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Food malaria

食疟 〔食瘧〕shí nüè

A kind of malaria described in A Unified Treatise on Diseases, Patterns, and Remedies According to the Three Causes (三因极一病症方论 sān yīn jí yī bìng zhèng fāng lùn) as follows: When the patient has [alternating aversion to] cold and heat [effusion], rapid hungering and inability to eat, propping fullness after eating, and tense painful abdomen, occurring at day intervals, this is called stomach malaria. When none of the six bowels except the stomach has malaria, this is commonly called food malaria. Other forms of malaria with dietary irregularities can mutate into this pattern.

Zhāng’s Clear View of Medicine (张氏医通 zhāng shì yī tōng, nüè) states, Food malaria is attributable to dietary irregularities that engender phlegm in the center stomach duct, which is exacerbated by wind qì; hence there is rapid hungering and inability to eat, and propping fullness after eating, enlarged abdomen, and frequent retching. Repletion is treated by Two Matured Ingredients Decoction (二陈汤 èr chén tāng) plus bitter orange (Aurantii Fructus, 枳壳 zhǐ ké) and tsaoko (Tsaoko Fructus, 草果 cǎo guǒ). When it is due to irregular eating or excessive physical exertion, persists for a long timeand is associated with a vacuous pulse, use Center-Rectifying Decoction (理中汤 lǐ zhōng tāng) plus unripe bitter orange (Aurantii Fructus Immaturus, 枳实 zhǐ shí) and unripe tangerine peel (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Viride, 青皮 qīng pí). When the patient ordinarily suffers from yīn vacuity taxation, or when malaria has turned into taxation, then the formula should contain cinnamon twig (Cinnamomi Ramulus, 桂枝 guì zhī), ginger (Zingiberis Rhizoma, jiāng), and jujube (Jujubae Fructus, 大枣 dà zǎo); wind-dispelling phlegm-sweeping medicinals cannot be used alone. If the exterior evil is exuberant, Minor Center-Fortifying Decoction (小建中汤 xiǎo jiàn zhōng tāng) or Astragalus Center-Fortifying Decoction (黄芪建中汤 huáng qí jiàn zhōng tāng) can be used as the main treatment, followed by Six-Ingredient Pill (六味丸 liù wèi wán), with all ingredients used raw, plus cinnamon twig (Cinnamomi Ramulus, 桂枝 guì zhī) and turtle shell (Trionycis Carapax, 鳖甲 biē jiǎ).

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