《葛仙翁肘後備急方》Vol. 3

Ge Hong (the Immortal Lord Ge) records various practical methods for treating malaria in his Emergency Formulas to Keep Up One's Sleeve. The ancient Chinese termed malaria's alternating chills and fever as "cold-heat malaria disorders," and here are several simple remedies:

The first method involves crushing fourteen pill bugs (Armadillidium vulgare) and an equal amount of fermented black beans into a paste, forming medicinal pills. Take two pills before the malaria attack begins, followed by one more as symptoms start.

Several single-ingredient prescriptions include: steeping a handful of sweet wormwood (Artemisia annua) in water and drinking the strained juice; roasting a single-clove garlic bulb until charred, then grinding it into powder for consumption by the spoonful; or during the Dragon Boat Festival, sandwiching a croton seed between garlic cloves, roasting them, and forming three pills—take one before an attack, with another if symptoms persist.

Unconventional therapies feature: wearing live spiders in reed tubes around the neck until after the attack; ritual cures like kneeling eastward at sunrise while dripping ink into ears or writing on the tongue with cinnabar; inducing vomiting by drinking copious fermented bean broth; or swallowing rice-wrapped live spider pills.

Topical applications include: applying monkshood root powder mixed with vinegar to the back; consuming four sugar-coated pill bugs; or combining dichroa root with cinnabar and white honey to make phoenix tree seed-sized pills taken in three doses.

Moxibustion treatments involve: measuring the distance from lips to sternum and applying 100 moxa cones at the corresponding back point, 50 cones along the spine's center, and 20 cones during an attack.

Some methods incorporate shamanistic elements: peeling soybeans to inscribe one with "sun" and another with "moon," then swallowing them while holding each in opposite hands; or blending scorched Chinese honeylocust pods with crushed croton seeds.

These approaches reflect ancient physicians' multifaceted experimentation—encompassing herbal ingestion, external treatments, moxibustion, and incantatory rituals. Notably, ingredients like sweet wormwood and dichroa root remain validated today for antimalarial properties.

This passage documents various medicinal formulas and administration methods for treating malaria (known in ancient times as "nüe" or "chronic malaria"). The first prescription involves crushing croton seeds, toxic plants like shewang, and jujubes to form pills the size of soybeans, with one pill to be taken during an attack. Another formula combines crushed changshan (dichroa root), anemarrhena rhizome, licorice, and ephedra mixed with honey to form pills, with three pills to be taken before an anticipated episode.

For stubborn, persistent malaria, the text provides multiple changshan-based formulas. Some require boiling changshan and licorice in equal parts wine and water for consumption before an attack; others involve steeping changshan in wine for two to three days before ingestion. There's also a preparation where changshan is boiled with glutinous millet. For irregular attacks accompanied by feverish restlessness, a decoction of changshan and licorice is prescribed—this induces vomiting after consumption, followed by fasting.

For chronic malaria cases, the text recommends changshan combined with turtle shell, cimicifuga rhizome, and aconite accessory root, steeped in wine and taken warm. Another formula uses pills made from black false hellebore, Chinese honeylocust fruit, and croton seeds, with one pill taken on an empty stomach, one before an anticipated attack, and one during an episode.

Additional methods include: drinking wine infused with achyranthes root and leaves; consuming powdered dragon bones boiled in wine while hot to induce sweating; and taking progressively reduced doses of honey pills containing changshan, licorice, and anemarrhena. The text concludes with a physical therapy method: two hours before an expected attack, warming the bed with charcoal until the patient's back and feet become thoroughly warm, then maintaining this warmth under blankets—particularly effective for malaria cases exhibiting chills followed by fever.

These prescriptions meticulously detail herb quantities, preparation techniques, and optimal administration timing, showcasing traditional Chinese medicine's extensive experience in malaria treatment. Notably, several mentioned ingredients like croton seeds and changshan possess inherent toxicity, requiring cautious application in modern practice.

Here are several prescriptions and methods for treating malaria:

The first method involves roasting turtle shell until crisp, then grinding it into powder. Take one square-inch spoonful (approximately 1 gram) divided into three doses. The roasted medicinal ingredient proves particularly effective.

Another prescription calls for three liang of Dichroa root (Chinese herbal medicine) to be pounded and sifted, then mixed with egg white to form pills. Take thirty pills on an empty stomach, thirty more before meals, and another thirty when symptoms appear. This may or may not induce vomiting. Refrain from eating from the time of taking the medicine until the malarial episode subsides.

For malaria-induced loss of appetite: Combine two liang each of Anemarrhena rhizome, roasted turtle shell, and Dichroa root; three liang of chopped Lycium root bark; one sheng of chopped bamboo leaves; and four liang of gypsum. Boil in seven sheng of water until reduced to two and a half sheng, then take warm in three doses. During treatment, avoid garlic, hot noodles, pork, and fish.

For tropical malaria: Mix three liang each of Dichroa root, Coptis rhizome, and fermented soybeans with two liang of prepared aconite. Pound and sift, then combine with honey to form pills. Take four pills on an empty stomach and three more before the expected attack, swallowed with warm water. Abstain from food until the episode passes.

If accompanied by dysentery symptoms: Prepare pills from three liang each of Coptis rhizome and rhinoceros horn, two liang each of oyster shell and aromatic fermented soybeans, and four liang of dragon bone. Take forty pills twice daily.

For irregularly timed malaria attacks: Wrap two liang of Dichroa root, one and a half liang of licorice, and five ge (about half sheng) of fermented soybeans in cloth. Boil in six sheng of water until reduced to three sheng, then take in two doses—this quickly induces vomiting. This formula is said to cure malaria that has persisted for thirty years.

For chronic, treatment-resistant malaria: Boil a large handful of Achyranthes root in six sheng of water until reduced to two sheng. Take one dose on an empty stomach and another before the expected attack.

Unconventional malaria expulsion methods: On the day of an attack, hold a rooster and make it crow loudly. Alternatively, before an attack, lie facing south and write the character for "ghost" (鬼) while holding one's breath on seven body points: both palms, both soles, forehead, and tongue.

Incantation method: On the day of an attack, take a stone to water's edge and recite in one breath: "Round and complete, the path's not steep, seize the malaria ghost, send to river's keep, swiftly as the law commands." Then throw the stone into the water without looking back.

Universal malaria formula: Mume pill. Combine two liang each of licorice, mume flesh, ginseng, cinnamon bark, Cistanche deserticola, Anemarrhena rhizome, and peony bark with Dichroa root...

The text records several ancient medicinal formulas and treatments for malaria and sudden manic disorders.

The first malaria remedy: Take three liang each of peeled and pointed peach kernels and roasted black soybean skins. Grind the peach kernels and mix with honey to form pills. Take thirty pills with wine at the fifth watch (3-5am) on the day of onset, then forty pills at dawn. During an attack, take forty pills; when asymptomatic, take forty pills on an empty stomach and thirty pills in the evening. After ten days of treatment, consume fatty meat to verify recovery.

Another malaria formula: Combine two fen of white donkey hoof, four fen of rhubarb, three fen of mung beans, two fen of arsenic, half fen of cinnabar (Zhusha), and one fen of realgar. Grind into honey pills the size of sterculia seeds. Take two pills with cold water at dawn on the attack day, avoiding greasy food for seven days.

Supplementary prescriptions include: Equal parts dried ginger and galangal powder (one qian per dose decocted in water); turtle shell (three liang) roasted with ghee and powdered (two qian taken with warm wine during attacks); one hundred peeled peach kernels ground into paste with three qian of lead oxide, formed into pills taken facing north with warm wine during episodes.

For sudden manic disorders: Apply three moxa cones (a unit of moxibustion) to the penile depression until urination normalizes; alternatively, three cones on the penis and fourteen on the scrotal raphe; or three cones on each nipple plus seven cones at the base of the big toe hair cluster and seven at the little toe base.

Another manic disorder treatment: Pound one sheng of lepidium seed 3,000 times. Bleed an inverted white dog with sticks, mix blood with the lepidium powder, and form sesame-sized pills. One pill per dose, effective in three administrations.

(Note: Some formulas contain toxic substances like arsenic, and animal bleeding practices violate modern medical ethics. This translation is for academic documentation only—do not replicate.)

Here are several ancient prescriptions and treatments for manic disorders recorded in classical texts:

The first method involves steeping three sheng of henbane seeds (a toxic plant) in five sheng of wine. After sun-drying, the mixture is pounded into powder and taken in doses of one qianbi (an ancient measurement unit) three times daily. A warning accompanies this prescription: overdosing may exacerbate manic symptoms.

Another henbane powder formula requires grinding three sheng of henbane seeds, soaking them in one sheng of wine for several days, then pounding and filtering the liquid to make pill extracts. The dosage is three pills the size of small beans, taken thrice daily. After ingestion, patients may experience facial tension, sensations of insects crawling inside the head, and redness in the forehead, hands and feet—all considered signs of the medicine taking effect.

There's also a recipe using powdered Fang Kui (a medicinal herb) taken with warm wine, which may induce bodily moisture or localized numbness after consumption.

For cases of death by hanging, burning the noose to ashes for oral administration was prescribed.

The text describes manic episodes with symptoms including sudden collapse, foaming at the mouth, loss of consciousness, violent behavior, and incontinence—conditions considered particularly difficult to treat.

Other recorded therapies include:

• Administering powdered toad ashes
• Laying patients on the ground while pouring cold water on their faces
• Acupuncture at points beneath the toenails
• Binding hands with steam basket ropes while applying moxibustion under the armpits
• Moxibustion treatment between the scrotum and anus

The text distinguishes true manic disorders from spirit possession (manifested through weeping and groaning), with the latter requiring exorcism rituals.

Additional prescriptions mention:

• Four-year-aged mugwort for specific moxibustion points
• Boiling four sheng of hemp seeds in water for fasting consumption, which may induce delirium
• Treatments for unexplained violent outbursts with homicidal tendencies

These methods reflect ancient understanding and therapeutic approaches to mental illness, many involving toxic substances or unconventional procedures that should never be attempted today without professional guidance.

This passage primarily records several ancient medicinal formulas and case studies for treating epilepsy, wind rash, and similar disorders:

Regarding epilepsy treatment:

Mix Sophora flavescens (苦参) with honey to form pills the size of Chinese parasol tree seeds. Take ten pills per dose with mint tea. Another formula uses peeled and cored asparagus root (天门冬), dried and ground into powder—take one square-inch spoonful (方寸匕) with wine. Long-term use was believed to promote longevity. Another method involves preparing concentrated dragon horn (龙角) solution, taking two ge (合, approx. 200ml) before meals twice daily.

For wind rash and phlegm:

For chronic wind rash with throat phlegm and full-body eruptions in adults and children, grind muskmelon pedicel (瓜蒂) into fine powder. Adults take one zi (字, approx. 0.3g), halved for those under fifteen or physically weak, taken at dawn with well water. After ingestion, hold a piece of rock sugar in the mouth until copious phlegm is expelled. If vomiting becomes excessive, musk soup can counteract it.

A documented medical case:

During Emperor Xuanzong's Tang Dynasty, renowned physician Ji Ping could diagnose by observation alone. A palace maiden exhibited daily midday episodes of manic laughter and crying with levitation symptoms. Ji Ping diagnosed this as postprandial exertion causing a fall, prescribing mica (云母) decoction. Upon awakening, she recovered fully. Investigation revealed she had overconsumed trotter stew at a banquet, then fell from a high platform after singing with chest fever.

Formula for fright-induced palpitations:

Combine equal parts ephedra (麻黄) and pinellia (半夏), ground with honey into soybean-sized pills. Begin with three pills, gradually increasing dosage. Pinellia must first be rinsed in hot water to remove mucilage before drying.

These formulas reflect traditional Chinese medicine's neurological treatment principles, emphasizing phlegm resolution and sedation through specific herbal combinations, often with precise timing and administration methods. Notably, the "zi" measurement represents an extremely small ancient unit requiring modern caution in application.

This passage records several ancient medicinal formulas and therapies for treating mental disorders, primarily addressing symptoms of delirium caused by emotional disturbances such as fright, melancholy, or rage.

The first prescription combines fossilized dragon teeth (ancient animal fossils), Polygala root (Yuanzhi), Poria cocos (Fushen), Saposhnikovia root (Fangfeng), oyster shell (Muli) - two liang of each - with seven liang of licorice (Gancao) and seven jujubes (Dazao), decocted in water. The patient should drink this daily until recovery.

The second formula is more complex: four liang each of Poria cocos (Fuling) and dried Rehmannia root (Dihuang), three liang each of ginseng (Renshen) and cinnamon (Rougui), two liang of licorice (Gancao), one sheng of de-seeded Ophiopogon root (Maidong), six liang of washed Pinellia tuber (Banxia), and one jin of fresh ginger (Shengjiang) are decocted. Additionally, a black-feathered chicken is slaughtered to cook its blood, liver and heart with the mixture. The medicine should be taken in divided doses with reduced food intake. Typically three doses show effect.

The third approach is dietary therapy: a white rooster is cooked with four liang of pearls (Zhenzhu) and four liang of Allium macrostemon (Xiebai). The patient must fast overnight and consume all the chicken and broth the next morning.

For sudden mental derangement (traditionally attributed to "ghost possession"), moxibustion is applied: burn mugwort cones at the Renzhong (GV26) acupoint and the base of thumb/toenails, typically requiring seven to fourteen cones (each burned cone counts as one zhuang) for effect.

For women experiencing auditory hallucinations, visual illusions, or soliloquy, two treatments are described: one involves fumigation with pills made of realgar (Xionghuang) and pine resin burned beneath the patient's seat at night; the other administers powdered realgar, ginseng, Saposhnikovia root, and Schisandra berries (Wuweizi).

Finally, a unique acupuncture method is recorded: the practitioner conceals five needles in their hair bun while performing special rituals (including cloth covering, sword placement, and water spraying) before needling the Renzhong point to treat manic symptoms. The patient's reactions during treatment serve as diagnostic indicators.

This records emergency treatments and remedies from Ge Hong's (the Immortal Lord Ge) Emergency Formulas to Keep Up One's Sleeve. These prescriptions primarily address sudden illnesses and common symptoms, using readily available herbs with straightforward preparation methods.

Regarding acupuncture therapy: Insert needles at the pulsating depression before the ear root, or horizontally one inch above the bridge of the nose toward the hairline. Assess efficacy by monitoring the patient's response, discontinuing treatment upon regaining consciousness.

For spirit possession causing mental confusion, nightmares, or spectral intercourse: Saw deer antler into fine shavings, take a three-finger pinch dose with wine, three times daily.

Zhang Zhongjing's Pinellia-Ephedra Pill for palpitations: Grind equal parts pinellia and ephedra into powder, mix with honey to form adzuki bean-sized pills. Take three pills per dose, three times daily.

The Simplified Formulas for Universal Relief records a prescription for mental restlessness, palpitations, forgetfulness, and upper burner wind-heat phlegm syndrome: Grind one liang of white quartz and one liang of cinnabar into powder. Take half a qian per dose, taken after meals or before sleep with honeysuckle decoction.

For heartburn, qi stagnation from the bladder to below the ribs, chronic melancholy with palpitations: Slice two large jin of cyperus rhizome (nutgrass rhizome), dry-fry until fragrant, place in raw silk pouch, and steep in three dou of ash-free clear wine. In spring, steep for one day before consumption; in winter, steep for seven days in warm conditions. Take one cup on empty stomach, three to four times daily, maintaining mild inebriation. For non-drinkers: Pound ten liang of cyperus rhizome with five liang of cinnamon bark and three liang of wormwood, mix with honey to form phoenix tree seed-sized pills. Take twenty pills on empty stomach with wine or ginger-honey decoction, gradually increasing to thirty pills.

Stroke emergency formula: For sudden windstroke with unconsciousness, moxibustion below the transverse crease of both big toes (number of cones determined by age), paired with Life-Prolonging Decoction. For limb spasms: moxibustion twenty cones each on the medial ankle for inner tendon spasms, lateral ankle for outer tendon spasms. For swelling, pain, or numbness: take half a daogui (approx. 0.5g) of pounded two parts ampelopsis root and one part aconite. For drooping eyelids: moxibustion three cones behind the outer eye corners. For mental confusion: moxibustion seven cones each at the lowest rib curvature.

These formulas embody the ancient first-aid principle of "simple, convenient, proven, and economical," predominantly using common herbs and minerals with methods adaptable to household conditions. Note that prescriptions containing heavy metals like cinnabar require cautious consideration, while moxibustion locations should be verified by professional practitioners.

For patients who have lost the ability to speak, moxibustion treatment can be applied. Burn fifty moxa cones (zhuang - a unit of moxibustion measurement where one zhuang equals one complete burning of a moxa cone) at the second or fifth vertebra. Later chapters record other prescriptions for treating speech loss.

Another prescription:

Simmer one sheng each of fermented black beans (douchi) and evodia fruit (wuzhuyu) with five sheng of water until reduced to two sheng. Administer to the patient in small, frequent doses.

For symptoms including upward-turned eyeballs, locked jaw, and severe abdominal pain:

Apply fourteen moxa cones below the scrotum at the first transverse crease. Additional ointment preparations are also prescribed.

For manic patients who run wildly, attempt to stab or kill others, threaten suicide, incessantly curse, or speak demonic words:

1. Apply one moxa cone at each corner of the mouth where red and white flesh meet

2. Five cones at the inner elbow creases

3. Three cones at the central spleen transport (Pishu) point on the back

4. Continue treatment for three consecutive days (this was the secret method of the ancient physician Cang Gong)

5. Thirty moxa cones at the scrotal raphe

6. Specialized prescriptions for madness are also provided

To treat manic patients:

Take axle grease the size of a chicken egg, heat it, and mix with concentrated bitter wine. Stir thoroughly until dissolved, then have the patient consume the entire dose.

For patients with mental confusion, abdominal distension, or intermittent fainting spells:

Pound and sieve five sheng of hearth-bottom yellow earth, mix with eight sheng of cold water, then administer the clear liquid. For locked jaw, force open the mouth with a bamboo tube to administer—swallowing the medicine ensures recovery with excellent efficacy.

For rigid, arched bodies with unresponsive limbs and extreme agitation:

Mix five sheng of clear wine with one sheng of white chicken droppings (the white portion). Pound, sieve, and stir a thousand times. Adults take one sheng per dose, three times daily; children take half at five ge per dose for effect.

For whole-body pain, mental derangement, and life-threatening chest oppression:

Administer scalp dirt the size of a soybean. Simultaneously steam soybeans in cloth bags and apply alternately as hot compresses. If unavailable, substitute with soil from rat holes steamed for compresses.

For simple severe abdominal pain:

Stir-fry half a jin of salt until completely dry. Hold in the mouth while drinking two sheng of hot broth to induce vomiting for cure.

Alternative prescription:

Simmer six fen of aconite (fuzi) with three liang of sliced ginger in two sheng of water until reduced to one sheng. Divide into two doses.

For numb limbs:

Burn blue cloth and collect the smoke in a narrow-mouthed vessel to fumigate affected areas.

Alternative prescription:

Simmer three sheng of fermented black beans in nine sheng of water until reduced to three sheng. Take in three doses. Alternatively, soak one sheng of lightly fried beans in three sheng of wine for three days—warming and consuming until mildly intoxicated yields optimal results.

When experiencing twitching pain, numbness, or restricted movement in the body, take a handful of dried mugwort leaves and roll them into small bundles. Place these at the bottom of an earthen steamer (an ancient cooking vessel), sealing all holes except one. Position the affected area over the open hole, then light the mugwort beneath for fumigation. Recovery will follow swiftly.

Another method involves carving slices from rotten wood, boiling them in water until scalding hot, then soaking the painful area in this decoction with excellent results.

For locked jaw (trismus), roast five sheng (ancient measurement) of soybeans until charred black, then steep them in five sheng of wine. Forcefully administer the strained liquid into the patient's mouth, ensuring they sweat afterward. Alternatively, boil four liang of Angelica pubescens (独活) and two liang of cinnamon twigs (桂枝) in two sheng of wine until reduced to one and a half sheng. Divide into three doses to administer warm while simultaneously applying heat therapy to induce sweating.

For rigid limbs with restricted flexion, cut yellow-white locust tree bark, boil with six sheng of wine until reduced to two sheng, strain, and consume gradually at tolerable temperature. Another prescription: scrape one sheng of citrus tree bark, soak overnight in one sheng of wine. Take five ge to one sheng per dose (approximately 50-100ml), repeating with fresh preparations until cured.

Facial paralysis (deviation of mouth) treatment: Place moxa cones at the transverse creases beside the mouth for moxibustion. Remove when heat becomes intense—avoid complete combustion to prevent overstimulation. For leftward deviation, treat the right crease; rightward deviation, the left crease. Alternatively, apply moxa to the middle finger knuckle's acupoint (opposite the deviation). Another method involves holding powdered azurite (空青) in the mouth before swallowing. Spider egg massages on the affected cheek near a heat source also restore alignment. Alternatively, blend equal parts oyster shell, alum, aconite, and hearth clay powder with three-year-old rooster comb blood. Apply to taut facial muscles, keeping water nearby to wash off promptly upon signs of recovery.

Joint pain formula: Mix eight liang of cattail pollen (蒲黄) and one liang of processed aconite (炮附子) powder. Take one qian (≈3g) per dose, thrice daily, gradually increasing to one fangcunbi (≈1g). For icy limbs with clear vomiting and restless distress: Simmer one liang of chopped cinnamon twigs in three sheng water until reduced to two sheng. Strain and drink warm.

(Note: Measurements like "ge," "sheng," and "liang" reflect ancient units; "moxibustion" refers to burning mugwort on acupoints; "fangcunbi" denotes an antique powder-measuring spoon ≈1g)

This passage records emergency medical prescriptions and their applications from Ge Hong's (the Immortal Lord Ge) Emergency Formulas to Keep Up One's Sleeve for treating stroke, joint pain, and other acute conditions. Here are the specific details:

For severe bone and joint pain with difficulty bending or stretching, tenderness to touch, shortness of breath with sweating, or swelling symptoms: Use two liang of aconite, four liang of cinnamon bark, three liang of white atractylodes, and two liang of licorice. Boil in six sheng of water until reduced to three sheng. Divide into three doses—sweating after administration indicates recovery.

For sudden exposure to strong wind causing profuse sweating like water: Take equal parts of gypsum and licorice, pound into powder, and take one fangcunbi (an ancient measurement unit, approximately 1 gram) with wine. Repeat the dose for every zhang (about 3 meters) of movement.

For exposure to mild wind causing limb weakness: Boil three sheng of fermented black beans in nine sheng of water until reduced to three sheng. Divide into three doses and take twice daily. Alternatively, soak in wine before boiling and drinking.

For sudden stroke causing loss of bodily control, inability to speak, and unconsciousness: Apply aged civet bone ointment (a topical remedy primarily made from civet bones). The key details of this formula are recorded in the emergency prescriptions.

Additional Prescriptions (for wind-induced headaches):

For acute stroke with closed eyes and locked jaw preventing oral administration: Use Kai Guan San (a blend of equal parts powdered Arisaema rhizome and borneol), prepared precisely at noon on the Dragon Boat Festival. Dip the middle finger in a small amount of powder and rub both sides of the molars twenty times—the jaw will loosen, allowing medicine to be administered.

For stroke with locked jaw and phlegm congestion:

Take one liang of honey locust pod, remove the skin, coat with lard, roast until yellow, and grind into powder. Administer one qianbi (approx. 1 gram) per dose with warm wine. For robust patients with strong pulses, two qianbi may be given. If the jaw remains locked, first rub the teeth with salted plum—once the mouth opens, administer the medicine immediately. Expelling wind-phlegm signals recovery.

For stroke-induced unconsciousness with locked jaw:

Take one liang of black false hellebore, remove the head, wash thoroughly with concentrated Fangfeng (Saposhnikovia) decoction, dry-bake, then stir-fry until lightly browned and powder. Administer half a qian with warm water—vomiting wind-phlegm indicates efficacy. If no vomiting occurs after walking two li (approx. 1 km), repeat the dose.

For gallbladder wind-toxicity with imbalance of excess/deficiency, causing lethargy:

Use one liang of raw wild jujube seeds and two liang of high-quality pressed tea, stir-fried with ginger juice until lightly charred. Pound, sieve, and take two qian per dose. Boil with seven parts water until reduced to six parts, and take warm at irregular intervals.

These formulas represent simplified therapies for acute conditions, using common ingredients and straightforward preparation—a hallmark of ancient "emergency" medicine. The repeated emphasis on "expelling wind-phlegm" reflects the classical approach to stroke treatment, where vomiting was believed to expel pathogenic wind from the body.

This records several ancient medicinal formulas for treating stroke and its sequelae. The first is the Emergency Phlegm-Dispersing Powder for initial stroke symptoms: when a patient suddenly loses consciousness with limp limbs, facial distortion, and drooling, take four black-peeled Gleditsia sinensis thorns (a Chinese medicinal herb) and one liang of alum, ground into powder. Mild cases take half a qian, severe cases take three "zi-bi" (an ancient measurement), mixed with warm water. After ingestion, mild vomiting will expel about 1-2 sheng of phlegm-saliva to restore consciousness, but excessive dosage must be avoided.

The second formula, Aconite Pill for post-stroke conditions, combines five liang each of Sichuan aconite (toxic, must be peeled) and flying squirrel feces with borneol and musk to form pill-sized balls. Dissolve one pill in ginger juice with warm wine, taken twice daily. Typically 5-7 pills restore partial mobility, while 10 pills enable independent movement.

The third formula uses five sheng of Lyonia ovalifolia branches/leaves (in seasons) or root bark, slowly decocted into syrup. Take one spoonful with warm wine thrice daily; prolonged use improves eyesight and darkens hair while nourishing complexion.

Three medicated wines are also documented: Actinidia polygama wine steeps one jin of the herb for about two weeks, consumed warm at intervals daily, or simply one cup each morning. For facial paralysis, crushed seven croton seeds are applied topically—left paralysis on right face and vice versa—washed off upon improvement. These formulas emphasize dosage adjustments according to age and constitution, embodying the treatment principle of individualized therapy.

This scripture records various ancient medicinal formulas for treating conditions like stroke, facial paralysis, and headaches, primarily drawn from the experiences of Ge Hong (the Immortal Lord Ge) and other physicians. Here are modern interpretations of specific treatments:

For facial deviation (facial paralysis), apply medicine to the palm: right-side deviation requires application to the right palm, left-side to the left. After application, soak the palm in warm water. Symptoms should alleviate shortly, after which the medicine can be washed off while continuously moving the middle finger.

Another remedy for dizziness involves grinding stir-fried cicada molts into powder, taking approximately 5 grams per dose with warm wine. The Qianjin Fang records a method for treating facial twitching, lockjaw, and tongue stiffness caused by stroke: boil cinnamon bark in wine, then dip cloth in the medicated wine to apply to the affected area—right-side deviation treated on the left, left-side on the right.

For chronic stroke cases, chop one jin of pine needles, boil with one dou of wine until reduced to three sheng, then drink all at once to induce sweating for effect. For sudden stroke causing facial swelling, crush apricot kernels into a paste for external application.

To treat wind-induced eye twitching, nasal congestion, blurred vision, and tearing in the head and face, wash the hair three times with a decoction of three sheng of apricot kernel powder. For sudden facial paralysis, mix five liang of soapberry pod powder with three-year-aged vinegar—apply to the left cheek for right-side deviation, right cheek for left-side deviation.

To prevent and treat hemiplegia, decoct fresh mulberry twigs for oral consumption. For abnormal skin sensations resembling ants crawling, boil one dou of salt in one shi of water for a warm wash. Ge Hong's formula for stroke-induced unconsciousness involves taking wine infused with stir-fried white chicken droppings.

The Qianjin Yifang records treating heat-type stroke with sweating and chest tightness by taking mica powder with water. The Qiezhong Fang prescribes a paste made from burdock stem juice mixed with wine and salt, applied to the affected area for severe headaches.

These formulas reflect ancient treatment principles like "treating the right with the left" and "relieving the exterior through sweating," utilizing common plants and minerals. Note that these methods should be used under professional guidance, as some ingredients like chicken droppings and soapberry pods are rarely employed in modern practice.

This passage records several medicinal formulas for treating wind disorders (in Chinese medicine, diseases caused by external pathogenic wind) and joint pain, all being practical prescriptions commonly used by ancient Daoist physicians.

The first method involves direct plant massage on the head. For treating wind-toxin symptoms, vigorously massage the affected area until warmth is felt for quicker results. In winter when leaves are unavailable, roots may be substituted.

For stroke and qi-blood stagnation: Wash and dry Inula flowers, grind them into powder, then mix with honey to form pills the size of Chinese parasol seeds. Take 5-7 pills nightly with tea, or 10 pills for severe cases.

Another formula dispels wind-heat, aids digestion, and activates blood circulation: Mix four taels of rhubarb and four taels of morning glory seeds (half raw, half stir-fried) into powder, then combine with honey to make parasol-seed-sized pills. Take 10 pills with tea, or 15 for mild purgation. Particularly suitable for winter use without harming spleen-stomach function.

The Dragon Brain Sweet Dew Pill for wind-heat agitation, dry mouth, and high fever: Calcinate half-catty of gypsum for half a day, then bury it in an earthen pit covered with damp soil overnight. Mix with two taels each of licorice powder and tabasheer, plus two fen of borneol, forming pellet-sized pills with glutinous rice paste. Take with honey water.

Dietary remedies include: One catty of bear meat prepared conventionally and consumed on empty stomach treats post-stroke limb immobility and slack sinews; four taels of refined goose fat taken daily with warm wine relieves limb spasms and qi-blood stagnation.

For joint pain: Mix half-tael of finely ground myrrh with three taels of tiger tibia bone (roasted yellow with酥油) into powder. Take two qian doses with warm wine thrice daily. Alternatively, soak a whole tiger skull similarly prepared in wine for five days, then drink warm as needed.

The most remarkable formula involves refining thirty catties of pine resin through repeated processing - fifty cycles yield optimal results for severe systemic joint pain, though fewer cycles still work. These prescriptions exemplify the ancient Daoist medical principle of "using toxins to combat toxins," employing potent remedies for acute conditions.

This passage records various ancient medicinal formulas for treating rheumatism and skin diseases. One method involves preparing pine resin ointment: mix three sheng of pine resin with three sheng of refined butter, stirring until thickened. Take a square-inch portion each morning on an empty stomach with wine, three times daily. During treatment, consume wheat porridge and avoid raw, cold, bloody foods, vinegar, and fruits. Consistent use for one hundred days yields results.

Another prescription uses pine knots soaked in wine for joint pain: steep twenty jin of pine knots in five dou of wine for fourteen days. Take one ge per dose, five to six times daily.

For severe "white tiger wind" (a type of rheumatic condition), combine maple-willow bark with musk and borneol soaked in wine, drinking until mildly intoxicated. Modern applications require bark from maple-parasitizing willow trees (effective only from this source), whose leaves can also produce arsenic powder.

For hot, swollen, painful knees: char tiger tibia bones coated in butter until blackened, then prepare aconite by removing skin and "navel." Grind one liang of each into powder. Take two qian doses with warm wine, repeating after seven days.

Treating vitiligo (liyi wind): grind cuttlefish bone with vinegar, first rub affected area red before application. Alternatively, apply sulfur ground in vinegar. Another method uses dock root rubbed on iron with vinegar—scrape the liquid for topical use, adding small sulfur amounts if ineffective.

For facial/neck vitiligo (white patches): apply eel fat after scraping the area clean. Usually effective in one application, severe cases require no more than three. Alternatively, use snake slough ashes mixed with vinegar.

For skin itching: take four liang of clarified butter (ghee), half-spoonful doses with wine. Or roast honeycomb, combine equal parts with cicada slough powder—take one qian with wine, two to three times daily. Another option: equal parts cicada slough and mint powder, same dosage with wine thrice daily.

This passage documents various ancient prescriptions and medical cases for treating headaches and head-wind disorders.

An official consulted Imperial Physician Liang, who diagnosed severe wind disorder and advised immediate return home. Later, the same official met Zhao E, a horse doctor from Fuzhou, who confirmed the diagnosis. Zhao E recommended consuming large quantities of Xiaoli pears—either chewing them or drinking their juice. After returning home and eating these pears for ten consecutive days, the official fully recovered.

The Qianjin Fang records a treatment for head-wind and headache: fry three sheng of soybeans until cooked, then place them while hot into a bottle containing nine sheng of clear wine. After sealing for seven days, drink it warm. The Sun Zhenren Fang suggests washing the head with fermented black bean soup, avoiding wind after washing. The Qianjin Yi mentions pounding tingli seeds to make washing water, or boiling two sheng of evodia fruit in three sheng of water, then dipping cloth in the decoction to wipe the hair roots.

The Shenghui Fang describes a preventive treatment: for head-wind that flares up during cloudy or rainy weather, mix one liang of cinnamon powder with wine to form a paste, then apply it to the crown and forehead. The Chen Cangqi Shiyi records blowing nitre powder into the nostrils to treat severe headaches. The Rihuazi recommends applying cassia seed paste to the temples or using cassia seed pillows, which prove more effective than black bean pillows.

The Waitai Miyao records boiling two liang of angelica in wine to treat intense headaches. The Sun Zhao Koujue mentions grinding processed aconite and calcined gypsum with a small amount of musk into powder, taken with tea or wine. The Doumen Fang documents taking white silkworm powder with hot water for rapid headache relief, or soaking chuanxiong rhizome in wine to treat migraines.

The Boji Fang describes the "Zhi Ling Powder": equal parts of realgar and asarum ground into powder—blow into the right nostril for left-sided headaches and vice versa. The Jingyan Houfang records excellent efficacy of long pepper powder for treating migraines.

This passage records several folk remedies for acute conditions such as headaches and voice loss, explained in modern terms as follows:

For treating migraines: If the left side of the teeth aches, inhale warm water deeply through the left nostril; if the right side hurts, use the right nostril. Another remedy involves grinding one liang of Eriocaulon herb into powder, mixing it with flour, spreading it on paper, and applying it to the painful area, replacing it when dry. A quick-acting method is to extract juice from raw radish, collect a seashell's worth, and while lying down, drip it into the nostril—left nostril for left-side pain, right nostril for right-side pain, and both nostrils if the pain is bilateral.

The remedy for excessive dandruff is simple: cut Broussonetia wood into sections to make a pillow, replacing it every sixty days.

For sudden loss of voice, several emergency treatments exist: one involves boiling melon seeds in vinegar and applying the hot mixture around the neck, wrapping it for a full day and night. Alternatively, simmer soybean juice until syrupy and hold it in the mouth, or take small doses of fermented black bean juice. Another option is to mix half a sheng of good wine evenly and consume it in three portions. A further method is to peel fresh cinnamon bark, pound it, take a three-finger pinch, and place it under the tongue to swallow slowly.

Treatments for aphonia include: boiling five liang of tangerine peel in three sheng of water until reduced to one sheng, then drinking it all at once; or strongly simmering bitter bamboo leaves for consumption. Another approach is to pound galangal root, mix it with wine, and drink the extracted juice. A more complex prescription combines ten herbs like Akebia stem, dried ginger, and aconite to form honey pills, taking seven pills per dose. If ineffective, acupuncture can supplement the treatment by needling one and a half cun beside the Dazhui (GV14) acupoint and retaining the needle. Other methods include holding alum-cinnamon powder (wrapped in cotton cloth to the size of a date pit under the tongue, spitting out saliva as it forms) or immersing a red-hot horse bit in bitter wine, then mixing in a raw egg for consumption.

Among these remedies, many like the bamboo sap decoction can also treat wind-stroke (Zhongfeng). Though the ingredients are simple, they target specific symptoms. If one dose proves ineffective, continued administration is recommended.

Here are several medicinal formulas for treating stroke and beriberi. First, the prescription for stroke with loss of voice: Take one liang of licorice root, two liang of cinnamon bark, two liang of schisandra berries, thirty apricot kernels, and eight liang of sliced fresh ginger. Boil these in seven sheng of water until reduced to two sheng of decoction, to be taken in two doses.

Another formula for stroke-induced aphasia: Finely chop one liang of duhuo (Angelica pubescens root), decoct it in two sheng of wine until reduced to one sheng, then combine with five ge of roasted soybeans. Pour the hot medicinal wine over the beans, cover to steep briefly, and take three ge (approximately 60ml) while warm. Repeat if symptoms persist.

For stroke with aphasia and phlegmatic rattling in the throat: Take one fen of veratrum root and one peeled arisaema rhizome. Hollow out their centers, pour in one dou of aged vinegar, then roast over fire until yellow. Pound into fine powder, mix with raw honey to form pills the size of red beans. Take three pills with warm wine.

The Sheng Hui Fang records this remedy for stroke-related throat obstruction: Pound two liang of zingiber mioga root to extract juice, blend with one large cup of wine, and take half-cup doses warm as needed.

Regarding beriberi treatment: This disease first became prevalent in Lingnan region before spreading to Jiangdong. Symptoms include mild numbness in legs/feet, calf swelling, walking weakness, lower abdominal numbness, and alternating chills/fever. Untreated cases may prove fatal. Common treatments combine decoctions, medicinal wines, ointments, and moxibustion.

Basic formula: Steam and sun-dry one sheng of fermented black beans three times, then steep in three dou of quality wine for three days. Dosage varies by individual. For prevention, the bean-wine decoction may be taken routinely. After symptom relief, continue herbal therapy with moxibustion.

Another duhuo wine formula: Slice five liang of duhuo root and five liang of raw aconite, steep in one dou of wine for three days. Begin with one ge (about 20ml) doses until mild numbness is felt.

Alternative prescription: Combine two jin of alum stone (or powdered stalactite), three liang of aconite, and three sheng of fermented beans, steep in three dou of wine for four to five days, taking small amounts. For chest tightness, add two sheng of perilla seeds.

This text records several practical remedies for beriberi (foot qi) and edema, primarily using common medicinal ingredients like sulfur and cow's milk:

The first method involves taking three liang of high-quality sulfur, ground into powder, and decocting it with five sheng of cow's milk (goat milk may substitute if unavailable). First boil five sheng of water, then add the sulfur and continue decocting until reduced to three sheng of medicinal liquid. Take three ge per dose. Alternatively, the sulfur may be decocted directly in milk without water.

The second method begins by reducing three sheng of cow's milk by half through boiling. Take five ge of the hot milk to wash down one liang of sulfur powder. After taking the medicine, cover with thick blankets to induce sweating while avoiding wind. Take doses at noon and evening—if sweating occurs, discontinue the sweating therapy and rest quietly. If not fully recovered, repeat the treatment after several days. Northerners commonly use this method for beriberi with remarkable effects, but only extremely pure sulfur should be used.

For severe lower leg swelling that leaves indentations when pressed, drink two to three sheng of fresh dark urine from young black oxen (yellow ox urine may substitute). The diuretic effect reduces swelling—note the urine must be freshly collected in copper vessels.

Other simple remedies include: crushing morning glory seeds and mixing with honey to form pills the size of small beans (five pills per dose); crushing three-white root for wine administration; boiling soybeans in water and wine for drinking; eating adzuki beans directly; or taking raw sesame powder mixed with wine.

Another formula uses three sheng of soybeans decocted in one dou of water until reduced to nine sheng, then adding nine sheng of clear wine and further decocting to nine sheng. Drink small amounts frequently—urination will naturally relieve the swelling when unobstructed.

For severe cases, use white bamboo chicken sap or duhuo decoctions, or formulas like Eight Winds Powder or Dendrobium Powder (detailed in other medical texts). Among these, Golden Sprout Wine shows exceptional efficacy: chop fourteen ingredients including Sichuan pepper, skimmia, golden tooth, and asarum, then steep in four dou of wine for seven days. Take two to three ge per dose—particularly effective for beriberi causing speechlessness and foot contractions. Side Wine also proves beneficial.

For impoverished families, substitute expensive medicines with easily obtainable herbs like smilax, pine knots, and pine needles to brew medicinal wines.

This passage records two medicinal wine recipes and moxibustion therapies for treating beriberi and lumbago-leg pain from Ge Hong's (the Immortal Lord Ge) Emergency Formulas to Keep Up One's Sleeve.

Regarding medicinal wine preparation:

The first recipe uses 1 hu (an ancient measurement unit ≈60 jin) of smilax china root boiled with 3 hu of water to yield 9 dou of medicinal decoction. This is used to ferment wine with yeast and rice, to be consumed freely after preparation. One may prepare 3-5 hu batches at once. If pine node leaves replace smilax, the method remains the same—the stronger the decoction, the better. Those suffering long-term foot deformities preventing walking, lumbar spasms, or abdominal distension can recover after 3-5 doses. If brewing materials are unavailable, phytolacca root decoction serves as substitute.

Concerning moxibustion therapy:

While numerous acupoints exist, only key ones are highlighted here. Treating beriberi requires moxibustion from upper to lower body—reverse application risks dangerous Qi uprising. Specific procedure:

1. First apply moxa to the acupoint above Dazhui (the prominent cervical vertebra)

2. For Qi uprising, prioritize 50 moxa cones at Baihui (vertex depression)

3. Then apply 100 cones to each Jianjing (depressions near neck on both shoulders)

4. Next, 50 cones at Danzhong (midpoint between nipples on sternum)

5. Finally moxa at Juque (1 cun below xiphoid process)

These five points suffice for beriberi, though adding Baihui, Fengfu, Weiguan and five zang-organ shu points enhances efficacy.

Lower-body moxibustion sequence:

1. Fengshi (outer thigh, middle fingertip location when arms hang) – 100 cones

2. Zusanli (4 finger-widths below knee, depression on fibula side) – 200 cones

3. Shanglian (1 finger-width below Zusanli) – 100 cones

4. Xialian (1 finger-width below Shanglian) – 100 cones

5. Juegu (3 cun above external malleolus) – 200 cones

The text notes detailed acupoint locations appear in Moxibustion Classics. These techniques require professional practitioners—laypersons should not attempt them independently.

This records ancient medicinal formulas and moxibustion therapies for treating wind-toxin swelling/pain and wind-dampness obstruction syndromes. Regarding acupoints: there are two corresponding vital points four inches above the crown of the head, with eighteen additional key points below, including Futu (on the bulging anterior thigh muscle) and Dubi (in the depression lateral to the knee).

The moxibustion method specifically notes: these points need not all be treated in one session—application may be spread over three days.

Several practical formulas follow:

For sudden wind-toxin swelling/pain: Take one jin of white willow bark, chop finely, simmer in wine, then wrap in cloth for hot compress application. Reheat when cooled—highly effective.

For migratory wind-toxin pain: Mix ground mustard seeds with egg white for topical application.

For bone marrow pain caused by wind-toxin: Combine two fen of peony root with one liang of roasted tiger bone powder. Steep in three sheng of wine for five days in a silk pouch. Take two ge (approx. 200ml) per dose, three times daily.

For wind-damp obstruction with limb stiffness:

Crush three liang of cocklebur fruit, decoct in 1.5 sheng water until reduced to seven ge (approx. 700ml). Strain and sip slowly. This formula also unblocks sinew channels—prolonged use strengthens the body.

Pound one sheng of coix seeds into powder. Take two spoonfuls to cook porridge for empty-stomach consumption—expels wind-dampness and reduces swelling.

Take two large spoons of clarified butter (ghee) with warm wine—supports deficiency and dispels wind-dampness.

For deep-seated skin pain: Mix fleeceflower root powder with ginger juice into paste. Apply to affected area, then iron with heated shoe sole.

For beriberi:

Consume one chi-length crucian carp prepared as kuai (thinly sliced raw fish)—effective within one or two meals. For beriberi attacking the heart (worsening symptoms): decoct two liang of alum in water for foot soak. Thick soybean decoction relieves beriberi-induced mental confusion.

Physician Su Gong advises beriberi patients: Eat heartily at dawn, moderately at midday, and abstain at night. If hungry, consume fermented bean porridge—prevents indigestion-induced cholera.

Here are several remedies for acute conditions. The first treats stomach pain and abdominal distension: Take two liang of galangal (a medicinal herb), crush it, boil with three sheng of water until reduced to one sheng of liquid, and drink it all while hot. When extreme hunger arises, follow with a bowl of thin congee. The medicine works best when consumed warm. If galangal is unavailable, substitute one liang of aged ginger boiled with one sheng of clear wine until highly concentrated. Strain and drink—though less effective than galangal, it still helps.

The Tang Dynasty edition adds remedies for beriberi: Soak affected areas in a strong decoction of red herb for excellent results. For stubborn beriberi with swelling: Take one liang of raw aconite (a toxic herb requiring removal of skin and umbilical parts), grind into powder, mix with ginger juice to form a paste, and apply to swollen areas. Reapply when dry until swelling subsides.

Next are treatments for sudden adverse reactions after consuming Wushi Powder (an ancient mineral-based elixir). Improper regulation after taking such elixirs may trigger various symptoms. For sudden onset: If limbs or body surface ache, repeatedly rinse with cold water, apply cold wet cloth compresses, or use chilled stones as cold packs, while drinking warm wine and moving moderately.

For heart/abdominal pain, restlessness, or dizziness: Immediately drink one to two sheng of warm wine, gradually increasing the amount. Once improved, consume cold foods. Heart pain attacks are most critical—if the body chills and teeth clench, pry open the mouth to pour in hot wine.

For internal heat stagnation causing hard masses: Induce immediate purgation. Boil fourteen gardenia fruits and five ge of fermented soybeans in two sheng of water until reduced to one sheng, then consume entirely. For severe fever or sores, add two liang of skullcap root. For indigestion, loss of appetite, and chills: Mix half a sheng of rhubarb powder, half a sheng of mirabilite, two liang of licorice, plus one fen each of pinellia, skullcap, and genkwa. Grind into powder for storage. To use: First boil twenty jujubes in eight sheng of water until soft, strain four sheng of jujube decoction, add five spoonfuls of medicinal powder, stir well, boil three times, and consume.

This passage primarily records several ancient emergency remedies and health preservation guidelines, compiled by the Daoist physician Ge Hong (known as Immortal Lord Ge) as part of a first-aid manual.

Regarding post-medication precautions: After taking the medicine three times, the dosage can be divided into three portions, with one taken in the morning. If bowel movements become smooth after taking the medicine, discontinue use; if the effect is insufficient, take another dose. Immediately after taking the medicine, drink two liters of wine-gruel, followed by some soup-soaked rice—never take it on an empty stomach, as entering heat into an empty stomach can harm the body. Once the medicine proves effective, always keep these emergency remedies on hand.

One specific prescription: Take one ge (approximately 20 ml) each of rhubarb (dahuang), pepperweed seed (tinglizi), and fermented soybeans (douchi), along with thirty apricot kernels (xingren) and thirty croton seeds (badou). Crush them and mix with honey to form pills the size of broad beans. Take two pills in the morning—reduce the dose if diarrhea occurs, increase if abdominal distension persists.

Key health preservation principles: There are many types of heat-clearing decoctions, pills, powders, and medicinal wines, but the essential points are to keep the body cool and maintain smooth bowel movements. The limbs should be frequently exercised, but avoid fasting or consuming spoiled rice and rotten fish. Refrain from eating scalding food, wearing thick clothing near fires, or traveling long distances in summer heat, but also avoid excessive cold exposure. When the body is generally healthy, focus on nurturing it; when ill, persist with treatment. Heat-clearing and detoxifying medicines are most suitable—stop taking them when feeling better, then resume normal doses after twenty or thirty days. If stagnation causes persistent feverish irritability, it indicates improper care and should be addressed with proper preventive measures.

Additional emergency remedies:

1. For mineral-medicine poisoning with fever, chest tightness, and vomiting blood: Use fresh thistle juice, three ge (about 300 ml) per dose mixed with a little honey.

2. For alchemical-mineral fever: Cook wild rice stems (jiaobai) with crucian carp into a soup; two or three meals will cure it.

3. For sudden asthma and coughing: One liter of crushed leek juice brings immediate relief.

4. Another remedy: Boil three liters of mulberry root bark (sangbaipi), three liang of ginger, and half a liter of evodia fruit (wuzhuyu) with water and wine. Strain and take one liter for immediate effect.

5. Yet another: Boil two liters of evodia fruit and three liang of ginger in water, divided into three doses.

These prescriptions all emphasize post-medication dietary care to maintain bodily equilibrium. Ge Hong particularly notes that wealthy nobles frequently use these methods, while the poor seldom fall ill—likely due to their labor-hardened constitutions. Fearing difficulty finding remedies in emergencies, he specifically recorded these simple methods, while more detailed formulas are preserved in the medical text Great Formulas (Dafang).

This text records several emergency prescriptions for sudden-onset conditions like asthma, chest tightness, and heart pain—all featuring simple ingredients with rapid effects.

The first formula combines four liang of ephedra (麻黄), two liang each of cinnamon twigs (桂枝) and licorice (甘草), with fifty apricot kernels (杏仁). After decoction, these are ground into powder. Take seven square-cun spoonfuls (方寸七) with warm water three times daily. An even simpler second formula uses pure ginseng powder in the same dosage five to six times daily—particularly effective for acute asthma regardless of severity.

For rebellious stomach qi, there's a proven formula transmitted by Minister Shi: equal parts aged tangerine peel (陈皮), cinnamon bark (桂心), and peeled/sharpened apricot kernels mixed with honey into pills. Take twenty pills with tea after meals, avoiding raw scallions during treatment.

A critical external treatment for sudden syncope with ascending qi and epigastric pain involves repeatedly soaking hands/feet in scalding water—this "Rushing Piglet Syndrome" (奔豚病), often triggered by fright or chronic worry, manifests as qi surging from the lower abdomen to the chest and can be fatal. While most treatments require complex herbs and pig slaughter, this simplified version combines two liang each of licorice, ginseng, and cinnamon bark with one sheng of evodia fruit (吴茱萸), one jin of fresh ginger, and one sheng of pinellia (半夏) decocted into three sheng of liquid taken in three doses. Prepared ingredients enable immediate use during attacks.

Other rapid asthma remedies include: 1) Two liang ephedra with one liang roasted apricot kernels ground and taken with wine (seven square-cun doses); 2) Three liang dried ginger soaked in wine (three ge doses thrice daily); 3) Moxibustion—measure the thumb-to-epigastrium distance and apply three moxa cones (壮) there.

To prevent asthma recurrence: decoct three liang ephedra (skim foam first), add two liang licorice to make 1.5 sheng liquid (three doses). Then combine these with fifty apricot kernels and honey to make firmiana-seed-sized pills (四五丸 daily). A modified "Small Cup-Draining Decoction" uses two liang ephedra, one liang each cinnamon twigs/licorice, and forty apricot kernels (two sheng liquid in three doses)—effective for qi rashes and suitable as long-term powder. Add three liang dried ginger for chilliness or three liang pinellia for phlegm.

Finally, treatments address post-exertion panting or feverish ascending qi from cold water intake. All formulas embody the "Elbow Reserve Emergency" (肘后备急) principle—minimal ingredients, rapid action for crises.

Here are several ancient prescriptions and therapies for common ailments:

For high fever and discomfort caused by improper diet: Take three jin of bamboo leaves and three liang of tangerine peel, boil in one dou of water until reduced to three sheng. Remove the dregs and divide into three doses. Taking this over three days proves effective. If throat discomfort and labored breathing occur after consuming hot pancakes followed by excessive cold water, prepare equal parts of rhubarb (dahuang), dried ginger, and croton seeds (badou) as powder. Take half a qian per dose - inducing either vomiting or bowel movement will bring relief. For lingering chest congestion, combine two fen of muskmelon pedicel, three fen of asarum herb (duxing), and one fen of ginseng, ground and sifted. Take one qian with warm water, two to three times daily until improvement.

For lung disease with cough, phlegm, and chest irritation without thirst: Multiple options exist: 1) Five liang of fresh ginger, two liang of ginseng, two liang of licorice root, and eleven jujubes boiled in three sheng of water until reduced to one and a half sheng, divided into two doses; 2) Simply boil two liang of licorice for consumption; 3) Extract one dou of fresh asparagus root (tianmendong) juice, mix with one dou of wine, one sheng of malt sugar, and four ge of aster herb (ziwan), then steam in bronzeware to form apricot-sized pills - take three daily; 4) Two liang licorice, three liang dried ginger, and twelve jujubes boiled together.

Sudden cold-induced asthma remedy: Three liang of dried perilla leaves (zisuye) and four liang of aged tangerine peel boiled in four sheng of wine until reduced to one and a half sheng, taken in two doses.

Emergency cough treatments: 1) Combine one fen of stove-bottom ash with seven fen of fermented beans, forming firmiana seed-sized pills - take fourteen pills; 2) Prepare one black-feathered chicken by cleaning and soaking in quality wine for half a day, then drink the infused liquid (alternatively boil a white chicken in bitter wine for its juice); 3) Apply moxibustion between the fifth and sixth thoracic vertebrae; 4) Administer moxibustion one hundred times at the nipple's lower pigmentation border; 5) Peel and pound three sheng of peach kernels, then steam in sealed container.

Note on ancient measurements (approximate): 1 liang ≈ 37g, 1 sheng ≈ 200ml, 1 dou ≈ 2 liters. "Age-corresponding moxa" (suinian zhuang) means applying burns matching the patient's age. These prescriptions require professional guidance, as ingredients like croton seeds contain toxicity.

This passage records various traditional Chinese medicinal formulas for treating cough, all being simple therapies commonly used by ancient physicians. The first prescription involves placing herbs in a silk pouch, steeping them in two dou (approximately 20 liters) of wine for six to seven days, then drinking four to five ge (about 100-200ml) per dose, gradually increasing to one sheng (about 1 liter).

Another formula uses six liang (about 225g) of malt sugar and six liang of dried ginger powder mixed with two liang of fermented soybeans. First boil the soybeans in water, strain the liquid, dissolve the malt sugar in it, then add the ginger powder, dividing the mixture into three doses. Another preparation steams malt sugar with minced ginger alongside rice, forming pill-sized pellets the size of slingshot bullets, taken ten times daily.

Other remedies include: slicing pork kidneys to cook with dried ginger in a decoction to induce sweating; roasting "black heart" (likely an animal heart) for consumption; decocting a mixture of ginger juice and stemona root juice; drinking warmed wine infused with stemona root; and pounding Sichuan pepper, apricot kernels, and jujube flesh into jujube-seed-sized pills.

Additional formulas feature: ginger-dried ginger-apricot kernel pills; boiled genkwa flower water taken with jujubes; boiled lepidium seed decoction taken with jujubes; Hua Tuo's legendary "Five-Cough Pill" (made with equal parts honeylocust, dried ginger, and cinnamon bark in honeyed pills); pine sawdust-cinnamon bark-honeylocust honey pills; powdered white clam shells from rooftops taken with wine; pumice powder honey pills; vinegar-boiled pork pancreas; and genkwa flower decoction with white sugar.

Most formulas employ common ingredients prepared as decoctions, pills, or wine infusions, embodying the ancient "elbow-ready" (zhǒuhòufāng) tradition of convenient, effective, and economical emergency remedies. Note that these historical formulas should be used under professional guidance, as some ingredients like genkwa flower and honeylocust possess certain toxicity.

This passage records several folk remedies for treating chronic cough. The first method involves consuming three pig pancreases (pig yí) along with one hundred dates soaked in three liters of wine. After several days, take two to three ge (approximately 30-60 ml), gradually increasing to four or five ge. Another method uses a live turtle: place it in a pit and soak it in urine until it dies. After three days, retrieve the turtle, burn it to ashes, and mix the powder with one liter of wine for consumption. After ingestion, severe vomiting will occur, expelling phlegm and curing the cough. For children, halve the dosage.

Another prescription calls for three cleaned live turtles boiled in water to make three liters of broth, which is then used to ferment four liters of rice wine. Drinking two liters of this wine is said to cure cough permanently. There is also a method involving a bat: remove its head, char it, grind it into powder, and consume it.

Additional prescriptions from other physicians follow: Sun Simiao (the Perfected Lord Sun) recommends taking two qian of burned皂荚 (soap pod) powder with a decoction of fermented black beans. The Ten Complete Universal Rescue Formulas suggests using one large Arisaema rhizome (天南星), roasted until cracked, ground into powder, and taken with three slices of ginger in a decoction, one qian per dose. The Box of Formulas includes the "Pill Containing Paste," made with one liang each of Caozhou Descurainia seeds (葶藶子), Anemarrhena rhizome (知母), and Fritillaria bulb (贝母), combined with date flesh and sugar to form pellets the size of a bullet, wrapped in cotton and held in the mouth.

Lastly, Cui Zhiti describes a fumigation therapy: every morning, take Tussilago farfara (款冬花) mixed with honey, place it in an iron pot, and cover it with a ceramic bowl sealed with a bamboo tube. Heat the mixture and inhale the fumes through the tube. If chest tightness occurs, lift the head and adjust by blocking the tube with a finger. All these methods emphasize consistent use for effectiveness.

This scripture records several ancient medicinal formulas and dietary therapies for treating cough. The first is Ge Xianweng's (Ge Hong) method for making "Golden Millet Pills": Take one liang of orpiment (a mineral medicine), grind it finely, and place it in a small box sealed with paper-reinforced clay. Seal the box opening with red halloysite (red clay). Place the box on the ground surrounded by burning charcoal. After cooling, remove the medicine and grind it into millet-sized pills. Take 3-5 pills each time, swallowed with licorice water.

Cui Yuanliang's Overseas Formula documents a pear juice remedy: Extract juice from good-quality pears (with cores removed), add 40 Sichuan peppercorns, boil and strain. Dissolve brown sugar into the liquid and slowly sip the mixture for effect.

Meng Song provides several pear-based dietary therapies: First, pierce 50 holes in a pear, insert one peppercorn in each hole, wrap in dough and bake in hot ashes before removing peppercorns to eat. Second, remove a pear's core and fill it with butter and honey before roasting it wrapped in dough. Third, fry pear flesh in butter and consume cooled. Fourth, slowly sip a mixture of pear juice, butter, honey, and rehmannia juice simmered over low heat. It particularly emphasizes that cough remedies should be taken cooled, as hot consumption may harm the body. For cold-type coughs, one may eat lamb soup noodles before resting in bed.

The Qianjin Fang records an apricot kernel paste for cough and wheezing: Peel and remove tips from three sheng of apricot kernels, stir-fry until golden, then pound into paste. Mix with one sheng of honey in three batches to form a paste for holding in the mouth and swallowing the juice. These methods all embody the ancient therapeutic principle of "medicinal foods sharing common origins."

Here are several ancient prescriptions for treating cough, wheezing, and chest congestion, all practical formulas commonly used by classical physicians.

The first formula calls for powdered roasted turtle shell combined with rush pith decoction. Take one qianbi dose before meals, followed by one qian and seven fen with honey water after meals. This specifically addresses wheezing with chest congestion and restlessness when sitting or lying down.

The second formula comes from physician Li Ya's secret method recorded by Liu Yuxi, treating various coughs and wheezing. It uses premium dried ginger from Taizhou, processed and peeled honey locust, and peeled cinnamon bark. These three ingredients are separately pounded and sifted before mixing with white honey to form firmiana seed-sized pills. Take during coughing fits, three to five times daily, while avoiding onions, greasy foods, salty fish, and hot wheat foods. Physician Li explained this formula's warming nature made patients reluctant to take it, so he dispensed the medicine without revealing the formula.

The third is a simple effective prescription for lung wheezing and cough, combining aristolochia seeds slowly stir-fried with ghee until dry, then mixed with powdered roasted licorice. Take one qian decocted in water or held in the mouth to swallow the juice.

The fourth formula uses platycodon powder decocted in children's urine, specifically treating phlegmy wheezing and incessant cough.

The fifth employs large trichosanthes fruit peeled, chopped, and roasted, combined with washed pinellia rhizome to make a paste formed into pills. Take with ginger decoction for phlegmy cough and chest congestion.

The final formula from Master Shen uses cynanchum decoction for chronic wheezing cough. Severe cases present with edema, shortness of breath, abdominal distension, inability to lie flat day or night, and throat sounds resembling waterfowl calls. These prescriptions all document precise ingredient ratios and administration methods, reflecting classical physicians' experience in treating respiratory disorders.

This text records several medicinal formulas for treating respiratory ailments such as coughs and asthma. The first prescription uses two liang of Baiqian (Cynanchum glaucescens), three liang of Ziwan (Aster tataricus), three liang of Banxia (Pinellia ternata, thoroughly washed), and seven ge of Daiji (Euphorbia pekinensis). These four ingredients are chopped and soaked overnight in one dou of water, then boiled the next day until reduced to three sheng of liquid. Divide into three doses, avoiding mutton and sweet foods during treatment.

Master Mei's formula specifically addresses chronic cough with throat rattling that disrupts sleep: pound Baiqian into powder and take two qian and seven fen doses mixed with warm wine. Another method uses one sheng of juice extracted from soaked and pounded Lanzhiye (Indigo plant leaves), taken on an empty stomach, followed later by porridge cooked with apricot kernel juice. Continue this regimen for one or two days until phlegm is completely expelled.

For coughs with shortness of breath producing sticky or purulent phlegm, use one ge of Danzhuli (bamboo sap). Adults should take one sheng doses three to five times daily. The Shenghui Fang recommends stewing twenty pitted dates with four liang of butter over low heat until the dates absorb all the fat, then slowly sucking and swallowing one piece at a time.

An asthma and phlegm-dissolving formula: Take forty-nine cleaned and dried pig trotters, placing one zi's weight (about 0.3g) each of Banxia and Baifan (alum) inside each hoof. Seal and calcine them, then grind with one qian of musk powder, taken with glutinous rice soup. Children's doses should be halved.

For coughing or vomiting blood, grind high-quality ginseng into powder and take three qian doses mixed with egg white at dawn, then rest lying down. Chronic cases may repeat once, avoiding fish and salty foods. The Lingyuan Fang uses four liang of Huangqi (Astragalus) and one liang of Gancao (licorice) powder—three qian doses can be added to tea or porridge, suitable for weak patients with feverish symptoms and purulent bloody cough who cannot tolerate cooling medicines.

Du Ren's formula treats upper burner (heart-lung region) heat causing mouth ulcers and bloody purulent cough: one liang of Jiegeng (Platycodon) and two liang of Gancao powder, taken in two qian doses. All formulas emphasize dietary adjustments during treatment.

This records several ancient medicinal formulas for treating cough, lung diseases, and edema, all sourced from the Daoist physician Ge Hong's Emergency Formulas to Keep Up One's Sleeve.

For cough with bloody sputum: Take one jin of fresh white mulberry root bark, soak in rice-washing water for three days, scrape off the yellow outer layer, chop finely, then mix with four liang of glutinous rice and dry-roast before grinding into powder. Take 1-2 qian doses with rice soup.

For pulmonary hemorrhage: Take a large piece of sea rhinoceros gelatin (an animal-derived adhesive), roast over fire until golden-brown, apply butter and roast again, repeating several times until fully translucent, then grind into powder. Take about three qian with hot water to stop bleeding immediately.

For cough with chest congestion (dietary therapy): Peel and remove tips from three liang of peach kernels, grind with water to extract juice, then cook with two ge of japonica rice into congee for consumption.

For lung disease with purulent bloody sputum: Refine five jin of high-quality butter through triple boiling, then take one ge of the crystallized tihu (butter essence) for consumption.

For chronic cough with bloody phlegm: Grind one ge of radish seeds to prepare decoction for consumption.

For sudden edema treatments:

• Cook one large carp in three sheng of wine until liquid evaporates, then eat without vinegar, salt, or fermented beans. Two to three servings suffice.
• Apply moxibustion (three zhuang units) to the white flesh below the inner ankle.
• Boil one dou of soybeans, consume both liquid and beans. A few doses suffice, with better results using adzuki beans.
• Apply mixture of egg yolk and white evenly on swollen areas, reapplying when dry.
• Soak affected areas in concentrated apricot leaf decoction or take orally.
• Crush ten wild plum pits, cook with three ge of japonica rice in water to make two sheng congee, divided into three doses.
• Boil one sheng soybeans in five sheng water until reduced to two sheng, remove beans, add eight sheng wine and reduce to nine sheng. Take in three to four doses. After swelling subsides, avoid excessive water intake.

Here are several remedies for treating edema. The first method involves taking three liters of ox urine at once. If symptoms alleviate but don't fully subside, repeat the dose.

The second method uses one jin (approx. 500g) of pokeberry root (a Chinese medicinal herb). Peel and slice it, then boil until tender. Remove the residue and add one jin of mutton, seasoning with scallions, fermented beans, and salt. This can be consumed freely. After swelling reduces, one may regularly eat pokeberry rice cakes made by pounding the herb and mixing it half-and-half with rice before steaming.

The third remedy requires dividing one pork kidney into seven pieces, each wrapped in kansui root powder (a diuretic herb). Roast them and eat one piece daily for four to five days until abdominal rumbling and smooth urination occur. Consume without the outer membrane, preferably finishing all pieces in one course while avoiding salt.

The fourth method involves steeping two liters of chopped pokeberry in three liters of wine for three days. Take 0.5-1 liter per dose, three times daily. These remedies work for deficiency-type edema, wind-cold edema, or water retention.

For abdominal distension and eating difficulties caused by edema: Grind two liang (approx. 60g) each of knoxia root and black-winged herb into powder, mix with honey to form phoenix tree seed-sized pills. Take two pills at dawn for gradual swelling reduction.

Another formula uses ten liang of lepidium seed, three liang each of zanthoxylum seed and poria mushroom, plus two liang of evodia fruit. Pound with honey into similar pills—ten pills per dose, thrice daily.

For a fish-based remedy: Boil a five-jin (approx. 2.5kg) carp in two dou (approx. 20 liters) of water until reduced by half. Remove fish, add five liang each of euphorbia and alisma, three liang of poria, and three liters of mulberry root bark. Boil down to four liters of medicinal liquid, divided into four doses to promote diuresis.

For topical application: Burn and yellow three liters of皂角 (Gleditsia sinensis), soak in one dou of wine in a stone vessel and boil. Take one liter per dose, three times daily, preparing fresh batches as needed.

Localized swelling can be treated with a paste of water and plant ash applied repeatedly when dry. Alternatively, mash adzuki beans and hemp seeds for external use.

For sudden severe swelling: Boil thirty whole croton seeds (with skin) in five liters of water until reduced to two liters. Soak cloth in the liquid and apply to swollen areas five times daily—avoiding eyes and genitals—for rapid relief.

These remedies primarily utilize the diuretic properties of pokeberry, kansui, and knoxia, combining internal and external treatments for different edema types. Ordinary edema cases may select from the above options.

This records several emergency remedies for treating edema, all using simple and readily available herbs and food ingredients. The first method employs scallions: chop and boil them until thoroughly cooked, then soak the affected area in the resulting liquid two to four times daily.

Another prescription uses dodder seeds (a common Chinese herb): steep one liter of dodder seeds in five liters of wine for two or three nights, then consume one liter per dose three times daily until effective.

When edema begins in the feet and gradually ascends to the abdomen, it becomes life-threatening. The treatment involves boiling one hu (an ancient measurement unit) of small beans until completely soft, yielding four to five dou of liquid. Soak the area below the knees while warm twice daily—the swelling should subside within days. If swelling has reached the abdomen, discontinue soaking and instead consume the cooked bean paste directly. Avoid eating rice, fish, or salt during treatment, consuming only the bean broth. Large beans may substitute if small beans are unavailable. This condition carries high mortality—only one in ten may survive—requiring immediate intervention.

Other emergency methods include: soaking the affected area in water boiled with shaved elm or tung wood shavings while drinking small amounts of the liquid; consuming an entire portion of finely chopped raw pork liver (without salt, though vinegar may be added); or drinking fermented black bean broth while applying the residue to the feet.

Additional anti-edema recipes are appended: The Beiji Fang recommends pounding elm bark to cook with rice into porridge, promoting diuresis and reducing swelling. The Yang's Chanru Fang uses five liang of polyporus fungus (a medicinal mushroom), crushed and decocted in water—take one fangcunqi dose (about 15ml), increasing gradually to double that amount. The Shiyi Xinjing advises boiling one liang of peeled apricot kernels with rice into a thick porridge; consume two ge (about 200ml) on an empty stomach for dyspnea-edema with difficult urination.

These folk emergency methods, recorded by Ge Hong in Zhouhou Beiji Fang, utilize common materials suitable for urgent situations.