闵文学蜃楼，患虚损咳嗽，昼轻夜重。乃政丁氏，长兴富翁女也。躯甚肥，性甚躁，患
痛风
，手不能沐栉，足不能履地，凡痛处略肿，呻吟喊叫。比有朱远斋氏，为时推重，夫好倚朱
治者七越月，纤毫不减。吴九宜翁乃举予治。至其家，蜃楼大兄岳楼，旦暮与偕。诊毕，语
岳楼曰∶令弟之症，虽易见功，然非百日不能断根。丁氏症，十日便可刈其根，但恐不能尽
五剂，奈何!岳楼曰∶何谓也？予曰∶令弟咳嗽，由肺火未清，误服参术太过而然。但为清肺
利肺，咳可立止，止后以补心安神之剂养之，则万全矣。药用麦门冬、桑白皮、白药子、贝
母、桔梗、甘草、黄芩、枳壳，十帖咳嗽全止。惟心血不足，神不固精，以酸枣仁、远志、
麦冬、莲花心、丹参，调养百日，果能出户肄业。丁症乃湿痰凝滞经络作痛，朱公作血虚而
投以地黄、芍药、当归、人参、牛膝之类，宜其痛愈加而病愈久也。今必须燥湿流动之剂，
疏决一番，庶经络通畅，虽不服补剂，而五谷精华足以自充。但疏决之剂，不能止痛，恐其
不信余而中止也。岳楼曰∶先生既已言明，惟命是听。用二陈汤加乌药叶、苍术、僵蚕、海
桐皮、南星，服至五帖，果不怿而欲止药。岳楼曰∶孙君已先言十帖见功，今过半，何不勉
强而使功亏一篑哉？又服一帖而止，百般强之不从。乃扬言曰∶请医疗痛而反加痛，吾何药
为，后四剂断断乎不敢奉命矣。时巳申刻，予知其富家娇态，亦不强服。随以芫花醋炒过三
分，海金沙一分为末，白汤调下。至晚泻一次，下稠痰半盆。足痛减大半，稍能动止。初更
后吾辈酒犹未散，忽服云腹中大痛，促予进看。行至后堂，内中人出而止曰∶病者卒矣，
不
劳进看。予曰∶此必痛厥，非长逝也，乌可不进一看。至即冷汗淋漓，兀坐溺器，面青息断
。执而诊之，手冷如冰，但六脉俱在，惟沉伏耳。知其为痛极使然，用生姜汤灌之而苏。徐
语近侍女使曰∶适来腹中痛甚耳。后火光溅出，肛门如焚，大响一声，不知泻下何物。众看
之，乃血鳅一条，长六寸，阔半寸余，鳞目俱在，盆中尚能游动，众皆悚骇。岳楼问曰∶
此鳅下可好否？予应之曰∶此尤物也，得下岂不好，但丁症实由痰作，予特为行痰，初不知
其有虫，如是第药中有芫花，乃杀虫之物，故偶中，亦令弟之福也。次日手足皆能动，仍以
二陈汤加苡仁、红花、五加皮，四帖，脱然如故。闵宅以予不矜功而益重予。
闵蜃楼患虚损咳嗽，白天症状轻，晚上加重。他的妻子是丁氏，长兴一位富翁的女儿。她身体非常肥胖，性情急躁，患有痛风，手不能梳头洗脸，脚不能踩地，凡是疼痛的地方略微肿胀，呻吟喊叫。当时朱远斋先生被时人推崇，丁氏丈夫依靠朱医生治疗了七个多月，病情丝毫未减。吴九宜老先生于是推荐我（孙一奎）来诊治。到了他们家，蜃楼的哥哥岳楼早晚与我在一起。诊脉完毕后，我对岳楼说：“令弟的病，虽然容易见效，但非百日不能断根。丁氏的病，十天就可以拔除病根，但恐怕不能坚持用完五剂药，怎么办？”岳楼问：“这是什么意思？”我说：“令弟的咳嗽，是因为肺火未清，误服人参、白术太多所致。只需清肺利肺，咳嗽可以立即停止，停止后以补心安神的药物调养，就万无一失了。”药用麦门冬、桑白皮、白药子、贝母、桔梗、甘草、黄芩、枳壳，十帖后咳嗽完全停止。只是心血不足，神不固精，用酸枣仁、远志、麦冬、莲花心、丹参，调养百日，果然能出门求学。丁氏的病则是湿痰凝滞经络导致疼痛，朱医生认为是血虚而投用地黄、芍药、当归、人参、牛膝之类的药物，难怪疼痛更加厉害，病程延长。现在必须用燥湿流动的药物，疏通决泄一番，这样经络通畅，即使不服补药，五谷精华也足以自我充养。但疏通决泄的药物，不能止痛，恐怕她不信任我而中途停药。岳楼说：“先生既然已经说明，我们唯命是从。”使用二陈汤加乌药叶、苍术、僵蚕、海桐皮、南星，服用到第五帖，果然不高兴想要停药。岳楼说：“孙君已经事先说过十帖见效，现在过半，为什么不勉强使功亏一篑呢？”又服了一帖后停止，百般劝说也不听从。于是扬言说：“请医生治痛反而加重疼痛，我还吃什么药，后面四剂绝对不敢奉命了。”当时已是申时，我知道她是富家娇惯的姿态，也不强迫服药。随即用芫花醋炒过三分，海金沙一分研为末，用白开水调下。到了晚上泻了一次，排出稠痰半盆。脚痛减轻大半，稍微能动弹。初更之后，我们喝酒还未散席，忽然听说她腹中大痛，急忙让我进去看。走到后堂，里面的人出来阻止说：“病人已经死了，不用进来看了。”我说：“这一定是痛厥，不是长逝，怎么能不进屋看一眼。”进去一看，只见冷汗淋漓，独自坐在溺器上，面色青紫，气息断绝。握住她的手，冰冷如冰，但六脉俱在，只是沉伏而已。知道这是疼痛至极所致，用生姜汤灌服后苏醒。慢慢告诉身边的侍女说：“刚才只是腹中剧痛罢了。”后来火光溅出，肛门如火烧，大声响了一声，不知道泻下了什么东西。众人看去，是一条血鳅，长六寸，宽半寸多，鳞片和眼睛都在，盆中还能游动，众人都惊恐骇异。岳楼问：“这条鳅下来就好了吗？”我回答说：“这是尤物啊，掉下来难道不好？但丁氏的病确实由痰引起，我特意为她行痰，起初并不知道她有虫，像这样只是药中有芫花，是杀虫之物，所以偶然奏效，也是令弟的福气。”第二天手脚都能活动，仍以二陈汤加苡仁、红花、五加皮，四帖后，彻底恢复如初。闵宅因为我不自夸功劳而更加敬重我。
Min Shenlou suffered from deficiency consumption with coughing, which was lighter during the day and heavier at night. His wife, Lady Ding, was the daughter of a wealthy man in Changxing. She was very obese and had an irritable temperament. She suffered from gout (Tongfeng), unable to comb her hair or wash her face with her hands, and unable to put her feet on the ground. All painful areas were slightly swollen, accompanied by groaning and shouting. At that time, Mr. Zhu Yuanzhai was highly regarded by contemporaries. Her husband relied on Dr. Zhu for treatment for over seven months, but there was not the slightest improvement. Mr. Wu Jiuyi then recommended me (Sun Yikui) for treatment. Upon arriving at their home, Shenlou’s elder brother, Yue Lou, stayed with me morning and evening. After completing the pulse diagnosis, I said to Yue Lou: "Your younger brother's condition, although easy to show initial results, cannot be cured completely without a hundred days. Lady Ding's condition can have its root removed in ten days, but I fear she will not complete the five doses. What should we do?" Yue Lou asked: "What do you mean?" I replied: "Your younger brother's cough is due to un-cleared Lung Fire, exacerbated by excessive intake of Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Renshen) and Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma (Baizhu). By clearing and benefiting the Lung, the cough can stop immediately. Afterward, nourishing with formulas that tonify the Heart and calm the Spirit will ensure complete recovery." The prescription included Ophiopogonis Radix (Maidong), Morus Albae Cortex (Sangbaipi), Dioscoreae Hypoglaucae Rhizoma (Baiyaizi), Fritillariae Cirrhosae Bulbus (Beimu), Platycodonis Radix (Jiegeng), Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Gancao), Scutellariae Radix (Huangqin), and Aurantii Fructus Immaturus (Zhike). After ten doses, the cough ceased completely. However, due to insufficient Heart Blood and unstable Spirit, she was treated with Ziziphi Spinosae Semen (Suanzaoren), Polygalae Radix (Yuanzhi), Ophiopogonis Radix (Maidong), Nelumbinis Plumula (Lianhua Xin), and Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Danshen) for a hundred days of recuperation. Indeed, she eventually recovered enough to go out and study.
Lady Ding's condition was caused by Damp-Phlegm stagnating in the collaterals, leading to pain. Dr. Zhu attributed it to Blood Deficiency and prescribed Rehmanniae Radix Preparata (Shudihuang), Paeoniae Radix Alba (Baishao), Angelicae Sinensis Radix (Danggui), Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Renshen), and Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix (Niuxi). No wonder her pain intensified and the illness prolonged. Now, drying-dampness and moving-phlegm agents are required to dredge and drain the system. This would ensure smooth collaterals; even without tonic medicines, the essence from grain and food would suffice for self-nourishment. However, these draining agents do not relieve pain immediately, so I feared she might lose trust and discontinue treatment. Yue Lou said: "Since you have explained clearly, we obey your command." The prescription was Er Chen Tang (Two-Cured Decoction) modified with Linderae Radix (Wuyao Ye), Atractylodis Rhizoma (Cangzhu), Bombyx Batryticatus (Jiangcan), and Paederiae Scandentis Caulis (Haitongpi). After five doses, she indeed became displeased and wanted to stop taking the medicine. Yue Lou said: "Dr. Sun stated beforehand that results would appear in ten doses. We are past halfway; why not persevere to avoid failure at the last moment?" She took one more dose and then stopped, refusing all persuasion. She publicly declared: "The doctor treats pain but increases it. What medicine shall I take? I absolutely refuse the next four doses." It was already Shen hour (3-5 PM). Knowing she was indulged as a wealthy family member, I did not force the medication. Instead, I prepared Veratris Semen (Yuanhua) stir-fried with vinegar, 0.3 fen, and Chrysosplenii Herba (Haijinsha), 1 fen, both powdered, mixed with plain boiled water for administration. By evening, she had one bowel movement, expelling half a basin of thick phlegm. Her foot pain reduced by more than half, and she could move slightly.
After the first watch (9-11 PM), while our drinking party had not yet dispersed, news came suddenly that she had severe abdominal pain, and I was urgently summoned. As I walked to the inner chamber, someone inside came out to stop me, saying: "The patient has passed away; no need to come in." I said: "This must be syncope due to extreme pain, not death. How can I not enter to check?" Upon entering, I saw profuse cold sweat, her sitting alone on a urinal, face cyanotic, and breath seemingly absent. Holding her hand, it was ice-cold, but all six pulses were present, merely deep and hidden. I realized this was due to extreme pain. I administered fresh ginger juice, and she revived. Slowly, I told the nearby maids: "She just had severe abdominal pain earlier." Later, firelight flashed, her anus felt like burning, and there was a loud bang. Nobody knew what was expelled. The crowd looked and found a blood leech, six cun long and half a cun wide, with scales and eyes intact, still swimming in the basin. Everyone was terrified. Yue Lou asked: "Is she better now that the leech is out?" I answered: "This is a remarkable creature. Its expulsion is good. But Lady Ding's illness was truly caused by Phlegm. I specifically treated the Phlegm. Initially, I did not know about the parasite. In this case, it was merely because Yuanhua in the medicine has insecticidal properties, so it happened by chance. It is also your brother's fortune." The next day, her hands and feet could move. She continued with Er Chen Tang (Two-Cured Decoction) modified with Coicis Semen (Yiren), Carthami Flos (Honghua), and Acanthopanacis Senticosi Caulis (Wujia Pi). After four doses, she recovered completely. The Min household respected me even more because I did not boast of my merit.