甘温小毒。
发明 天牛乃水中蠹石所化。杨树中最多，桑树中独胜。长须如角，故有天牛之名。利
齿善啮，是有啮桑之号。其性最锐，取治疔肿恶疮、出箭镞、竹木刺最捷。与蝼蛄不殊，一
啮木而飞，一穴土而出。其颖脱之性则一，如无啮桑，他树上者，亦可焙干为末，蜜调敷之
。
咸寒小毒。去翅足炒用。
《本经》主难产，出肉中刺，去溃肿，下哽噎，解毒除恶疮。
发明 蝼蛄性善穴土，故能治水肿。自腰以前甚涩，能止大小便。自腰以后甚利，能通
大小便，取以治水最效。但其性急，虚人戒之。《本经》治难产者，取其下半煮汤服之则下
也。出肉刺、溃痈肿恶疮者，生捣涂之，肉刺即出，疮肿即溃也。下哽噎者，炙末吹之哽噎
即下，非噎膈之谓也。《千金》治箭镞入肉，以蝼蛄杵汁滴上三五度自出。延年方治胎衣不
下，以蝼蛄一枚，水煮数沸，灌下入喉即出。小儿脐风，蝼蛄、甘草等分为末敷之效。
即熠耀，《本经》名夜光
辛温无毒。
《本经》明目。
发明 萤火本腐草所化，得大火之余气而成。入胞络三焦，能辟邪、明目，取其照幽夜
明之义。务成子萤火丸，辟五兵白刃，虎野狼蛇虺之毒，恶鬼疫疠之邪。庞安常亦极言其效，
惜乎，世鲜备用。
即蠹鱼
咸温无毒，即衣帛书画中之蠹，碎之如银，有粉者是。
《本经》主妇人疝瘕，小便不利，小儿中风，项强背起摩之。
发明 衣鱼主中风项强，摩之即安。惊痫天吊口 、淋闭，服之即愈，皆手足太阳经
病，乃《神农本经》之药。古方盛用，今人罕知。合鹰屎、白僵蚕敷疮瘢灭。
【天牛】
味甘，性温，有小毒。
【发明】
天牛是由水中蛀蚀石头的蠹虫变化而成。在杨树中数量最多，在桑树中品质最佳。它长着像角一样的长须，因此得名“天牛”。牙齿锋利善于啃咬，所以又有“啮桑”的别号。它的性质最为锐利，用来治疗疔疮、肿毒、恶疮，以及拔出箭头、竹木倒刺等，效果最为迅速快捷。它与蝼蛄没有太大区别，一个是在木头里啃食后飞翔，一个是在泥土中打洞而出。它们那种颖脱而出的本性是一致的。如果没有专门啃食桑树的个体，其他树上生长的也可以焙干研成粉末，用蜂蜜调和后外敷使用。
【蝼蛄】
味咸，性寒，有小毒。使用时去掉翅膀和足，炒制后应用。
《神农本草经》记载：主治难产，取出肉中的刺，消除溃烂的肿毒，缓解吞咽困难（噎膈感），解毒并治疗恶疮。
【发明】
蝼蛄善于在土中打洞，因此能治疗水肿病证。从腰部以上作用较为涩滞，能够止住大小便；从腰部以下作用较为通利，能够通利大小便，用它来治疗水湿病证最为有效。但是它的药性急猛，体质虚弱的人应当忌用。《本经》说它能治难产，是取其下半部分煮汤服用后能促进胎儿娩出。用于取出肉中倒刺、使痈肿恶疮溃破排脓，是将生品捣碎后外涂，这样肉刺即可排出，疮肿即可溃破。用于缓解吞咽困难，是将药材炙烤后研成粉末吹入咽喉，吞咽困难的症状随即缓解，这里指的并非现代医学中的食管癌或贲门失弛缓症（噎膈）。《千金方》治疗箭头射入肌肉，用蝼蛄捣汁滴在伤口上三到五次，箭头会自动排出。延年方治疗胎盘滞留不下，取蝼蛄一枚，用水煮几沸，灌服入口即排出。小儿脐风（新生儿破伤风），将蝼蛄与甘草按等分比例研成粉末外敷，效果显著。
【萤火】
即熠耀，《神农本草经》称为夜光。
味辛，性温，无毒。
《神农本草经》记载：明目。
【发明】
萤火虫本是腐草变化而来，吸收大火之余气而生成。进入心包络和三焦经，能够辟除邪气、明目，取其照亮幽暗夜晚的含义。务成子的萤火丸，可以辟除兵刃伤害，抵御虎、野狼、蛇、蝮蛇等毒物，以及恶鬼、瘟疫等邪气。庞安常也极力称赞其疗效，可惜世上很少备用此药。
【衣鱼】
即蠹鱼。
味咸，性温，无毒。就是衣服、丝绸、书画中的蠹虫，将其弄碎后如银色，有粉末状物质的是正品。
《神农本草经》记载：主治妇人疝瘕积聚，小便不利，小儿中风引起的项背强直，可用其摩挲患处。
【发明】
衣鱼主治中风引起的项背强直，摩挲患处即可安宁。对于惊痫、天吊风（小儿惊风）、口眼歪斜、淋证闭结，内服即可痊愈，这些都属于手足太阳经的病证，是《神农本草经》中的药物。古方中广泛使用，如今人们很少知晓。配合鹰屎、白僵蚕外敷于疮疤处，可使其消退。
[Tian Niu (Long-horned Beetle)]
Sweet, warm, slightly toxic.
[Invention/Commentary]
Tian Niu is transformed from the larvae that bore into stones in water. It is most abundant in poplar trees and of superior quality in mulberry trees. It has long antennae resembling horns, hence the name "Tian Niu" (Sky Ox). Its teeth are sharp and good at gnawing, thus it is also known as "Nie Sang" (Mulberry Gnawer). Its nature is extremely acrid/sharp; it is most effective for treating ding sores (carbuncles), swellings, malignant ulcers, and for extracting arrowheads or splinters of bamboo and wood. It is not significantly different from the mole cricket (Lou Gu); one flies after boring through wood, while the other emerges from burrowing in soil. Their characteristic of breaking free is the same. If specimens that do not specifically gnaw mulberry leaves are unavailable, those from other trees can be dried by roasting, ground into powder, and applied externally with honey.
[Lou Gu (Mole Cricket)]
Salty, cold, slightly toxic. Remove wings and feet, stir-fry before use.
*Shennong Ben Cao Jing* states: It treats difficult labor, extracts thorns embedded in flesh, resolves ulcerated swellings, relieves dysphagia/choking sensation, detoxifies, and treats malignant ulcers.
[Invention/Commentary]
The mole cricket is adept at burrowing in soil, therefore it can treat edema. From the waist upwards, its action is astringent, capable of stopping urination and defecation; from the waist downwards, its action is purgative/dredging, capable of promoting urination and defecation. It is most effective for treating water-dampness disorders. However, its nature is urgent/potent, so it should be avoided by patients with deficiency. *Shennong Ben Cao Jing* mentions its ability to treat difficult labor because boiling the lower half of the insect and administering the decoction promotes delivery. To extract thorns from flesh or cause malignant ulcers/suppurating sores to drain, raw crushed material is applied topically, causing the thorn to emerge and the swelling to rupture. To relieve dysphagia/choking, roasted powder is insufflated into the throat, relieving the sensation; this refers to a choking sensation, not necessarily esophageal obstruction (Ye Ge). *Qian Jin Fang* treats arrowheads embedded in flesh by dripping juice from crushed mole crickets onto the wound three to five times, causing the arrowhead to exit spontaneously. The Yannian Formula treats retained placenta by taking one mole cricket, boiling it in water for a few boils, and pouring it down the throat, which causes immediate expulsion. For infantile umbilical tetanus (Zi Feng), equal parts of mole cricket and Licorice Root (Gancao) ground into powder applied externally is effective.
[Ying Huo (Firefly)]
Also known as Yi Yao; named Ye Guang in *Shennong Ben Cao Jing*.
Pungent, warm, non-toxic.
*Shennong Ben Cao Jing* states: Brightens the eyes.
[Invention/Commentary]
Fireflies originate from decaying grass and are formed by absorbing residual heat from fire. They enter the Pericardium Collateral (Bao Luo) and San Jiao (Triple Burner), where they can dispel evil pathogens and brighten the eyes, deriving their meaning from illuminating the dark night. Wu Chengzi's Firefly Pill can ward off weapons and blades, resist toxins from tigers, wild wolves, snakes, and vipers, and protect against evil spirits and epidemics. Pang Anchang also highly praised its efficacy, but unfortunately, it is rarely used in practice today.
[Yi Yu (Silverfish)]
Salty, warm, non-toxic. This refers to the silverfish found in clothes, silk, and books. When crushed, it appears silvery; those with powdery residue are authentic.
*Shennong Ben Cao Jing* states: It treats gynecological hernia masses (Shan Jia), difficulty in urination, and pediatric wind-stroke causing stiffness of the neck and back; it can be rubbed on the affected area.
[Invention/Commentary]
Silverfish treats wind-stroke-induced neck stiffness; rubbing it on the area brings relief. For convulsions, epilepsy, Tian Diao wind (pediatric convulsive disorder), facial paralysis, strangury, and urinary retention, internal administration leads to cure. These are all diseases of the Hand and Foot Taiyang meridians, and are herbs recorded in *Shennong Ben Cao Jing*. Ancient formulas used them extensively, but modern people rarely know of them. Combined with Eagle Droppings (Ying Shi) and White Silkworm (Bai Jiang Can) applied topically to scars, it can eliminate them.