Huahe Gao from Waike Zhengzhi Quansheng Ji

Huahe Gao is from Waike Zhengzhi Quansheng Ji by Wang Hongxu, the Qing-dynasty surgery master. The formula: 2 kg of rapeseed oil, 14 geckos, 28 spiders, 36 snails. Put all together in a wok and simmer until the geckos, spiders and snails are scorched and float on the oil; remove them. Then add fresh Heshouwuteng leaves, Ganju roots, Bohe (mint), Niubang (burdock) and Cang'er (xanthium), each about 250 g; boil over high heat until the herbs are scorched, then strain the dregs out. When the oil has cooled, add a pre-pounded powder of Lianqiao (Forsythia), Xuanshen (Scrophularia), Kushen (Sophora flavescens root), Bailian (Ampelopsis), Baijiezi (mustard seed) and Jiangchan (stiff silkworm). Separately take Dahuang (rhubarb), Jingjie (Schizonepeta) and Fangfeng (Saposhnikovia) each 120 g; soak in the above oil overnight, then boil together until black and scorched; filter the oil clear. Add another 250 g of prepared Mubiezi oil, then slowly add roasted Huangdan (lead oxide), stirring all the while. Continue over low heat until a drop of oil forms a pearl in water; then add Dingxiang oil and Shexiang (musk) each 6 g, Suhe oil (styrax) 30 g, stir well, allow to cool, and make the mass into plaster patches.

This plaster patch may be used for scrofula (lymph node enlargement), tuberculosis (surface lumps) and e he (malignant nodules--also visible surface lumps, mostly malignant tumors). According to Wang Hongxu, after using this formula the surface nodules or lumps slowly subside. But Wang also said that although the lump can be removed, it is not easily rooted out; the patient should also take Zilong Wan orally, three times daily, to root it out and prevent recurrence.

Zilong Wan's composition and preparation: Gansui (Kansui) and Daji (Euphorbia pekinensis; finely processed into powder as required), and Baijiezi (mustard seed, stir-fried and ground) each equal parts; refine with honey into pills. Take three times daily, each time about 0.5-1 g with bland ginger decoction. The Gansui and Daji in Zilong Wan are highly toxic and must not be used in large doses or for long. This formula works rapidly for infective surface lumps, but not so for tumors. Tumor patients, however, still derive some benefit from such formulas.

Chinese medicine's external treatments for tumors have gradually been lost, so many of Wang's external formulas have been gradually abandoned by people. In the past, swelling-ulcer diseases were usually treated by combining internal and external methods, which improved the success rate. Now that external treatment is being lost, it is a real pity.