Stupor

Su Ziyang Su Ziyang, feeling quite pleased with their cooperation. "One last question, does your mother also like bad smells? Is she a bit messy sometimes?"

This was actually a rather awkward question, but the bald man who Qi Chu's doctor knew the principle of not avoiding medical treatment when sick, so he immediately nodded. "Yes, yes, she came to see the doctor today, and my sister and the others took her to wash up. Otherwise, she would have been quite filthy. To be honest, my mother is a clean freak; she was extremely clean before she got sick!"

"Okay! I understand!"

Having grasped the last and most important point, Su Ziyang already knew what the illness was like.

Previously, Su Ziyang was not quite sure, but now that the last point has been confirmed, the diagnosis has also been made.

In traditional Chinese medicine, this disease is called "dullness".

Dementia.

This illness is not stupidity, but rather a condition characterized by slowed reactions and emotional depression.

The main way to diagnose this disease is by whether the person likes feces and dirty things. Among these filthy things, feces is the primary representative.

There's a reason for this. Everything that goes in and is ingested eventually becomes waste, and the waste in this case is, of course, excrement.

Why do people hate the smell of feces and feel disgusted at the sight of it? It's because feces are waste, the unpleasant residue left after the essence of food has been absorbed.

The qi in the stomach rises and falls.

After developing stomach problems, the Qi (vital energy) stops descending and begins to rise. As a result, the stomach tends to prefer descending rather than rising.

Because feces and waste are things that descend from the stomach. The stomach now prefers to descend, as it no longer has the upward movement of qi. This creates a situation where like attracts like, so the stomach can now tolerate feces and waste.

Su Ziyang was certain that the person's fondness for filth was related to a mental illness.

Based on this person's behavior, it can be determined with great certainty.

"He doesn't like sunlight, prefers enclosed spaces, mutters to himself, wears his clothes very tightly, and eats intermittently, sometimes not at all."

These symptoms are enough to show that this problem is actually related to the stomach.

That's why we analyzed a lot of issues related to stomach qi above.

Although we now know why changes in stomach qi cause people to crave feces.

But liking to eat charcoal is another matter entirely.

Charcoal is the ash of wood.

And dementia, this disease must originate from emotional depression, that much is certain.

Emotional depression is most damaging to liver qi.

Another point is that people often talk about mood, and the heart is actually one of the most important factors related to emotions.

The liver corresponds to the element of wood, which generates fire. When wood is suppressed, the heart is injured.

If the wood element is not strong enough, and you try to start a fire, the wood will quickly turn into charcoal.

This is commonly referred to as insufficient liver blood or liver dryness.

If there is insufficient blood in the liver, the liver's energy will become dry. Since charcoal is also the ash of wood, people may crave it due to the similar nature of the wood.

Therefore, Su Ziyang had two approaches when treating this disease.

The first is to relieve stomach upset, and the second is to remove phlegm that accumulates in the body due to poor digestion.

Although liver blood is insufficient, once stomach qi is restored, the qi among the three elements of liver wood, stomach earth, and heart fire will naturally be balanced.

However, some medical practitioners hold the view that this disease is incurable because once certain inedible foods are consumed, it inevitably indicates organ failure, thus rendering the disease untreatable.

However, Su Ziyang disagreed.

Those with stomach qi will live; those without stomach qi will die.

Since the person can eat charcoal, it means that their stomach energy is still intact. If they can still eat, then they can be saved. If they cannot be saved, then they must be not eating.

Now that he knew how the illness came about and what it was, Su Ziyang prescribed a remedy.

Ginseng (30g)

White peony root (9g)

Angelica sinensis (15g)

Pinellia ternata (15g)

Bupleurum (8g)

Raw jujube seeds (15g)

Aconite (5g)

Sweet flag (15g)

Divine Comedy (10g)

Poria cocos (15g)

Trichosanthes root (9g)

Arborvitae seed kernel (8g)

Seven doses, decocted in water and taken orally.

After writing down the prescription, Su Ziyang indicated that they could go downstairs to get the medicine.

Is it convenient for your mother to take her medication? Can she take it herself?

Su Ziyang pulled the bald man who was about to go downstairs and asked.

"Before, we had to force-feed her Chinese medicine using a syringe; she wouldn't swallow it at all. My sister, my father, my younger brother, and I had to hold her down to get the medicine down her throat. She suffered a lot, but the worst part was that she didn't get better! When you prescribed the medicine just now, I wanted to ask you how to take it. Is it still a decoction? I'm getting a little scared to force-feed my mom now. As soon as she sees me holding the bowl of medicine, she locks herself in her room and won't come out!"

The bald man touched his bald head and clicked his tongue, clearly annoyed.

"Okay, I'll tell you a way to make it easier for you to administer the medicine, and it will definitely be more effective. However, I also need to remind you of a few things to pay attention to, otherwise it will delay your treatment!"

Upon hearing that Su Ziyang had something to say, the bald man immediately instructed another person to go downstairs to pay the money, while he pulled up a stool and sat down next to Su Ziyang.

"When you get home, brew the medicine yourself. Just make about half a bowl, not too much. Remember that!"

Su Ziyang first instructed him on how to decoct the medicine.

"Okay, I know how to prepare the medicine, don't worry about that. Please continue, I'll jot it down on my phone so I don't forget later."

The bald man took out his phone, opened the notes app, and started typing.

"You and your brother hold your mother down while your father forces the medicine down her throat."

After Su Ziyang finished speaking, the bald man was somewhat puzzled. "Why, doctor? Is there some kind of reason behind this?"

"Let me finish, and you'll understand. After you, your brother, and your sister hold your mother down, have your father force-feed her the medicine. If she refuses, have your father slap her—not in the face, but in her thighs or buttocks, the kind of places that hurt but won't cause much damage."

After Su Ziyang finished speaking, the bald man was even more puzzled.

"Firstly, your mother's illness stems from unresolved emotional issues; she's depressed. Anger helps control her depression. When your father hits her, the pain makes her angry, which makes the medication more effective."

"Secondly, your dad can hit your mom, but you can't. Even if I asked you to do it, you wouldn't be able to do it. Right!"

As soon as Su Ziyang explained, the bald man immediately gave Su Ziyang a thumbs-up.

"Doctor, you're amazing! Of all the traditional Chinese medicine doctors I've seen, you're the only one who can explain things so clearly! Thank you!"

"Of course, you're welcome!"