Chinese Medicine: Starting with Daily Intelligence-Chapter 78: Sweat Like Rain

Guo Yu pulled out Liu Haoyu’s previous medical case file again.

"It’s a Minor Chaihu Decoction pattern... no, that’s not right..."

The *Treatise on Cold Pathogenic and Warm Pathogenic Diseases* specifically mentions Taiyang disease.

"For a Taiyang disease that has persisted for ten days, if the pulse is floating and fine, and the patient is lethargic, the exterior has resolved. If there is fullness in the chest and pain in the ribs, administer Minor Chaihu Decoction."

"In a cold damage disorder of five or six days, or a wind-strike, with alternating chills and fever, a feeling of fullness and discomfort in the chest and ribs, listlessness with no desire to eat or drink, vexation and a tendency to vomit; or vexation in the chest without vomiting, or thirst, or abdominal pain, or a blockage and hardness below the ribs, or palpitations below the heart, or difficult urination, or no thirst, or a slight fever with a cough—Minor Chaihu Decoction is indicated..."

"In both cold damage and wind-strike disorders, if there is a Chaihu pattern, the presence of just one of these symptoms is sufficient; they need not all be present."

When a Minor Chaihu Decoction pattern appears in a Taiyang disease, it hasn’t yet reached the Shaoyang disease stage, which is characterized by a bitter taste in the mouth, a dry throat, and dizziness.

And the entry for Shaoyang disease also explains, "If what was originally a Taiyang disease does not resolve and transforms into Shaoyang, characterized by hardness and fullness below the ribs, dry heaves and inability to eat, alternating chills and fever, and a deep, wiry pulse, one must not induce vomiting or purgation. Administer Minor Chaihu Decoction."

He had thought the patient had a Minor Chaihu pattern.

In reality, he had overlooked one detail.

The patient wasn’t vomiting.

Furthermore, his urination was unobstructed, but his stool was dry and hard.

These were symptoms of internal heat damaging bodily fluids, not a Minor Chaihu pattern.

"Aha!"

Guo Yu slapped his thigh in a moment of sudden realization. "I was wrong. It wasn’t a Minor Chaihu pattern."

He said to Miaoli, "That classmate of yours is really something."

Miaoli breathed a secret sigh of relief.

’As long as Director Guo isn’t angry.’

She replied cautiously, "I wouldn’t say that. If you hadn’t gone through this trial and error, Director Guo, perhaps he wouldn’t have been able to make the correct diagnosis either."

"You don’t have to flatter me," Guo Yu chuckled. "I know my own limits. I’m much older, yet after all these years, I’m still just an attending physician and I’ve never been promoted to associate chief physician. The truth is, my skills are limited. The art of Traditional Chinese Medicine is vast and profound—you could study for a lifetime and it wouldn’t be enough..."

He looked at Lü Ying. "Doctor Lü, could you let me see the medicine Li Xu prescribed?"

Lü Ying nodded. "No problem. I’ll get it for you when I go home at noon."

Li Xu had prepared two doses of medicine for her son.

He had taken one dose yesterday.

This morning, her son had gone off to a job interview.

There was still one dose left at home.

During her lunch break, Lü Ying made a special trip home to get the packet of herbs.

Guo Yu took it and carefully inspected the medicinal herbs inside.

He pinched a few stems of ephedra, placed them in his palm to observe them, then brought them closer to smell. His expression grew increasingly complex.

"Is this... wild ephedra?" Guo Yu’s voice was laced with surprise. "And the processing method is very professional. It’s preserved the maximum medicinal effect."

Lü Ying nodded. "Doctor Li said he gathered it himself from deep within the Qinling Mountains and had just finished preparing it."

Guo Yu then examined the Aconite and Asarum, his brow gradually un-furrowing. "These are all indeed top-grade medicinal herbs."

He looked up at Lü Ying. "How long did he say it would take to see results?"

"He said the symptoms would be greatly alleviated in one night, and they were," Lü Ying replied. "He also said it would be ’a cure in a single dose.’ I didn’t believe it at first..."

"The new generation truly does surpass the old," Guo Yu sighed emotionally. "This Li Xu is incredible... It’s a shame. I suggested to the hospital director that we recruit him through a special process, but he disagreed."

...

「In a residential community next to the Weimin Clinic.」

Zhang Shufen stood before her wardrobe, her trembling fingers unbuttoning her third sweat-soaked blouse.

Sunlight filtered through the screen window, casting mottled patterns of light and shadow on her skin.

Although the temperature outside was as high as 32 degrees Celsius, she felt a bone-chilling cold spread from her spine throughout her entire body.

"Mom, you’re changing clothes again?" Her daughter pushed the door open and frowned involuntarily upon seeing her mother changing into her fourth dry set of clothes.

Zhang Shufen forced a smile. "It’s nothing, I just broke a bit of a sweat."

She didn’t want her daughter to worry, but her fingers were trembling so uncontrollably that she couldn’t even fasten the buttons properly.

Her daughter quickly walked over to help her mother with her clothes, but her mother’s skin was ice-cold to the touch.

"Mom, why is your skin so cold?" she exclaimed. "It’s the middle of summer, and you’re still wearing a sweater..."

Zhang Shufen shook her head, pulling her cardigan tighter around herself. "I’m cold. It feels like there’s a block of ice strapped to my back."

As she spoke, she suddenly felt a gush of warmth from her waist down, instantly soaking the pants she had just changed into.

This was already the fifth time today.

Ever since recovering from a cold three months ago, her body had been like a broken faucet. She sweated constantly during the day, especially from the waist down, as if from an invisible fountain.

Strangely, however, her upper body rarely sweated and sometimes even felt dry and tight.

What tormented her even more were the severe chills that accompanied the sweating. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Even at the hottest time of day, she had to wear thick winter clothes, and at night, she had to place cotton padding behind her back when she slept.

Her husband joked that she was a "human air conditioner."

But Zhang Shufen knew it wasn’t a joke—it was torture.

"Mom, let’s go see a doctor again," her daughter said, her voice filled with worry. "The clinic downstairs has reopened."

Zhang Shufen was a little worried. "Han Weimin’s clinic? Is he any good?"

Her daughter tried to persuade her, "Last time, he only got shut down for review because he was messing around with Chinese medicine irresponsibly. He’s actually got some skill."

Zhang Shufen thought for a moment. "I heard from Li Aiyin, the cleaning lady, that Doctor Li at Li’s Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic is very skilled..."

"I’ve heard that too, but when I passed by just now, the clinic wasn’t open. Why don’t you go see Dr. Han first?" her daughter said.

"Alright, I’ll go take a look in a bit."

Zhang Shufen sighed, sat down slowly on the edge of the bed, and fumbled for the thermometer on the nightstand. She put it in her mouth—36.2 degrees. Perfectly normal. ’Then why do I feel like I’m standing in an icehouse?’

She had just put the thermometer down when she felt that familiar damp warmth from her lower body again.

Zhang Shufen closed her eyes in despair. She knew she would have to change her clothes again.

...

「Weimin Clinic.」

Han Weimin stared at his empty clinic, filled with bitter regret.

’If I had known it would come to this, I never would have meddled with Chinese medicine.’

’Just giving IV drips was an easy way to make money.’

’Sigh... I must have been out of my mind.’

Han Weimin shook his head again and again.

He had been quietly open for two days now.

Not a single patient had come.

The local residents had all lost faith in him.

At this rate, it wouldn’t be long before he’d have to close down for good.

"Dr. Han..."

Zhang Shufen arrived at his door, bundled in thick clothes. "Can you take a look at me? I keep sweating..."

Han Weimin’s spirits lifted, and he quickly ushered Zhang Shufen inside.

After a brief consultation, Han Weimin was baffled.

’What kind of symptoms are these?’

’No fever, but constant sweating.’

’And an aversion to cold on top of that.’

"Does your throat hurt?"

"No."

"Do you have a runny nose?"

"No."

"This..."

Han Weimin couldn’t figure out what the condition was.

However, he was unwilling to give up on this patient.

’Treat her!’

’I have to treat her!’

’If I can cure this patient, I can definitely save the clinic’s reputation.’

"Dr. Han, what’s wrong with me?"

Zhang Shufen’s eyes were filled with desperation.

"It’s just some lingering effects from your cold. It’s nothing serious. A few days of IV drips will clear it right up."

Han Weimin puffed out his chest, putting on an air of "you can trust me."

"Okay, let’s do it then."

Zhang Shufen nodded.