水银、火硝、白矾、皂矾、炒白盐各九钱。
上药共研细，至不见水银星为度，盛于新大倾银罐内，以微火熔化。火急则水银上升，
防其走炉，须用 炭为妙，熬至罐内无白烟起，再以竹木枝拨之，无药屑拨起为度，则药吸
于罐底，谓之结胎。胎成，用大木盆一个盛水，水盆内置净铁火盆一个。木盆内水须及铁盆
之半，然后，将前结成之胎，连罐覆于铁盆内，外以盐水和黄土将罐口封固，勿令出气，出
气亦即走炉。再用净灰铺于铁盆内，灰及罐腰，将灰平铺，不可动摇药罐，封口碰伤，亦要
走炉。铺灰毕，取烧红栗炭攒围罐底，用扇微扇，烧一炷香，谓之文火；再略重扇炼一炷香，
谓之武火。炭随少随添，勿令间断而见罐底，再炼一炷香，即退火。待次日盆灰冷定，用帚
扫去，并将封口之土去尽，开看铁盆内所有白霜即谓之丹，将瓷瓶收贮待用，愈陈愈妙。其
罐内原胎研掺癣疮神效之至。若恐胎结不老，罐覆盆内，一遇火炼，胎落铁盆，便无丹降，
亦谓之走炉。法用铁丝做一三脚小架，顶炉内撑住丹胎，最为稳妥。此丹如遇痈疽发背疔毒
一切恶疮，用一厘许，以口津调点毒顶上，再以膏药盖之，次日毒根尽拔，于毒顶上结成黑
肉一块，三四日即脱落，再用升药数次即收功。
此丹用蒸粉糕以水少润，共和极匀，为细末，搓成条子，晒干收贮。凡毒成管者，即约
量管之深浅，将药条插入，上贴膏药，次日挤脓，如此一二次，其管即化为脓。管尽，再上
升药数次，即收功矣。此丹比升丹功速十倍，但性最烈，点毒甚痛，法用生半夏对搀，再加
冰片少许，能令肉麻不痛。
庚生按∶降丹乃治顽疮、恶毒、死肌之物，万万不可多用乱用，务宜慎之。
水银、火硝、白矾、皂矾、炒白盐各九钱。
将上述药物共同研磨成细粉，直到看不见水银的银色颗粒为止，装入新的较大的银罐中，用微火加热熔化。如果火势过急，水银就会上升，要防止“走炉”（指药液溢出或药性散失），最好使用炭火，熬炼到罐内不再升起白烟，再用竹木枝搅拌，直到没有药屑被拨起为止，此时药物吸附在罐底，称为“结胎”。胎体形成后，准备一个大木盆盛水，在水盆内放置一个干净的铁火盆。木盆内的水需达到铁盆高度的一半，然后，将前面结成的大胎连同银罐一起倒扣在铁盆内，外部用盐和黄土混合的水将罐口密封牢固，不要漏气，漏气也会导致“走炉”。再用干净的灰铺在铁盆内，灰的高度到达罐身腰部，将灰铺平，不可动摇药罐，以免封口碰伤，否则也会“走炉”。铺好灰后，取烧红的栗炭围绕罐底堆积，用扇子轻微扇风，燃烧一炷香的时间，这称为“文火”；再稍微用力扇风炼制一炷香的时间，这称为“武火”。炭火随少随添，不要让火间断且露出罐底，再炼制一炷香时间，就撤去火源。等到第二天盆中的灰冷却定形，用扫帚扫去灰烬，并将封口的泥土全部去除，打开查看铁盆内所有的白色霜状物就是所谓的“丹”，装入瓷瓶收藏备用，存放越久越好。罐内残留的原胎研磨后掺敷治疗癣疮，效果极佳。如果担心胎体结得不老，银罐倒扣在盆内，一旦用火炼制，胎体脱落掉入铁盆，就无法降下丹药，这也称为“走炉”。方法是用铁丝做一个三脚小架子，顶住炉内的丹胎，最为稳妥。这种丹药如果遇到痈疽、发背、疔毒等一切恶疮，取一厘左右，用唾液调和点涂在毒肿顶部，再用膏药覆盖，第二天毒根完全拔出，在毒肿顶部结成一块黑肉，三四天后即自行脱落，再使用升药数次即可痊愈。
此丹药用蒸粉糕用水略微润湿，混合均匀，制成细末，搓成条状，晒干后收藏。凡是毒疮形成瘘管的情况，就根据瘘管的深浅，适量将药条插入，上面贴上膏药，第二天挤出脓液，如此进行一两次，瘘管就会化为脓液排出。瘘管排尽后，再使用升药数次，即可收功。此丹药比升丹功效快十倍，但药性最猛烈，点涂毒处非常疼痛，用法是用生半夏配合搀杂，再加少许冰片，能使患处麻木而不痛。
庚生按语：降丹是治疗顽固疮疡、恶毒、死肌的药物，万万不可多用乱用，务必谨慎。
Mercury (Hydrargyrum), saltpeter (Natrii Nitras), alum (Alumen), green vitriol (Vitriolum Ferrosum), and fried white salt (Sal Alba Coctus) are each used in the amount of nine qian.
The above medicines are ground together into a fine powder until no silver specks of mercury are visible, then placed in a new, large silver crucible, and melted over a mild fire. If the fire is too fierce, the mercury will rise; one must guard against "Zou Lu" (loss of medicinal efficacy or spillage), and it is best to use charcoal. The mixture is boiled until no white smoke rises from the crucible, then stirred with a bamboo or wooden stick until no medicinal residue is lifted, indicating that the medicine has adhered to the bottom of the crucible, a process called "Jie Tai" (formation of the embryo). Once the embryo is formed, take a large wooden basin filled with water, and place a clean iron fire basin inside the wooden basin. The water in the wooden basin should reach half the height of the iron basin. Then, invert the previously formed embryo along with the crucible into the iron basin. Seal the mouth of the crucible tightly with a mixture of salt water and yellow earth to prevent gas leakage; leakage also causes "Zou Lu". Spread clean ash inside the iron basin up to the waist of the crucible, leveling the ash without disturbing the medicinal crucible, as shaking or damaging the seal will also cause "Zou Lu". After spreading the ash, pile red-hot chestnut charcoal around the bottom of the crucible, and gently fan it with a fan for the duration of one incense stick; this is called "Wen Huo" (gentle fire). Then, fan slightly harder to refine for another incense stick's duration; this is called "Wu Huo" (strong fire). Add charcoal as needed, ensuring the fire does not break and the bottom of the crucible is not exposed. Refine for another incense stick's duration, then remove the heat. Wait until the next day for the ash in the basin to cool and settle. Sweep away the ash with a broom, remove all the sealing earth, and open the container to find the white frost-like substance inside the iron basin, which is called "Dan" (cinnabar/mercurial pill). Store it in a porcelain bottle for later use; the older, the better. The original embryo remaining in the crucible, when ground and applied, is extremely effective for treating tinea (fungal skin infections). If there is concern that the embryo did not form properly, and upon heating in the inverted position, the embryo falls into the iron basin, no Dan will precipitate, which is also termed "Zou Lu". A safe method is to make a small three-legged stand from iron wire to support the Dan embryo inside the furnace. When this Dan encounters any malignant sores such as carbuncles, back boils, or ding toxic swellings, apply about one li (a very small unit of weight) mixed with saliva to the top of the toxic swelling, then cover it with a plaster. The next day, the root of the toxicity will be completely extracted, forming a piece of black flesh on the top of the swelling, which will fall off after three to four days. Applying Sheng Yao (sublimated mineral medicine) a few more times will complete the cure.
This Dan can be made by moistening steamed rice cake flour with a little water, mixing it thoroughly into a fine powder, rolling it into strips, drying them, and storing them. For any toxic sore that has formed a sinus tract, measure the depth of the tract appropriately, insert the medicinal strip, and cover with a plaster. Squeeze out pus the next day. Repeat this once or twice until the tract turns into pus and drains. Once the tract is cleared, apply Sheng Yao a few more times to achieve healing. This Dan acts ten times faster than Sheng Dan, but its nature is most fierce, and applying it to the toxin causes severe pain. To mitigate this, mix it with raw Ban Xia (Pinelliae Rhizoma) and add a small amount of Bing Pian (Borneolum Syntheticum); this will cause numbness in the flesh and eliminate pain.
Geng Sheng notes: Jiang Dan (descending cinnabar) is a substance for treating stubborn sores, malignant toxins, and dead tissue. It must never be used excessively or indiscriminately; utmost caution is required.