Written By Jun Heo(許浚, 1539~1615), Translated by Namil Kim, Wung Seok Cha et al., Published by Ministry of Health & Welfare (Korea)
- ① The Compendium of Medicine (綱目) says, “Pounding of the heart is caused by phlegm. It refers to the automatic pounding of the heart without one ever getting frightened. Pounding of the heart is also mentioned in the ‘Fright’ and ‘Fear’ chapters; this refers to the pounding of the heart caused by fear or fright.”
- ② Divine Pivot (靈樞) says, “When the pericardium meridian is damaged, one gets sick, which causes the heart to throb and beat loudly.” It also says, “When one suffers from a gallbladder disease, the heart pounds and he or she is afraid that others might come to catch him or her.”
- ③ The Inner Classic (內經) says, “When cold thrives because greater yang leads it (太陽司天, term used in the theory of five circuits and six qi), it causes the heart to pound and beat loudly.” It is because Cold Damages the pericardium.
- ④ In the Annotation, “Damdam (澹澹, mimetic word) is the shape of rippling waves. It belongs to fluid disease, so one should use medicine that draws water out and removes phlegm. A Syzygii Flos Relieve Stomach Decoction and Chuanxiong and Pinellia Decoction are medicine of this kind.”
- ⑤ Simgong (pounding of the heart, 心忪) is not an actual pounding of the heart. The Inner Classic (內經) says, “The great collateral vessel of the stomach meridian is called Heori (apex of the heart from which pulse of the heart can be felt, 虛里). Its collateral vessel punctures the diaphragm upward, connects to the lungs, and comes down the left breast. Clothes shake when it moves; this is the ancestral qi of vessels.” When one is deficient and has phlegm, the heart beats loudly. Sometimes the person has a fever afterwards.
Epilepsy 癲癎 전간
- ① Huangdi (黃帝) said, “There are times when people suffer from epilepsy. What is the name of the disease and how does it occur?” Qibo i (岐伯) said, “The name of the disease is congenital disease. The disease is acquired from inside the mother’s womb. When the mother is frightened greatly, causing qi to ascend and not come down, and essence qi to stay together, her child gets epilepsy.” Inner Classic (內經) He also said, “Reverse qi becomes epilepsy.” He also said, “When pathogenic qi attacks the yang aspect, it becomes epilepsy.”
- ② Wind dizziness is when heat is accumulated in the chest from lack of heart qi. In fact, phlegm and heat bump into each other, causing wind to blow. The wind and the heart mix with each other, and one feels tightness in the chest and dizziness. Thus, it has been called wind dizziness.[B034]
- ③ When phlegm is in between the lower chest, one feels dizzy but does not faint. When phlegm flows over the lower chest, the dizziness becomes intense, causing one to collapse on the ground and to not be able to discern people. This is epilepsy. It is called epilepsy (癲) when it occurs in adults and epilepsy (癎) when it occurs in children; they are the same. Also, fainting and losing consciousness are caused by pathogenic qi ascending to the yang aspect, causing disorder in the head. Epilepsy is when phlegm has flowed upward. When phlegm flows upward, qi in the head is disturbed, and when it is disturbed, vessels are blocked and openings are blocked as well. Therefore, one cannot hear or recognize people, and the person will faint due to dizziness. Because the disease exists in the head, it is called epilepsy.
- ④ There are five types of epilepsy (癎). One pertaining to the liver is called chicken epilepsy (雞癎). One pertaining to the heart is called horse epilepsy (馬癎). One pertaining to the spleen is called cow epilepsy (牛癎). One pertaining to the lungs is called sheep epilepsy (羊癎). One pertaining to the kidneys is called pig epilepsy (猪癎). They are named so because their symptoms resemble the cries of animals. Actual causes are limited to three things: phlegm, Fire, and fright.
- ⑤ Because epilepsy usually occurs from bound phlegm in the chest, one should remove the phlegm and relieve the heart spirit. If the spirit does not hold its position, one speaks and behaves like a mad person; it cannot be treated for many years. If heat is accumulated in the heart meridian, one should lower the heat. If phlegm has blocked the holes in the heart, one should remove phlegm and relieve the heart by vomiting or causing diarrhea.
- ⑥ Ones with epilepsy scream when they faint, and froth at the mouth when they wake up. They have attacks even after they wake up. Such incidents are repeated endlessly. Ones with wind stroke, cold stroke, summer heat stroke, or fainting after looking at a corpse do not make sounds when they faint, do not salivate when they wake up, and do not have recurrences of diseases after they wake up.[B057]
- Epilepsy (癲) is when one is different from one’s ordinary times. When a person who usually speaks well suffers from epilepsy (癎), the person becomes silent. When a person who usually does not speak much suffers from epilepsy (癲), the person makes groaning sounds. When it becomes serious, one faints and opens one’s eyes straightly. One’s mind is not pleasant at all times, and the person looks drunk or foolish because the person’s words do not make sense. One with epilepsy collapses all of a sudden, feeling dizzy, and the person screams, froths at the mouth, and does not recognize people. He or she wakes up after a short while.
- ⑧ One should use a Cooked Elixir Pill for congenital epilepsy. Also, heat in the body and floating pulse indicate yang epilepsy; one should use a Wonderful Musk Pill (妙香丸). [The prescription is shown in the chapter Fire]. A cold body and sunken pulse indicate yin epilepsy; one should use a Five Raw Drugs Pill. Those who are fat have lots of phlegm, so a Remove Wind and Dispel Phlegm Pill, Augmented Deity of Longevity Formula, or Lead Spirit Back Home Elixir should be taken. Those who are thin have prospering Fire, so a Clear Heart and Rid Phlegm Pill or Borneol Calm Spirit Pill should be taken. Golden Screen Calm Heart Pill or Control Saliva Elixir should be used when phlegm blocks holes in the heart. When phlegm and Fire are both prosperous, one should use a Euphorbiae Powder to make the patient vomit or have diarrhea. When epilepsy is caused by fright, one should use a Shock Formula or Embrace Gallbladder Pill. When caused by anger, one should use a Stabilize the Spirit and Guide Out Phlegm Decoction. [The prescription is shown in the chapter on Wind]. Or Angelica, Gentian, and Aloe Pill. [The prescription is shown in the chapter on Fire]. When one’s heart is deficient and lacks in qi and blood, a Nourish the yin and Stabilize the Spirit Decoction, Clear Heart and Warm Gallbladder Decoction, or Restore Spirit Elixir should be used. Women should take Augmented Wander Free Powder or Crimson Cinnabar Paste. [Prescriptions shown in the chapter Gynecology]. When treating the five epilepsies generally, a Borneol Calm Spirit Pill, Convulsions Pill, Six Treasures Elixir, Qian’s Five Colours Pill, Nurture Soul Elixir, Second Earthly Branch Precious Pill, Owl Skull Pill, Live Tiger Elixir, Bat Powder, or Alum and Yellow Lead Pill should be used. When epilepsy reoccurs after being cured once, an Stop Convulsions Elixir should be used.[B226]
