Research on Nitre-Alum Stone Powder on September 12, 1995

Research on Nitre-Alum Stone Powder on September 12, 1995

This formula is specifically designed in the "Jin Gui Yao Lue·Yellow Disease Pulse Diagnosis and Treatment" to treat female labor-induced jaundice, stating: "Urgent bladder, full lower abdomen, entire body yellow, black forehead, hot feet—this is what causes black jaundice. The abdomen swells like water, and the color becomes increasingly dark, sometimes watery—this is a disease of female labor, not water. The swollen abdomen is difficult to treat. Use nitre-alum powder to treat it." Zhang Xichun called this formula the "master formula for treating jaundice," claiming it works quickly. But what exactly is nitre? Glauber's salt? Fire nitrate? Or perhaps just plain nitrate? Throughout history, medical experts have never reached a consensus. Li Shizhen settled the debate in the "Compendium of Materia Medica," asserting that fire nitrate is correct, and subsequent generations followed suit. As for alum, what is it? Ordinary alum? Dried alum? Soap alum? Gallium alum? In the original "Jin Gui Yao Lue," the phrase "burn" was always added after alum, and most medical experts agreed with this view, suggesting using calcined alum—that is, dried alum. Investigation reveals that ordinary alum is aluminum potassium sulfate, with one molecule containing one molecule of H20 crystallized within it. When calcined, the crystallized water is removed, leaving aluminum potassium sulfate. Fire nitrate, on the other hand, is a mixture of potassium and sodium nitrates combined with aluminum potassium sulfate, and the mechanism behind its yellow-reducing effect still needs further study. Zhang Xichun believed that alum is soap alum, and that soap alum contains ferrous sulfate, which pairs well with fire nitrate to achieve excellent yellow-reducing and water-clearing effects. My Liver Cirrhosis Capsule No. 1 is made of ordinary alum, No. 2 of dried alum, and No. 3 of soap alum, currently undergoing experimentation. Preliminary observations show that No. 1 is better at diuresis, No. 2 at reducing jaundice, while No. 3 has not yet been tested. What is Zhang Xichun’s experience? Further research is needed. I have reviewed numerous books, including "Medical Classics," "Ancient and Modern Reading Compendium," "Complete Works of Jing Yue," and "Medical Outline," but all records regarding nitre-alum stone powder are rather vague, mostly copied from the "Jin Gui Yao Lue": "Urgent bladder, full lower abdomen, entire body yellow, black forehead..." The end of the sentence describes the composition of the formula. Clearly, very few medical experts throughout history have truly understood this formula, and Zhang Xichun is among them. My formulations No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 should be further summarized through practical application.