《葛仙翁肘後備急方》

The Emergency Formulas to Keep Up One's Sleeve by Immortal Ge records various first aid methods for sudden fainting or suspended animation. These techniques primarily address emergencies involving sudden collapse and cessation of breathing, with several specific procedures detailed below:

The first method involves inserting scallion stalk cores into the patient's nostrils (left nostril for males, right for females), penetrating seven or eight inches deep, with bleeding from the eyes considered an especially favorable sign. This resembles a technique employed by Bian Que, though Ge Hong specifically clarifies it as a nasal insufflation method distinct from ear insufflation.

Another approach requires two people to cover their mouths with cloth and blow forcefully into the patient's ears, alternating when reaching their breath capacity. Bamboo tubes may also be used for blowing. During this procedure, the patient's shoulders should be supported while maintaining a sideways position, avoiding direct positioning above the patient.

A third technique utilizes scallion leaves to stimulate the ears. Bleeding from ears or nose shouldn't cause alarm—its absence actually indicates poorer prognosis. When bleeding occurs, the practitioner should suddenly release the patient's hands after gripping them tightly. Soon the patient may raise arms to grasp people, and when crying out in pain, the procedure can cease. This method proves equally effective for hanging victims.

Additional emergency measures include: inserting liquor-soaked cotton cloth into nostrils; puncturing white spots inside the upper lip with needles; dousing the face with urine; inducing sneezing by blowing皂角 powder into the nose; moxibustion at the承浆穴 (the depression below the lower lip); applying rooster blood to the face while surrounding the body with ash; using bamboo tubes to insufflate the anus for ventilation; applying fresh blood from white dogs or chickens over the heart; dripping blood from freshly decapitated ducks into the mouth while blowing into the anus; and administering freshly squeezed juice from ox or horse dung.

All methods emphasize continuous application until respiration or consciousness returns, with some requiring coordinated teamwork and rotation. Ge Hong particularly notes that clenched jaws must be forcibly opened for herbal administration when necessary.

This records various emergency treatments for sudden fainting (猝死) from Ge Hong's Zhouhou Beiji Fang (Emergency Formulas to Keep Up One's Sleeve). These methods integrate proven prescriptions from ancient physicians like Bian Que and Zhang Zhongjing, later compiled and transmitted by Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity) Daoist masters.

The first method suggests that when fresh herbs are unavailable, dried medicine can be dissolved in human urine to extract juice for ingestion. Bian Que documented another approach: measure the length from the deceased's elbow to wrist with a rope (left arm for men, right for women), then measure downward from the Dazhui acupoint on the back by the same length, followed by half that measurement horizontally. Moxibustion applied three times at this intersection was said to revive unconscious patients.

Other resuscitation techniques include: pressing the Renzhong acupoint (midpoint of the philtrum); applying moxibustion below the nose at Renzhong three times; moxibustion at the hairy base of both big toes seven times (some sources say twenty-one); and moxibustion at the navel one hundred times. Bian Que also described reviving patients by pouring pig's tail blood into their mouths and using the animal as a pillow.

Several medicinal approaches were recorded: blowing pinellia powder into nasal passages; administering one qianbi (ancient medicinal spoon) of nüqing herb powder mixed with water or vinegar. These were reportedly secret formulas transmitted to Bian Que by Master Changsang.

Zhang Zhongjing's emergency prescriptions included: pouring Chinese chive juice into nostrils; dripping rooster comb blood into the nose; applying comb blood on the face within ash-drawn circles; boiling lard with vinegar for throat infusion; and swallowing fourteen soybeans with egg white and wine.

Specialized treatments addressed specific symptoms: soaking feet in alum water for high fever coma; having the patient face a cow rider while administering chive juice, with soapberry powder blown into ears for tightly closed eyes; moxibustion behind fingernails fourteen times followed by croton-containing antidotes for gaping mouths; and boiled horse dung solution for rigid limbs with incontinence.

These methods reflect the Han-Jin period medical philosophy of "treating emergencies with extraordinary means," combining herbs, acupuncture, moxibustion, and shamanic practices. While some techniques like Renzhong pressure and moxibustion remain in folk medicine today, components like animal blood or dung have been discontinued.

This passage primarily documents ancient emergency treatments for acute conditions such as sudden death and corpse syncope (shijue), detailing various medicinal formulas and acupuncture therapies:

For sudden death resuscitation, several methods are recorded: administering a mixture of cow dung juice warmed with wine (niu dong refers to liquid dung); applying moxibustion therapy with 100 moxa cones each at three acupoints—one inch below the heart region, three inches above the navel, and four inches below the navel. For pediatric cases involving sudden death with vomiting and diarrhea, horse dung pills could be juiced for oral administration, or boiled in water if fresh dung was unavailable.

The text also mentions emergency formulas like the Three-Substance Emergency Pill Powder and Pei Gong Ointment, considered particularly effective for sudden death, malignant syncope (zhong'e, sudden unconsciousness), and corpse syncope (death-like trance). Ancient physicians attributed such acute conditions to sudden imbalance of yin-yang qi within the body, causing blockage between upper and lower regions. As long as vital breath wasn't completely severed, revival was possible. Some cases involved supernatural factors, hence talismanic incantations (fuzhou) could complement treatment.

Supplementary prescriptions include renowned physicians' methods: Bian Que recommended administering smashed sweetflag rhizome juice; Sun Simiao (the Transcendent Sun) used powdered皂角 (Gleditsia sinensis) blown into nostrils. Other techniques involved blowing air alternately into both ears (three times each), sublingual placement of dried sweetflag, needling the renzhong philtrum acupoint, or applying moxa to the scrotum or between female breasts. Notably, corpse syncope was characterized by detectable pulse, warm thighs, and faint sounds in ears—appearing dead while actually in qi-blocked suspended animation.

Finally, Zhang Zhongjing's observation notes that corpse syncope involves preserved pulse with obstructed qi flow, treatable by blowing sweetflag powder into nostrils or using cinnamon屑 (cassia bark powder) to restore breath. Many methods trace back to Bian Que's legendary revival of Prince Zhao, embodying the ancient emergency principle that "palpable pulse means life persists." These records reflect the classical diagnostic concept where pulse activity indicated viability despite apparent death.

This text records several emergency treatment methods primarily for sudden fainting and suspended animation-like conditions. These techniques are traditionally attributed to the ancient physician Bian Que (a renowned medical expert from the Warring States period).

First method: Cut a two-inch section of hair from the patient's left temple, burn it to ashes, and administer with wine to immediately revive unconscious individuals.

Second method: Wrap a cord around the wrist (left for males, right for females). Measure downward from the Dazhui acupoint (the seventh cervical vertebra) along the spine, then apply moxibustion for fifty zhuang (a unit of moxibustion measurement) at the point where the cord ends. This was Bian Que's secret technique.

Third method: Apply warm compresses below both ribcages while taking a pellet-sized portion of hearth soil (black deposits from inside a stove), mixing it with rice water for oral administration. Simultaneously, have three or four people take turns blowing into the patient's ears using thin tubes. Then blow gently through small tubes into the nostrils, introducing a small amount of dust collected from roof beams.

Fourth method: Take fourteen white horse tail hairs and one white horse forehoof, burn to ashes, then mix with vinegar to form pill-sized medicaments the size of small beans. Administer two pills initially, followed by one more pill after a short interval.

Acupuncture techniques: Insert needles three fen deep at the Baihui point on the crown (five inches from the front hairline); at the outer lower edge of the big toenail (three fen from the nail); three fen deep at the middle toenail; and one fen deep at the sharp bone ends of the Hand Shaoyin meridian (the ulnar styloid process of the wrist). Also apply twenty-eight zhuang of moxibustion at the Danzhong point (midpoint between the nipples).

For treating "kewu" (a sudden disorder resembling spirit possession): This condition often occurs when passing temple gates, manifesting as heart and abdominal cramps, chest oppression and distension, potentially fatal if untreated. Emergency treatment involves thirty zhuang of moxibustion at the Renzhong point below the nose; administering water in which japonica rice has been soaked; if jaw-locked, forcibly open to administer medicine.

Other emergency methods include: Taking one qianbi (ancient medicinal measure) of ink mixed with water; applying hot water in copper vessels to the abdomen, replacing when cooled; laying three layers of clothing on the abdomen with a copper vessel containing burning cogongrass added continuously; measuring mouth-to-navel distance with a cord and applying three zhuang of moxibustion at four points around the navel; or folding the cord with one end at the solar plexus and applying moxibustion at the other end.

These methods integrate herbal medicine, acupuncture, moxibustion, and thermal therapies, reflecting characteristics of ancient emergency medicine. The use of materials like hearth soil and horsehair demonstrates the "analogical correspondence" thinking pattern in traditional Chinese medicine.

This records emergency medical prescriptions from Ge Hong's (the Immortal Lord Ge) Emergency Formulas to Keep Up One's Sleeve. The text primarily addresses several acute conditions:

For sudden unconsciousness with locked jaw, administer one spoonful of true cinnabar (zhusha) mixed with three portions of honey. If the patient's clenched teeth prevent oral administration, extract teeth to force the medicine down. Bian Que's treatment for such "sudden malign attacks" (zhong'e) involved incantations (fuzhou) and saltwater therapy, though these methods prove difficult for ordinary practitioners.

If the patient has already expired, crush fresh calamus roots to extract juice for oral retention. For sudden syncope with loss of speech, burn two platycodon roots to ashes for ingestion. Another formula combines equal parts asarum and cinnamon powder for sublingual application. Alternatively, form cockscomb blood mixed with true cinnabar into mung bean-sized pills, administering three or four pellets orally.

For locked jaw conditions, blow raw aconite powder beneath the tongue using bamboo tubes. A more extreme method involves mixing human blood with cinnabar to create firmiana seed-sized pills, forcibly administered after tooth extraction.

Hua Tuo's prescription for sudden breathlessness involves moxibustion (jiu) - fourteen cones at the tufts behind each great toenail. Zhang Zhongjing's formula decocts four liang of ephedra, seventy apricot kernels, and one liang of licorice into three sheng of medicinal broth for fractional dosing.

Additional remedies include: boiling chive roots, smoked plums, and evodia with the patient's comb - floating comb indicates treatability; pounding cinnamon, ginger, gardenia, and fermented beans with wine for mild decoction; and the "Flying Corpse Galloping Horse Decoction" combining croton seeds and apricot kernels crushed in hot water.

These conditions belong to "guest aggression" (kewu) disorders, where external pathogenic Qi (xieqi) abruptly invades the body. Though symptoms manifest violently as if by demonic possession, most cases prove curable with prompt correct treatment. The text further documents additional pill and powder formulations, all cataloged in the emergency medicines section.

This scripture presents emergency treatments for sudden illnesses, primarily addressing "ke wu" (sudden fright or demonic intrusion) and "gui ji" (ghost strike, akin to being attacked by invisible forces).

For sudden muteness caused by fright, two remedies are given: first, grinding equal parts of Asarum sieboldii (xi xin) and cinnamon bark (gui xin) into powder to hold in the mouth; second, burning two liang of platycodon root (jie geng) into powder taken with rice water, while swallowing a soybean-sized portion of musk (she xiang). The Guangli Formula recommends one qian of musk powder mixed with two ge of vinegar, particularly effective for moribund ke wu patients.

Regarding "gui ji" (symptoms resembling stab wounds with severe chest/abdominal pain, possibly involving hematemesis, epistaxis, or hematochezia), multiple emergency methods are provided:

1. Apply one moxa cone (zhuang) at the Renzhong point (philtrum), repeating if ineffective

2. Take equal parts of cimicifuga (sheng ma), Angelica pubescens (du huo), and cinnamon powder with wine

3. Apply two moxa cones one cun below the navel

4. Apply seven moxa cones one cun above the navel while also moxibusting the edges of heel pads

5. Boil three duck-egg-sized portions of dried mugwort (ai ye) in water to make two sheng decoction for single-dose consumption

6. Mix one sheng salt with two sheng water, drink while splashing cold water on the face until vomiting occurs

7. Dissolve a pinch of powder in water and drink

8. Blow fine wine into both nostrils

9. Slaughter a white dog to drink one sheng of its warm blood

10. Drip rooster comb blood into the mouth, then apply the butchered chicken on the chest (discard when cool; black chickens preferred)

11. Boil one sheng ox dung with three sheng wine (adult cattle dung acceptable)

12. Burn three cun of sword scabbard into powder for oral administration

13. Take burned mouse droppings powder in millet-sized doses, or administer with minimal water if swallowing is impossible

The text concludes by noting additional pill and powder formulations in emergency medicine sections, affirming that ritual specialists have indeed witnessed sudden spirit afflictions.

(Note: "Zhuang" refers to one moxa cone's combustion; "ge" is an ancient unit ≈20ml; "fang cun bi" measures ≈1-2g of herbs)

This passage describes several emergency treatments for sudden fainting spells and spirit possession. When encountering someone who has suddenly lost consciousness, never illuminate their face with a torch flame—this could prove fatal. The correct approach is to vigorously bite the patient's heel and the edges of their big toenail while repeatedly spitting on their face, which should revive them.

Several nasal insufflation methods are also described: grind soapberry pods into powder and blow it through a tube into both nostrils; stimulate the nostrils with hair (left nostril for males, right for females); or use a reed stem to blow air into the ears while twisting fourteen strands of the patient's hair into a cord to insert in the nostrils. Another method involves cutting a rooster's comb to collect blood, then blowing it into the throat through a tube.

Additional techniques include: blowing a mixture of hearth ashes, realgar powder, and cinnamon powder into the nose; applying well-bottom mud to the eyes while calling the patient's name toward the well opening; blowing leek juice or leek root juice into the nostrils (in winter, root juice can be poured into the mouth); or drinking lightly salted water.

For suspected spirit possession: lay the patient on the ground and use a knife to draw circles starting from their shoulders (left for men, right for women). Gently score the nose about 1mm deep with the knife tip and hold it steady. When the possessing entity begs for mercy, inquire about its origin before partially erasing the drawn lines with a finger to release it. Alternatively, cover the patient's face with a tile basin and swiftly smash it, or suspend an ox hoof (preferably from a black ox) or horse hoof above the patient.

Final methods include blowing realgar powder (or cinnamon powder) into the nose, or placing calamus root powder under the tongue. These techniques were considered effective for sudden fainting and demonic afflictions—particularly against "cat demons" (legendary evil spirits), where deer antler powder taken with water could make patients reveal the truth.

(Note: These methods reflect the ancient Daoist medical principle of "using material substances to overcome evil," employing herbs like realgar and soapberry believed to have exorcistic properties, combined with psychological suggestion. Modern medicine no longer recommends such treatments—immediate professional care should be sought for unconscious patients.)

This passage explains ancient emergency treatments for sudden fainting, nightmares, and the "Five Corpse" diseases, which can be understood in modern terms as follows:

For sudden syncope (nightmare-induced unconsciousness):

• Bind the patient's elbow crease with a steamer basket cord—left side for men, right for women—applying slight pressure. Then tie their feet with hemp rope while inquiring about the cause of the ailment. Release the bindings after the explanation.
• Have one person guard the patient's head while another calls the patient's name from the doorway. The guardian must respond "Present," and the patient will awaken.
• Apply moxibustion (21 cones of mugwort) at the hairy base of the big toe. Those prone to nightmares may place burnt ashes in their shoes as insoles.
• Wear realgar (left side for men, right for women) or use a rhinoceros horn pillow containing costus root. A tiger-head shaped pillow is more effective.
• Prevent nightmares by tying a date-pit-sized realgar under the left armpit, or use crimson silk pillows.

For "Five Corpse" diseases (acute syndromes caused by five corpse toxins):

Symptoms include sudden abdominal pain, bloating, dyspnea, chest oppression, flank pain, occasional masses, or lumbar spasms. Treatments involve:

• Moxibustion (14 cones) three cun behind the nipple (left for men, right for women), increasing cones if ineffective.
• Moxibustion (60 cones) three cun below the heart region, or one cun below the nipple—adjust sides and cone count based on symptoms.
• Apply four-finger pressure on the pain point, administer moxibustion beneath the fingers, while pinching the philtrum (Renzhong acupoint) and the area one cun below the heart.

The mentioned "soapbean powder" refers to blowing Gleditsia sinensis powder into nostrils for revival. These methods exemplify traditional Chinese external therapies, combining moxibustion, acupressure, and topical medicinals.

This text records several emergency treatment methods, primarily addressing the "Five Corpse Diseases" (Wushi bing) — five pathogenic toxins recognized in Daoist medicine.

The first method involves swallowing raw egg whites directly; if the patient's jaw is clenched, the egg white should be poured down the throat. The second method emphasizes consuming no more than seven egg whites. The third approach uses heated bags of boiled pokeberry root applied to the body, replacing them once cooled.

Regarding the Five Corpse Diseases, though their names differ, their symptoms are similar: Flying Corpse (Fei Shi) causes wandering skin pain and internal organ stabbing; Escaping Corpse (Dun Shi) penetrates deep into the bones, damaging blood vessels; Wind Corpse (Feng Shi) triggers shifting limb pain; Sinking Corpse (Chen Shi) induces severe heart and abdominal cramps; while Corpse Infestation (Shi Zhu) brings full-body heaviness and mental confusion. These conditions are often triggered by seasonal climate shifts.

Treatment formulas include:

• Pills made from realgar (a mineral medicine) and garlic, taken with heated wine;
• Powdered dried ginger and cinnamon in equal parts, stir-fried with salt until greenish, then dissolved in water;
• Crushed tribulus fruit mixed with honey to form pea-sized pills;
• Rapidly boiled japonica rice water;
• Boiled lard blended with vinegar (known as "bitter wine") for immediate consumption;
• Pit-dug groundwater for drinking;
• Thatch grass heated and applied over cloth to affected areas;
• Or a paste of cinnamon, ginger, and croton seeds mixed with vinegar.

These methods emphasize immediate results, with many noting "instant relief." Caution is required with toxic ingredients like realgar and croton seeds—some formulas explicitly warn "do not repeat." Hot compresses and wine-assisted ingestion reflect ancient emergency care's dual focus on external and internal treatments.

This passage records multiple medicinal formulas from Ge Hong's (the Immortal Lord Ge) Emergency Formulas to Keep Up One's Sleeve for treating corpse infestation (an ancient disease believed to be transmitted through corpse contact or ghostly affliction) and ghost infestation (a similar condition attributed to evil spirits in ancient times).

The first method involves applying mud to the area that came into contact with the corpse—when it dries, the treatment takes effect. Another prescription uses two liters of Chinese tallow tree root boiled into a concentrated decoction, filtered and reduced to five liters of medicinal liquid; taking 0.5 to 1 liter per dose proves highly effective. There's also a formula using honeysuckle stems and leaves boiled into a thick decoction, taken daily in doses about the size of an egg.

Several pill formulations are mentioned: mixing equal parts of burned human hair ash and apricot kernels pounded into a paste to form pills, taken with wine in doses of three mallow-seed-sized pills; combining dragon bones, black false hellebore, and croton seeds crushed and taken with well water; drying lacquer leaves, powdering them, and taking with wine; consuming an entire Chinese alligator liver boiled and sliced, optionally eaten with garlic paste; and taking powdered burned soft-shelled turtle head in water divided into three doses.

Other remedies include: decoctions of realgar, gardenia, and peony taken orally; consuming burned gardenia ash; and pills made from dried ginger, monkshood, cinnamon, and croton seeds mixed with honey, taken in two adzuki-bean-sized doses, reputed to cure hundreds of ailments.

For acute cases of "flying corpse entering the abdomen" (a sudden invasion of pathogenic Qi as believed in ancient times) causing excruciating pain near death, rhinoceros horn and aconite (a poisonous arrow drug) are recommended. If patients feel moving objects beneath their skin or experience cup-shaped immobile yet intensely painful masses in the abdomen, crushed croton seeds and gentian can be steamed warm for external application or taken internally in small amounts.

Ge Hong explains that corpse and ghost infestations belong to the "Five Corpses" (five types of corpse diseases in Daoist belief), often accompanied by ghostly disturbances with highly variable symptoms—patients may experience alternating chills and fever with mental confusion. These treatments are compiled in the "Miscellaneous Therapies" section, as this disease carried high mortality in ancient times.

This scripture records several medicinal formulas for treating "zhu disease" (an ancient term referring to chronic, consumptive illnesses with contagious properties). When patients cannot pinpoint specific discomfort but experience systemic malaise, with symptoms persisting for years and gradually worsening until death—and where the disease continues to spread posthumously, even wiping out entire families—immediate treatment is required.

First Method: Take the white bark of mulberry trees, dry it in the sun, and burn it to ash, yielding about two dou (an ancient unit of measurement). Steam the ash thoroughly in a steamer. Then, rinse it three times with three to four dou of hot water, collecting the thickest clarified liquid (about two dou). Use this liquid to soak two dou of red adzuki beans overnight, then dry them. Repeat the process until all the ash liquid is used. Finally, steam the beans until cooked and serve them with lamb or venison soup. Mild cases may recover after consuming one to two sheng of bean rice, while severe cases may require seven to eight dou. During recovery, the body may feel slight pain or itching. If the root cause remains, relapse is possible—yet this method is remarkably effective.

Second Method: Crush fifty peach kernels, boil them in water to extract four sheng of liquid, and drink it all at once to induce vomiting and expel toxins. If vomiting is incomplete, repeat the dose after two or three days. Failure to vomit suggests the illness is not zhu disease.

Third Method: Grind one liang of asarum root, half a liang of ginseng, twenty-one bottle gourd seeds, six zhu of pine moss, and twenty-one red adzuki beans into powder. Take one fangcunbi (an ancient medicinal spoon measure) with warm water at dawn; by evening, various toxins will be expelled through vomiting. If vomiting is insufficient, continue the treatment.

Fourth Method: Dry an entire otter liver in the shade, grind it into powder, and take one fangcunbi with water three times daily. If symptoms persist after finishing one liver, continue with another.

Fifth Method: Combine one liang each of cinnabar and realgar, half a liang each of dysosma and ghost grass, forty croton seeds (with cores and skins removed), and two centipedes. Crush and mix with honey to form pills; take two pills the size of small beans per dose.

Additionally, the Yao Family Formula is mentioned: Burn hair to ash, mix it with an equal amount of almonds fried until purple, grind them together, and blend with lard. Take pills the size of phoenix tree seeds with wine, three times daily.

The scripture also references Hua Tuo's formulas—such as the Civet Bone Powder, Dragon Tooth Powder, and Sheep Fat Pills—as well as pill prescriptions transmitted by the King of Huainan during Emperor Cheng of Han’s reign. All these can treat the family-destroying zhu disease. Notably, women and children are particularly susceptible to sudden onset during travel by cart or boat, presenting symptoms like chest tightness, headache, and vomiting. For such cases, the following evil-warding formula is recommended: Combine appropriate amounts of plantain seeds, wild plum root bark, selaginella, and cynanchum root.

This passage records several folk remedies and Daoist medical methods for treating sudden heart pain, explained in modern terms as follows:

Regarding portable medicine pouches: Crush medicinal herbs into coarse powder divided into two equal portions, place them in a square cloth bag (about 10ml capacity), and tie it to one's belt or head. When crossing rivers by boat, wearing this pouch can ward off disasters. Before boarding, burn a small amount of the powder to ashes and take it with water.

Supplementary prescription for corpse infestation (a contagious disease resembling tuberculosis): Burn a clump of tangled hair the size of an egg into ashes, grind it into powder, and take it with water for recovery.

Dietary therapy: For treating contagious consumptive diseases, coughs caused by ghostly evil influences, or emaciation due to abdominal masses obstructing Qi and blood flow. Take 30g of peach kernels (peeled and tips removed), crush them, boil in 300ml water to extract the juice, then add rice to make porridge. Consume on an empty stomach.

Eight treatments for sudden heart pain:

1. Boil white peach tree bark in water and drink on an empty stomach

2. Take either cinnamon powder or dried ginger powder (1-2g per dose) with warm wine, effective after six or seven doses

3. Extract juice from 100-120ml fresh donkey dung and drink while hot for immediate pain relief

4. Chop a handful of east-growing peach branches, simmer in 200ml wine until reduced by half, and drink in one dose for remarkable effect

5. Take 10ml of warm raw oil

6. Boil 240g coptis in 1.4L water until reduced to 300ml, strain and take 100ml warm three times daily

7. Have someone of the opposite sex feed you a cup of water (preferably newly drawn well water), or better yet, take one part honey mixed with two parts water

8. Wrap salt in old cloth to form a pellet, burn until red-hot, grind into powder, and take with a cup of wine

Other emergency methods:

• Boil 200ml water three times, add 20ml salt while stirring, and drink (use cold water if no fire is available)
• Hold breath for several dozen counts while pressing the thumb into the solar plexus depression
• Boil 600ml mature mugwort leaves in 600ml water until reduced to 200ml, strain and drink in one dose (may expel worm-like substances if caused by evil influences)
• Mix one cup vinegar with one egg and drink (good wine may substitute)
• Sift warm stove ashes to remove charcoal bits, wrap in cloth, and apply as a hot compress

(Note: Ancient measurement units: 1 ge ≈ 20ml; 1 fangcunbi ≈ 1-2g of powder)

This text records various simple methods for treating pain, all being traditional external applications and internal prescriptions commonly used by ancient physicians:

The first method involves alternating hot compresses. Heat objects are applied in rotation to the painful area, being reheated or replaced when cooled.

Steamed soybeans can be packed in cloth bags and similarly rotated as hot compresses, with fresh ones replacing cooled ones. Alternatively, boil half a liter of fresh or dried ginger with two liters of water until reduced to one liter. Strain the decoction and drink it all at once.

Moxibustion techniques include: applying three moxa cones (zhuang - an ancient moxibustion measurement unit where one zhuang equals one burned mugwort cone) to the tip of the middle finger. Another method involves grinding high-quality cinnamon bark into powder after removing the outer layer, taking three spoonfuls with warm wine. If ineffective, repeat six or seven times in quick succession. Dried ginger can substitute for cinnamon when unavailable.

A measurement-based moxibustion technique: use a string to measure the width of the patient's mouth, fold it in half to locate a point below the chest, then apply three moxa cones to the crown of the head. Alternatively, write the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) characters on the ground, take the central "Earth" character position, mix with one liter of water and drink.

Herbal combinations offer more variety: for example, boil evodia fruit, ginger, and fermented soybeans with wine, dividing the decoction into three doses. Other formulas include ginseng, cinnamon, and gardenia combinations. Peach kernels with removed skin and tips ground into powder can treat chronic conditions when taken with water, while aconite and dried ginger made into honey pills are taken daily.

Higher-dose prescriptions include: boiling eight liang (ancient weight unit) of cinnamon into a concentrated decoction for divided doses; bitter root decocted in vinegar; or gentian root decocted in wine. Multiple evodia-based formulas exist, some decocted with wine in divided doses, others combined with ginger or fermented soybeans.

All prescriptions specify administration methods, such as gradually increasing pill intake from four to fifteen daily, taken with wine before or after meals. Some are specially marked as "remarkably effective" or "highly effective," indicating proven empirical formulas.

Here are several ancient medicinal formulas and therapies for treating chest and abdominal pain:

The first method: Take one white chicken, prepare it as usual for cooking, add three liters of water and boil until reduced to two liters. Remove the chicken and continue boiling the liquid until concentrated to about 180 milliliters. Add an equal amount of vinegar, then mix in one qian (about 3.7 grams) of pearl powder, and finally add two soybean-sized portions of powdered musk. Consume the entire dose at once.

The second method: Grind one liang (about 37 grams) each of cinnamon bark and Chinese angelica root with fourteen gardenia fruits into powder. Take with wine, one small spoonful per dose, three to five times daily. This method also works for regularly recurring heart pain.

Pain-relieving pill formula: Grind two liang of cinnamon bark and one liang of aconite, sift the powder, and mix with honey to form pills. Take three wutong seed-sized pills per dose, gradually increasing the dosage as needed.

For sudden stabbing chest/abdominal pain: Take two liang each of bitter sophora root and gentian root, plus three liang each of cimicifuga rhizome and gardenia fruit. Boil in five liters of vinegar until reduced to two liters. Divide into two doses—vomiting will occur after taking the medicine, and recovery follows after vomiting.

For periodic severe heart pain: Grind equal amounts of true aconite (a toxic plant) and evodia fruit, mix with honey to form sesame seed-sized pills. Take two pills three times daily, avoiding hot-natured foods during treatment.

Moxibustion therapy: Apply moxa cones to three points—one cun below the xiphoid process at Juque point (CV14), plus one cun to its left and right (total three points). Apply 100 moxa cones to each point. Also apply moxibustion to three corresponding points on the neck and three on the spine (six locations total).

Chronic heart pain formula: Grind six fen (about 2.2 grams) of aconite, six fen of Sichuan pepper, and four fen of dried ginger, then mix with honey to form pills. Take four soybean-sized pills per dose with wine, gradually increasing the dosage.

Alternative formula: Grind five fen of pinellia tuber, five fen of asarum root, two fen of dried ginger, three fen of ginseng, and one fen of monkshood. Mix with vinegar to form wutong seed-sized pills. Take five pills three times daily.

For referred epigastric pain: Boil three liang of cinnamon, three liang of fresh ginger, and five immature bitter oranges in five liters of water until reduced to three liters. Divide into three doses. Optionally add two liang of atractylodes rhizome and half a jin (about 300 grams) of malt sugar.

For cold-induced heart/lung pain: Boil two liang of cinnamon bark with two pig kidneys in eight liters of water until reduced to two liters. Divide into three doses.

For heart obstruction pain: Stir-fry one liang of Sichuan pepper until yellow, grind it, and mix with dog blood to form wutong seed-sized pills. Take five pills five times daily.

This passage records ancient prescriptions and treatments for various types of chest and epigastric pain, primarily drawn from Ge Hong's Emergency Formulas to Keep Up One's Sleeve and other medical texts. Here's the modern interpretation:

The first condition describes a hard mass below the chest about the size of a bowl opening with dish-like rounded edges, termed "Qi (vital energy) stagnation from accumulated fluids." The treatment uses seven pieces of roasted Zhiqiao (a citrus-based herb) and three liang of Atractylodes macrocephala boiled in one dou of water until reduced to three sheng of medicinal liquid. Taken in three doses, this softens the mass gradually.

For recurrent chest masses with intermittent pain, mix one sheng of Evodia powder with a pellet-sized portion of genuine Shewang (a toxic plant), pulverize them together, and blend with egg white to form mung bean-sized pills. Taking two pills per dose proves effective.

When heart pain accompanies excessive salivation with worm-like symptoms, take the heart of any livestock (pig, ox, sheep, etc.), cut it into fourteen pieces, score cross-shaped patterns with a knife, dust with one liang of real cinnabar powder, and swallow whole. Adding realgar and musk enhances the effect.

Pain occurring when hungry is called "hunger hernia," treated with equal parts Gentiana, Aconite, and Coptis chinensis pulverized and sifted. Take one qianbi (ancient measurement unit) per dose, three times daily.

Supplementary prescriptions include:

• Pain radiating from chest to waist/navel: Wrap salt the size of an egg in blue cloth, burn until red-hot, then drop into wine and drink immediately to induce vomiting of impurities.
• Corydalis yanhusuo for heart pain: Take as powder with wine.
• Chronic recurrent heart pain with clear vomit and loss of appetite: Simmer two liang of realgar in two sheng of quality vinegar over low heat to make a paste, form into firmiana seed-sized pills with steamed bread. Take seven pills per dose with ginger decoction.
• Stuffy chest pain: Grind one fen of cinnamon bark, boil with one large cup of wine until reduced by half, and drink hot for quick relief.
• Cold-induced heart pain with cold limbs and anorexia: Take two liang of cinnamon powder, consuming one qianbi per dose with warm wine as needed.
• Sudden heart pain: Take one qian of dried ginger powder with water.
• Angelica sinensis powder taken with wine treats heart pain.
• Parasitic heart pain: Take soybean-sized bear gallbladder with water for excellent results.
• Eating one or two grilled eels can cure heart pain permanently, with better effect when consumed until full.
• Forty-year stubborn heart pain: Drink warm rice-washing water.
• One liang of turmeric and three liang of cinnamon pulp powdered, take one qianbi per dose with vinegar soup for heart pain.

These formulas reflect traditional Chinese medicine's categorized approach to heart pain—addressing Qi stagnation, cold syndromes, parasitic accumulation, etc.—using botanical, mineral, and zoological medicines. Note that some ingredients like genuine Shewang and realgar contain toxicity, requiring modern caution in application.

This scripture records various folk remedies for acute conditions like heart pain, abdominal pain, and hernia, primarily collected by Ge Hong (the Immortal Lord Ge) as emergency treatments.

For heart pain, several methods are described: First, stir-fry dried lacquer, grind it into powder, mix with vinegar and flour paste to form pills the size of sycamore seeds—take five to seven pills with warm wine. Second, chew 21 seeds of Prunus japonica (a medicinal herb) and swallow them with freshly drawn well water. Third, cook small garlic thoroughly in strong vinegar and consume in one sitting, but without adding salt.

The treatments for sudden abdominal pain are more varied: Some involve magical practices, such as writing the character for "wind" (风) on the tongue or swallowing a piece of paper with two crossed centipedes drawn on it. Others are practical prescriptions, such as cinnamon powder mixed with vinegar, or ginseng and dried ginger taken orally. Drinking boiled jingmi (non-glutinous rice) broth, consuming large amounts of water followed by salt to induce vomiting, or stirring and drinking clear water from an earthen pit are also listed as remedies.

More unusual physical therapies include having the patient lie prone while another person straddles them, lifting the abdomen about three feet off the bed and repeating this 14 times. Alternatively, the patient may rest with a high pillow and bent knees while massaging a point three cun (about an inch) above the navel in coordination with deep breathing.

For hernia (referring to groin or genital colic), powdered Adenophora root is taken with water. If ineffective, purgatives or Zouma Tang (a laxative formula) may be used. For cold-type hernia pain or indigestion, Sichuan pepper is recommended.

These methods reflect the characteristics of ancient emergency medicine, blending practical pharmacology with elements of folk magic—requiring careful discernment in application. Some physical therapies, such as abdominal lifting and acupoint massage, remain relevant even today.

Here are several traditional Chinese medicinal formulas for treating cold hernia (abdominal cramps caused by cold pathogens) and abdominal pain:

The first formula uses four liang of dried ginger boiled in four sheng of water until reduced to two sheng. After removing the dregs, add one jin of maltose and continue boiling until only half the liquid remains. This decoction should be taken in multiple doses.

The second prescription combines one sheng of pinellia, eight liang of cinnamon bark, and one sheng of fresh ginger, boiled in six sheng of water until reduced to two sheng. Divide into two doses.

The third formula specifically treats recurrent cold hernia cramps: three liang of evodia fruit, four liang of fresh ginger, two ge of fermented black beans, and four sheng of rice wine, boiled down to two sheng and taken in two doses.

The fourth preparation uses one aconite root, two hundred Sichuan peppercorns, half liang of dried ginger, ten pinellia tubers, thirty jujubes, and one sheng of japonica rice boiled in seven sheng of water until the rice cooks. After removing dregs, take one sheng per dose until finished.

The fifth formula combines one jin of cinnamon with half sheng of evodia fruit, boiled in five sheng of water until reduced to one and half sheng for divided doses.

The sixth employs two liang each of oyster shell, licorice root, and cinnamon bark boiled in five sheng of water down to one and half sheng for consumption.

The seventh method is more elaborate: Prepare an old hen as for cooking, chop seven jin of fresh rehmannia root, and steam together in a steamer, collecting the condensate in a bronze vessel. Consume from dawn till dusk—this treatment expels cold pathogens. Follow with plain congee. Stubborn cases require three consecutive courses.

Additional specialized formulas include:

1. For alternating chills/fever with anorexia or abdominal pain: Grind equal parts gardenia and aconite main root, form into wutong seed-sized pills with wine. Take 15 pills with ginger decoction. For intestinal gas pain, take 20 pills with fried fennel and scallion wine.

2. For visceral cold with pain and diarrhea: Grind five liang of sulfur with one liang of halite, form mung bean-sized pills using steamed bread. Take 5 pills with warm wine on empty stomach, followed by food to stabilize the remedy.

3. For bluish-black lower abdominal pain or dyspnea: Boil one liang of sophora root in one and half sheng of vinegar until reduced to eight ge, divided into two doses.

4. For cold hernia causing lower abdominal/genital spasms with spontaneous sweating: Pound one liang of danshen root into powder. Take two qian spoonfuls per dose with warm wine.

5. The tenth method (formula details unspecified in original text) addresses simultaneous heart and abdominal pain.

This passage records ancient emergency remedies for sudden heart and abdominal distension pain, primarily from Ge Hong's (the Immortal Master Ge) Emergency Formulas to Keep Up One's Sleeve. These prescriptions address acute episodes of severe cardiac/abdominal pain, distension, or even shock.

The first formula: Use 14 gardenia fruits (a Chinese medicinal herb) and 7 ge (approx. 1.4 liters) of fermented soybeans. Boil 2 liters of water with the soybeans first until reduced to 1.2 liters, strain, then add gardenia and decoct further until reduced to 0.8 liters. Strain again. Take half-liter doses—if ineffective, consume the entire preparation.

Other emergency formulas include:

• Boiling one's clean undergarments in water and drinking 1-2 liters of the liquid
• Simmering 2 liang (approx. 60g) of sliced cassia twigs in 1.2 liters water until reduced to 0.8 liters, consumed in one dose (dry ginger may substitute)
• Boiling 14 dark plums in 5 liters water with 14 ancient copper coins until reduced to 2.5 liters—robust patients drink all at once, weaker ones in two doses
• Decocting 2 liang evodia fruit, 4 liang fresh ginger, 3 ge fermented soybeans, and 4 liters wine until reduced to 2 liters, taken in three portions

For chronic conditions:

• Grind 2 liang wolfbane root and half liang monkshood into powder, mix with honey to form phoenix-tree-seed-sized pills: 1 pill on day one, 2 on day two, 3 on day three, then maintaining 3 daily
• Alternatively, make honey pills from evodia, dry ginger, monkshood, asarum, and ginseng—5 pills thrice daily

The text clarifies: Such pains stem either from acute disorders (like sudden turmoil) or internal cold/heat accumulation. These are stopgap measures—after relief, systematic treatment is needed to eradicate root causes.

Additional physicians' formulas:

• Mei Shi's Formula: Boil 5 ge salt in 1 liter water until dissolved, consumed immediately to induce vomiting/purgation
• Sun Simiao's method: Heat-packed Sichuan pepper over flame for topical application
• Shiquan Formula: Dry-fried galangal powder (approx. 5g) taken with rice water brings instant relief

These formulas reflect ancient emergency medicine's characteristics: using readily available materials with simple procedures. However, some ingredients (like wolfbane and monkshood) contain toxicity requiring modern caution.

This records several emergency treatments for sudden abdominal distension and chest/rib pain from Ge Hong's (Immortal Master Ge) Emergency Formulas to Keep Up One's Sleeve. These remedies target acute symptoms with simple procedures using common ingredients:

The first method involves soaking hands and feet in sufficiently hot water, maintaining warmth by replacing cooled water. This external heat application serves as physical therapy to relieve internal pain.

The second prescription combines one cun of blue-dyed hemp cloth, three fen of deer antler, and 1.7 qian of burnt human hair ash, boiled in two sheng of water until reduced to 1.5 sheng. After straining, the entire decoction is consumed. Both deer antler and hair ash are traditional Chinese medicinals known for activating blood circulation and resolving stasis.

The third recommendation uses three sheng of concentrated decoction from coix root (Job's tears), valued in Chinese medicine for promoting diuresis and draining dampness.

Alternative approaches include: boiling twenty ancient copper coins in five sheng water three times, taken thrice daily; consuming two sheng of coriander juice or ginger-infused water; or adapting the previously mentioned gardenia and fermented soybean formula for heart pain.

For cases with cold extremities, restlessness and nausea, a pill formula is provided: two liang each of Chinese onion, cinnamon, asarum, dried ginger, and prickly ash, plus two liang of processed aconite, ground and mixed with honey to form phoenix tree seed-sized pills (four pills per dose).

Emergency moxibustion techniques include: applying seven cones (moxa units) one cun below the nipple; single cones behind the first crease of each thumb's inner nail bed, plus one cone below the middle fingernail's center on the palm.

The original text notes these symptoms often stem from underlying conditions—unresolved cold damage disorders, post-cholera weakness, improper tonics after exhaustion, exposure to pathogenic cold/heat, food poisoning, or medication errors. It stresses identifying root causes rather than relying solely on emergency measures.

Supplementary formulas include: a Thousand Gold Formulas prescription for distension with shortness of breath (ground galangal seed with papaya-ginger decoction); Doumen Formulas for chronic qi-distension (charred magnolia bark powder taken with aged rice water); and an Empirical Formula for food poisoning with jaundice and edema (details unspecified but requiring special treatment).

These remedies reflect Wei-Jin period emergency medicine characteristics: emphasis on external therapies (like moxibustion), utilization of accessible herbs, and pattern differentiation. Modern readers should note these ancient formulas require professional guidance.

This passage describes several remedies for chest tightness and abdominal distension. The first method uses Chinese honeylocust (Gleditsia sinensis), peeled and deseeded, dipped in vinegar and charred before being ground into powder. Take one qian (about 3.75 grams) of this powder, add seven croton seeds (a toxic herb requiring careful preparation) with their oil membranes removed, then mix with diluted vinegar and finely ground ink to form pills the size of hemp seeds. Take three pills after each meal with aged tangerine peel decoction, three times daily. Increase by one pill every other day until smooth bowel movements are achieved. This formula also helps relieve alcohol intoxication and aids digestion.

The Mei Shi Fang records another abdominal distension treatment: roast ginger until warm, wrap in cotton cloth, and insert into the rectum (lower orifice), replacing when cooled.

The Sheng Hui Fang prescribes a remedy for lung-heat induced restlessness: steam four liang (about 150 grams) of fresh lily bulbs with half a cup of honey until softened. Periodically hold a date-sized portion in the mouth, slowly swallowing the resulting saliva. These formulas originate from Ge Hong's (the Immortal Ge) compiled emergency medical texts, specifically documenting simple yet effective first-aid therapies.