治阴虚劳热，或喘，或嗽，或大便滑泻，小便不利，一切羸弱虚损之证。
生怀山药（一斤，轧细过罗）
上药一味，每服用药七八钱，或至一两。和凉水调入锅内，
置炉上，不住以箸搅之，两三沸即成粥服之。若小儿服，或少调以白糖亦可。
此粥多服久服间有发闷者，掺以西药百布圣一瓦同服，则无此弊，且更多进饮食。
门生吴××，年二十一。羸弱发热，脉象虚数，不能饮食。俾早晚服山药粥，加百布圣，晌午单服玄参三钱，
煎汤服。如此数日，食量增加，发热亦愈，自此健壮。
一妇人，年三十余。泄泻数月不止，病势垂危。倩人送信于其父母，其父将往瞻视，询方于愚。言从前屡
次延医治疗，百药不效。因授以山药煮粥方，日服三次，两日全愈。又服数日，身亦康健。
一娠妇，日发痫风。其脉无受娠滑象，微似弦而兼数。知阴分亏损，血液短少也。亦俾煮山药粥服之即愈。
又服数次，永不再发。
奉天关氏少妇，素有劳疾，因产后暴虚，喘嗽大作。治以此粥，日服两次，服至四五日，喘嗽皆愈。又服
数日，其劳疾自此除根。
奉天郑××之女，年五岁。秋日为风寒所束，心中发热。医者不知用辛凉表散，而纯投以苦寒之药，连服
十余剂，致脾胃受伤，大便滑泻，月余不止，而上焦之热益炽。医者皆辞不治，始求愚为诊视，其形状羸弱已
甚，脉象细微浮数，表里俱热，时时恶心，不能饮食，昼夜犹泻十余次。治以此粥，俾随便饮之，日四五次，
一次不过数羹匙，旬日全愈。
农村小儿，于秋夏之交，多得滑泻证。盖农家此时多饮凉水，而小儿尤喜饮之。农家此时多食瓜果，而小
儿尤喜食之。生冷之物，皆伤脾胃，脾胃伤，则滑泻随之，此自然之理也。而滑泻之证，在小儿为最难治。盖
小儿少阳之体，阴分未足，滑泻不
止，尤易伤阴分。往往患此证者，数日即浑身发热，津短燥渴，小便不利，干呕懒食，唯嗜凉物。当此之际，
欲滋其阴，而脾胃愈泥，欲健其脾，而真阴愈耗，凉润温补，皆不对证。而小儿又多苦服药，病家又多姑息，
以婉随小儿之意，以致迁延岁月，竟成不治者多矣。惟山药脾肾双补，在上能清，在下能固，利小便而止大便，
真良药也。且又为寻常服食之物，以之作粥，少加沙糖调和，小儿必喜食之。一日两次煮服，数日必愈。若系
哺乳稚子，不能食粥，即食之亦不能多者，但浓煮生山药汁，饮之亦可。愚以此方治小儿多矣。志在救人者，
甚勿以为寻常服食之物，而忽之也。
治疗阴虚引起的劳热，或者气喘，或者咳嗽，或者大便滑泄，小便不通利，以及一切身体消瘦虚损的病证。
生怀山药（一斤，轧碎后过筛）
以上一味药，每次服用七八钱，或至一两。将药粉与凉水调和后倒入锅内，放在炉火上，不停地用筷子搅拌，煮开两三滚即成粥，趁热服用。如果是给小儿服用，可以稍微加些白糖调味也可以。
这碗粥如果多服、久服，偶尔会出现胸闷的情况，此时掺入西药“百布圣”（Bismuth Subcarbonate，碱式碳酸铋）一瓦（约3克）同服，就没有这种弊病，而且还能增进饮食。
门生吴××，二十一岁。身体消瘦虚弱且发热，脉象虚而快，不能进食。让他早晚服用山药粥，并加入百布圣，中午单独服用玄参三钱，煎汤喝。如此几天后，食量增加，发热也痊愈了，从此变得健壮。
有一位妇人，三十多岁。腹泻几个月不止，病情危急。她让人送信给父母，父亲打算去探望，向我询问方子。说之前多次请医生治疗，各种药都不见效。于是传授给她山药煮粥的方子，每天服用三次，两天就完全痊愈。又服用了几天，身体也就康健了。
有一位孕妇，每天发作痫风（癫痫）。她的脉象没有怀孕应有的滑象，微细似弦且兼数。知道是阴分亏损，血液短少所致。也让煮山药粥服用，立刻痊愈。又服用了数次，从此不再发作。
奉天关家的少妇，素有痨疾（慢性消耗性疾病），因为产后突然极度虚弱，气喘和咳嗽大作。用此粥治疗，每天服用两次，服到四五天后，气喘和咳嗽都好了。又服用了几天，那痨疾从此除根。
奉天郑××的女儿，五岁。秋天被风寒束缚，心中发热。医生不知道用辛凉解表的方法，反而纯用苦寒的药物，连续服用十几剂，导致脾胃受伤，大便滑泄，一个多月不停，而上焦的热邪更加炽盛。其他医生都推辞不治，才请求我诊治。她身体非常消瘦虚弱，脉象细微浮数，表里都有热，经常恶心，不能进食，昼夜还要腹泻十几次。用此粥治疗，让她随意饮用，每天四五次，一次不过几羹匙，十天就完全痊愈。
农村的小儿，在夏秋之交，多得滑泄证。大概是因为农家这个时候多喝凉水，而小儿尤其喜欢喝。农家这个时候多吃瓜果，而小儿尤其喜欢吃。生冷之物，都会损伤脾胃，脾胃受伤，就会随之出现滑泄，这是自然的道理。而滑泄这种病证，在小儿身上是最难治疗的。因为小儿是少阳之体，阴分不足，滑泄不止，更容易损伤阴分。往往患此证的孩子，几天后就会浑身发热，津液短少、口干舌燥，小便不通利，干呕不想吃东西，只嗜好凉的东西。在这个时候，想要滋阴，脾胃却更加滞涩；想要健脾，真阴却更加耗损。凉润、温补的药，都不对症。而且小儿又多讨厌吃药，家属又多溺爱姑息，顺从小儿的心意，以致拖延岁月，最终成为不治之症的很多。只有山药能脾肾双补，在上能清热，在下能固涩，通利小便而止住大便，真是良药啊。况且它又是平常的食物，用它做粥，少加砂糖调和，小儿一定喜欢吃。一天煮两次服用，几天必定痊愈。如果是哺乳期的婴儿，不能吃粥，即使吃了也不能吃多的，只要浓煮生山药汁，给他们喝也可以。我用这个方子治疗小儿已经很多了。有志于救人的人，千万不要把它当作寻常的食物而忽视它。
Treats labor fever (fever due to deficiency heat) caused by Yin deficiency, or panting, or coughing, or loose diarrhea, difficult urination, and all syndromes of emaciation and deficiency.
Raw Huai Shan Yao (Dioscorea opposita Rhizoma), 1 jin (approx. 500g), crushed and sifted finely.
Take the single herb above, 7-8 qian (approx. 26-30g) or up to 1 liang (approx. 37.5g) per dose. Mix with cold water into a pot, place on the stove, and stir constantly with chopsticks. Boil two or three times until it becomes porridge, then serve. If given to children, a small amount of white sugar may be added for taste.
Occasionally, prolonged consumption of this porridge may cause chest stuffiness. Adding one wa (approx. 3g) of Western medicine Buphestin (Bismuth Subcarbonate) to the same dose eliminates this drawback and further promotes appetite.
Student Wu XX, aged 21. Emaciated, weak, febrile, with a deficient and rapid pulse, unable to eat. Instructed to consume Shan Yao Porridge with Buphestin in the morning and evening, and take Xuan Shen (Scrophulariae Radix), 3 qian (approx. 11g), decocted in water, at noon. After several days of this regimen, food intake increased, fever subsided, and he became robust from then on.
A woman, over thirty years old. Diarrhea had persisted for months without cessation, and the condition was critical. She sent a messenger to her parents; her father intended to visit and asked me for a prescription. He stated that previous medical treatments with various medicines had been ineffective. I therefore prescribed Shan Yao Porridge, to be taken three times daily. The patient recovered completely within two days. After taking it for a few more days, her health was fully restored.
A pregnant woman suffered from daily seizures of epilepsy (Xian Feng). Her pulse lacked the typical slippery quality associated with pregnancy; it was slightly wiry and rapid. This indicated deficiency of the Yin aspect and scantiness of blood. She was also instructed to consume Shan Yao Porridge, which cured her immediately. After a few more doses, the seizures never recurred.
A young wife of the Guan family in Fengtian had a chronic consumptive disease (Lao Ji). Following childbirth, she experienced sudden severe deficiency, leading to intense panting and coughing. Treated with this porridge, taken twice daily. After four to five days, both panting and coughing ceased. After a few more days of consumption, the consumptive disease was eradicated permanently.
The daughter of Zheng XX in Fengtian, aged five. In autumn, she was constrained by wind-cold, resulting in internal heat. The physician failed to use acrid-cool exterior-releasing methods and instead administered purely bitter-cold medicines. After more than ten doses, the Spleen and Stomach were injured, causing loose diarrhea that persisted for over a month, while the heat in the Upper Jiao intensified. Other physicians declined treatment, so she sought my consultation. Her appearance was extremely emaciated; her pulse was fine, minute, floating, and rapid. There was heat in both the interior and exterior. She frequently felt nauseous, could not eat, and still had more than ten diarrheal episodes day and night. Treated with this porridge, allowed to drink freely, four to five times a day, only a few spoonfuls each time. She recovered completely within ten days.
Children in rural areas often suffer from loose diarrhea during the transition between summer and autumn. This is likely because farming families drink large amounts of cold water at this time, and children especially enjoy it. Farming families also consume many melons and fruits, which children particularly like. Raw and cold substances damage the Spleen and Stomach; once damaged, loose diarrhea follows. This is a natural principle. However, loose diarrhea is the most difficult syndrome to treat in children. Children possess the constitution of Shaoyang (Lesser Yang), meaning their Yin aspect is insufficient. Persistent loose diarrhea easily damages the Yin further. Often, patients with this syndrome develop whole-body fever within a few days, accompanied by shortness of body fluids, dry thirst, difficult urination, dry retching, anorexia, and a craving for cool substances. At such times, attempting to nourish Yin causes further stagnation in the Spleen and Stomach; attempting to strengthen the Spleen depletes the True Yin even more. Neither cooling-moistening nor warming-tonifying methods are appropriate. Moreover, children often resist taking medicine, and parents tend to indulge them, accommodating their preferences, which leads to prolonged illness and often untreatable conditions. Only Shan Yao tonifies both the Spleen and Kidney; it clears heat in the Upper Jiao and secures the Lower Jiao, promotes diuresis while stopping diarrhea. It is truly a good medicine. Furthermore, it is a common food item. Made into porridge and mixed with a little sugar, children will certainly enjoy eating it. Cooked and consumed twice daily, recovery occurs within a few days. For nursing infants who cannot eat porridge or can only eat very little, thickly boiled juice of raw Shan Yao can be drunk instead. I have used this formula to treat many children. Those dedicated to saving lives should not disregard it merely because it is an ordinary food item.