title | Medical Records of Yu Jia-yan |
Ni Qingyun suffered from diaphragmatic qi. For fourteen days, he could not swallow a single grain of rice, first vomiting clear water, then green water, then black water, and finally foul-smelling water. His breathing was on the verge of stopping. The doctors had already given up, but I happened to examine him and assured him that he could be saved. His family did not believe me. I said, "Within the next twenty-four hours, first administer six doses of Middle-Regulating Decoction to prevent him from dying. Change the prescription early tomorrow morning, and one dose will completely cure him." His family said, "The illness has reached this point; he can't even swallow a drop of water. How can he take six doses of medicine?" I replied, "Once this sweet and warm medicine enters his mouth, he will gladly take more. There is no need to worry." His sons, some of whom were scholars or officials and understood reason, argued, "If you have such a miraculous prescription, why not use it immediately to see the effect? Why must you first use Middle-Regulating Decoction and then change it? What is the meaning of this?" I said, "The 'Golden Chamber' states that for patients with persistent belching, Inula and Hematite Decoction is the remedy. For this illness, I have two reasons for using it separately: First, the black water is the water from the bottom of the stomach, and the foul-smelling water is the water from the intestines. Once this water is expelled, the body fluids in the stomach have long been depleted, so I dare not use Pinellia to dry the stomach. Second, the dying breath is hanging by a thread, and if I use Hematite to suppress it, I fear it will break immediately. Therefore, I must first use Middle-Regulating Decoction to regulate yin and yang, making it easier for the qi to descend, and then Hematite can achieve its miraculous effect." So I used only Inula Flower, boiled into a soup, and mixed with two teaspoons of Hematite powder. As soon as it entered his mouth, he felt the qi turn to the dantian.