牛黄，味苦，气平，有小毒。入肝经。专除筋病，疗小儿诸痫、惊吊客忤、口噤不开。
治大
人癫狂发疰、中风痰壅不语，除邪逐鬼，定魄安魂，聪耳明目。孕妇忌服，因堕胎元。盖性
大寒，只可少服，不宜多用。宜与人参同用，以治小儿诸病，戒独用牛黄，反致误事耳。
或问中风不宜服牛黄，恐其引风入脏，有白面入油之喻，固可服乎？曰∶牛黄治中风，
乃治
真正中风也。世间真正中风者绝少，此牛黄之所以不可服也。真中风之病，其人元气不虚，
从无痰病，平素必身健，且系少年，一时中风，乃猝然之症，非气血之虚，风入而生痰也。
其症必眼红口渴，吐痰如块或如败絮，其色必黄，必非清水，口欲吐而吐不出，手必捻拳不
放，躁动不安者，乃真正中风也。世间真正中风者绝少，此病万人中生一二也，可用牛黄治
之。其余俱作虚治，切戒妄用牛黄。原是寒虚，又益之以寒药，轻则变成半肢之风，重则痰
厥，丧亡顷刻矣。是牛黄不可治假中风，非真中风之不可服也。（〔批〕真中风之病，吾从
未见，世人之中，无非虚症也，牛黄安可服哉。）
或疑牛黄丸功效甚多，而其功尤多于治小儿，子谓用牛黄，必须用人参，岂防牛黄之生
变乎
？曰∶嗟乎！牛黄丸乃杀小儿之丸，非救小儿之药也。自钱乙创造牛黄丸，治小儿惊疳吐泻
等症，杀过小儿无算。铎欲救之，而苦未能也，今幸逢岐天师之教。凡用牛黄一丸，即用人
参五分，煎汤共饮。杀人之丸，无不变为生人之药。始悟钱君立方之时，原教人用人参送之
，后人略去人参，此所以杀人无算也。凡我同志，幸加意于用参，以挽回牛黄之失，则阳德
必承阴福，子嗣必昌矣。
或问牛黄有用之以治水蛊，可乎？曰∶牛黄消痰开窍之物，非祛湿利水之品也，似与治
水蛊
者无涉，然而亦有用之以成功者。盖水入于心胞之宫，非牛黄不能化，牛黄专能入于心胞也
。虽然心胞容水，久必化痰。牛黄化痰而不化水，是牛黄乃非利水之药，乃消痰之物耳。治
水蛊而效者，化其心胞之痰也。心胞痰散，而心胞外之水自不敢入于心胞之内，然后以治肾
利水之药治其本源，则水蛊之症可消也。然则谓牛黄之能治水蛊，亦无不可耳。
牛肉，味甘，性温。益养脾胃，最有益之品也。后天以脾胃为主，而牛肉独善健脾胃，
安得
无益。但不可食有病之牛也。水又不若黄牛为佳。
牛乳。味亦甘，但性少寒。与姜汁同饮，最能润肺滋肾，善治反胃肠结，但不可与米饭
同食
，恐生症瘕也。
或问用牛肉煮汤，为倒仓之法，可以为训乎？曰∶此法创于丹溪。恐吐伤元气，用牛肉
汤涌
而吐之，取其吐中有补也，然亦不可轻用。病必宜吐，始可权宜用之。盖既吐之后，必元气
大伤，牛肉之汁何能补吐伤之胃。
试观丹溪自言，必须将养一月，断房事半年，戒牛肉五载，其损伤脾胃，亦已甚矣。一
伤，
必有胃腹之痛，终身食牛肉而辄犯者矣，可不慎用之乎。
牛黄，味道苦，气性平，有轻微毒性。归入肝经。专门治疗筋脉疾病，治愈小儿各种癫痫、惊风吊客邪气、牙关紧闭不能张口。
治疗大人癫狂发作、中风口噤不语（中风导致痰壅堵塞咽喉说不出话），驱除邪气鬼魅，安定魂魄，使耳聪目明。孕妇禁止服用，因为它会导致堕胎损伤元气。因为药性大寒，只能少量服用，不适宜大量使用。适合与人参一起使用，来治疗小儿的各种疾病，告诫不要单独使用牛黄，反而会导致误事。
有人问：中风不宜服用牛黄，恐怕它引风邪深入脏腑，有“白面混入油中”的比喻，确实可以服用吗？回答说：牛黄治疗中风，是治疗真正的中风病。世间真正的中风患者极少，这就是牛黄不可随意服用的原因。真正中风的病症，患者元气不虚，从来没有痰病，平时身体一定健康，且是年轻人，一时中风，是突然发生的症状，不是气血虚弱，因风入而生痰所致。其症状一定是眼睛红、口渴，吐出的痰像块状或像破旧的棉絮，颜色一定是黄色，一定不是清水，想吐却吐不出来，手必定握拳不放，烦躁不安的，才是真正中风。世间真正的中风者极少，这种病在万人中只有一二人，可以用牛黄治疗。其余的都当作虚证治疗，切忌妄用牛黄。原本是寒虚之证，又加上寒凉药物，轻则变成半身不遂的风症，重则痰厥，顷刻间就会丧命。所以牛黄不能治疗假中风，并非真中风不可服用。（批注：真正的中风病，我从未见过，世人的中风无非都是虚症，牛黄怎么可以服用呢？）
有人怀疑牛黄丸功效很多，而其功效尤其多用于治疗小儿，你说使用牛黄必须用人参，难道是防止牛黄产生变异吗？回答说：唉！牛黄丸是杀害小儿的药丸，不是救治小儿的药物。自从钱乙创造牛黄丸，治疗小儿惊疳、吐泻等症状，杀死了无数小儿。我想救治他们，但苦于未能做到，如今有幸得到岐天师（指代医学真理或前辈高人）的教导。凡是使用一丸牛黄，就用人参五分，煎汤共同饮用。杀人的药丸，没有不变为救人的药物的。这才领悟到钱君创立方子的时候，原本教人用人参送服，后人省略了人参，这就是杀死无数人的原因。凡是我志同道合的人，希望在使用人参上多加注意，以挽回牛黄的过失，那么阳德必承阴福，子孙后代必定昌盛。
有人问：牛黄有用它来治疗水蛊（腹水），可以吗？回答说：牛黄是消除痰浊、开通窍道的物品，不是祛湿利水的药品，似乎与水蛊的治疗无关，然而也有用它取得成功的案例。大概是因为水进入心包宫，非牛黄不能化解，牛黄专门能进入心包。虽然心包容纳水，时间久了必然化为痰。牛黄化痰而不化水，所以牛黄不是利水的药，而是消痰的物品。治疗水蛊而有效的，是化解了心包的痰。心包的痰消散后，心包外的水自然不敢进入心包内，然后用治疗肾脏利水的药物治其本源，那么水蛊的症状就可以消除。既然如此，说牛黄能治疗水蛊，也没有不可以的。
牛肉，味道甘，性质温。有益滋养脾胃，是最有益的食品。后天之本以脾胃为主，而牛肉特别善于健运脾胃，怎么能没有益处。但是不可食用生病的牛的水。也不如黄牛为佳。
牛乳。味道也是甘，但性质稍寒。与姜汁一同饮用，最能润肺滋肾，善于治疗反胃膈结，但不可与米饭同食，恐怕生症瘕（腹部肿块）。
有人问：用牛肉煮汤，作为倒仓法（一种催吐疗法），可以作为准则吗？回答说：此法由朱丹溪创立。恐怕呕吐损伤元气，用牛肉汤涌出并使其呕吐，取其吐中有补的意思，然而也不可轻易使用。病情必须是适宜呕吐的，才可以权宜使用。大概既然呕吐之后，必然元气大伤，牛肉的汁液怎么能补益被呕吐损伤的胃。
试看丹溪自己说，必须调养一个月，禁欲半年，戒吃牛肉五年，他对脾胃的损伤，也已经很严重了。一旦受伤，必然会有胃腹疼痛，终身吃牛肉就会发作，能不谨慎使用吗。
Niu Huang (Calculus Bovis), with a bitter taste and neutral qi, possesses slight toxicity. It enters the Liver Meridian. It specializes in treating tendon diseases, curing various types of epilepsy in children, convulsive disorders caused by fright or evil influences, and trismus (lockjaw).
It treats mania and delirium in adults, stroke with phlegm obstruction causing aphasia, expels evil spirits, stabilizes the soul and魄 (Hun and Po), and improves hearing and vision. Pregnant women should avoid taking it, as it can cause abortion and damage Yuan Qi (Original Qi). Because its nature is extremely cold, it should only be taken in small amounts and not in large doses. It is suitable to be used together with Renshen (Ginseng) to treat various pediatric diseases. One must beware of using Niu Huang alone, as this may lead to errors in treatment.
One might ask: Stroke patients should not take Niu Huang, for fear that it will draw wind pathogens into the Zang organs, akin to the metaphor of "white flour mixed into oil." Is it truly safe to take? The answer is: Niu Huang treats stroke, specifically referring to "True Stroke" (Zhen Zhong Feng). True stroke cases are extremely rare in the world; this is precisely why Niu Huang should not be taken casually. In cases of True Stroke, the patient's Yuan Qi is not deficient, there is no history of phlegm disease, the person is usually healthy and young. The onset of stroke is sudden, caused not by deficiency of Qi and Blood leading to wind invasion and phlegm generation. Symptoms must include red eyes and thirst, expectoration of phlegm in clumps or like broken cotton wadding, which is yellow in color and definitely not clear water. The patient desires to vomit but cannot, keeps their hands clenched in fists, and is restless and agitated. This constitutes True Stroke. Since such cases are exceedingly rare (one or two in ten thousand), Niu Huang can be used to treat them. All other cases should be treated as deficiency syndromes; one must strictly forbid the reckless use of Niu Huang. If the condition is originally Cold-Deficiency, adding cold herbs will result in mild hemiplegia or severe Phlegm-Jue (syncope due to phlegm), leading to death within moments. Therefore, Niu Huang cannot treat False Stroke; it is not that True Stroke cannot be treated with it. (Commentary: I have never seen a case of True Stroke; most strokes in the world are deficiency syndromes. How can Niu Huang be taken?)
One might suspect that although Niu Huang Wan (Calculus Bovis Pill) has many effects, especially for pediatrics, you insist on using Renshen with Niu Huang to prevent adverse changes? The answer is: Alas! Niu Huang Wan is a pill that kills children, not a medicine that saves them. Since Qian Yi created Niu Huang Wan to treat pediatric conditions such as fright, malnutrition, vomiting, and diarrhea, countless children have died. I wished to save them but could not. Now, fortunately, I have received instruction from the Heavenly Master of Qi (referring to profound medical wisdom). Whenever one pill of Niu Huang is used, five fen of Renshen should be decocted in water and taken together. A killing pill can thus be transformed into a life-saving medicine. I then realized that when Qian Yi formulated this prescription, he originally instructed people to take it with Renshen. Later generations omitted the Renshen, which is why so many deaths occurred. My fellow practitioners, please pay attention to the use of Renshen to rectify the faults of Niu Huang. By doing so, you will accumulate merit and receive blessings, ensuring prosperity for your descendants.
One might ask: Can Niu Huang be used to treat Shui Gu (Ascites/Water Distension)? The answer is: Niu Huang is a substance that resolves phlegm and opens orifices, not a product that dispels dampness and promotes urination. It seems unrelated to the treatment of Ascites. However, there are cases where it has succeeded. This is because when water enters the Palace of the Pericardium, only Niu Huang can resolve it, as Niu Huang specifically enters the Pericardium. Although the Pericardium accommodates water, over time it inevitably transforms into phlegm. Niu Huang resolves phlegm but does not resolve water; thus, Niu Huang is not a diuretic but a phlegm-resolving agent. When effective in treating Ascites, it is resolving the phlegm in the Pericardium. Once the phlegm in the Pericardium dissipates, water outside the Pericardium naturally dares not enter inside. Then, using herbs that tonify the Kidney and promote urination to treat the root cause, the symptoms of Ascites can be eliminated. Therefore, saying that Niu Huang can treat Ascites is also acceptable.
Niu Rou (Beef), with a sweet taste and warm nature, benefits and nourishes the Spleen and Stomach. It is one of the most beneficial foods. The Post-Heaven foundation relies primarily on the Spleen and Stomach, and Beef excels at strengthening them; how could it be without benefit? However, one must not eat beef from diseased cattle. Among cattle, Yellow Cattle are superior.
Niu Nai (Cow's Milk), with a sweet taste but slightly cold nature, when drunk with Ginger Juice, best moistens the Lungs and nourishes the Kidneys. It effectively treats Fan Wei Ge Jie (Regurgitation and Esophageal Obstruction). However, it should not be eaten with rice, lest it cause Zheng Jia (abdominal masses).
One might ask: Using beef broth for Dao Cang Fa (Stomach Purging Method via Vomiting), can this serve as a guideline? The answer is: This method was pioneered by Dan Xi (Zhu Danxi). To prevent vomiting from damaging Yuan Qi, beef broth is used to induce vomiting, aiming for a principle where "vomiting contains tonification." However, it should not be used lightly. It can only be used as an expedient measure if the pathology clearly requires emesis. After vomiting, Yuan Qi is severely damaged; how can the juice of beef replenish the stomach injured by vomiting?
Observe Zhu Danxi's own words: one must recuperate for one month, abstain from sexual activity for half a year, and avoid beef for five years. His damage to the Spleen and Stomach was already severe. Once injured, gastric and abdominal pain will inevitably occur, recurring whenever beef is consumed throughout life. Can one not be cautious in its use?