典藏书目

Ziheche (Placenta) is the human placenta. At the beginning of life, it is formed from the father's essence and the mother's blood. There is a layer of membrane wrapping around the embryo, which is the Baoyi (placental sac). After ten months of gestation, it is born along with the infant, emerging after the baby. Its taste is sweet and salty, its nature is warm, and it is non-toxic. It primarily treats emaciation due to deficiency of Qi and Blood, darkening of the skin in women due to exhaustion, and gradual wasting from various abdominal diseases, all of which are caused by insufficient Ying-Blood and depleted Jing-Essence. This medicine forms from the Qi of Jing and Blood and can tonify through similarity; thus, it treats all kinds of deficiency and extreme exhaustion in both men and women, serving to nourish Blood and tonify Jing-Essence, truly possessing the merit of returning to the root and restoring original vitality.

Baoyi Shui (Placental Water) refers to the liquid obtained by storing the placenta in a jar, burying it underground for many years until it naturally decomposes. Its taste is pungent, its nature is cold, and it is non-toxic. Because it deeply absorbs the Qi of Earth, turbid Qi transforms, leaving only Yin Qi intact. Therefore, it enters the Foot-Yangming Stomach Meridian and can resolve Tianxing Shi Yi (epidemic febrile diseases), mania, Xiao'er Wugu Youzhu (pediatric malnutrition syndrome), Dandu (erysipelas), Re Du (heat toxins), and Xue Re Dou Chuang (hemorrhagic measles/rubella). It can replace Jin Zhi (human fecal supernatant) to clear heat while providing tonification, doubling its efficacy.

Ziheche is greatly warm. It specifically nourishes the Liver and Kidney, tonifies deficiency and exhaustion, and treats Lao Zhai Chuan Shi (consumptive diseases such as tuberculosis), emaciation with dry hair, bone-steaming night sweats, soreness and pain in the waist and spine, flaccidity and weakness of the feet and knees, palpitations, and general debility. It also benefits women, aiding conception. If stored in a jar and buried underground for a long time, it naturally decomposes, named He Che Shui (River Cart Water). It drives away delirious speech caused by epidemic febrile diseases, removes heat toxins from pediatric erysipelas rashes, clears hemorrhagic measles/rubella caused by blood heat, and serves as a substitute for Jin Zhi to clear heat, with added tonifying effects, making it superior in efficacy.

Main Indications (Integration of Smallpox and Rash): Greatly tonifies Qi and Blood; used for patients with smallpox or rashes who have dual deficiency of Qi and Blood.

Note: Cui Shi stated that the placental sac should be stored in an auspicious place and not eaten by insects or beasts, lest it cause infertility in the child. This follows the principle of "when the copper mountain collapses west, the bells ring east." Steaming and eating it disregards harm to others; those with thick, rich essence should not bear to do so.

Nail clippings from pregnant women (The nail corresponds externally to the surplus of tendons, possesses the ability of Liver Qi dispersion, and has the power of sweet/salty softening hardness and clearing heat. Thus, it is used to remove corneal opacities, dissipate breast abscesses, and expel the placenta. Only nails from pregnant women are selected because their Qi and Blood are abundant, enabling pregnancy, and they possess strong growth potential.) Pregnant women's nail clippings help expel the placenta. (If the placenta fails to descend, burn the mother's hand and foot nail clippings to ash and take with wine.) They dissipate breast abscesses; taken as fine powder and applied to the eyes, they remove corneal opacities and treat foreign bodies like fly filaments entering the eye.