味咸，平，无毒。主恶疮，蚀五痔，咳逆胸痹，腰痛胁急，鼠 大孔出血，崩中漏下
。生东海。表有纹，取无时。
陶隐居云∶海蛤至滑泽，云从雁屎中得之，二、三十过方为良。今人多取相 ，令磨荡
似
之尔。文蛤小大而有紫斑，此既异类而同条，若别之，则数多，今以为附见，而在副品限也。
凡有四物如此。唐本注云∶文蛤，大者圆三寸，小者圆五、六分。若今妇人以置胭脂者，殊
非海蛤之类也。夫天地间物，无非天地间用，岂限其数为正副耶！今按陈藏器本草云∶海蛤
，主水 。取二两先研三日，汉防己、枣肉、杏仁二两，葶苈子六两，熬研成脂为丸，一服
十丸，利下水。臣禹锡等谨按蜀本图经云∶背上有斑纹者，今出莱州掖县南海中，三月中
旬采。萧炳云∶出密州。陶隐居云∶按海蛤，是海中烂壳，久在泥沙，风波淘漉，自然圆净，
有大有小，以小者久远为佳，亦非一一从雁腹中出也。文蛤是未烂时壳，犹有纹者。此乃新
旧为名，二物元同一类。假如雁食蛤壳，岂择纹与不纹。苏恭此言殊为未达，至如烂蚬蚌壳
，亦有所主，与生不同。陶云副品，正其宜矣。《说文》曰∶千岁燕化为海蛤，一名伏老，
伏翼化为，今亦生子滋长也。
图经文具海蛤条下。
千金翼∶治急疳蚀口鼻数日尽，欲死。烧文蛤灰，腊月脂和，涂之。
衍义文具海蛤条下。
味咸，性平，无毒。主治恶疮，腐蚀五痔（五种痔疮），咳逆气上冲，胸痹（胸部闷痛），腰痛胁肋拘急，鼠瘘（淋巴结结核）大孔出血，以及崩中漏下（妇科非经期大量或持续少量出血）。产于东海。外壳表面有纹理，采集时间不限。
陶弘景说：海蛤非常光滑润泽，传说是从雁粪中得到的，经过二三十次淘洗后才算优良。现在的人多取相子（一种贝壳），磨荡使其看起来像海蛤罢了。文蛤大小不一且有紫色斑点，这虽然与海蛤不同类却同属一类，如果将其区分开来，数量就多了，现在作为附见处理，归入副品范围。
总共有四种东西如此相似。《新修本草》注解说：文蛤，大的直径三寸，小的直径五六分。就像现在妇女用来盛放胭脂的容器，完全不是海蛤这一类。天地间的万物，没有不是用于天地的，难道要限制它们的数量来划分正副吗！现在考证陈藏器的《本草》说：海蛤，主治水肿。取二两先研磨三天，配合汉防己、枣肉、杏仁各二两，葶苈子六两，熬研成脂状制成丸药，每次服用十丸，利水消肿排出积水。臣禹锡等谨按《蜀本图经》说：背上有斑纹的，现在出产于莱州掖县南海中，三月月中旬采集。萧炳说：出产于密州。陶弘景说：按海蛤，是海中腐烂的贝壳，长久在泥沙中，被风波淘洗过滤，自然圆润洁净，有大也有小，以小的且年代久远者为佳，也并非每一个都从雁腹中出来。文蛤是未腐烂时的壳，还有纹理的。这是以新旧为名，两者原本属于同一类。假如雁吃蛤壳，难道会挑选有纹理还是没有纹理的吗？苏恭这种说法很不通达，至于像烂掉的蚬蚌壳，也有一定主治功效，与生用的不同。陶弘景说是副品，正是其适宜的分类了。《说文解字》说：千年的燕子化为海蛤，一名伏老；蝙蝠化为海蛤，现在也生子滋长。
《图经》的文蛤内容在海蛤条目下。
《千金翼方》：治疗急性的疳蚀症，侵蚀口鼻数日几乎耗尽，危及生命。将文蛤烧成灰，用腊月（十二月）的油脂调和，涂抹患处。
《衍义》的内容在海蛤条目下。
Salty in flavor, neutral in nature, non-toxic. It primarily treats malignant sores (malignant ulcers), erodes five types of hemorrhoids (five kinds of anal vascular cushions pathology), counters cough and rebellious Qi, chest bi syndrome (chest obstruction with pain), lower back pain with hypochondriac stiffness, bleeding from large orifices of shu li (scrofula/lymph node tuberculosis), and metrorrhagia and leukorrhea (uterine bleeding and vaginal discharge). It grows in the East Sea. The shell has patterns on the surface; it can be harvested at any time.
Tao Hongjing stated: "Sea clams are extremely smooth and glossy. It is said they are obtained from goose droppings; only after being washed twenty or thirty times do they become excellent. Nowadays, people often take 'xiangzi' shells and grind them to resemble sea clams. Wen蛤 (Clam Shell) varies in size and has purple spots. Although this is a different species yet belongs to the same category, if distinguished separately, there would be too many varieties. Therefore, it is now treated as an appendix and classified under secondary grade."
There are four such items in total. The annotation in *Xinxiu Bencao* states: "Wen蛤, the large ones have a diameter of three cun, and the small ones have a diameter of five or six fen. They resemble the containers used by women today for holding rouge, which are certainly not of the sea clam family. All things between Heaven and Earth serve purposes between Heaven and Earth; why limit their quantity to define primary or secondary grades!" Current research based on Chen Cangqi's *Bencao* states: "Sea clams primarily treat water retention. Take two liang, grind them for three days first, then combine with Han Fangji (Root of Stephania Tetrandra), date flesh, and Xingren (Apricot Seed) each two liang, and Tinglizi (Seed of Lepidium/Turmeric) six liang. Boil and grind into a paste to make pills. Take ten pills per dose to promote urination and drain water." Ministers Yu Xi et al., according to *Shuben Tujing*, state: "Those with spotted patterns on the back are currently produced in the South Sea of Yexian, Laizhou, and are harvested in mid-March. Xiao Bing states they are produced in Mizhou. Tao Hongjing states: 'According to records, sea clams are rotten shells from the sea, lying long in mud and sand, naturally rounded and clean through wave erosion. They vary in size, with smaller and older ones being preferred. Not all come from goose bellies. Wen蛤 refers to shells before rotting, still retaining patterns. This distinction is based on new versus old; originally, both belong to the same class. If geese eat clam shells, would they select those with or without patterns? Su Gong’s statement is quite misguided. Even rotten clam and mussel shells have specific therapeutic uses, differing from raw usage. Tao’s classification as secondary grade is appropriate.' The *Shuowen Jiezi* states: 'A thousand-year-old swallow transforms into a sea clam, also known as Fulao; a bat transforms into a sea clam, and nowadays they also reproduce and grow.'"
The description of Wen蛤 in *Tujing* is found under the entry for Sea Clam.
*Qianjin Yi Fang*: Treats acute gan erosion affecting the mouth and nose over several days, nearly consuming the tissue and endangering life. Burn Wen蛤 to ash, mix with grease from the twelfth lunar month, and apply externally.
The content from *Yanyi* is found under the entry for Sea Clam.