甘寒无毒。入药生者良。
发明 玳瑁入心主血，有解毒解热之功。故苏颂以之磨汁服解蛊毒。《日华》破症瘕结
，消痈毒，止惊痫。士良疗心风，解烦热，行血气，利大小肠。时珍治伤寒热结狂言，解毒
清热之功，等于犀角，同犀角解痘毒。痘疮黑陷，乃心热血凝，用生犀、玳瑁磨汁，入猪心
血少许，紫草汤调服，则热解血和而陷豆起矣。但虚寒而陷者勿用。
一名上甲
咸平无毒。九肋七肋者佳。以其得阳数也。但多有摘去下肋伪充七肋
者，亦有半边支肋、半边双肋者，此团鱼与鳖交合而生，不若纯支肋者为优。醋 酥炙各随
本方。治疟母淋灰汤煮糜如饴，用龟用大者力胜，鳖用小者力优。妊娠勿食鳖肉。与苋菜、
鸭卵合食尤忌。
《本经》主心腹症瘕坚积寒热，去痞疾息肉，阴蚀痔核，恶肉。
发明 鳖色青，入厥阴肝经及冲脉，为阴中之阳。阳奇阴偶，故取支肋为肝经之响导。
其所主者， 疟、疟母，虚劳寒热，症瘕痞疾，经水阴疮，不出《本经》主治也。凡骨蒸劳
热自汗皆用之，为其能滋肝经之火也。与龟甲同类，并主阴经血分之病。龟用腹，腹属肾。
鳖用肋，肋属肝，然究竟是削肝之剂，非补肝药也。妊妇忌用，以其能伐肝破血也。肝虚无
热禁之。 灰研极细末疗汤火伤皮绽肉烂者并效，干则麻油调敷，湿则干掺，其痛立止。其
解火毒，疗骨蒸，杀瘵虫之功可默悟矣。鳖头烧灰酒服疗小儿脱肛，妇人阴脱下坠，取其善
缩之性也，生血涂之尤效。沈圣符曰，食品中惟鳖最为叵测，其间多有大毒不减河豚者，如
三足两头，人所共弃，项强腹赤毒可伤人。予邻余子坦曾见蛇盘屡跌而成鳖者，四生之中物
物皆有变化，无足异也。且有鳖宝生鳖腹中之说，说者以为诞妄，姑置罔闻。近日枫江吴氏
买一鳖，烹之辄作人言。其家以为怪也，添火烹之，剖腹果得一物长约三寸，须眉宛然。圣
符邀予往看，验其鳖形背高耸起，稍异寻常。圣符属笔命记，以为嗜味伤生之警。
甘寒无毒。入药以生品为佳。
发明：玳瑁入心经而主血，具有解毒和退热的功效。因此苏颂用它磨成汁服用以解蛊毒。《日华子本草》记载其能破除症瘕结块，消散痈毒，止住惊痫。士良用于治疗心风，解除烦热，行气活血，通利大小肠。时珍用于治疗伤寒热结导致的胡言乱语，其解毒清热的功效等同于犀角，与犀角同用可解痘毒。痘疮黑陷，是由于心热血凝所致，使用生犀角、玳瑁磨汁，加入少许猪心血，用紫草汤调服，则热解血和而痘疹隆起。但如果是虚寒导致的黑陷则不可使用。
又名上甲。咸平无毒。九肋或七肋的质地较好。因为这是顺应阳数的缘故。但市场上多有摘去下肋伪充七肋者，也有半边单肋、半边双肋的，这是团鱼（甲鱼）与鳖交合而生，不如纯单肋的优良。醋炙或酥炙各依本方规定。治疗疟母淋灰汤煮烂如饴糖状，用龟则体型大的药效强，用鳖则体型小的药效优。孕妇忌食鳖肉。与苋菜、鸭蛋同食尤其禁忌。
《神农本草经》主治心腹症瘕坚积寒热，去除痞疾息肉，阴蚀痔核，恶肉。
发明：鳖色青，入厥阴肝经及冲脉，属于阴中之阳。阳奇阴偶，所以取单肋作为肝经的引导。其所主治的疟疾、疟母、虚劳寒热、症瘕痞疾、经水病及阴疮，不出《本经》的主治范围。凡是骨蒸劳热自汗都使用它，因为它能滋肝经之火。与龟甲同类，共同主治阴经血分的疾病。龟用腹甲，腹甲属肾。鳖用肋甲，肋甲属肝，但这终究是削伐肝气的药剂，并非补肝的药物。孕妇忌用，因为它能伐肝破血。肝虚无热者禁用。研成极细末治疗烫伤皮开肉烂者均有效，干燥时用麻油调和敷用，湿润时直接干掺，疼痛立即停止。其解火毒、疗骨蒸、杀瘵虫的功效可以默会领悟。鳖头烧成灰酒服可治疗小儿脱肛、妇人阴脱下坠，取其善于收敛的特性，生血涂敷尤其有效。沈圣符说，食品中只有鳖最为难以预测，其中多有大毒不亚于河豚的，如三足两头，是人们所共弃的，颈项僵硬腹部发红有毒可伤人。我的邻居余子坦曾见过蛇盘绕多次跌倒后变成鳖的情况，四生之中万物都有变化，不足为奇。而且有鳖宝生于鳖腹中的说法，说的人认为荒诞妄言，姑且搁置不予理会。近日枫江吴氏买得一鳖，烹煮时却发出人言。其家人认为是怪异之事，添火继续烹煮，剖腹果然得到一个长约三寸的东西，须眉清晰可见。圣符邀我前往观看，验证其鳖形背部高耸突起，稍异于寻常。圣符执笔记录此事，以此作为嗜味伤身的警示。
Sweet and cold, non-toxic. For medicinal use, the raw form is preferred.
Invention: *Daimao* (Hawksbill Turtle Shell) enters the Heart meridian and governs blood, possessing the functions of detoxification and heat-clearing. Therefore, Su Song used it ground into juice for oral administration to resolve gu poison. The *Ri Hua Ben Cao* records its ability to break up masses and accumulations (*zhijia*), dissipate carbuncle toxins, and stop convulsions and epilepsy. Shi Liang treated wind affecting the heart, relieved vexatious heat, promoted the circulation of qi and blood, and facilitated the large and small intestines. Shizhen treated delirious speech caused by heat accumulation in typhoid fever; its efficacy in detoxification and clearing heat is equal to that of *Xijiao* (Rhinoceros Horn), and when combined with *Xijiao*, it resolves chickenpox toxins. Black depression of chickenpox lesions results from hot blood coagulation; using raw *Xijiao* and *Daimao* ground into juice, mixed with a small amount of pig heart blood, and taken with *Zicao* (Arnebiae Radix seu Rhizoma) decoction, the heat resolves and blood harmonizes, causing the pustules to rise. However, if the depression is due to deficiency-cold, it should not be used.
Also known as Shangjia. Salty and neutral, non-toxic. Those with nine or seven ribs are superior because they correspond to yang numbers. However, many are adulterated by removing lower ribs to fake seven ribs, or have half single-ribbed and half double-ribbed sides; these result from the mating of softshell turtles and hard-shelled turtles, and are inferior to those with purely single ribs. Vinegar-fried or butter-fried preparations follow specific formulas. To treat malaria spleen enlargement (*numother*), boil until mushy like maltose; for tortoises, larger size yields stronger potency, while for softshell turtles, smaller size yields superior potency. Pregnant women should avoid eating softshell turtle meat. Consumption with amaranth and duck eggs is particularly contraindicated.
The *Shennong Bencao Jing* states it treats hard accumulations of masses and nodules in the heart and abdomen accompanied by alternating cold and heat, removes痞疾 (痞疾 refers to abdominal masses or polyps), yin erosion, hemorrhoids, and malignant flesh.
Invention: The shell of the softshell turtle is green, entering the Jueyin Liver meridian and the Chong vessel, representing yang within yin. Yang is odd, yin is even; thus, the single ribs serve as a guide for the Liver meridian. Its indications—malaria, malaria spleen enlargement, deficiency-wasting with cold and heat, masses and nodules, menstrual disorders, and yin sores—are all covered by the indications of the *Bencao Jing*. It is used for bone-steaming fever, wasting syndrome, and spontaneous sweating because it can nourish fire in the Liver meridian. It is similar to *Guiban* (Tortoise Shell) and jointly treats diseases of the blood aspect of yin meridians. Tortoise shell uses the plastron, which belongs to the Kidney. Softshell turtle shell uses the marginal scutes (ribs), which belong to the Liver. However, it is ultimately an agent that reduces/scrapes Liver qi, not a Liver-nourishing herb. Pregnant women must avoid it because it damages the Liver and breaks blood. It is contraindicated in cases of Liver deficiency without heat. Ground into extremely fine powder, it treats burns with ruptured skin and exposed flesh effectively; apply with sesame oil if dry, or sprinkle directly if moist, stopping pain immediately. Its efficacy in clearing fire toxins, treating bone-steaming fever, and killing tuberculosis worms can be intuitively understood. Burned to ash and taken with wine, the head of the softshell turtle treats pediatric rectal prolapse and uterine prolapse in women, utilizing its property of contraction; applying fresh blood is especially effective. Shen Shengfu stated that among food items, the softshell turtle is the most unpredictable; many possess great toxicity rivaling the pufferfish, such as those with three legs and two heads, which people discard. Neck stiffness and red abdomen indicate toxicity harmful to humans. My neighbor Yu Zitan once saw a snake coiling repeatedly and falling, transforming into a softshell turtle. Among the four categories of living beings, all things undergo transformation, which is not surprising. There is also a theory about "turtle treasure" growing inside the softshell turtle's abdomen; proponents consider this absurd, so I shall ignore it. Recently, the Wu family in Fengjiang bought a softshell turtle that spoke like a human when boiled. Thinking it was a怪 (strange omen), they added fuel to the fire. Upon opening the belly, they found an object about three inches long with distinct eyebrows and beard. Shengfu invited me to inspect it; the turtle's back was unusually high and arched. Shengfu wrote this record as a warning against harming life for the sake of taste.