有青白二种。青者佳。取青黑而坚细者打开。中有白星点。 后则星黄如麸金。
其无星点者。不入药。（濒湖）
味辛咸。气平。其性下行。阴也。沉也。乃厥阴肝经药。主治积痰惊痫。咳嗽喘急。能
坠结聚之痰留滞脏腑。礞石乃治惊利痰之圣药。风木太过。来制脾土。气不运化。积滞生
痰。壅塞上中二焦。变生风热诸病。故宜此药重坠。制以硝石。其性疏快。使木平气下而痰
积通利。诸证自除。（濒湖） 吐痰在水上。以石末糁之。痰即随水而下。其沉坠之性可知。
（又）得焰硝。能利湿热痰积从大肠而出。因湿热盛而皮肤生疮者。一利即愈。（入门）性
非胃家所好。气弱脾虚者不宜久服。丹溪言。一老人忽病目盲。乃大虚证。医与礞石药服之。
至夜而死。是可戒也。（濒湖） 按痰有二因。如脾胃积滞生痰。或多食酒面湿热之物。以
致胶固稠粘。咯唾难出者。用之豁痰利窍。除热泄结。应如桴鼓。至于阴虚火炎。煎熬津液。
凝结为痰。或发热声哑。痰血杂出者。误投则脾胃先败。
〔论〕 礞石以青者为佳。而石中更取白星点者。犹是以金平木之义。即隐君所制滚痰
丸。亦非徒取其重坠。犹是木平气下之义也。观其治中风痰塞。则可见矣。
〔修治〕 以礞石四两打碎。入硝石四两拌匀。置大坩锅内。炭火十五斤。簇定。 至
硝尽。其色如金为度。取出。研末水飞。去硝毒。晒干用。
有青色和白色两种。青色的品质较好。选取青黑色且质地坚实细腻的矿石将其打开，内部含有白色的星点。时间久了，这些星点会变成黄色，如同麸金一般。
那些没有星点的，不入药。（李时珍《本草纲目》）
味道辛、咸，气平。其性质趋向下行，属于阴，具有沉降的特性，是厥阴肝经的药物。主要治疗积痰引起的惊痫、咳嗽喘急。它能坠落并消除结聚在脏腑中留滞的痰浊。礞石是治疗惊风、通利痰浊的圣药。当风木之气太过，克制脾土，导致气机不能运化，积滞而生痰，壅塞在上焦和中焦，从而变生风热等各种病证。因此适宜用这种重坠之药，并用硝石来炮制。硝石性味疏快，能使肝木平和、气机下降，从而使痰积通利，各种病症自然消除。（李时珍《本草纲目》）
吐出的痰浮在水面上，用石末撒在上面，痰就会随着水下沉，由此可知其沉坠的性质。（又引）得到焰硝（火硝），能通利湿热痰积，使其从大肠排出。因湿热盛而皮肤生疮的，一旦通过利湿清热即可痊愈。（《医宗入门》）
礞石的性质不是胃家所喜好的，气弱脾虚的人不宜久服。朱丹溪曾说：有一位老人突然患了眼盲症，这是大虚证的体现。医生给他服用含礞石的药物，到了晚上就死亡了。这可以作为警戒。（李时珍《本草纲目》）
按：痰的产生有两个原因。如果是脾胃积滞生痰，或多食酒面等湿热之物，导致痰液胶固稠粘，咯唾难出，使用礞石可以豁痰利窍，除热泄结，效果应验如鼓响般迅速。至于阴虚火炎，煎熬津液，凝结为痰，或者发热声哑、痰血杂出的情况，如果误投此药，则会导致脾胃先败坏。
〔论述〕 礞石以青色的为佳，而在石头中更选取带有白星点的，这依然是“以金平木”的道理。即隐君（方贤）所制的滚痰丸，也不仅仅是取其重坠的作用，同样也是基于“木平气下”的道理。看它治疗中风痰塞的情况，就可以明白了。
〔修治方法〕 取四两礞石打碎，加入四两硝石拌匀，放入大坩埚内，用十五斤炭火，将坩埚围定。直到硝石完全熔化消失，颜色变成金色为止。取出后，研磨成粉末，用水飞法处理，去除硝石的毒性，晒干后使用。
There are two types: green and white. The green variety is superior. Select the dark green-black ones that are solid and fine, break them open, and observe white star-like spots inside. Over time, these spots turn yellow, resembling bran gold.
Those without star-like spots are not used in medicine. (Li Shizhen)
The taste is pungent and salty; the nature is neutral. Its action tends downward, belonging to Yin and exhibiting a sinking property. It is a herb for the Jueyin Liver Meridian. It mainly treats phlegm accumulation causing fright epilepsy, cough, and wheezing/asthma. It can sink and resolve phlegm stagnation accumulated in the zang-fu organs. Qingmengshi (Green Mica Schist) is a supreme drug for treating fright and unblocking phlegm. When Wood Qi becomes excessive and overacts on Earth (Spleen), Qi fails to transform and transport, leading to stagnation and phlegm production. This obstructs the Upper and Middle Jiao, giving rise to wind-heat and other diseases. Therefore, this heavy-sinking herb is suitable, processed with Nuxiaoshi (Saltpeter). Nuxiaoshi has a dispersing and relieving nature, which calms Wood, directs Qi downward, and unblocks phlegm accumulation, thereby eliminating various symptoms. (Li Shizhen)
When expectorated phlegm floats on water, sprinkling it with stone powder causes the phlegm to sink with the water, demonstrating its heavy-sinking property. (Ibid.) With Yanxiao (Fire Saltpeter), it can promote the discharge of damp-heat phlegm accumulation through the Large Intestine. For skin sores caused by excessive damp-heat, recovery occurs promptly after promoting drainage. (Yi Zong Ru Men)
Its nature is not favored by the Stomach; those with weak Qi and Spleen deficiency should not take it for long periods. Danxi stated: An elderly person suddenly suffered blindness, which was a sign of severe deficiency. A physician administered medicine containing Qingmengshi, and the patient died by nightfall. This serves as a warning. (Li Shizhen)
Note: There are two causes for phlegm. If phlegm arises from Spleen-Stomach stagnation, or from excessive consumption of alcohol and wheat products causing damp-heat, resulting in thick, sticky phlegm that is difficult to expectorate, using this herb can clear phlegm, open orifices, eliminate heat, and drain accumulation, with effects as immediate as a drumbeat. However, in cases of Yin deficiency with flaming fire, where fluids are scorched and condensed into phlegm, or when fever, hoarseness, and mixed blood-phlegm occur, misusing this herb will first damage the Spleen and Stomach.
[Discussion] Qingmengshi is best when green, and among stones, those with white star-like spots are preferred. This still embodies the principle of "using Metal to calm Wood." Fang Xian's (Yin Jun) Gun Tan Wan (Rolling Phlegm Pill) also does not merely rely on its heavy-sinking property but similarly follows the principle of "calming Wood and directing Qi downward." This is evident in its treatment of stroke due to phlegm obstruction.
[Processing] Take four liang of Qingmengshi, crush it, and mix evenly with four liang of Nuxiaoshi. Place the mixture in a large crucible. Use fifteen jin of charcoal fuel, arranging it securely around the crucible. Heat until the Nuxiaoshi completely melts away and the color turns golden. Remove, grind into powder, process by water levigation (shui fei) to remove nitre toxicity, and dry in the sun for use.