罂粟壳∶即罂粟花所结之子外包之壳也。其所结之子形如罂，中有子如粟，可作粥，甚香美（炒之则香），
故名其外皮为罂粟壳，药局间省文曰米壳。其味微酸，性平。其嫩时皮出白浆可制鸦片，以其犹含鸦片之余气，
故其性能敛肺、涩肠、固肾，治久嗽、久痢、遗精、脱肛、女子崩带。嗽、痢初起及咳嗽兼外感者，忌用。
罂粟壳，治久嗽、久痢，诚有效验，如虚劳咳嗽证，但用山药、地黄、枸杞、玄参诸药以滋阴养肺，其
嗽不止者，加罂粟壳二三钱，则其嗽可立见轻减，或又少佐以通利之品，若牛蒡、射干诸药尤为稳妥。至于久
痢，其肠中或有腐烂，若用三七、鸦胆子，化其腐烂，而其痢仍不止者，当将罂粟壳数钱，与山药、芍药诸药
并用，连服数剂，其痢可全愈。
竹茹∶味淡，性微凉。善开胃郁，降胃中上逆之气使之下行（胃气息息下行为顺），故能治呕吐、止吐
血、衄血（皆降胃之功）。《金匮》治妇人乳中虚、烦乱呕逆，有竹皮大丸，竹皮即竹茹也。为其为竹之皮，
且凉而能降，故又能清肺利痰，宣通三焦水道下通膀胱，为通利小便之要药，与叶同功而其力尤胜于叶。又善
清肠中之热，
除下痢后重腹疼。为其凉而宣通，损伤瘀血肿疼者，服之可消肿愈疼，融化瘀血。醋煮口漱，可止齿龈出血。
须用嫩竹外边青皮，里层者力减。
【附案】族家婶母，年四旬，足大指隐白穴处，忽然破裂出血，且色紫甚多，外科家以为疔毒，屡次服药
不效。时愚甫习医，诊其脉洪滑有力，知系血热妄行，遂用生地黄两半、碎竹茹六钱，煎汤服之，一剂血止，
又服数剂，脉亦平和。盖生地黄凉血之力，虽能止血，然恐止后血瘀经络致生他病，辅以竹茹宣通消瘀，且其
性亦能凉血止血，是以有益而无弊也。
友人刘××之女，得温病，邀愚往视。其证表里俱热，胃口满闷，时欲呕吐，舌苔白而微黄，脉象洪滑，重
按未实，问其大便，昨行一次微燥，一医者欲投以调胃承气汤，疏方尚未取药。愚曰∶“此证用承气汤尚早”，
遂另为疏方，用生石膏一两、碎竹茹六钱、青连翘四钱，煎汤服后，周身微汗，满闷立减，亦不复欲呕吐，从
前小便短少，自此小便如常，其病顿愈。
罂粟壳：即罂粟花所结果实外包的壳。其果实形状像瓶子，里面有像粟米一样的种子，可以煮粥，非常香美（炒过后更香），所以称其外皮为罂粟壳，药局中简称为米壳。它的味道微酸，性质平和。嫩的时候皮上会渗出白色浆液，可用来制作鸦片，因为它还含有鸦片的残余气息，所以它的功效能够收敛肺气、涩肠止泻、固肾，治疗久咳、久痢、遗精、脱肛、女子崩漏和带下病。咳嗽、痢疾初起以及咳嗽兼有外感者，忌用。
罂粟壳治疗久咳、久痢，确实有效验。例如虚劳咳嗽证，如果只用山药、地黄、枸杞、玄参等药物来滋阴养肺，但咳嗽不止时，加入罂粟壳二三钱，则咳嗽可以立刻减轻；或者再稍微佐以通利的药物，如牛蒡子、射干等，尤为稳妥。至于久痢，肠道中可能有腐烂之处，如果使用三七、鸦胆子化解腐烂，而痢疾仍不止时，应当将罂粟壳数钱，与山药、芍药等药物并用，连续服用几剂，痢疾可以痊愈。
竹茹：味道淡，性质微凉。善于开通胃气郁结，降逆胃中上冲之气使其下行（胃气自然向下运行才是顺），所以能治疗呕吐、止血（包括吐血、衄血，这都是降胃气的功效）。《金匮要略》治疗妇人哺乳期气血虚弱、心烦意乱、呕逆，有竹皮大丸，其中的竹皮就是竹茹。因为它是竹子的皮，且性凉又能降逆，所以又能清肺化痰，宣通三焦水道并下通膀胱，是通利小便的重要药物，功效与竹叶相同但力量更强。又善于清除肠道中的热邪，消除痢疾后的里急后重和腹痛。因为它性凉且能宣通，对于因损伤导致的瘀血肿痛，服用它可以消肿止痛，融化消散瘀血。用醋煮后含漱，可以停止牙龈出血。必须使用嫩竹外面的青皮，内层的药效减弱。
【附案】族婶母，四十岁左右，足大趾隐白穴处突然破裂出血，颜色紫黑且量多，外科医生认为是疔毒，多次服药无效。当时我刚开始学医，诊察她的脉象洪滑有力，知道这是血热妄行所致，于是用生地黄一两半、碎竹茹六钱，煎汤服用，一剂后血止，又服几剂，脉象也平和了。大概生地黄凉血的力量虽然能止血，但恐怕止血后血液瘀滞经络导致其他疾病，辅以竹茹宣通消瘀，而且它本身也能凉血止血，所以有益而无弊。
友人刘××的女儿，得了温病，邀请我去诊治。她的症状表里俱热，胃口满闷，时常想呕吐，舌苔白而微黄，脉象洪滑，重按不实，询问她的大便，昨天排了一次稍干燥。一位医生想用调胃承气汤，方子开了还没取药。我说：“这个证候用承气汤还为时过早”，于是另外开方，用生石膏一两、碎竹茹六钱、青连翘四钱，煎汤服用后，周身微微出汗，满闷立减，也不再想呕吐，从前小便短少，从此小便恢复正常，病立刻痊愈。
Poppy Shell (Yingsu Qiao): It is the shell enclosing the fruit of the poppy flower. The fruit it bears is shaped like a jar, containing seeds resembling millet inside, which can be used to make porridge and are very fragrant and delicious (more so when stir-fried). Hence, its outer skin is named Poppy Shell, abbreviated as Rice Shell in pharmacies. Its taste is slightly sour, and its nature is neutral. When tender, white latex exudes from the skin, which can be processed into opium. Because it still retains residual properties of opium, its therapeutic actions include astringing the Lung, binding the Intestines to stop diarrhea, consolidating the Kidney, and treating chronic cough, chronic dysentery, spermatorrhea, rectal prolapse, uterine bleeding, and leukorrhea in women. It is contraindicated for initial onset of cough or dysentery, and for cough accompanied by exterior syndrome.
Poppy Shell is indeed effective for chronic cough and chronic dysentery. For instance, in cases of consumptive cough, if one uses only herbs such as Dioscoreae Rhizoma (Shanyao), Rehmanniae Radix (Dihuang), Lycii Fructus (Gouqi), and Scrophulariae Radix (Xuanshen) to nourish Yin and tonify the Lung, but the cough persists, adding 2-3 qian of Poppy Shell will immediately alleviate the cough. Alternatively, slightly assisting with draining herbs like Arctii Fructus (Niubang) and Belamcandae Rhizoma (Shegan) is particularly safe. Regarding chronic dysentery, there may be ulceration in the intestines. If using Panacis Japonici Rhizoma et Radix (Sanqi) and Bruceae Fructus (Yadanzi) to resolve the ulceration fails to stop the dysentery, one should combine several qian of Poppy Shell with Dioscoreae Rhizoma (Shanyao) and Paeoniae Radix Alba (Shaoyao), taken continuously for several doses, to achieve a complete cure.
Bamboo Shavings (Zhuru): Its taste is bland, and its nature is slightly cool. It excels at resolving Qi stagnation in the Stomach and descending rebellious Qi from the Stomach (Stomach Qi naturally descends, which is favorable). Thus, it treats vomiting and stops bleeding (including hematemesis and epistaxis, all due to the effect of descending Stomach Qi). In *Jin Gui Yao Lue* (Essential Prescriptions of the Golden Cabinet), for women with deficiency during lactation presenting with restlessness and vomiting/rebellious Qi, there is Zhupi Dawan (Bamboo Peel Large Pill), where Zhupi refers to Bamboo Shavings. Since it is the peel of bamboo, and is cool and descending, it can also clear the Lung and resolve phlegm, unblock the San Jiao water passages, and connect downward to the Bladder, making it a key herb for promoting urination. Its efficacy is similar to that of Bamboo Leaf (Zhuye) but stronger. It also excels at clearing heat in the Intestines and relieving tenesmus and abdominal pain following dysentery. Due to its coolness and unblocking properties, it reduces swelling and relieves pain caused by traumatic blood stasis and swelling, dissolving blood stasis. Boiling it with vinegar and gargling can stop gingival bleeding. One must use the green outer skin of young bamboo; the inner layer has reduced efficacy.
[Attached Case] My clan's aunt, around forty years old, suddenly suffered from rupture and bleeding at the Yinbai acupoint on her big toe. The blood was dark purple and abundant. Surgeons diagnosed it as Ding poison (carbuncle/toxic swelling), and repeated medication was ineffective. At that time, I had just begun studying medicine. Palpating her pulse, which was surging, slippery, and forceful, I determined it was due to reckless bleeding from Blood Heat. I prescribed 1.5 liang of Raw Rehmannia Root (Sheng Dihuang) and 6 qian of crushed Bamboo Shavings (Sui Zhuru), decocted in water. After one dose, the bleeding stopped. After taking several more doses, her pulse became peaceful. Although Raw Rehmannia Root has strong cooling-blood effects to stop bleeding, there is a risk of blood stasis in the collaterals after hemostasis leading to other diseases. Assisting with Bamboo Shavings to unblock and resolve stasis, combined with its own ability to cool blood and stop bleeding, proved beneficial without drawbacks.
The daughter of my friend Liu XX contracted Warm Disease (Wen Bing) and invited me to examine her. Her symptoms included heat in both the exterior and interior, fullness and stuffiness in the stomach area, frequent desire to vomit, a white tongue coating with slight yellow tint, and a surging, slippery pulse that was not firm upon heavy pressure. Upon asking about her bowel movement, she had passed stool once the previous day, which was slightly dry. A physician intended to prescribe Tiaowei Chengqi Tang (Regulate the Stomach and Direct Downward Decoction), but the prescription had not yet been filled. I said, "It is too early to use Chengqi Tang for this condition." I then prescribed another formula: 1 liang of Gypsum Fibrosum (Sheng Shigao), 6 qian of crushed Bamboo Shavings (Sui Zhuru), and 4 qian of Green Forsythia Fruit (Qing Lianqiao). After decocting and drinking this, she sweated slightly all over her body. The fullness and stuffiness decreased immediately, and the desire to vomit ceased. Her previously scanty urine returned to normal, and her illness was instantly cured.