21 Simple Prescriptions 單方 단방
There are 23 kinds in total.
- Alumen 白礬: It induces vomiting of phlegm and fluid retention within the chest. Boil down 1 nyang of Alumen (白礬) and 2 doe [1doe (斗)=10.4L] of water until only 1 doe of water remains. Put half hop [1hop (合)=0.1035L] of honey. The person will vomit on taking this prescription. If not, the person should drink slightly warm water.
- Atractylodis Rhizoma Alba 蒼朮: It removes phlegm water. It is very effective in treating cysts due to phlegm and fluid retention. A Spiritual Atractylodes Pill has the same effect. Since the characteristic of Atractylodis Rhizoma (蒼朮) is dryness, it wins over dampness.
- Bulbus Fritillariae Cirrhosae 貝母: ① It removes phlegm and phlegm qi in the diaphragm. The effect is very profound.[B045] ② Soak Bulbus Fritillariae Cirrhosae (貝母) in child’s feces for 3 days, wash, and dry under the sun, and grind to make a Fritillaria Pill. Mix with white sugar and take this anytime.
- Angelicae Decursivae Radix 前胡: It treats heat phlegm and a chest impediment due to the accumulation of phlegm. Cut and boil 3 don of this herb and drink.
- Zingiberis Rhizoma Crudus 乾薑: It treats cold phlegm, removes phlegm, and brings qi down. Taking it in pill-form or decoction-form is effective.
- Zingiberis Rhizoma Crudus 生薑: ① It removes phlegm and brings qi down. It also removes cold phlegm and regulates stomach qi. ② To treat phlegm wall (痰癖), cut 4 don of Zingiberis Rhizoma Crudus (生薑) and 2 don of Aconiti Lateralis Radix Preparata (附子) (raw), boil in water, and take.
- Pinelliae Tuber 半夏: ① It treats cold phlegm. It treats dampness in the stomach and spleen and resolves phlegm.[B156] ② It resolves phlegm and removes phlegm in the chest. ③ Pinelliae Tuber (半夏) stir-fried with oil treats damp phlegm very well. ④ To remove phlegm, Pinelliae Tuber (半夏) must be used. Add Scutellariae Radix (黃芩) if the person has heat, add Arisaematis Rhizoma (南星), if the person has wind, and add Citrus Unshius Pericarpium (陳皮) and Atractylodis Rhizoma Alba (白朮) if the person has an impediment. ⑤ A Pinellia Pill treats phlegm-dyspnea and chest pain. Stir-fry Pinelliae Tuber (半夏) with sesame oil, grind, and add the paste into soup. Make pills to the size of the seed of the royal foxglove tree. Take 30~50 pills with water boiled with ginger. ⑥ Methods for making Pinelliae Tube Fermentata (半夏麴) and Pinelliae Tube Preparata (法製半夏) are shown later.
- Pinelliae Tube Fermentata 半夏麴: ① Pinelliae Tuber (半夏) is commonly used for a phlegm disease, where it should
be used in the form of Pinelliae Tube Fermentata (半夏麴). Pinelliae Tube Fermentata (半夏麴) is made with a Rosy Glow in Sky Paste, Brassicae Junceae Folium (白芥子), the juice of Zingiberis Rhizoma Crudus (生薑汁), water boiled with Alumen (白礬) and the Bambusae Caulis in Liquamen (竹瀝). It treats difficult diseases caused by the accumulation of phlegm. Phlegm may naturally be rotten by itself and be excreted as feces or urine, or phlegm may scatter and become sores. This is the profound effect of Pinelliae Tube Fermentata (半夏麴). ② Arisaematis Rhizoma (南星) used as an assistant herb will treat wind phlegm. ③ The juice of Zingiberis Rhizoma Crudus (生薑汁), Scutellariae Radix (黃芩), Coptidis Rhizoma (黃連) (soaked in alcohol and stir-fried), Trichosanthis Semen (瓜蔞仁), and Massa Medicata Fermentata (神麯) (mixed with sesame oil and stir-fried) used as assistant herbs will treat heat phlegm. ④ Ponciri Fructus Immaturus (枳實) (stir-fried with wheat bran) and Anodontae Caro (海粉) (soaked in the juice of Zingiberis Rhizoma Crudus (生薑汁) and steamed) used as assistant herbs will treat old phlegm. ⑤ Atractylodis Rhizoma (蒼朮) and Atractylodis Rhizoma Alba (白朮) (both soaked in rice water or the juice of Zingiberis Rhizoma Crudus (生薑汁) and stir-fried) or Zingiberis Rhizoma Crudus (乾薑) and Aconiti Tuber (烏頭) used as assistant herbs will treat damp phlegm. ⑥ The method for making Pinelliae Tube Fermentata (半夏麴) is shown in detail in the chapter on Various Prescriptions. - Pinelliae Tube Preparata 法製半夏: Use 1 geun of big Pinelliae Tuber (半夏). Put 1 geun of Calx (石灰) and 7 bowls
of boiled water into a jar and stir. Dry this under the sun and remove the waste that is sunken. Put the Pinelliae Tuber (半夏) in this and stir with hands. Dry this under the sun during the day and put this outside during the night. After 7 days, take the Pinelliae Tuber (半夏) out and then wash this for 3~4 times with distilled water. Renew the water 3 times a day for 3 days. After 3 days, take this out, and dry. Cut 4 nyang of Glycyrrhizae Radix (甘草), Menthae Herba (薄荷), 5 don of Syzygii Flos (丁香), Ponciri Fructus Immaturus (枳實), Aucklandiae Radix (木香), Zingiberis Rhizoma Crudus (乾薑) (peeled and dried), Citrus Unshius Pericarpium (陳皮), Citri Unshius Pericarpium Immaturus (靑皮), Aruantii Fructus Immaturus (枳殼), Schisandrae Fructus (五味子), and Amomi Fructus (砂仁), 3 don of Amomi Fructus Rotundus (白豆蔲) and Cinnamomi Cortex (肉桂), and 1 don of Aquillariae Lignum (沈香). Put these together in a jar with 15 bowls of boiled
water and Pinelliae Tuber (半夏) for 14 days and nights. Place the jar under the sun during the day and outside at night. After 14 days, take all the herbs including Pinelliae Tuber (半夏) out and cover with a white hemp cloth. Place this on the hot floor and cover with a bowl for about 30 minutes (time that takes to burn 3 incenses). Separate the Pinelliae Tuber (半夏) from other herbs and dry the Pinelliae Tuber (半夏) for later use. If the person with phlegm heat takes this prescription, the person will release feces that is like fish glue and after a day, and the root of phlegm is removed and no more phlegm will be produced. This formula has a profound effect in resolving phlegm. If you want to see this effect, grind 7~8 pills of Pinelliae Tuber (半夏) and put in the plate with phlegm in it. You can see phlegm changing to clear water. When a wind stroke patient cannot talk due to phlegm, grind 7~8 pills to take with well water, and gently massage the abdomen with the hands. The person will soon wake up and talk. - Trichosanthis Semen 瓜蔞仁: It treats heat phlegm, alcohol-phlegm, old phlegm, and dry phlegm. It moistens the lungs, resolves phlegm, brings qi down, and washes oily waste out of the chest. Take this with water or in pill-form. Both forms are equally effective.
- Drabae Semen 葶藶子: It removes phlegm and fluid retention in the chest and drives out water qi in the lung meridian. Grinded and decocted forms both work well.
- Inulae Flos 旋覆花: It removes Asini Corii Colla- or lacquer tree-like phlegm from an accumulation in the chest. It expels phlegm water in the chest and the ribcage. Boil this in water or make pills to take.
- Ponciri Fructus Immaturus 枳實: ① It removes the phlegm wall (痰癖) in the chest and the rib-sideribcage. Boil this with water or make pills to take. ② In removing phlegm it can even penetrate fences and walls.
- Aruantii Fructus Immaturus 枳殼: It removes phlegm and scatters accumulated phlegm in the diaphragm. Decocted and grinded forms both work well.
- Arisaematis Rhizoma 天南星: It treats wind phlegm. Cover with damp paper, roast, add seven pieces of ginger and boil with water, and drink. Or make pills with paste made with the juice of Zingiberis Rhizoma Crudus (生薑汁) to take this.
- Chalcocitum 靑礞石: It treats phlegm due to food accumulation. Taking this after heating on a fire with Mirabilitum (焰硝) drives phlegm accumulation out with the feces. Pill or powder form both work well.
- Chaenomelis Fructus 木瓜: ① It removes phlegm and prevents the formation of phlegm. ② Water boiled with Chaenomelis Fructus (木瓜) treats phlegm and tonifies the spleen and stomach. Steam Chaenomelis Fructus (木瓜) well and remove the flesh. Grind it and filter to remove the waste. Put some boiled down honey, the juice of Zingiberis Rhizoma Crudus (生薑汁), and the Bambusae Caulis in Liquamen (竹瀝), stir, and boil down. Take one big spoon and chew 3~4 times a day.
- Mume Fructus Praeparatum 烏梅: It removes phlegm and relieves thirst. Drink this instead of tea.
- Brassicae Junceae Folium 白芥子: ① It is commonly prescribed for cold phlegm in the diaphragm. ② When phlegm is on the ribcage, it cannot be treated without Brassicae Junceae Folium (白芥子). Grinded or decocted form is effective.
- Melonis Pedicellus 瓜蔕: ① It makes the person vomit phlegm. ② When a person faints due to a chest obstruction by phlegm, the person will wake up soon on vomiting after taking Trichosanthes Guiding Powder. (The formula is written in the chapter Emesis)
- Anodontae Caro 海粉: It brings heat phlegm down, dries damp phlegm, softens accumulated phlegm, and resolves obstinate phlegm. Do not put this in a decoction. Put this in pills. The method for making this is described in detail in the chapter Various Prescriptions.
- Anodontae Caro 蛤粉: It removes phlegm and softens hardness. This is the powder of Anodontae Caro (海蛤), sealed, and heated under a fire. Powder and pill forms both work well.
- Shell of Corbicula Fruminea 蜆殼: Burn this to white ashes and mix with gruel before taking. It removes phlegm water in the chest.
22 Acupuncture and Moxibustion 鍼灸法 침구법
① Use ST40 and CV12 for all phlegm and fluid retention diseases.
② Use CV14 and ST36 when the person vomits and cannot eat well due to phlegm in the chest.
③ Use CV12 for overflowing fluid.
④ Use GB28, LR4, BL21 and BL23 when the person cannot eat properly due to the attack of congested water qi in the triple energizer.
⑤ There are various diseases like phlegm and saliva. Among those, the phlegm of phthisis is difficult to treat. Give moxibustion on BL43 immediately. When the appropriate amount of moxibustion is given, water-like material will flow
down. This is phlegm.
