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The "Leng Lu Yi Hua" mentions: The "Yi Jian Zhi" states that a prisoner in Taizhou was subjected to interrogation and torture, resulting in lung injury and hematemesis. He was treated with powdered common bletilla pseudobulb, taken daily with rice water. Later, when the prisoner was executed by lingchi (a form of dismemberment), the executioner opened his chest and found dozens of holes in his lungs, all filled with common bletilla pseudobulb, which had not changed color. This account was included by Li Dong-bi in the "Bencao Gangmu," and many physicians believed it. However, Shu Chiyuan of Jinxian, in his "Cold-Damage Disease Collected Commentaries," argued: The lungs are separated by the spine, so how could the lungs be injured while the bones remained unharmed? Moreover, common bletilla pseudobulb enters the stomach through the esophagus, not the lungs through the trachea. This is clearly a fabrication, and so on.

The original version of this story is described in more detail in the "Bencao Gangmu": Li Shizhen said: Common bletilla pseudobulb has astringent and contracting properties, aligning with the autumn metal phase, thus it can enter the lungs to stop bleeding, promote tissue regeneration, and treat sores. According to Hong Mai's "Yi Jian Zhi": A prison officer in Taizhou took pity on a major prisoner. The prisoner, moved by this, said: I have committed seven capital crimes and have been interrogated and tortured, resulting in lung injuries and hematemesis. A remedy was passed down: simply use powdered common bletilla pseudobulb, taken daily with rice water, and the effect is miraculous. Later, when the prisoner was executed by lingchi, the executioner opened his chest and found dozens of holes in his lungs, all filled with common bletilla pseudobulb, which had not changed color. Hong Guanzhi heard this story and, upon taking office in Yangzhou, used this remedy to save a soldier who was suffering from severe hemoptysis, stopping the bleeding in just one day.

In fact, this is a case of pulmonary tuberculosis with caseous necrosis. The following link connects to a pathological slide from the Veterans General Hospital. Brave viewers can study it: http://www.path.vghtpe.gov.tw/chinese/html/VirtualClass/Museum/Mu-0508.htm

The "Clinical Applications of Chinese Medicinals" by Zhuo Dahong mentions: Many physicians throughout history have used common bletilla pseudobulb to treat pulmonary tuberculosis, but in reality, its value in treating pulmonary tuberculosis is still limited to managing hemoptysis complications. Although some now use common bletilla pseudobulb to treat infiltrative or cavitary pulmonary tuberculosis, it is mostly used as an adjunct to other anti-tuberculosis drugs. Traditional Chinese medicine experience also suggests that treating tuberculosis requires combining it with other qi-replenishing and yin-nourishing medicinals, such as Tortoise Carapace, oyster shell, pangolin scales, Donkey-hide Gelatin, Tangshen, and Astragalus Root. Such combinations of medicinals provide nourishment, strengthening, calcium supplementation, and antibacterial effects.

Common bletilla pseudobulb has hemostatic properties and can be used for gastric bleeding or hemoptysis due to bronchiectasis. Modern Chinese medicine texts frequently cite the anecdote of common bletilla pseudobulb filling lung cavities. Ancient people were inevitably limited by their lack of scientific knowledge, leading to erroneous conclusions. However, with the advancement of science and the accumulation of knowledge, these errors can be corrected, which is the true essence of scientific progress.

I believe that current authors of Chinese medicine books are well aware that this is incorrect. However, if intellectuals clearly point this out but continue to copy from old texts, the ones most affected will be beginners in Chinese medicine, who will need to spend several more years figuring out what is true, what is nearly philosophical speculation, and what belongs to the realm of simple myths. If all of this can coexist within the scope of Chinese medicine, then what is the point of discussing "scientification"? Perhaps we need to redefine it ourselves, which is also part of the "unique scientification of Chinese medicine."

The "Leng Lu Yi Hua" also mentions a few more examples for everyone to appreciate: It is said that ancient prescriptions for inducing labor used rat kidney pills and rabbit brain pills, claiming that the medicine would come out from the baby's hands. Following Shu's reasoning, since the fetus is outside the intestines and the medicine enters the stomach, how could it reach the baby's hands?

However, observing the "Xu Ling-tai Medical Cases": A girl from Hengjing had a leg abscess that formed a fistula, from which rice grains flowed out. A boy from Changxing had an arm ulcer for a year, and the rice grains he ate came out from the ulcer.

Also, the "Huai Xi Miscellaneous Records" mentions treating fractures and setting bones by burning Kaiyuan Tongbao coins, quenching them in vinegar, grinding them into powder, and taking them with wine. The copper powder would form a ring and bind around the fracture site. This was tested on a chicken with a broken leg, and it worked. These are phenomena that cannot be explained by reason, so the ancient theories should not be entirely dismissed as false.

The "Chao Ye Qian Zai" states: A scholar in Luozhou suffered from echolalia, where his throat would echo whatever he said. The skilled physician Zhang Wenzhong had him read the "Materia Medica," and his throat echoed everything until it reached the part he feared, where it remained silent. Zhang then prepared a pill from the listed medicinals and gave it to the scholar, and the echolalia stopped immediately.

Later, the "Dunzhai Jianlan" recorded that Yang's abdomen responded to sounds, and when he read the "Materia Medica" up to "Thunder Ball," there was no response. After taking several pills, he recovered. The "Bozhai Bian" recorded that Mao Jing had something in his throat that responded to sounds. When he recited the "Materia Medica" up to "blue," there was no response. After drinking the juice, he vomited worms and recovered.

Their theories are all cited in medical texts. I suspect that the response of insects to sound is due to the influence of abnormal qi, and not because they possess any perceptive intelligence. How could they hear something they fear and then cease to make noise? It is likely all embellishments by fiction writers.

Locke Chinese Medicine Research Station, Lü Chongjin, compiled by Dr. Locke.