[Da] Dysentery occurring postpartum is caused by labor injury during childbirth, leading to insufficiency of the Zang-Fu organs. Before the confinement period is complete, the body remains deficient and has not yet recovered. If one engages in labor too early or mistakenly consumes raw and cold foods, or rises and moves about too soon, external wind-cold pathogens may invade the intestines and stomach via the deficiency. Mistakenly consuming hard-to-digest raw and cold items damages the Spleen and Stomach. All these conditions lead to watery diarrhea, which in severe cases transforms into dysentery. If blood seeps into the Large Intestine, it becomes bloody dysentery (Xue Li), which is difficult to treat and is commonly known as "childbirth dysentery" (Chan Zi Li). Contracting cold results in white dysentery, resembling fish brains; contracting heat results in red-yellow dysentery, or sudden profuse bleeding. If cold and heat pathogens contend with each other, the discharge is mixed red and white, or pus and blood are intermingled. Green discharge indicates extreme cold. If there is no appetite, bowel movements are irregular, and occur day and night without limit, combined with the mother's inherent deficiency and prolonged dysentery causing weakness and emaciation, this is called "deficiency-emaciation dysentery" (Xu Lei Xia Li). Another type, where Qi mechanism is obstructed postpartum leading to red and white dysentery, is called "Qi dysentery" (Qi Li). The treatment principles are: for heat patterns, use cooling methods; for cold patterns, use warming methods; for contending cold and heat, use harmonizing methods; for sliding/loose discharges, use astringent methods; for deficiency-emaciation, use tonifying methods; for inability to distinguish water and grain, promote urination. If the parturient woman is stubborn-minded and cannot relax, her Qi must be smoothed, and she will surely stabilize.

[Xue] In the aforementioned symptoms, white discharge belongs to the Qi level, while red discharge belongs to the Blood level. Detailed discussions can be found under "Diarrhea and Dysentery." A parturient woman ate eggs and suffered abdominal pain with a greenish-yellow complexion. After taking Ping Wei San and Er Chen Tang, she developed dysentery and abdominal distension. Switching to Liu Qi Yin Zi caused a mass in the lower abdomen to attack upwards intermittently, and food intake decreased further. This was due to Spleen-Stomach deficiency-cold and Liver Wood overacting on Earth. She gradually improved using Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang added with Mu Xiang and Wu Zhu Yu. Subsequently, Ba Zhen Tang was used for major tonification, along with regulatory herbs, leading to recovery. Another parturient had dysentery before the confinement month ended. Due to eating cold items and drinking alcohol, cold and heat attacked the blood, resulting in pure bloody dysentery with severe tenesmus and pain. Her pulse was large but forceless, and she had dry mouth. Three doses of Huang Qin Shao Yao Tang brought relief.

[Xiong] To treat postpartum red and white dysentery, Si Jun Zi Tang added with Huang Qi and Yu Mi Ke (Poppy Shell) yields miraculous effects.

[Yun] Jiu Ji San treats postpartum red and white dysentery with colicky abdominal pain.
Ingredients: Bai Shao, E Jiao, Ai Ye, Shu Di Huang (each 1 liang); Gan Cao, Dang Gui (each 3 liang).
Preparation: Coarsely crush, decoct in water, divide into two doses, take warm on an empty stomach.

[Da] Dang Gui Shao Yao San treats colicky abdominal pain during pregnancy, urgent pain below the heart, and also treats postpartum blood vertigo and chronic dysentery following metrorrhagia. (Formula see "Metrorrhagia".)
To treat bloody dysentery during pregnancy: Use 2 liang of E Jiao, decoct in 1.5 sheng of wine until reduced to 1 sheng, take all at once.

For various postpartum dysenteries: Boil and eat Xie Bai (Allium macrostemon). Another method: Stir-fry Xie Bai with Sheep Kidney Fat, eat on an empty stomach; very effective.

[Jing] Treat dysentery during postpartum and antepartum periods: Take one Bie Jia (Tortoise Shell), roast with rice vinegar, grind to powder, mix with vinegar water and swallow. (Danxi said: Bie Jia greatly tonifies Yin, treating fatigue from overwork.)

[Dan] A woman, after spontaneous abortion, suffered chest fullness, poor appetite, and incessant dysentery with a weak pulse, especially on the left hand.
Ingredients: Hua Shi, Chao Bai Shao Yao, Cang Zhu (each 5 qian); Bai Zhu (2.5 qian); He Zi (2 qian, roasted); Gan Jiang (4 qian); Fu Ling (1 qian).
Preparation: Grind to fine powder, take with 40-50 pills of Bao He Wan.

[Yun] For postpartum bloody dysentery with umbilical and abdominal pain: Si Wu Tang added with Huai Hua, Huang Lian, and Yu Mi Qiao.
Huang Lian Wan treats postpartum red and white dysentery with unbearable twisting abdominal pain.
Ingredients: Huang Lian (4 liang); E Jiao, Pu Huang, Zhi Zi Ren (each 1 liang); Dang Gui (2.5 liang); Huang Qin, Huang Bo (each 2 liang).
Preparation: Grind to powder, make pills with refined honey the size of paulownia seeds. Take 60-70 pills per dose, swallowed with rice water, three times daily and once at night.

[Zhong] For postpartum dysentery with extreme deficiency, Bai Tou Weng Tang plus Gan Cao and E Jiao Decoction is indicated. (Mai Jing describes it as severe hot dysentery with heavy bearing-down sensation in newly delivered women with extreme deficiency.)
Ingredients: Bai Tou Weng, E Jiao (each 2 liang); Huang Lian, Huang Bo, Qin Pi (each 3 liang); Gan Cao (2 liang).
Preparation: Decoct in 7 sheng of water to obtain 2.5 sheng, add E Jiao and dissolve completely, take warm in three divided doses. Suitable for women suffering dysentery at the time of delivery.
Zhi Zi (Gardenia Fruit), any amount, burnt to ash and ground to fine powder. Take 1 qian mixed with warm cooked water on an empty stomach; severe cases require no more than five doses.
For postpartum bloody dysentery with urinary retention and umbilical/abdominal pain: Mash fresh Chi Xian Cao (Portulaca oleracea) to extract juice (two large he), boil once, add 1 he of honey, mix, and take all at once.

[Mei] Treat postpartum uncontrollable bloody discharge, pain from residual blood, and masses.
Gui Xin and Gan Jiang in equal parts, ground to powder. Take one fang cun bi (square-inch spoonful) mixed with wine on an empty stomach.

[Da] To treat postpartum dysentery with fifty stools per day: Collect excrement from wood-boring insects, stir-fry until yellow, immediately pour water over it to achieve appropriate consistency, and administer. It cures immediately.

[Sheng] Formula for various postpartum dysenteries: Extract juice from Cang Er Ye (Xanthium Leaf), half zhan, take warm three to four times daily.

[Ke] Postpartum dysentery accompanied by thirst occurs because the essence of food and drink fails to transform into Qi, Blood, and Body Fluids to nourish the Zang-Fu organs due to their deficiency and dryness. Thus, dysentery and thirst coexist. Excessive drinking is hard to stop and may cause water qi overflow. Since the Spleen and Stomach are deficient and cannot control water, water flows freely and soaks the skin, causing edema. One should only stop the thirst, and the dysentery will heal spontaneously.

[Xue] If the aforementioned symptom involves thirst without desire for cold drinks, it belongs to Stomach Qi deficiency failing to generate fluids; use Qi Wei Bai Zhu San. Nighttime fever and thirst belong to Kidney Water deficiency failing to moisten; use Liu Wei Wan, assisted by Yi Qi Tang to nourish the source of transformation. A parturient woman had diarrhea/dysentery, fever, thirst, expectoration, emaciation, poor appetite, occasional chest diaphragm stuffiness, or lower abdominal bearing-down sensation, lasting over a year. I diagnosed it as Spleen-Kidney diarrhea. Morning administration of Er Shen Wan and evening administration of Liu Jun Zi Zi led to recovery after three months.
Another parturient with similar symptoms showed physical fatigue, no appetite, and was near death; this was Spleen-Stomach dual deficiency. She recovered using Si Shen Wan and Shi Quan Da Bu Tang.

Bi Xiao Fang treats postpartum dysentery with excessive thirst and drinking.
Ingredients: Mai Men Dong (3 liang); Wu Mei (20 pieces).
Preparation: Finely chop, decoct in 1 sheng of water to obtain 7 he, sip slowly.

Jing Xiao Fang treats postpartum chronic dysentery with depleted fluids and unceasing thirst.
Ingredients: Long Gu (12 fen); Hou Po, Fu Ling, Huang Qi, Mai Men Dong, Ren Shen (each 8 fen); Sheng Jiang (6 fen); Da Zao (14 pieces, finely chopped).
Preparation: Decoct in 1 da sheng of water to obtain 7 he, divide into two doses, take on an empty stomach.

Treat postpartum dysentery where long duration depletes fluids, causing limb edema, dry mouth, and dry tongue. (From Jin Gu Lu Yan)
Dong Gua (Winter Melon, 1 piece): Coat thickly with yellow mud (5 cun), bake until soft and ripe, peel, extract juice, and drink. Cures the condition.

Bu Yi: Ren Shen Bai Zhu San treats postpartum dysentery with depleted fluids and unceasing thirst. (Formula see "Antepartum Cholera-like Disease".)