On the Pulse, Symptoms, and Treatment of Malaria
The teacher said: In a patient with malaria, if the pulse is wiry and rapid, there is more heat and less cold; if the pulse is wiry and slow, there is more cold and less heat. If the pulse is wiry and slightly tight, purgation may be used; if wiry and slow, warming therapy may be used. If wiry and tight, sweating, acupuncture, or moxibustion may be used; if the pulse is floating and large, emesis may be used. If wiry and rapid, it is due to wind pathogen attacking, and treatment should be sought from the shaoyang channel.
A question was asked: In malaria that occurs once a month, it should resolve in fifteen days; in severe cases, it will resolve at the end of the month. If the disease does not resolve, what should be done? The teacher said: This is because the pathogenic qi has congealed and formed a mass, and there must be a malaria root. It should be treated quickly, and Biejia Jian Wan is appropriate.
Biejia Jian Wan Formula
Biejia (turtle shell), Chaihu (bupleurum), Huangqin (scutellaria), Dahuang (rhubarb), Mudan (moutan root bark), Zhechong (ground beetle), Ejiao (donkey-hide gelatin), equal amounts of each.
The above seven ingredients are pounded and sifted, then made into pills with refined honey, the size of wutong seeds. Take seven pills each time, three times daily, with clear wine. If unable to drink wine, plain boiled water may be used instead.
The teacher said: When yin qi is isolated and exhausted, and yang qi alone is hyperactive, there will be fever, shortness of breath, irritability, heat in the hands and feet, and a desire to vomit. This is called dan malaria (biliary malaria), and it is treated with Baihu Jia Guizhi Renshen Tang.
Baihu Jia Guizhi Renshen Tang Formula
Zhimu (anemarrhena) six liang, Shigao (gypsum) one jin, Gancao (licorice, roasted) two liang, Jingmi (non-glutinous rice) two he, Guizhi (cinnamon twig) three liang, Renshen (ginseng) three liang.
The above six ingredients are boiled in one dou of water until the rice is cooked. When the decoction is ready, remove the dregs. Take one sheng warm, three times daily.
In malaria, if the patient's pulse is as usual, there is no sensation of cold, only fever, with bone and joint pain and irritability, and occasional vomiting, this is called wen malaria (warm malaria), and it is appropriate to use Baihu Jia Guizhi Tang. Baihu Jia Guizhi Tang Formula (This is the same as the previous formula with Renshen removed.)
In malaria, if there is much cold, or only cold without fever, this is called mu malaria (male malaria). It is treated with Shuji San, and Chaihu Guijiang Tang also treats it.
Shuji San Formula
Shuji (dichroa root, washed to remove fishy smell), Yunmu (mica, burned for two days and two nights), Longgu (dragon bone), equal amounts of each.
The above three ingredients are pounded into a powder. Before the onset of the attack, take half a qian spoon mixed with jiangshui (fermented rice water).
Chaihu Guijiang Tang Formula
Chaihu (bupleurum) half jin, Guizhi (cinnamon twig) three liang, Ganjiang (dried ginger) two liang, Gualougen (trichosanthes root) four liang, Huangqin (scutellaria) three liang, Gancao (licorice, roasted) two liang, Muli (oyster shell, boiled) two liang.
The above seven ingredients are boiled in one dou of water to obtain six sheng. Remove the dregs, then decoct further to obtain three sheng. Take one sheng warm, three times daily. After the first dose, there may be slight irritability; after the second dose, sweating will occur and the patient will recover.