（附∶麦苗善治黄胆）
大麦芽∶性平，味微酸（含有稀盐酸，是以善消）。能入脾胃，消化一切饮食积聚，为补助脾胃药之辅佐
品（补脾胃以参、术、 为主，而以此辅之）。若与参、术、 并用，能运化其补益之力，不至作胀满。为其
性善消化，兼能通利二便，虽为脾胃之药，而实善舒肝气（舒肝宜生用，炒用之则无效）。夫肝主疏泄为肾行
气，为其力能舒肝，善助肝木疏泄以行肾气，故又善于催生。至妇人之乳汁为血所化，因其善于消化，微兼破
血之性，故又善回乳（无子吃乳欲回乳者，用大麦芽二两炒为末，每服五钱白汤下）。入丸散剂可炒用，入汤剂
皆宜生用。
【附案】一妇人年三十余，气分素弱，一日忽觉有气结于上脘，不能上达亦不下降，俾单用生麦芽一两，
煎汤饮之，顿觉气息通顺。
一妇人年近四旬，胁下常常作疼，饮食入胃常停滞不下行，服药数年不愈，此肝不升胃不降也。为疏方，
用生麦芽四钱以升
肝，生鸡内金二钱以降胃，又加生怀山药一两以培养脏腑之气化，防其因升之、降之而有所伤损，连服十余剂，
病遂全愈。
内子王氏，生平不能服药，即分毫无味之药亦不能服。于乙丑季秋，得黄胆症，为开好服之药数味，煎汤，
强令服之，下咽即呕吐大作，将药尽行吐出。友人张某谓，可用鲜麦苗煎汤服之。遂采鲜麦苗一握，又为之加
滑石五钱，服后病即轻减，又服一剂全愈。盖以麦苗之性，能疏通肝胆，兼能清肝胆之热，犹能消胆管之炎，
导胆汁归小肠也。因悟得此理后，凡遇黄胆症，必加生麦芽数钱于药中，亦奏效颇着。然药铺中麦芽皆干者，
若能得鲜麦芽，且长至寸余用之，当更佳。或当有麦苗时，于服药之外，以麦苗煎汤当茶饮之亦可。
（附：麦苗善于治疗黄疸）
大麦芽：性质平和，味道微酸（含有稀盐酸，因此擅长消化）。能够进入脾胃，消化各种饮食积滞，是辅助补益脾胃药物的辅佐品（补益脾胃以人参、白术为主，而用大麦芽来辅助它）。如果与人参、白术、大麦芽并用，能够运化其补益之力，不至于导致胀满。因为它性质擅长消化，兼能通利大小便，虽然属于脾胃药，但实际上擅长疏肝气（疏肝宜生用，炒用则无效）。肝主疏泄，为肾行气，因为它的力量能疏肝，善于帮助肝木疏泄以运行肾气，所以又善于催生。至于妇女的乳汁是由血所化生，因为大麦芽善于消化，微兼破血的性质，所以又善于回乳（没有孩子吃奶想要回乳的人，用大麦芽二两炒成粉末，每次服用五钱，用白开水送服）。入丸散剂可以炒用，入汤剂都适宜生用。
【附案】一位三十多岁的妇人，气分素来虚弱，一天忽然觉得有气结在上脘，不能上达也不能下降。让单用生麦芽一两，煎汤饮用，顿时感觉气息通顺。
另一位近四十岁的妇人，胁下常常疼痛，饮食进入胃中常停滞不下行，服药数年不愈，这是肝不升、胃不降的缘故。为她开方，用生麦芽四钱以升肝，生鸡内金二钱以降胃，又加生怀山药一两以培养脏腑的气化功能，防止因升之、降之而产生损伤，连续服用十余剂，病于是完全痊愈。
我的妻子王氏，生平不能服药，即使是一点味道都没有的药也不能服。在乙丑年深秋，得了黄疸症，我开好几味药给她，煎成汤，强行让她服用，咽下去就呕吐大作，将药全部吐出。友人张某说，可以用鲜麦苗煎汤服用。于是采摘一把鲜麦苗，又为她加了滑石五钱，服用后病情立即减轻，又服用一剂完全痊愈。大概是因为麦苗的性质，能疏通肝胆，兼能清肝胆的热，还能消除胆管的炎症，引导胆汁归入小肠。因为领悟到这个道理后，凡遇到黄疸症，必定在药中加入生麦芽数钱，也取得了显著疗效。然而药铺中的麦芽都是干的，如果能得到鲜麦芽，且长到一寸多再使用，应当更好。或者在有麦苗的时候，在服药之外，用麦苗煎汤当作茶饮也可以。
(Attachment: Wheat Sprouts are Effective in Treating Jaundice)
Da Mai Ya (Hordei Fructus Germinatus, Sprouted Barley): Its nature is neutral, and its taste is slightly sour (containing dilute hydrochloric acid, thus effective in digestion). It enters the Spleen and Stomach meridians, digesting all kinds of dietary accumulations, serving as an adjuvant to herbs that tonify the Spleen and Stomach (Tonifying the Spleen and Stomach primarily relies on Renshen [Ginseng Root] and Baizhu [Atractylodis Rhizoma], with Da Mai Ya assisting them). When used together with Renshen, Baizhu, and Da Mai Ya, it can facilitate the transformation of their tonifying power, preventing distension and fullness. Because its nature excels at digestion and it also promotes the free flow of urine and defecation, although it is a herb for the Spleen and Stomach, it actually excels at soothing Liver Qi (Soothing the Liver should be done with raw usage; stir-fried usage is ineffective). The Liver governs dispersion and drainage, facilitating Qi movement for the Kidney. Because its force can soothe the Liver and assist Liver Wood in dispersing and draining to move Kidney Qi, it is also effective in inducing labor. As women's milk is transformed from blood, and because Da Mai Ya excels at digestion and has a slight blood-breaking property, it is also effective in stopping lactation (For those who wish to stop lactation without nursing an infant, use two liang of stir-fried Da Mai Ya ground into powder, taking five qian each time with warm water). For pills and powders, it can be stir-fried; for decoctions, raw usage is appropriate.
[Attached Case 1] A woman in her thirties had always been weak in Qi. One day, she suddenly felt Qi stagnating in the upper Jiaojiao (upper epigastrium), unable to ascend or descend. Prescribing only one liang of raw Mai Ya (Wheat Sprout), decocted in water and drunk, she immediately felt her breath become smooth and unobstructed.
[Attached Case 2] Another woman, nearing forty, often suffered pain under her ribs. Food entering her stomach would stagnate and fail to descend. She had taken medicine for years without cure; this was due to the Liver failing to ascend and the Stomach failing to descend. I prescribed a formula using four qian of raw Mai Ya to raise Liver Qi, two qian of raw Jineijin (Chicken Gizzard Lining) to descend Stomach Qi, and added one liang of raw Huai Shanyao (Dioscoreae Rhizoma) to nourish the Qi transformation of the Zang-Fu organs, preventing damage from the ascending and descending actions. After taking more than ten doses, the illness was completely cured.
My wife, Ms. Wang, could never take medicine throughout her life; she could not even tolerate medicine with no taste whatsoever. In late autumn of the Yichou year, she contracted Huangdan Syndrome (Jaundice). I prepared several herbs for her, decocted them into a soup, and forced her to drink it. Upon swallowing, she vomited violently, expelling all the medicine. My friend Mr. Zhang suggested using fresh Maichao (Wheat Seedling) decocted in water. We then gathered a handful of fresh wheat seedlings and added five qian of Huashi (Talcum) to it. After taking it, her condition lightened immediately, and after one more dose, she was fully recovered. This is likely because the nature of Maichao can unblock and dredge the Liver and Gallbladder, clear heat from the Liver and Gallbladder, reduce inflammation of the bile ducts, and guide bile back into the small intestine. Having realized this principle, whenever I encounter cases of Huangdan Syndrome, I invariably add several qian of raw Mai Ya to the prescription, which yields remarkable effects. However, the Mai Ya in pharmacies are all dried. If fresh Mai Ya could be obtained and used when it grows over one cun in length, the effect would be even better. Alternatively, when wheat seedlings are available, besides taking medicine, one can decoct Maichao and drink it as tea.