In 1923, during the time of the Two Liu War in Yuzhou, a soldier suddenly fell seriously ill. A boat was dispatched to urgently bring me across the river to diagnose him. I saw him curled up under a blanket, and upon touching him, I felt a steaming heat. His pulse showed signs of deficiency. Upon inquiring about the cause of his illness, I learned that he had been on a campaign in the heat of June, sleeping outdoors with his weapon as a pillow, which led to cold invading his marrow and heat permeating his skin. Thus, despite his high fever, he desired to be near warm clothing. I prescribed Zhang Zhongjing's Aconite Heart-Draining Decoction for him to take. Specifically, Aconite Lateral Root was decocted to combat the latent cold, and the three Huang herbs were steeped to dispel the superficial heat. He recovered after one dose.
Raw Aconite Lateral Root 1 piece (to be decocted first) Coptis Rhizome 3g Skullcap Root 3g Rhubarb Rhizoma 6g
The above three Huang herbs should be soaked in boiling water for a short while, then the dregs should be squeezed out, and the juice of the Aconite Lateral Root should be added. The mixture should be taken warm in divided doses.