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Any method of treatment involving the use of minerals and animal shells, and other medicinals to settle fright and calm the spirit, to subdue yáng and extinguish wind, and to secure the kidney and promote qì absorption.

Methods

Settling fright and quieting the spirit (镇惊安神 zhèn jīng ān shén) is used to treat heart palpitation, fearful throbbing, insomnia, or mania and withdrawal. This method makes use of heavy settlers, i.e., medicinals that are heavy in substance and have a settling effect on bodily functions, such as loadstone (Magnetitum, 磁石 cí shí), dragon bone (Mastodi Ossis Fossilia, 龙骨 lóng gǔ), dragon tooth (Mastodi Dentis Fossilia, 龙齿 lóng chǐ), oyster shell (Ostreae Concha, 牡蛎 mǔ lì), mother-of-pearl (Concha Margaritifera, 珍珠母 zhēn zhū mǔ), cinnabar (Cinnabaris, 朱砂 zhū shā), and iron flakes (Ferri Frusta, 铁落 tiě luò). Heavy settlers may be combined with yáng-freeing medicinals such as cinnamon twig (Cinnamomi Ramulus, 桂枝 guì zhī) and acorus (Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma, 石菖蒲 shí chāng pú), with heart-qi–supplementing medicinals such as codonopsis (Codonopsis Radix, 党参 dǎng shēn) and licorice (Glycyrrhizae Radix, 甘草 gān cǎo), with heart-blood-nourishing medicinals such as salvia (Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix, 丹参 dān shēn), dried rehmannia (Rehmanniae Radix, 干地黄 gān dì huáng), Chinese angelica (Angelicae Sinensis Radix, 当归 dāng guī), and ass hide glue (Asini Corii Colla, 阿胶 ē jiāo), with heart-spirit–quieting medicinals such as spiny jujube (Ziziphi Spinosi Semen, 酸枣仁 suān zǎo rén) and arborvitae seed (Platycladi Semen, 柏子仁 bǎi zǐ rén), and with heat-clearing phlegm-transforming medicinals such as coptis (Coptidis Rhizoma, 黄连 huáng lián) and bamboo shavings (Bambusae Caulis in Taenia, 竹茹 zhú rú) according to need. A commonly used formula is Loadstone and Cinnabar Pill (磁朱丸 cí zhū wán).

Subduing yáng and extinguishing wind (潜阳息风 qián yáng xī fēng) is used to treat a) ascendant liver yáng or liver wind characterized by headache, dizziness, agitation, twitching muscles, and trembling hands, b) extreme heat engendering wind on externally contracted disease, characterized by high fever, clouded spirit, tetanic reversal, and convulsions of the limbs, or c) yīn vacuity stirring external wind in final-stage externally contracted febrile diseases, characterized by heat in the palms of the hands and soles of the feet, trembling limbs, or tetanic reversal.

Medicinal therapy: Yáng-subduing wind-extinguishing medicinals such as oyster shell (Ostreae Concha, 牡蛎 mǔ lì), mother-of-pearl (Concha Margaritifera, 珍珠母 zhēn zhū mǔ), dragon tooth (Mastodi Dentis Fossilia, 龙齿 lóng chǐ), and loadstone (Magnetitum, 磁石 cí shí) combined with liver-clearing medicinals such as uncaria (Uncariae Ramulus cum Uncis, 钩藤 gōu téng), chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemi Flos, 菊花 jú huā), mulberry leaf (Mori Folium, 桑叶 sāng yè), prunella (Prunellae Spica, 夏枯草 xià kū cǎo), moutan (Moutan Cortex, 牡丹皮 mǔ dān pí), and gardenia (Gardeniae Fructus, 山栀子 shān zhī zǐ) or with yīn-enriching medicinals such as dried rehmannia (Rehmanniae Radix, 干地黄 gān dì huáng), scrophularia (Scrophulariae Radix, 玄参 xuán shēn), ophiopogon (Ophiopogonis Radix, 麦门冬 mài mén dōng), ligustrum (Ligustri Lucidi Fructus, 女贞子 nǚ zhēn zǐ), tortoise shell (Testudinis Carapax et Plastrum, 龟版 guī bǎn), and ass hide glue (Asini Corii Colla, 阿胶 ē jiāo). If necessary, wind-extinguishing tetany-settling medicinals such as scorpion (Scorpio, 全蝎 quán xiē), silkworm (Bombyx Batryticatus, 白僵蚕 bái jiāng cán), earthworm (Pheretima, 地龙 dì lóng), and antelope horn (Saigae Tataricae Cornu, 羚羊角 líng yáng jiǎo) may be employed. Gastrodia and Uncaria Beverage (天麻钩藤饮 tiān má gōu téng yǐn) is used to treat liver yáng transforming into wind. Triple-Armored Pulse-Restorative Decoction (三甲复脉汤 sān jiǎ fù mài tāng) is used to treat yīn vacuity stirring wind.

Securing the kidney and promoting qì absorption (固肾纳气 gù shèn nà qì) is used to treat failure of the kidney to absorb qì, marked by short rapid breathing, panting at the slightest exertion, vacuity sweating, cold limbs, a bright-white or dark green-blue complexion or upbearing fire flush (red complexion due fire in bowels and viscera), and a fine sunken pulse. Treatment employs kidney-supplementing medicinals such as aconite (Aconiti Radix Lateralis Praeparata, 附子 fù zǐ), cinnamon bark (Cinnamomi Cortex, 肉桂 ròu guì), cooked rehmannia (Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata, 熟地黄 shú dì huáng), cornus (Corni Fructus, 山茱萸 shān zhū yú), walnut (Juglandis Semen, 胡桃仁 hú táo rén), and gecko (Gecko, 蛤蚧 gé jiè). To these should added heavy settlers such as loadstone (Magnetitum, 磁石 cí shí), fluorite (Amethystum seu Fluoritum, 紫石英 zǐ shí yīng), stalactite (Stalactitum, 钟乳石 zhōng rǔ shí), and galenite (Galenitum, 铅 qiān) to promote the kidney’s action of absorbing qì. A commonly used formula is Galenite Elixir (黑锡丹 hēi xí dān)

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