《葛仙翁肘後備急方》Vol. 8

Here are several ancient emergency ointment formulas, all significant prescriptions in Daoist medicine. The first is Pei's Five-Poison Divine Ointment, used for treating sudden acute illnesses and various diseases. The preparation method involves taking two liang each of realgar (a mineral medicine), cinnabar, Chinese angelica root, and Sichuan pepper, along with one sheng of aconite. These are first soaked in bitter wine overnight, then boiled with five jin of lard using aged reeds growing eastward as fuel for five cycles. After straining, powdered realgar and cinnabar are added and thoroughly mixed. For emergencies, take a pill the size of a date pit with warm wine—if ineffective, another dose may be taken. This formula can also be applied externally for limb pain, abscesses, and sores. When applied over the body before night travel or during foggy weather, it offers protection against epidemics, toxic qi, and external injuries.

The Cangwu Daoist Chen Yuan's Universal Ointment is another versatile prescription. Its formula contains three liang each of Chinese angelica root, aconite, and another variety of aconite; two liang each of asarum, Sichuan lovage root, and cinnabar; two and a half liang each of dried ginger, monkshood, and realgar; one liang each of cinnamon bark and angelica dahurica; eight liang of pine resin; and two jin of freshly pressed rehmannia juice. In preparation, first grind realgar and cinnabar into powder, chop other herbs, then soak all ingredients overnight in three sheng of strong bitter wine mixed with rehmannia juice. Simmer gently with eight jin of lard for fifteen boils until the angelica dahurica turns yellow. Strain and mix in the realgar-cinnabar powder before sealing for storage. For treatment, warm the ointment and massage it onto affected areas two to three times daily for ten to twenty days. Alternatively, take a pill the size of an almond with warm wine to address abdominal masses, limb numbness, and systemic rheumatism.

Hua Tuo's Tiger Bone Ointment formula includes three liang each of tiger bone and wild kudzu vine; fifteen pieces of monkshood weighing nine liang total; three sheng of Sichuan pepper; one sheng each of apricot kernels and croton seeds (with cores and skins removed), plus Sichuan lovage root; one liang each of licorice root and asarum; and two liang of realgar. Soak the ingredients in bitter wine for a full day, then simmer gently with six jin of lard through three boiling cycles until the monkshood turns yellow. After straining, mix in realgar and seal. This ointment can be applied externally for numerous ailments, but caution must be taken to avoid contact with eyes.

This passage records several formulas and applications of ancient Chinese medicinal ointments for external use, primarily treating skin ulcers, external injuries, and rheumatic pain. The details are as follows:

A pill the size of a jujube is dissolved in a cup of heated wine, and after a short while applied to white hair to restore black pigmentation. This ointment also treats swine pox, toxic wind-induced swelling and pain, saddle sores, and similar skin conditions—simply washing the affected area brings relief, proving equally effective for cattle neck sores.

The Illicium Ointment specifically treats wind-pathogen invasion causing numbness and the mental confusion arising from wind affecting the five viscera. The formula contains: one pound of Illicium (a toxic plant), three taels each of Aconite, Prepared Aconite, and Rhododendron molle. These four ingredients are chopped, soaked overnight in one sheng of vinegar-water, then fried with four pounds of lard through three rounds of decoction before straining. For application, warm the ointment near fire and rub it onto affected areas 300 times for immediate effect. For ear or nose ailments, wrap the ointment in cotton cloth and insert it into the orifice—effective against various scabies, ringworm, and miscellaneous sores. Tao Hongjing (styled the Recluse) verified this formula also treats limb spasms, restricted movement, as well as wind-induced headaches and sudden back or flank pain.

The Snakegrass Ointment treats abscesses, blood stasis from knife wounds, postpartum blood stagnation, along with ear/eye diseases and cattle neck/horse saddle sores. Ingredients include one tael each of Snakegrass, Rhubarb, Prepared Aconite, Chinese Angelica, Peony Root, Asarum, Scutellaria, Zanthoxylum, Illicium, and Angelica pubescens, plus fourteen bulbs of Allium macrostemon. Soak these eleven ingredients overnight in vinegar, then decoct with three pounds of lard over "Seven-Star Fire" (a special alchemical flame in Daoist practice). After boiling, strain the residue. For internal use, take a pill-sized dose with warm wine twice daily; for external application, apply directly or insert cotton-wrapped portions for ear ailments, while millet-sized amounts are dabbed in eye corners for ocular conditions. This pale yellow ointment is also called "Light Silk Ointment." Some add one tael of Dragonvine during decoction, naming it Dragonvine Ointment.

The Divine Yellow Ointment specializes in malignant sores and head ulcers. Its formula contains one tael each of Coptis, Phellodendron, Prepared Aconite, Realgar, Mercury, and Veratrum, plus two taels of lead carbonate. These seven ingredients are finely ground and sifted, blended with one pound of winter-slaughtered lard, sealed in a container and steamed beneath rice until fully cooked, then mixed with mercury until uniform. Clean the sore with saltwater before application—complete recovery is guaranteed. Tao Hongjing confirmed this ointment shows efficacy after a single application, revered as divine medicine in his time.

The Azure Dragon Five-Life Ointment is a universal remedy for all ulcerative toxins. Ingredients include five fen each of Cinnabar, Realgar, Chuanxiong, Zanthoxylum, and Fangji, plus four taels each of Gentian, Phoenix Tree Bark, Cypress Bark, Bamboo Shavings, Mulberry Bark, Honeycomb, and Hedgehog Skin, along with one whole snakeskin. These thirteen ingredients are chopped and soaked in vinegar for half a month to prepare.

This passage primarily documents two ancient Chinese medicinal formulas along with their preparation methods and therapeutic effects.

The first is an ointment for treating sores and ulcers: Briefly decoct the herbs over fire, then add three catties of lard rendered during the twelfth lunar month. Simmer the mixture three times, filtering out the dregs after each cycle. For application, spread it externally on the affected area while also taking an internal dose about the size of a jujube pit, which proves highly effective. This prescription works particularly well for carbuncles, hemorrhoids, and malignant sores.

The second formula is the "Bian Que's Ice-Penetrating Pill": Combine one tael each of realgar, genuine cinnabar (separately ground), and processed alum; three and a half taels of raw alum calcined by fire; one and a half taels of podophyllum; one slightly roasted centipede with red legs; seven blister beetles with wings and legs removed; seven pieces of processed aconite; seven fen of roasted hellebore; and forty pounded apricot kernels with tips and skins removed after processing. Sift these ingredients, then mix with honey and pound a thousand times. It primarily treats abdominal distension, pathogenic evil qi (energy), and wandering corpse syndrome (feishiyou). Dosage varies according to severity—typically two pills the size of small beans, or four for severe cases.

The third is the "Salvia Paste" formula: Combine three taels each of danshen (salvia) and elderberry; one tael each of anisetree leaves and azalea flowers; two taels each of qinjiao (large-leaf gentian), angelica, aconite, Sichuan pepper, forsythia, mulberry root bark, and achyranthes. Decoct with five sheng of bitter wine (vinegar) and seven sheng of sesame oil. Effective against cold damage disorders, seasonal epidemics, and malicious wind pathogens. External symptoms include joint pain and throat swelling; internal manifestations involve abdominal distension and chest oppression. Applicable both internally and externally for paralysis, wind-damp impediment, hemiplegia, facial paralysis, deafness, toothache, and wind-induced headaches. For external use, apply to unruptured abscesses or scrofula. Internal dosage approximates a jujube pit, reduced for children.

This scripture records several ancient medicinal formulas and treatment methods:

The preparation method for an ointment treating hard nodules behind children’s ears: soak medicinal herbs in wine and filter, or simmer with lard. For illnesses caused by wind-cold, take with wine; for heat-toxin conditions, take alone. For toothache, take separately or chew the dregs wrapped in cloth. It specifically mentions simmering with lard to treat rock-hard lumps behind children’s ears—applying for twenty days will dissolve them with excellent results.

The Divine Bright Ointment (Shenming Gao) treats multiple ailments: wind-stroke, head and facial disorders, eye diseases, deafness, toothache, sores, hemorrhoids, and external injuries. Preparation involves finely chopping nine herbs including Chinese angelica (Danggui) and asarum (Xixin), then simmering with ten jin of lard over low heat in three cycles before filtering and sealing. For internal use, take a pellet-sized dose with wine; for external application, spread on affected areas. For eye diseases, apply a millet-sized amount to the inner canthus; for tooth ailments, apply topically.

Another ointment formula: use thirteen liang of sesame oil (rapeseed oil also works) and seven liang of yellow lead (Huangdan), simmered in an iron pot over low heat with constant stirring until blackened, then increase heat while stirring until thickened. Avoid poultry and dogs during preparation. For tooth ailments, apply directly.

Also documented is a medicinal seed called "Yaozi" (known in India as the boat tree seed), which must be peeled and ground into fine powder. It treats: sudden vomiting and diarrhea, food poisoning, abdominal pain, dysentery, bloating, snake venom, and arrow wounds—take two crushed seeds with warm water. For sores, bone abscesses, or swellings, grind an appropriate amount with pig bile for topical use; for boils or ringworm, grind with vinegar and apply externally.

This passage primarily discusses several emergency remedies and commonly used medicinal ingredients recorded in Ge Hong's (also known as Ge Xianweng) Emergency Formulas to Keep Up One's Sleeve.

For insect bites (such as from scorpions or centipedes), one can apply a paste of red amaranth mixed with warm water to the wound. For conditions like difficult childbirth, postpartum abdominal pain, or persistent lochia, the remedy involves taking one dose of medicine with a cup of warm wine. For unrelenting diarrhea, chestnut juice can be used to prepare a warm medicinal drink. For toothache caused by cavities, stuffing the affected tooth with medicinal powder provides relief. These formulas all originate from the proven prescriptions of the ancient physician Zhi family.

For acute conditions like fever, headache, dizziness, sudden heart or abdominal pain, cholera, phlegm retention, indigestion, shortness of breath, or dysentery, there's a salt therapy method: first hold a pinch of salt in the mouth without swallowing, then when saliva fills the mouth, take one fangcunbi (an ancient measuring spoon) of salt with water and swallow. Chronic conditions may require two to three months of continuous use, while acute cases typically show results after three doses. This salt therapy proves effective for malaria and abdominal distension, with long-term use said to supplement kidney Qi.

The text also lists Ge Hong's standard medicinal inventory, including over twenty ingredients such as rhubarb, cinnamon bark, licorice root, dried ginger, coptis root, Sichuan pepper, atractylodes, evodia fruit, mugwort leaf, realgar, rhinoceros horn, musk, calamus root, ginseng, peony root, aconite, croton seed, pinellia tuber, ephedra, bupleurum root, apricot kernel, kudzu root, scutellaria root, and aconitum. Ge Hong specifically noted that dosages should be adjusted for use in the Lingnan region (modern Guangdong and Guangxi) according to local conditions. These medicines should be prepared in advance and prioritized even above food and clothing.

These formulas reflect the traditional Chinese medical principles of being "simple, convenient, effective, and economical," with many ingredients remaining in common use today. The salt therapy mentioned shares conceptual similarities with modern medical use of saline solutions for dehydration treatment.

This passage records several epidemic prevention formulas and preparation methods from Ge Hong's (also known as Ge Xianweng) Emergency Formulas to Keep Up One's Sleeve. The content primarily consists of three categories:

First is the section on "prepared medicines," listing various ready-to-use preventive formulas such as Golden Teeth Powder, Yellow Jade Vial Pills, and Purple Snow Elixir. During epidemic outbreaks, selecting any one of these could serve both preventive and therapeutic purposes.

Next is the detailed recipe for "Laojun's Divine Clarity Powder": combine two liang each of white atractylodes rhizome, processed aconite, processed monkshood, and platycodon root with one liang of asarum herb, then pound and sift the mixture. For daily prevention, take five fangcunbi (an ancient measurement) doses. If a household kept this medicine, the entire neighborhood could be protected from epidemics. For those already ill for four or five days, boiling three portions of the powder with three sheng of water to make one sheng decoction would induce sweating and cure the disease.

Finally, several simple preventive methods are introduced: 1) The "Common Epidemic Prevention Powder" made with pearl, cinnamon bark, fritillary bulb, apricot kernel, and egg white, to be taken at year's beginning or during outbreaks; 2) Collecting cypress branches growing eastward, drying and grinding them into "Cypress Branch Powder"; 3) Regular consumption of fermented black beans soaked in wine; 4) The preparation method for "Tusu Wine" - placing seven herbs including rhubarb and Sichuan pepper in a silk pouch, submerging it in a well at noon on New Year's Eve, then retrieving it on New Year's Day to steep in wine for the whole family to drink while facing east. These methods collectively embody the ancient wisdom of epidemic prevention.

This passage records several ancient medical prescriptions and their effects:

Ge Hong documented a formula passed down from Hua Tuo that is suitable for everyone from children to adults. If one person in the household takes it, the whole family will be protected from illness. The treatment requires continuous administration for three days, containing one liang (approx. 30g) of Saposhnikovia root (Fangfeng), a traditional Chinese medicinal herb.

Physician Yao's preventive powder for warm diseases (febrile epidemics): Grind equal amounts of Sichuan lovage root (Chuanxiong), angelica root (Baizhi), and Chinese ligusticum rhizome (Gaoben) into powder. Mix and apply on the body for excellent results.

Zhang Zhongjing's emergency formula: Take one liang each of rhubarb (Dahuang), dried ginger (Ganjiang), and croton seeds (Badou). Crush and sift them, then mix with honey and pound a thousand times to form pills the size of small beans. Adults take three pills, with reduced dosage for elderly and children. This prescription treats sudden heart/abdominal pain, distension feeling like knife stabs, breathlessness and fainting. For patients with locked jaws, force open the teeth to administer. Effects appear quickly after ingestion.

The Cui's Marine Prescriptions record that Clematis root (Weilingxian) can dispel wind and unblock meridians, showing effects by evening when taken in the morning. It treats wind-stroke paralysis, facial distortion, joint pain, itchy skin conditions and more. An anecdote tells of a Shangzhou man paralyzed for ten years who recovered within days after receiving this medicine from a Silla (ancient Korean) monk. The formula proves effective for both genders' wind-stroke, cold-induced headaches, and lumbar/leg pains.

This passage describes the preparation and application of two medicinal formulas from traditional Chinese medicine.

The first is the Clematis (Weilingxian) formula, effective for treating various ailments including: colds with fever and headache, deafness from ear suppuration, reddened eyes, urinary and bowel obstruction, jaundice, swollen lymph nodes, postpartum lumbar pain, angina, abdominal distension and edema, scabies and skin lesions, irregular menstruation, night sweats, and body odor. The preparation involves washing and drying clematis roots, grinding them into powder, mixing with wine, sealing in bamboo tubes, then undergoing nine cycles of steaming and sun-drying. Finally, honey is added to form firmiana seed-sized pills. Dosage is 20-30 pills taken with wine or warm water.

The second is the Cocklebur (Canger) formula, requiring harvest at precisely noon on the Dragon Boat Festival. After sun-drying, the leaves are pounded and sifted, then taken with wine or rice water three times daily. A detoxification reaction may manifest as millet-like rashes—these should be pricked to release yellow fluid. Cocklebur possesses apotropaic properties; whole-family consumption prevents seasonal epidemics while also treating gastric distension, fever, and intestinal parasites. Optimal harvest days are the fifth of fifth month, seventh of seventh month, and ninth of ninth month in the lunar calendar.

The text concludes by noting these formulas' efficacy for treating livestock ailments like digestive disorders and animal plagues, reflecting ancient medical concepts that bridged human and veterinary treatments.

This passage records ancient practical remedies and care methods for treating equine diseases, primarily derived from the emergency medical formulary compiled by Ge Hong (the Immortal Lord Ge). Here is the vernacular interpretation:

For treating horses with fever, swollen heads discharging pus, and loss of appetite: Use equal portions (approximately 60g each) of cucumber, trichosanthes root, fritillaria bulb, platycodon root, small qingqing herb, gardenia seed, isatis root (banlangen), coltsfoot flower, rhubarb, dictamnus root bark, scutellaria root, and turmeric. Add four portions each of phellodendron bark and crude sodium sulfate, then crush and sift into powder. For severe cases, include half a jin (250g) of rehmannia root, two ge (approx. 200ml) of fermented soybeans, and four ge of turnip oil. Mix and administer before feeding, with a second dose at night showing remarkable effects.

For horses arriving at rest stops after long journeys: Always groom and clean them before offering water or feed. Feeding exhausted horses directly may cause illness—hydration and feeding require careful timing.

For animal wounds with scabs: Apply a paste of flour and glue to facilitate natural shedding. For sudden onset of jaundice (acute yellow-black sweating), first bleed the horse by cutting the tail tip, then administer water soaked with aged shoe soles. If ineffective, decoct one liang (approx. 30g) each of rhubarb and angelica root with half a sheng (approx. 300ml) of salt in water, dividing the decoction into two doses.

For equine abdominal distension and intestinal obstruction: Decoct one liang each of asarum herb, saposhnikovia root, and peony root with one sheng of salt in five sheng of water, administering in two doses. For the second dose, add one liang each of mirabilite, turmeric, gypsum, and isatis leaf during decoction, finally mixing in half a sheng each of wine and oil.

For swollen joints: Apply heated sheep's foot herb (49 stalks) as a compress, replacing when cooled. If unavailable, use scorched willow branches for repeated hot compresses. Optimal watering times are during the Yin hours (3-5am) and noon (11am-1pm), with reduced evening intake.

Salt feeding method: Choose consecutive sunny days—administer one sheng to adult horses and half a sheng to foals per dose, using a long-handled spoon to deliver deep into the throat to strengthen constitution. For cold constitution: Decoct one liang each of fermented soybeans, scallion, and ginger, then administer with wine for recovery.

For decade-old horses with glanders (nasal fistula): Administer half a ge of clarified soy sauce in two nasal doses at one-day intervals—overdosing harms the horse. Severe glanders requires special care.

These methods reflect ancient veterinary experience, with herb combinations and bloodletting techniques aligned with traditional medical principles, though modern equine care should integrate scientific veterinary medicine.

This records several emergency remedies for livestock diseases collected by Ge Hong (the renowned Daoist alchemist and medical scholar):

For equine pulmonary ailments: Take one he (traditional measure) of tinglizi seeds and stir-fry until purple, then pound into paste. Add a handful of white mulberry root bark and twenty split jujubes, boiling with two sheng of water until reduced to one sheng. Strain the decoction and mix with the tinglizi paste. Administer lukewarm orally to the horse, repeating the next day—severe cases typically recover within two treatments. However, cases presenting with maggot-infested nasal bridges or purulent swelling are incurable.

Emergency treatment for bladder torsion in donkeys/horses: Insert five cun (inches) of crushed garlic into the urethra for immediate relief. Alternatively, administer diluted child's urine orally for instant effect. Another method involves rubbing a smooth wooden stick against the anus while the afflicted animal climbs a slope, followed by manual removal of fecal matter from the rectum (trim nails and apply oil beforehand to prevent intestinal abrasion).

For equine saddle sores: Apply huangdan (lead oxide) topically while avoiding wind exposure—rapid healing occurs. For mange, use charred soybeans mixed with raw sesame, pounded and applied after washing lesions with vinegar water.

For equine ocular opacity: Grind paper mulberry leaves collected after Frost's Descent (solar term) into fine powder, blowing into eyes twice daily.

For maggot-infested hooves: Dig a one-chi (foot) deep pit beneath the trough, burying egg-sized smooth stones for the horse to stand upon—recovery within 1-2 days.

For equine cough and brittle coat: Feed one sheng of premium hemp seeds with excellent results. Mange may also be treated by applying ailanthus root powder blended with sesame oil (after cleansing with soapberry or rice-washing water), leaving small gaps for parasites to exit—over-application may enlarge lesions.

Secret mange treatment: Blend badou (croton seeds) and nifen (calomel) with sesame oil for topical application, washing after taking effect. Observe results over several days for enhanced efficacy.