🌿 Folk Prescriptions

In 1974, my younger brother and I were both main laborers in our production team. One early summer day, temperatures suddenly dropped. While working in the paddy fields, we both felt sudden coldness in our feet. The next day, my brother complained of a dull ache in his left inguinal region. Starting from the third day, the area swelled slightly, turned red, and restricted movement. I, having studied traditional Chinese medicine during spare time, prepared herbs for him to take internally and apply externally, but after two days of treatment, there was no improvement. Subsequently, we sought help from a doctor at the commune health station who administered penicillin injections for two days, yet the swelling worsened, spreading to the size of half a palm, causing unbearable pain, forcing my brother to lie in bed groaning.
At a loss, I heard that a village resident had just invited an elderly TCM doctor named Huang from 20 miles away to treat a family member. I immediately invited him to our home. After diagnosis, Doctor Huang instructed me to fetch mugwort and garlic immediately. Our neighbor had mugwort stored, and garlic was ripe at the time—both materials were quickly gathered. Following his instructions, I rubbed the mugwort repeatedly into fine wool, peeled and crushed garlic into paste. Doctor Huang took mulberry bark paper, wrapped the mugwort wool inside, rolled it into a cylindrical moxa stick about one chi long. After he finished, I made two similar sticks as backup. He applied a thick layer (about half a centimeter) of garlic paste directly onto my brother’s affected area, covering it completely, then lit the moxa stick and held it 2–3 inches above the paste, heating the area with its warmth. After about one hour, my brother reported feeling much better and could gradually extend his leg. Doctor Huang then advised my mother to prepare ginger and perilla soup with brown sugar, instructing my brother to drink a large bowl, cover himself warmly, and sweat profusely, saying, “Sweating means healing.” After five sessions of moxibustion and three days of care, my brother returned to work. The swelling disappeared completely within half a month.
Over the following decades, I successfully treated over 20 similar cases using this method. This rare remedy has remained unforgettable.
Comment by Dr. Fan Yongping, Head of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Department at Beijing Tiantan Hospital: Moxibustion is a therapy that uses heat from burning moxa to stimulate the body, aiming to prevent and treat diseases. Ancient texts state, “When medicine cannot reach and acupuncture cannot penetrate, moxibustion must be used.”
Moxibustion employs various materials, but mugwort is most commonly used clinically. Mugwort has a fragrant aroma, burns easily, and possesses properties to warm meridians, promote qi and blood flow, expel dampness and cold, reduce swelling, dissolve nodules, and prevent disease while supporting health. As recorded in *Mingyi Bielu*, “Mugwort tastes bitter, is slightly warm, non-toxic, and treats all diseases via moxibustion.”
“Garlic隔 Moxibustion” is a commonly used indirect moxibustion method. Indirect moxibustion means the moxa does not touch the skin directly. Other forms include ginger隔 moxibustion and salt隔 moxibustion, selected based on the condition. Similarly, moxibustion shares the same effects: warming meridians, promoting qi and blood flow, expelling dampness and cold, reducing swelling, and dissolving nodules. Garlic serves two purposes: ensuring even heat transfer and preventing skin burns. Additionally, garlic itself has the ability to dispel cold and detoxify.
The patient in the case suffered from external invasion of wind-cold-dampness, obstructing the meridians and blocking qi and blood flow, resulting in carbuncle and limited mobility. Garlic隔 moxibustion proved effective. Key points: since the condition resulted from recent exposure to cold-dampness and hasn’t progressed to abscess formation, this method is unsuitable for cases caused by heat toxins or long-standing cold-dampness already turned into pus. The mention of drinking ginger-perilla tea with brown sugar aligns with TCM principles—since the carbuncle began with superficial symptoms, this decoction helps dispel wind and cold, aiding in the treatment of the condition.