味咸,性寒有毒,入心肝脾三经。主留血壅瘀,心腹寒热洗洗,祛坚积症瘕、下乳通经。
一名 虫,畏屋游,皂角、菖蒲。
按∶土鳖专主血症,心主血,肝藏血,脾裹血,故三入之。今跌打损伤者,往往主此,
或不效则加而用之。殊不知有瘀血作疼者,诚为要药;倘无瘀血,而其伤在筋骨脏腑之间,
法当和补。愚者不察,久服弗已,其流祸可胜数耶。
味咸酸,性寒有小毒,不载经络。主小儿惊风螈 ,大人癫狂疰忤,破血堕胎,通肠治
胀。又主疔恶诸疮,出箭头入肉。去足翅火炙,勿置水中,令人吐,畏羊肉、羊角。
按∶《庄子》云∶蜣螂之智,在于转丸,宜其皮血通肠之功矣。惊狂皆属炎,亦赖之以
泄其
味辛咸,性寒有大毒,不载经络。主寒热鬼疰,虫毒鼠漏,疥癣恶疮,疽蚀死肌,破
石癃血积,利水道堕胎。凡使去足翅,拌糯米炒,米黄为度,马刀为使,畏巴豆、丹参、空
青,恶曾青,豆花。
按∶斑蝥入腹,有开山凿岭之势,最称猛烈,故辄致腹痛不可忍。余见里中一壮年患痞
疾,服斑蝥数剂,初则大泻不止,烦闷欲绝,断则二便来红,三日而死。自非百药不效之病,
不
味甘咸,性微寒有毒,不载经络。主五邪惊悸,妇人鬼魅悲伤,山岚瘴疟,恶疮疥癣,
蚁漏痔漏,亦能去风,炙黄用。
按∶穿山甲形似鲤鱼,有四足,能陆能水,山岸间开鳞甲如死,令蚁入中,闭而入水,
开甲蚁浮水面,于是食之,故主蚁漏,其性喜穿山。是以名之。故其用亦主溃痈疽,通血脉,
及治吹乳疼痛。
【土鳖虫】
味咸,性寒,有毒,归心、肝、脾三经。主治瘀血停滞、心腹部忽冷忽热的症状,祛除坚硬的积聚和症瘕(腹内结块),促进乳汁分泌,疏通经脉。
又名䗪虫,畏忌屋游(一种昆虫)、皂角、石菖蒲。
按语:土鳖虫专门主治血症,因为心主血脉,肝藏血,脾统血(包裹血液),所以药物进入这三条经络。如今治疗跌打损伤的人,往往以这味药为主,如果效果不明显则增加用量使用。却不知道对于有瘀血疼痛的情况,这确实是关键药物;如果没有瘀血,而损伤在筋骨脏腑之间,治疗方法应当是调和补益。愚昧的人不加考察,长期服用不停止,其带来的祸患难道能数得完吗?
【斑蝥】
味咸、酸,性寒,有小毒,未记载归经。主治小儿惊风抽搐,成人癫狂及疰忤(中邪或慢性消耗性疾病),破血堕胎,通利肠道治疗胀满。又主治疔疮等恶疮,使嵌入肉中的箭头排出。使用时去掉足和翅膀,用火炙烤,不要放在水中,否则令人呕吐,畏忌羊肉、羊角。
按语:《庄子》说:“蜣螂的智慧在于滚粪球”,适宜它具备通皮血、利肠道的功效啊。惊狂都属于火热之证,也依赖它来泄热……(原文此处中断)
【穿山甲】
味辛、咸,性寒,有大毒,未记载归经。主治寒热往来及鬼疰(一种传染性痨病),虫毒、鼠漏(淋巴结核)、疥癣恶疮、疽蚀死肌(坏死的肌肉),破除石癃(尿结石或排尿困难)、血积,通利水道,堕胎。凡使用时要去掉足和翅膀,拌糯米炒至米变黄为度,以马刀(一种贝类,此处指炮制辅料或配伍禁忌相关,原文语境稍显模糊,通常指配伍或炮制细节)为使,畏忌巴豆、丹参、空青,厌恶曾青、豆花。
按语:斑蝥进入腹部,有开山凿岭的气势,最为猛烈,所以常常导致腹痛难以忍受。我见过乡里一个壮年人患痞疾,服用斑蝥几剂后,起初是大泻不止,烦闷欲绝,后来大小便出血,三天后死亡。如果不是百药无效的病症,不……(原文此处中断)
【穿山甲】(注:原文标题虽列穿山甲,但前文描述实为斑蝥与穿山甲混杂,根据最后一段“穿山甲形似鲤鱼”判断,最后一段才是穿山甲的本义,前三段分别为土鳖虫、斑蝥、以及可能误植或混淆的斑蝥/其他药物描述,但依据文本结构,最后一段明确为穿山甲)
味甘、咸,性微寒,有毒,未记载归经。主治五邪惊悸,妇人如鬼魅附体般的悲伤情绪,山岚瘴疟,恶疮疥癣,蚁漏痔漏,也能祛风,炙烤至黄色后使用。
按语:穿山甲形状像鲤鱼,有四只脚,既能上岸也能下水,在山岸间张开鳞片假装死去,让蚂蚁进入其中,然后闭合身体入水,张开鳞片时蚂蚁浮在水面,于是捕食它们,所以主治蚁漏(瘘管),它的本性喜欢穿透山体。因此得名。所以它的作用也是主治溃烂痈疽,疏通血脉,以及治疗吹乳(急性乳腺炎)疼痛。
[Ground Beetle / Eupolyphaga]
Taste: Salty. Nature: Cold. Toxicity: Toxic. Meridian Tropism: Enters the Heart, Liver, and Spleen meridians.
Indications: Primarily treats retained blood and stagnation, alternating cold and heat sensations in the heart and abdomen, dispels hard accumulations and masses (Zheng Jia), promotes lactation, and unblocks the collaterals.
Synonym: Chong (Insect).
Antidotes/Contraindications: Feared by Wuyou (a type of insect), Gleditsiae Fructus (Zaojiao), and Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma (Changpu).
Commentary: Ground beetle specifically treats blood disorders. Since the Heart governs blood, the Liver stores blood, and the Spleen envelops/controls blood, the herb enters these three meridians. Currently, for treating traumatic injuries, this herb is often used as a primary agent; if efficacy is insufficient, the dosage is increased. However, one must not fail to realize that while it is indeed a crucial herb for pain caused by blood stasis, if there is no blood stasis and the injury involves the sinews, bones, or internal organs, the treatment method should be harmonizing and tonifying. Ignorant practitioners who do not examine the condition carefully may administer it for long periods without cessation, leading to countless disastrous consequences.
[Mylabris / Cantharis]
Taste: Salty, Sour. Nature: Cold. Toxicity: Slightly toxic. Meridian Tropism: Not recorded.
Indications: Treats pediatric convulsions and spasms, adult mania and delirium due to epidemic pestilence or invasion, breaks blood stasis, induces abortion, unblocks the intestines, and treats distension. Also treats carbuncles and malignant sores, helping to expel arrowheads embedded in flesh.
Preparation: Remove feet and wings, roast over fire. Do not place in water, as it causes vomiting.
Antidotes/Contraindications: Feared by mutton and sheep horns.
Commentary: The Zhuangzi states, "The wisdom of the dung beetle lies in rolling balls," which aptly explains its merit in unblocking skin and blood and promoting bowel movement. Mania and delirium are all related to fire/heat, and this herb relies on its ability to drain such pathogenic factors... [Text cuts off]
[Mylabris / Cantharis - Continued/Confused Entry]
Taste: Pungent, Salty. Nature: Cold. Toxicity: Highly toxic. Meridian Tropism: Not recorded.
Indications: Treats alternating chills and fever, epidemic pestilence (Gui Zhu), insect toxins, rat-related fistulas (Shu Lou), scabies, tinea, malignant sores, necrotic muscle tissue from ulcers, breaks stone strangury and blood accumulation, promotes urination, and induces abortion.
Preparation: Remove feet and wings, stir-fry with glutinous rice until the rice turns yellow.
Antidotes/Contraindications: Used with Madao (Margaritifera); Feared by Crotonis Fructus (Badou), Danshen, and Azurite (Kongqing); Dislikes Malachite (Zengqing) and bean flowers.
Commentary: When Mylabris enters the abdomen, it has the momentum of opening mountains and digging ridges; it is extremely potent and thus often causes unbearable abdominal pain. I once witnessed a robust young man in my village suffering from an abdominal mass (Pi Ji) who took several doses of Mylabris. Initially, he suffered from incessant severe diarrhea and extreme restlessness bordering on death; later, he passed bright red blood in both stool and urine, and died after three days. Unless the disease is incurable by other medicines, one should not... [Text cuts off]
[Pangolin Scales / Manis]
Taste: Sweet, Salty. Nature: Slightly cold. Toxicity: Toxic. Meridian Tropism: Not recorded.
Indications: Treats palpitations due to five types of pathogens, women's melancholic depression resembling ghost possession, mountainous miasma and malaria, malignant sores, scabies, tinea, ant-related fistulas, and hemorrhoidal fistulas. It can also dispel wind. Use after roasting until yellow.
Commentary: Pangolin scales resemble carp, have four feet, and can live on land and in water. On mountain banks, it opens its scales, feigning death, allowing ants to enter. It then closes itself and enters the water; upon opening its scales again, the ants float to the surface, whereupon it eats them. Therefore, it primarily treats ant-related fistulas. Its nature favors penetrating through mountains, hence its name. Thus, its therapeutic actions include resolving abscesses and ulcers, unblocking blood vessels, and treating acute mastitis (Chui Ru) with pain.