蛇蜕，端午采取，去翳膜，明澈双睛，止呕逆，辟除诸恶，大人肠痔蛊毒，小儿螈
惊痫，火熬敷之，疮疹能愈。
主治（痘疹合参） 凡痘不论寒热虚实而不起发，用此焙干，配起发之药助之。
介虫三百六十，而龟为之长。禀金水之气，味咸而甘，气平有毒，其性神灵，能变
化。凡入药，勿令中湿，中湿则遂其变化之性，而成 瘕于腹中，故言有毒也。气味俱
阴，入足少阴经。方家多入补心药，用以心藏神，而龟性有种，借其气以相通，且得水
火既济之义，实非补心之正药，其主骨中寒热，伤寒劳复肌体，寒热欲死，腰背酸痛，
手足重弱，五痔阴蚀，湿痹头疮咳疟者，皆阴虚而邪热为病也。又主惊恚气心腹痛者，
亦阴虚而人偏盛也。不能久立，囟门不合者，皆肾气亏而骨气不足也。阴能除大热，
而诸症自退矣，且有咸寒软坚润下之性，则 瘕崩漏之疾，何虑不瘳？但今人有喜用鳖
甲，恶用龟甲者，有喜用龟甲，恶用鳖甲者，皆偏见也。二者皆至阴之物，鳖甲走肝
益肾以除热，龟甲通心入肾以滋阴，但鳖甲无毒，可多用，龟甲非千年自死者则有毒
也，故方书所载，败龟板者，取其长年则得阴气最深，故有益阴之功耳。若新剖之甲有
毒，不宜轻使，妊妇不宜服，病患虚而无热者，不宜服。凡入药更须研极细，勿令中
湿，不尔，留滞肠胃，能变 瘕也。
龟甲十二月忌服，专补阴衰，善滋肾损，复足真元，五痔阴蚀，湿痹头疮，惊恚
气，心腹痛，骨中寒热，不可久立，漏下崩
带， 瘕疲疟，伤寒劳复，肌体寒热欲死。腰背酸痛，手足重弱难举，小儿囟门不合。
女子湿痒阴疮，逐瘀血积凝，续筋骨断绝。以性灵于物。用补心益智，至阴柔顺之气。
能衰亢烈之火，寒以养精，至静而能制群动也。性与鳖甲相类，但鳖甲色青，应木走肝
益肾以除热，龟甲色黑应水，通心入肾以滋阴，然皆至阴大寒，多用必伤脾土。肉煮
啖，除风痹身肿，瘴气 折，酿酒主风痛拘挛，缓急瘫痪。
主治（痘疹合参） 龟板，痘中有用之者，以其大有补阴之功也。
按∶龟禀北方之至阴，其华在甲，取以补心补血补肾，皆以养阴也。格物者云，天
有先春之震，山多自死之龟，龟听雷音，则口中所含以蛰者，便吐而昂首，时令尚早无
虫可食，多致饿死。血肉腐烂，渗入下甲，此真败龟板也，阳龟壳圆板白，阴龟壳长板
黄；阴人用阳，阳人用阴。
蛇蜕，在端午节采集，去除表面的翳膜，使其明亮清澈如双睛，能止住呕吐气逆，驱除各种恶邪，治疗成人肠痔和蛊毒，小儿抽搐、惊痫，用火熬制后外敷，可治愈疮疹。
主治（痘疹合参）：凡是痘疹不论寒热虚实而不发出来的，用此药焙干，配合起发的药物辅助它。
介虫有三百六十种，而龟是它们的领袖。禀受金水之气，味道咸而甘，气性平且有微毒，它的性质神灵，能够变化。凡是入药使用，不要让其中湿，如果中湿就会助长其变化的本性，在腹中形成瘕积，所以说它有毒。气味都属阴，进入足少阴经。医家多将其加入补心药中，用以心藏神，而龟的性质有种属特性，借其气以相通，且符合水火既济的道理，其实并不是补心的正药。它主要治疗骨中寒热、伤寒劳复后的肌体症状、寒热欲死、腰背酸痛、手足沉重无力、五痔阴蚀、湿痹头疮咳嗽疟疾等，这些都是阴虚而邪热致病。又主要治疗因惊恐愤怒引起的心腹痛，也是阴虚而人气偏盛所致。不能久立、囟门不合的，都是肾气亏损而骨气不足。阴性能清除大热，诸症自然消退，且有咸寒软坚润下的性质，那么瘕积崩漏的疾病，何必担心不痊愈？但现在有人喜欢用鳖甲，讨厌用龟甲；有人喜欢用龟甲，讨厌用鳖甲，这都是偏见。两者都是至阴之物，鳖甲走肝益肾以除热，龟甲通心入肾以滋阴，但鳖甲无毒，可以多用，龟甲如果不是千年自然死亡的就有毒。所以方书中所记载的败龟板，是取其长年所以得阴气最深，因此有益阴的功效。如果是新剖开的甲壳有毒，不宜轻易使用，孕妇不宜服用，病患虚而无热的也不宜服用。凡是入药更须研成极细粉末，不要让其中湿，否则滞留肠胃，能形成瘕积。
龟甲十二月忌服，专门补阴衰，善于滋补肾损，恢复足部真元，治疗五痔阴蚀、湿痹头疮、惊恐愤怒之气、心腹痛、骨中寒热、不能久立、漏下崩带、瘕积疟疾、伤寒劳复、肌体寒热欲死、腰背酸痛、手足沉重无力难以举起、小儿囟门不合。女子湿痒阴疮，逐瘀血积凝，续筋骨断绝。因为龟具有灵性，用来补心益智，凭借至阴柔顺的气性。能衰减亢烈之火，寒性以养精，至静而能制约群动。其性质与鳖甲相似，但鳖甲色青，应木走肝益肾以除热，龟甲色黑应水，通心入肾以滋阴，然而两者都是至阴大寒，多用必伤脾土。龟肉煮食，能除风痹身肿、瘴气折损，酿酒主治风痛拘挛、缓急瘫痪。
主治（痘疹合参）：龟板，痘疹中有使用的，因为它大有补阴的功效。
按语：龟禀受北方之至阴，其精华在甲壳，取用来补心补血补肾，都是为了养阴。格物者说，天有先春时的雷震，山多有自然死亡的龟，龟听到雷声，口中含着的蛰伏之物便会吐出并昂首，此时时令尚早没有虫子可吃，多导致饿死。血肉腐烂，渗入下甲，这就是真正的败龟板。阳龟壳圆板白，阴龟壳长板黄；阴人用阳龟，阳人用阴龟。
She Tui (Ophidium, Snake Slough) is collected on the Dragon Boat Festival. Remove the epidermis until it is clear and bright like eyes. It stops vomiting and counterflow qi, wards off various evils, treats adult intestinal hemorrhoids and gu poison, pediatric convulsions, fright, and epilepsy. When roasted over fire and applied externally, it can cure sores and rashes.
Main Indications (Combined Analysis of Smallpox and Rashes): For any case of smallpox or rashes that fails to erupt regardless of cold, heat, deficiency, or excess, roast this herb until dry and combine it with herbs that promote eruption to assist the process.
Among the three hundred and sixty types of shelled creatures, the turtle is their leader. It inherits the qi of Metal and Water. Its taste is salty and sweet, its nature is neutral with slight toxicity. Its character is spiritual and capable of transformation. When used in medicine, do not allow it to become damp; if it becomes damp, it will enhance its transformative nature and form masses (jia, 瘕) in the abdomen, which is why it is said to be toxic. Both flavor and nature are Yin, entering the Foot Shaoyin Meridian. Physicians often include it in formulas for tonifying the Heart, utilizing the principle that the Heart stores the Spirit (Shen). The turtle has a specific lineage nature, borrowing its qi to resonate, and embodying the concept of Water and Fire having achieved harmony (Ji Ji). However, it is not truly a primary herb for tonifying the Heart. It mainly treats cold and heat in the bones, recurrence of fatigue after typhoid fever, severe chills and fever resembling death, soreness and pain in the waist and back, heaviness and weakness in the hands and feet, five types of hemorrhoids, erosion of the yin, head sores from damp-bi, cough, and malaria. These are all diseases caused by Yin deficiency with pathogenic heat. It also treats heart and abdominal pain caused by fright and anger, which is also due to Yin deficiency with excessive Yang qi. Inability to stand for long periods and failure of the fontanelle to close are both due to Kidney Qi deficiency and insufficient Bone Qi. The Yin nature can eliminate great heat, causing various symptoms to recede. With its salty, cold, softening-hardness, and moistening-purging properties, one need not worry about the non-healing of masses (jia) and metrorrhagia. However, some people today prefer using Bie Jia (Tartar Testudinis) and dislike Gui Ban (Carapax et Plastrum Testudinis), while others prefer Gui Ban and dislike Bie Jia; these are all biased views. Both are substances of extreme Yin. Bie Jia moves to the Liver, benefits the Kidney, and eliminates heat. Gui Ban connects the Heart and enters the Kidney to nourish Yin. Bie Jia is non-toxic and can be used in larger doses. Gui Ban is toxic unless it is from a turtle that died naturally after a thousand years. Therefore, the "decayed turtle shell" recorded in formula books is valued because its longevity allows it to absorb the deepest Yin qi, thus possessing the merit of benefiting Yin. Freshly split shells are toxic and should not be used lightly. Pregnant women should not take it, nor should patients who are deficient without heat. When used in medicine, it must be ground into an extremely fine powder and kept dry; otherwise, it will stagnate in the intestines and stomach and transform into masses (jia).
Gui Ban (Carapax et Plastrum Testudinis) should be avoided in the twelfth lunar month. It specifically tonifies Yin decline, benefits Kidney damage, restores the true Yuan Qi of the feet, and treats five types of hemorrhoids, yin erosion, damp-bi head sores, fright and anger qi, heart and abdominal pain, cold and heat in the bones, inability to stand for long, leukorrhea and metrorrhagia, masses (jia), malaria, recurrence of fatigue after typhoid fever, severe chills and fever resembling death, soreness and pain in the waist and back, heaviness and weakness in the hands and feet making them difficult to lift, and unclosed fontanelles in children. For women, it treats damp itching and yin sores, expels blood stasis and accumulation, reconnects severed tendons and bones. Because of its spiritual nature, it is used to tonify the Heart and benefit intelligence, relying on its extreme Yin, soft, and smooth qi. It can subdue hyperactive fire, uses coldness to nourish essence, and through extreme stillness, controls movement. Its nature is similar to Bie Jia, but Bie Jia is green, corresponds to Wood, moves to the Liver, benefits the Kidney, and eliminates heat. Gui Ban is black, corresponds to Water, connects the Heart, and enters the Kidney to nourish Yin. However, both are extreme Yin and greatly cold; excessive use will inevitably damage Spleen Earth. Turtle meat boiled and eaten removes wind-bi and body swelling, counters miasma, and when made into wine, treats wind-pain, spasms, and paralysis.
Main Indications (Combined Analysis of Smallpox and Rashes): Gui Ban is used in smallpox cases because of its significant merit in tonifying Yin.
Commentary: The turtle inherits the extreme Yin of the North, and its brilliance resides in its shell. Using it to tonify the Heart, Blood, and Kidney is all for the purpose of nourishing Yin. Those who investigate things say: Heaven has thunder in early spring; mountains have many turtles that die naturally. When a turtle hears the sound of thunder, the hibernating matter in its mouth is expelled, and it raises its head. At this time, the season is too early for insects to be available for food, leading to starvation and death. The flesh and blood rot and seep into the lower shell; this is the true "decayed turtle shell." The shell of a Yang turtle is round and white; the shell of a Yin turtle is long and yellow. Yin persons should use Yang turtles, and Yang persons should use Yin turtles.