《博物志》及陶隐居皆言此二石鹳取之以壅卵，如此则是一物也。隐居又
言∶仙经不云特生，则只是前白 石。今《补注》但随文解义，不见特生之意。盖二条只是
一物，但以特生不特生为异耳。所谓特生者，不附着他石为特耳。今用者绝少，惟两字 石
入药，然极须谨用，其毒至甚。及至论鹳巢中者，又却从谬说。鹳巢中皆无此石，乃曰∶鹳
常入水，冷，故取以壅卵。如此则鸬 、雁、 之类，皆食于水，亦自繁息生化，复不用此
二石。其说往往取俗士之言，未尝究其实而穷其理也。尝官于顺安军，亲检鹳巢，率无石。
矧石焉得处处有之。然治久积及久病胸腹冷有功，直须谨用，盖其毒不可当。
方士炉火中多用，丁头光泽、坚实、赤紫色者佳。
白垩 即白善土，京师谓之白土子
。方寸许切成段，鬻于市，人得以浣衣。今人合王瓜，等分为末，汤点二钱服，治头痛。
赤土 今公府用以饰椽柱者。水调细末一二钱服，以治风疹。
新者不苦，久则咸苦。今解州盐池所出者，皆成斗子，其形大小不等，久亦苦。海水
煎成者，但味和，二盐互有得失。入药及金银作，多用大盐及解盐。傍海之人多黑色，盖日
食鱼盐，此走血之验也。齿缝中血出，盐汤嗽之，及接药入肾。北虏以盐淹尸，使不腐。
《博物志》和陶隐居都说这两种石头是鹳鸟用来覆盖鸟蛋的，如果是这样，那它们就是同一种东西。陶隐居又说：仙经中不称“特生”，那就只是前面的白石。现在的《补注》只是顺着文意解释，没有看出“特生”的含义。大概这两条记载指的只是同一种物，区别仅在于是否“特生”。所谓“特生”，是指不依附其他石头而独立生长。现在入药使用的人极少，只有两字石（代赭）入药，但也必须极其谨慎地使用，因为它的毒性非常大。至于说到鹳巢中的那种石头，却又沿袭了错误的说法。鹳巢中根本没有这种石头，却说：鹳鸟经常下水，身体冷，所以取来覆盖鸟蛋以保暖。如果真是这样，那么鸬鹚、大雁之类的水鸟，也都生活在水中，也能繁衍生化，为什么又不需要这二种石头呢？他们的说法往往采纳世俗之人的言论，未曾探究其实际情况并穷究其原理。我曾经在顺安军做官，亲自检查鹳巢，里面通常都没有石头。况且石头怎么可能到处都有呢？然而治疗久积之症及久病导致的胸腹寒冷确有功效，但必须谨慎使用，因为它的毒性不可抵挡。
方士炼丹炉火中多用，表面有丁头光泽、质地坚实、呈赤紫色的为佳。
白垩即白色的善土，京城称为白土子。大约方寸大小切成段，在市场上售卖，人们可以用它来洗衣服。现在人将王瓜与白垩等分研为末，用开水冲服二钱，治疗头痛。
赤土如今公府用来装饰椽柱的材料。用水调成细末，服用一二钱，用于治疗风疹。
新盐不苦，存放久了则变咸苦。现在解州盐池出产的盐，都结成斗状，形状大小不等，放久了也会变苦。海水煎煮而成的盐，味道平和，两种盐各有优劣。入药以及金银制作中，多使用大盐和解州盐。沿海地区的人皮肤多黑色，大概是日常食用鱼盐的缘故，这是盐走血分的验证。牙齿缝隙出血，用盐水漱口，以及药物入肾经时也可用盐引经。北方虏人以盐腌制尸体，使其不腐烂。
*Bo Wu Zhi* (Records of Various Things) and Tao Hongjing both state that these two types of stones are taken by storks to cover their eggs; if this is the case, then they are the same substance. Hongjing further states: If the Immortal Scriptures do not refer to it as "Te Sheng" (Specially Grown), then it is merely the aforementioned White Stone (Bai Shi). The current *Bu Zhu* (Supplementary Annotations) merely interprets the text literally, failing to grasp the meaning of "Te Sheng." Essentially, these two records refer to the same substance, differing only in whether it is "Te Sheng" or not. What is meant by "Te Sheng" is that it grows independently, not adhering to other stones. Currently, its use in medicine is extremely rare; only Dai Zhe Shi (Hematitum, 代赭石) is used, but it must be employed with extreme caution due to its severe toxicity. Regarding the stone found in stork nests, the claim follows erroneous theories. There is no such stone in stork nests; yet it is said: Storks frequently enter water and become cold, so they take it to cover eggs for warmth. If this were true, then cormorants, geese, and similar birds, which also feed in water, would naturally reproduce and thrive without needing these two stones. Their arguments often adopt the words of laymen, never investigating the actual situation or exhausting the principles involved. I once served as an official in Shun'an Jun and personally inspected stork nests, finding almost no stones. Moreover, how could stones be present everywhere? However, it is effective in treating long-standing accumulations and chronic coldness in the chest and abdomen, but must be used cautiously because its toxicity is formidable.
It is widely used in the furnace fires of alchemists. Those with a nail-head luster, solid texture, and reddish-purple color are considered superior.
Bai E (Chalk) is white fertile soil, known in the capital as Bai Tu Zi (White Earth Child). Cut into pieces about one square inch in size, sold in the market, people use it to wash clothes. Nowadays, people mix equal parts of Wang Gua (Trichosanthes Cucumerina Fruit) and Bai E, grind them into powder, and take two qian with hot water to treat headache.
Chi Tu (Red Earth) is currently used by public offices to decorate rafters and pillars. Mixed with water into a fine powder, taking one or two qian treats wind-rash.
New salt is not bitter; after a long time, it becomes salty and bitter. The salt produced in the Jiezhou Salt Pool now forms clods of varying sizes and shapes, and becomes bitter over time. Salt boiled from seawater has a milder taste; the two salts have their respective advantages and disadvantages. For medicinal use and silver/gold crafting, Da Yan (Large Salt) and Jie Yan (Jiezhou Salt) are mostly used. People living near the sea often have dark skin, likely due to daily consumption of fish and salt, which is evidence of salt entering the blood vessels. When blood oozes from the gum spaces, rinsing with salt water helps, and salt guides medicines into the Kidney Meridian. Northern barbarians use salt to pickle corpses to prevent decay.