Li, female, 45 years old, teacher, visited on April 5, 1994. She reported having a common cold a week ago, which was treated with Isatis Root infusion granule and antelope common cold tablets, and she recovered. Subsequently, she felt distension and pain in the Shangwan (CV13) and both flanks, which were tender to touch, accompanied by irritability and loss of appetite. Her pulse was wiry and slippery, and her tongue coating was pale yellow and greasy. Initially, it was mistakenly thought to be residual lung heat with impaired qi movement, and she was prescribed Fermented Soybean, Forsythia, Platycodon Root, and Submature Bitter Orange to clear and ventilate the lung. After several doses with no effect, the treatment was changed to soothing the liver and harmonizing the stomach with qi-regulating herbs, but her dysphoria worsened. Therefore, the mechanism of the disease was carefully reconsidered. The patient had an external contraction and had taken excessive cold and cooling substances, leading to inward invasion of pathogenic heat combining with internal fluid retention to form thoracic accumulation.
The 138th clause of the "Treatise on Cold Damage Diseases" states: "For minor thoracic accumulation disease, located right below the heart, painful upon pressure, with a floating and slippery pulse, Minor Chest Bind Decoction is prescribed." Therefore, only Coptis Rhizome 9g, Ginger Pinellia 10g, and whole Trichosanthis Fruit 20g were used. After three doses, the pain significantly reduced, and after another three doses, she was cured.