White Snake and Black Rat Snake—April 10, 1997

White Snake and Black Rat Snake—April 10, 1997

The white snake is the dried body of a viper or cobra, which is a venomous snake; the black rat snake is the dried whole body of a non-venomous rat snake. The dosage for the former is 3–4g, while for the latter it is 6–12g. Both have the effect of dispelling wind and relieving itching, but the former is mainly used for stroke and joint pain, whereas the latter, although also having this effect, does so less effectively. The white snake is often quite effective in treating pain caused by bone hyperplasia.