Zhang, male, 57 years old, diagnosed on May 6, 1959. Acute abdominal pain for four days, no fever, initially frequent vomiting, all stomach contents. Now only nausea, thirsty for water, vomiting immediately after drinking. No bowel movement for three days, no urination at all within a day, listless, dry lips and crimson tongue with yellow dry coating, foul breath, upper abdomen distended like a drum, abdomen hard and resistant to pressure, a cucumber-shaped mass below the navel with obvious tenderness. Auscultation: metallic sounds and gurgling sounds occasionally heard at the bulging area, accompanied by severe colicky pain and agonizing cries. Complexion pale, profuse head sweating, cold limbs, pulse wiry, tight, and rapid, diagnosed as "intestinal obstruction". Prescription:
Rhubarb 15g, Mirabilite 15g (take infused), Magnolia Bark 9g, Immature Orange Fruit 9g, Trichosanthes Seed 30g (finely pounded), Pro Formula Pinellia 9g
Decoct into two bowls, mix with Mirabilite to form a buttery soup. At 4 PM, after slowly drinking the first bowl, most of it was vomited due to choking on water. Then slowly drank the second bowl, after which the patient felt severe abdominal pain. Auscultation revealed gurgling sounds like tides, followed by gradual disappearance of pain. After 6:30 PM, first passed hard stool, then loose stool, with great relief in the abdomen. At midnight, the patient felt hungry, asked for a bowl of porridge and fell asleep. Subsequently, recuperated and recovered.