金条中已解屑义。银本出于矿，须煎炼而成，故名熟银。所以于后别立生银条也。其
用与熟银大同。世有术士，能以朱砂而成者，有铅汞而成者，有焦铜而成者，非复更有造化
之气，岂可更入药？既有此类，不可不区别。其生银即是不自矿中出，而特然自生者，又谓
之老翁须，亦取像而言之耳。然银屑经言有毒，生银经言无毒，释者漏略不言。盖生银已生
发于外，无蕴郁之气，故无毒。矿银尚蕴蓄于石中，郁结之气全未敷畅，故言有毒。亦恶锡
。
水银入药虽各有法，极须审谨，有毒故也。妇人多服绝娠。今人治小儿惊热涎潮，往
往多用。经中无一字及此，亦宜详谛。得铅则凝，得硫黄则结，并枣肉研之则散。别法 为
腻粉，粉霜唾研毙虱。铜得之则明，灌尸中则令尸后腐。以金银铜铁置其上则浮，得紫河车
则伏。唐韩愈云∶太学博士李千，遇信安人方士柳贲，能烧水银为不死药。以铅满一鼎，按
中为空，实以水银，盖封四际，烧为丹砂，服之下血。比四年，病益急，乃死。余不知服食
说自何世起，杀人不可计，而世慕尚之益至。此其惑也。在文书所记，及耳闻传者不说，今
直取目见，亲与之游，而以药败者六七公，以为世诫。工部尚书归登自说∶既服水银得病，
若有烧铁杖，自颠贯其下，摧而为火，射窍节以出，狂痛号呼，乞绝。其茵席得水银，发且
止，唾血，十数年以毙。殿中御史李虚中，疽发其背死。刑部尚书李逊谓余曰∶我为药误。
遂死。刑部侍郎李建，一旦无病死。工部尚书孟简邀我于万州，屏人曰∶我得秘药，不可独
不死，今遗子一器，可用枣肉为丸服之。别一年而病。后有人至，讯之。曰∶前所服药误，
方且下之，下则平矣。病二岁卒。东川节度御史大夫卢坦溺血，肉痛不可忍，乞死。金吾将
军李道古，以柳贲得罪，食贲药，五十死海上。此可为诫者也。蕲不死，乃速得死，谓之智
，可不可也？五谷三牲，盐醯果蔬，人所常御，人相浓勉，必曰强食。今惑者皆曰五谷令人
夭，当务减节，临死乃悔。呜呼，哀也已！今有水银烧成丹砂，医人不晓，研为药衣，或入
药中，岂不违误，可不谨哉！
关于金条中已经解释过的银屑的含义。银原本出自矿藏，必须经过煎炼才能制成，所以称为熟银。因此在后文单独设立生银条目。它的作用与熟银大体相同。世间有方术之士，能用朱砂炼成银的，有用铅和汞炼成银的，有用焦铜炼成银的，这些都不是再具有造化之气（自然生成的灵气），怎么可以再次入药呢？既然存在这类情况，不可不加以区别。所谓的生银，就是不是从矿中产出，而是天然自生的，又被称为“老翁须”，这也是取像比喻的说法罢了。然而古籍记载银屑有毒，而生银无毒，注释者遗漏了这一点没有说明。大概是因为生银已经显露于外，没有蕴积郁结之气，所以无毒。而矿银还蕴蓄在石头中，郁结之气完全未舒展通畅，所以说有毒。同时也厌恶锡。
水银入药虽然各有方法，但极其需要审慎谨慎，因为它有毒的缘故。妇女多服会导致绝育。现在人们治疗小儿惊热、痰涎上涌，往往大量使用。医经中没有一字提到这种用法，也应当详细审察。水银遇到铅就会凝固，遇到硫黄就会结块，并用枣肉研磨它就会分散。另有方法制成腻粉，用粉霜唾沫研碎可以杀死虱子。铜得到水银就会明亮，灌入尸体中则会让尸体后来腐烂。把金银铜铁放在水银上面，它们会浮起；得到紫河车（胎盘）则会沉伏。唐代韩愈说：太学博士李千，遇到信安人方士柳贲，能烧炼水银制成不死药。用铅装满一鼎，中间挖空，填入水银，盖封四周缝隙，烧炼成丹砂，服用后导致下血。过了四年，病情更加急重，于是死亡。我不知道服食养生之说从哪个时代兴起，杀人不可胜数，而世人仰慕崇尚它却越来越厉害。这是多么迷惑啊！在文书记载中，以及耳闻传说的都不提，现在直接选取亲眼所见、亲自交往的人，因为服药而败亡的六七位公卿，作为世人的警戒。工部尚书归登自己说：既然后服用水银得病，好像有烧红的铁杖，从头顶贯穿而下，摧折化为火，射向孔窍关节排出体外，疯狂疼痛号呼，乞求死。他的垫席沾到水银，发作时停止，吐血，十几年后死去。殿中御史李虚中，背部长疽而死。刑部尚书李逊对我说：我被药物所误，于是死去。刑部侍郎李建，一天之内无病而死。工部尚书孟简在万州邀请我，屏退旁人对我说：我得到了秘药，不能独自不死，现在赠送给你一器，可以用枣肉做成丸药服用。分别一年后他生病了。后来有人来到，询问他。他说：之前服用的药有误，正在用泻法治疗，泻下后就平复了。患病两年后去世。东川节度御史大夫卢坦尿血，肌肉疼痛无法忍受，乞求死。金吾将军李道古，因柳贲获罪，吃了柳贲的药，在海上五十岁死去。这些都足以作为警戒。追求不死，反而加速死亡，这能称为智慧吗？可以吗？五谷和三牲，盐和醋及蔬菜水果，是人们日常食用的，人们互相劝勉，必定会说努力进食。现在迷惑的人都说是五谷让人短命，应当致力于减少节制，临死时才后悔。唉，可悲啊！现在有用水银烧炼成丹砂的，医生不懂，研磨作为药衣，或者加入药中，难道不是违背错误吗，能不谨慎吗！
The meaning of silver flakes has already been explained in the section on gold bars. Silver originates from ores and must be smelted to become refined silver (Shu Yin, refined silver), hence its name. Therefore, a separate entry for raw silver (Sheng Yin, raw silver) is established later. Its uses are largely similar to those of refined silver. In the world, there are alchemists who can produce silver from cinnabar (Zhu Sha, Cinabaris Rubrum), from lead and mercury, or from scorched copper. These do not possess the vital energy of natural creation; how can they be used in medicine? Since such cases exist, they must be clearly distinguished. Raw silver refers to silver that does not come from mines but occurs naturally, also known as "Old Man's Beard" (Lao Weng Xu), named by analogy. However, medical classics state that silver flakes are toxic, while raw silver is non-toxic; commentators omitted this detail. This is likely because raw silver has already emerged externally, lacking stagnant and pent-up qi, thus it is non-toxic. Mineral silver remains stored within stones, with its pent-up qi completely unventilated, hence it is described as toxic. It also dislikes tin.
Although there are various methods for using mercury (Shui Yin, Hydrargyrum) in medicine, extreme caution is required due to its toxicity. Women taking it frequently may suffer sterility. Currently, people often use large amounts to treat pediatric convulsive fever and salivary flooding. There is not a single word in the classics regarding this usage, which should be carefully examined. Mercury coagulates when meeting lead, solidifies when meeting sulfur (Huang Liu Huang, Sulfur), and disperses when ground with jujube flesh. Another method produces greasy powder (Ni Fen, Calomel); powdered frost mixed with saliva kills lice. Copper becomes bright when exposed to it; pouring it into a corpse causes the corpse to rot later. Placing gold, silver, copper, or iron above it causes them to float; encountering placenta (Zi He Che, Placenta Hominis) causes them to sink. Han Yu of the Tang Dynasty said: Li Qian, a Doctor of the Imperial Academy, met the alchemist Liu Ben from Xin'an, who could smelt mercury into an elixir of immortality. He filled a tripod with lead, hollowed the center, filled it with mercury, sealed the edges, and smelted it into cinnabar. After ingestion, the patient suffered bloody stools. Four years later, his illness worsened, and he died. I do not know when the practice of ingesting elixirs began. Countless people have died, yet worldly admiration for it grows stronger. This is delusion! Records in documents and hearsay do not mention these dangers. I now cite only what I have seen with my own eyes and experienced through personal association: six or seven high officials who perished due to medicinal drugs, serving as a warning to the world. Guo Deng, Minister of Works, said himself: After taking mercury, he fell ill, feeling as if a red-hot iron rod pierced him from head to toe, breaking into fire and shooting out through his orifices and joints. He screamed in madness and pain, begging for death. When his bedding touched mercury, the attack would cease temporarily, followed by hemoptysis; he died after more than ten years. Li Xuzhong, Censor-in-Chief, died of a carbuncle on his back. Li Xun, Minister of Justice, told me: "I was misled by medicine," and subsequently died. Li Jian, Vice Minister of Justice, died suddenly without illness. Meng Jian, Minister of Works, invited me to Wanzhou and, dismissing others, said: "I have obtained a secret medicine and cannot keep immortality to myself. I give you this vessel; make pills with jujube flesh and take them." A year later, he fell ill. Someone later asked him about it. He replied: "The previous medicine was mistaken; I am currently using purgatives. Once purged, I will recover." He died two years later from the illness. Lu Tan, Military Commissioner of Dongchuan and Censor-in-Chief, suffered hematuria and unbearable muscle pain, begging for death. Li Daogu, General of the Jinwu Guards, was implicated by Liu Ben's crimes; having eaten Liu Ben's medicine, he died at fifty in the sea. These serve as warnings. Seeking immortality leads to hastened death; can this be called wisdom? Grain and meat, salt, vinegar, fruits, and vegetables are daily foods. People urge each other to eat heartily. Yet the deluded claim grain shortens life and advocate reduction, only regretting it at death. Alas, how sorrowful! Now, some smelt mercury into cinnabar. If physicians do not understand this and grind it for coating or mixing into medicines, is this not a grave error? Must one not be cautious!