Cinnamon Twig Decoction with Cinnamon Twig Removed, plus Poria and White Atractylodes

傷寒論

Taiyang disease treated with Gui Zhi Tang, or purged, still with stiffness and pain of the head and nape, mild mild fever, no sweating, epigastric fullness with slight pain, and difficult urination, Gui Zhi Qu Gui Jia Fu Ling Bai Zhu Tang governs it. (《Shang Han Lun》)

Peony three liang; Licorice two liang, roasted; Fresh ginger cut; Atractylodes; Poria each three liang; Jujube broken, twelve pieces. The above six flavors, with eight sheng of water, boil and take three sheng, remove dregs, take one sheng warm; when urination is free, recovery occurs. Originally called Gui Zhi Tang; now Cinnamon twig is removed and Poria and Atractylodes added. (Shang Han Za Bing Lun)

With eight sheng of water, boil and take three sheng, remove dregs, take one sheng warm. When urination is free, recovery occurs.

湯劑

Disinhibit water and unblock yang.

After taking Gui Zhi Tang, or after purging, still with stiffness and pain of the head and nape, mild mild fever, no sweating, epigastric fullness with slight pain, and difficult urination.

Successive generations of physicians have debated this formula considerably. For example, Cheng Wuji believed Cinnamon twig should not be removed but Poria and Atractylodes added; Wu Qian and others believed that removing Cinnamon twig should be a mistake for removing Peony; Ke Qin and Chen Xiuyuan accepted the original text and still maintained the theory of removing Cinnamon twig. After taking this formula, free urination and dampness elimination indicate the disease is healing; when medicine and pattern correspond, the disease can heal on schedule. It is contraindicated for those with concurrent Taiyang warm disease pattern and spleen-stomach Damp-heat water-Qi pattern.