or leg soreness may occur. Infected individuals are typically emaciated and dark, with sensations of flea bites or insect crawling. Treatment is the same as before; sexual abstinence and dietary restrictions on meat/salt are not required.

If one or several people are exposed to gu poison in the same or different locations, and the heavily poisoned individual manifests symptoms first (after one to two months or six months), others may suspect contagion. This is false. This information comes from gu masters and personal observation. Medical texts discussing gu are often inaccurate and unreliable.

For severely poisoned Gan Gu patients, multiple doses of medication and strict abstinence for two months allow consumption of raw/cold foods, vinegar-boiled beef. By six months, even if stool is blue, resuming meat, salt, fried foods, and sex is permissible with adjusted prescriptions. Normalization of stool and food reactions indicates complete toxin clearance. Stool turns yellow. Duck may be eaten; chicken avoided for one year; fish, shrimp, snails, clams avoided for three years; snakes and frogs forbidden lifelong. Mild poisoning requires no restriction on meat/salt/fried foods, only chicken/fish. Simmer Perilla and Mint in bamboo shoot water daily for long-term self-recovery.

Gan Gu primarily affects the Lung Meridian, making sexual abstinence crucial. Lung Metal generates Kidney Water. Heavy Lung toxicity combined with sexual activity introduces turbid qi to the Kidneys, turning urine white and causing Wu Gan. If the Lung Meridian is free of toxin, or after medication clears Lung toxin, muscle twitching and insect-bite sensations are harmless. Mild poisoning causes minimal borborygmi; abstinence from chicken/fish and medication is optional, though general discomfort may persist.

For severe Gan Gu with night fever, headache, and insomnia, apply external treatment: Mix 5 qian Realgar powder with crushed Acorus and garlic in a basin. Add hot water and wash the entire body thoroughly to repel the toxin.

Medication for Gan Gu greatly reduces symptoms. Temporary exacerbations are harmless. Adherence to the prescription ensures natural recovery.