Liu, male, 34 years old, visited on May 28, 1983. Chief complaint: Three days ago, the weather was quite hot. While working in the field, he sweated profusely, soaking his clothes, and then bathed in a small stream for half an hour. In the evening, he felt aversion to cold, chest fullness and discomfort, and occasional hiccups, with no other discomforts. He considered it a minor ailment that would heal without medication and did not seek treatment. After three days, the hiccups worsened, and vomiting appeared, so he came for treatment.
Current symptoms: Persistent hiccups, qi counterflow rushing up to the throat, vomiting clear fluid, headache and aversion to cold, floating, slow, and thin pulse, pale tongue with white and slippery coating. Based on these symptoms and pulse, it is attributed to cold damaging the exterior, middle yang deficiency, and stomach qi ascending counterflow. Treatment should focus on releasing the exterior and dissipating cold, warming the stomach, and downbearing counterflow. Thus, Cinnamon Twig Decoction minus Peony Root plus Aconite Decoction was prescribed:
Cinnamon Twig 15g, Aconite Lateral Root 12g (to be decocted first), Chinese Date 10g, Liquorice Root 3g, Fresh Ginger Rhizome 12g
After taking one dose, the qi calmed and vomiting stopped, and the hiccups lessened. After taking two more doses, he fully recovered.