木通∶味苦性凉。为藤蔓之梗，其全体玲珑通彻，故能贯串经络，通利九窍。能泻上焦之热，曲曲引之下
行自水道达出，为利小便清淋浊之要药。其贯串经络之力，又能治周身拘挛，肢体痹疼，活血消肿，催生通乳，
多用亦能发汗。
愚平素不喜用苦药，木通诸家未尝言苦，而其味实甚苦。因虑人嫌其苦口难服，故于木通未尝独用重用，
以资研究，近因遇一肢体关节肿疼证，投以清热利湿活血之品，更以西药阿斯匹林佐之，治愈。适法库门生万
××来奉，因向彼述之，万××曰∶《医宗金鉴》治三痹（行痹痛痹着痹）有木通汤方，学生以治痛痹极有效验，
且服后必然出汗，曾用数次皆一剂而愈。”愚曰∶“我亦见其方，但未尝试用，故不知如此神效，既效验如此，
当急录出以公诸医界。”爰列其方于下∶
【木通汤】用木通一味，不见水者（其整者皆未见水，捣碎用）二两，以长流水二碗煎一碗，热服取微汗，
不愈再服，以愈为度。若其痛上下左右流走相移者，加羌活、防风以祛风邪；其痛凉甚者，有汗加附子，无汗
加麻黄以去寒邪；其痛重着难移者，加防己以胜湿邪。其所应加之药，不可过三钱，弱者俱减半服。
蒲黄∶味淡微甘微辛，性凉。善治气血不和、心腹疼痛、游风肿疼、颠仆血闷（用生蒲黄半两，煎汤
灌下即醒）、痔疮出血（水送服一钱，日三次）、女子月闭腹痛、产后瘀血腹疼，为其有活血化瘀之力，故有
种种诸效。若炒熟用之（不宜炒黑），又善治吐血、咳血、衄血、二便下血、女子
血崩带下。外用治舌胀肿疼，甚或出血，一切疮疡肿疼，蜜调敷之（皆宜用生者），皆有捷效。为其生于水中，
且又味淡，故又善利小便。
邹润安曰∶“《金匮》用蒲灰散，利小便治厥而为皮水，解者或以为香蒲，或以为蒲席烧灰，然香蒲但
能清上热，不云能利水，败蒲席，《名医别录》主筋溢恶疮，亦非利水之物。蒲黄，《神农本草经》主利小便，
且《本事方》、《芝隐方》，皆述其治舌胀神验，予亦曾治多人，毫丝不爽，不正合治水之肿于皮乎？夫皮
水为肤腠间病，不应有厥，厥者下焦病也。膀胱与肾为表里，膀胱以水气归皮，致小便不利，气阻而成寒热，则
肾亦承其弊为之阴壅而阳不得达，遂成厥焉。病本在外，非可用温，又属皮水，无从发散，计惟解心腹膀胱之
寒热，使小便得利，又何厥逆之有，以是知其为蒲黄无疑也。曰蒲灰者，蒲黄之质，固有似于灰也。”
蒲黄诚为妙药，失笑散用蒲黄、五灵脂等分生研，每用五钱，水、酒各半，加醋少许，煎数沸连渣服之，
能愈产后腹疼于顷刻之间。人多因蒲黄之质甚软，且气味俱淡，疑其无甚力量而忽视之，是皆未见邹氏之论，
故不能研究《神农本草经》主治之文也。
木通：味苦，性凉。它是藤蔓植物的茎梗，整体结构玲珑通透，因此能够贯通经络，疏通九窍。它能清泻上焦的热邪，曲折地引导热邪下行，经由水道排出体外，是治疗小便不利、清除淋证浊邪的重要药物。它贯通经络的力量，还能治疗全身拘挛、肢体痹痛，具有活血消肿、催产通乳的功效，用量大时也能发汗。
我平时不喜欢使用苦药，各家本草对木通的记载未曾强调其苦味，但实际上它的味道非常苦。因为担心人们嫌弃它苦口难服，所以我以前从未单独或大量使用木通来进行研究。最近遇到一个肢体关节肿痛的患者，我投以清热利湿活血的药物，并辅以西药阿司匹林，治愈了该病。恰逢法库的学生万××来到奉天（今沈阳），我便向他讲述了此事。万××说：“《医宗金鉴》中治疗三痹（行痹、痛痹、着痹）有一个木通汤方，我用它治疗痛痹非常有效，而且服药后必然出汗，我曾几次使用，都是一剂痊愈。”我说：“我也见过这个方子，但未曾尝试使用，所以不知道如此神效。既然疗效如此显著，应当赶紧记录下来公之于众。”于是列出该方如下：
【木通汤】只用木通一味，未经水泡过的（完整的都未泡水，捣碎后使用）二两，用长流水两碗煎至一碗，趁热服用以取微汗，若未愈可再服，以痊愈为度。如果疼痛上下左右游走不定，加羌活、防风以祛风邪；如果疼痛剧烈且感觉寒冷，有汗者加附子，无汗者加麻黄以去寒邪；如果疼痛沉重固定不移，加防己以胜湿邪。所应添加的药物，不可超过三钱，体质虚弱者均减半服用。
蒲黄：味淡，微甘微辛，性凉。善于治疗气血不和引起的心腹疼痛、游风肿痛、跌打损伤导致的血闷（用生蒲黄半两，煎汤灌下即可苏醒）、痔疮出血（用水送服一钱，每日三次）、女子经闭腹痛、产后瘀血腹痛，因为它具有活血化瘀的作用，所以有多种疗效。如果炒熟后使用（不宜炒黑），又善于治疗吐血、咳血、鼻衄、大小便下血、女子血崩带下。外用治疗舌体肿胀疼痛，甚至出血，以及一切疮疡肿痛，用蜂蜜调敷（均宜用生品），都有迅速见效的功效。因为它生长在水中，且味道淡，所以又善于利尿。
邹润安说：“《金匮要略》中使用蒲灰散，利尿治疗因厥逆引起的皮水。解释的人有的认为是香蒲，有的认为是蒲席烧成的灰。然而香蒲只能清上焦之热，并未提及能利水；败蒲席，《名医别录》记载主治筋溢恶疮，也不是利水的药物。蒲黄，《神农本草经》记载主利小便，而且《本事方》、《芝隐方》，都叙述它治疗舌肿的神奇效果，我也曾治疗多人，毫厘不差，这不正符合治疗皮水之肿吗？皮水是皮肤腠理间的疾病，不应出现厥逆，厥逆是下焦的疾病。膀胱与肾互为表里，膀胱将水气归于皮肤，导致小便不利，气机阻滞而成寒热，那么肾也受其牵连而阴气壅盛，阳气不能通达，遂形成厥逆。病本在外，不能用温法，又属于皮水，无从发散，计策唯有解除心腹膀胱的寒热，使小便得利，那又怎么会有厥逆呢？由此可知它肯定是蒲黄无疑。称为‘蒲灰’，是因为蒲黄的质地本来就像灰一样。”
蒲黄确实是妙药，失笑散使用蒲黄、五灵脂等分生研，每次用五钱，水和酒各半，加少许醋，煎煮数沸连渣服用，能在顷刻之间治愈产后腹痛。人们往往因为蒲黄质地很软，且气味都很淡，怀疑它没有什么力量而忽视它，这都是没有看到邹氏的论述，所以不能深入研究《神农本草经》主治文字的原因。
Mu Tong (Akebiae Caulis): Bitter in taste, cool in nature. It is the stem of a vine, with a delicate and permeable structure throughout, thus capable of penetrating meridians and unblocking the nine orifices. It can drain heat from the Upper Jiao, guiding it downwards through winding paths to exit via the water passages, making it a key herb for promoting urination and clearing turbidity in strangury. Its power to penetrate meridians also enables it to treat generalized spasms, bi-syndrome pain in limbs, invigorate blood, reduce swelling, induce labor, promote lactation, and, when used in large doses, induce sweating.
I generally dislike using bitter herbs. Although various materia medica do not emphasize the bitterness of Mu Tong, its actual taste is extremely bitter. Worrying that people might find it too bitter to take, I have never used Mu Tong alone or in heavy doses for research purposes. Recently, I encountered a case of limb and joint swelling and pain. I prescribed herbs for clearing heat, draining dampness, and invigorating blood, assisted by the Western medicine Aspirin, which cured the patient. Coincidentally, my student Wan XX from Faku came to Fengtian (present-day Shenyang), so I recounted this case to him. Wan XX said: "The *Yizong Jinjian* contains a formula called Mu Tong Tang for treating the three types of Bi-syndrome (Wind-Bi, Painful-Bi, and Fixed-Bi). I used it to treat Painful-Bi with great efficacy; patients invariably sweat after taking it. I have used it several times, and one dose was sufficient for recovery." I replied: "I have also seen this formula but had not tried it, so I did not know of such miraculous effects. Since it is so effective, we should record it immediately to share with the medical community." Therefore, I list the formula below:
[Mu Tong Tang]: Use only Mu Tong, two liang, which has not been soaked in water (the whole pieces are unused by water, crushed before use). Decoct in two bowls of flowing long-distance water until one bowl remains. Take hot to induce slight sweating. If not cured, administer again until recovery. If the pain migrates up, down, left, or right, add Qiang Huo (Notopterygii Rhizoma et Radix) and Fang Feng (Saposhnikoviae Radix) to dispel Wind pathogen; if the pain is severe and cold, add Fu Zi (Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata) if there is sweating, or Ma Huang (Ephedrae Herba) if there is no sweating, to expel Cold pathogen; if the pain is heavy and fixed, add Fang Ji (Stephaniae Tetrandrae Radix) to overcome Dampness pathogen. The added herbs should not exceed three qian each; for weak patients, halve the dosage.
Pu Huang (Typhae Pollen): Pale taste, slightly sweet and pungent, cool in nature. It excels at treating heart and abdominal pain due to disharmony of Qi and Blood, wandering wind swelling and pain, and blood stagnation causing fainting after falls (use half liang of raw Pu Huang, decoct in water, and灌 [administer] orally to restore consciousness); hemorrhoids bleeding (take one qian with water, three times daily); amenorrhea with abdominal pain in women; and postpartum abdominal pain due to blood stasis. Because it possesses the power to invigorate blood and resolve stasis, it yields various therapeutic effects. If stir-fried (not charred black), it excellently treats hematemesis, hemoptysis, epistaxis, hematochezia and hematuria, metrorrhagia and leukorrhea in women. Externally, it treats swollen and painful tongue, even with bleeding, and all sores and ulcers with swelling and pain; mixed with honey and applied (raw material preferred), it produces rapid results. Because it grows in water and has a pale taste, it is also excellent for promoting urination.
Zou Run'an stated: "In *Jingui Yaolue*, Pu Hui San is used to promote urination to treat Pi Shui (Skin Water) accompanied by Jue (reversal/cold extremities). Interpreters have suggested either Xiang Pu (Typhae Stamen) or burnt Pu Xi (Typhae Mat). However, Xiang Pu only clears upper heat and is not noted for promoting water metabolism; Bai Pu Xi (Decayed Typhae Mat), as recorded in *Mingyi Bielu*, treats tendon overflow and foul sores, and is not a water-promoting substance. Pu Huang, according to *Shennong Bencao Jing*, primarily promotes urination. Moreover, *Benshi Fang* and *Zhiyin Fang* both describe its miraculous effect on treating tongue swelling. I have treated many patients with it without error. Does this not perfectly align with treating swelling from Skin Water? Skin Water is a disease of the skin and interstices, and should not present with Jue; Jue is a disease of the Lower Jiao. Bladder and Kidney are exterior-interior partners. When Bladder directs water qi to the skin, causing difficult urination, Qi obstruction leads to alternating cold and fever. Consequently, the Kidney suffers, leading to Yin congestion and Yang inability to reach, resulting in Jue. The root of the disease is external, so warming methods are inappropriate. Being Skin Water, dispersing methods are difficult to apply. The strategy lies in resolving the cold and heat in the Heart, Abdomen, and Bladder, allowing urination to flow freely. In this way, how could Jue occur? Thus, we know it must be Pu Huang. It is called 'Pu Hui' because the texture of Pu Huang naturally resembles ash."
Pu Huang is indeed a wonderful herb. Shi Xiao San uses equal parts of raw, ground Pu Huang and Wu Ling Zhi (Trogopterori Faeces). Each dose is five qian, decocted in half water and half wine, with a little vinegar added, boiled briefly, and taken with the dregs. It can cure postpartum abdominal pain within moments. Many people overlook Pu Huang because its texture is very soft and its flavor is pale, suspecting it lacks potency. This is because they have not read Mr. Zou's discussion and thus fail to study the indications in *Shennong Bencao Jing*.