- Zi He Che: interestingly, the original text explains the inclusion of placenta by saying
that it is the "mother of the Pre-Natal Qi" and therefore restores the Mind. - Ban Xia, Chen Pi and Bai Jie Zi resolve Cold Phlegm.
- Chang Pu and Zhu Sha open the orifices. If Zhu Sha is not used (as it is toxic) the
dosage of Chang Pu can be increased to at least 9 g. - Mai Dong and Bai Zi Ren nourish Heart-Blood and calm the Mind.
- Zhi Gan Cao harmonizes.
Mental-Emotional Pattern
This formula combines opening the Mind's orifices and resolving Phlegm with tonifying the
Spleen, Heart and Kidneys. It is therefore suitable in chronic conditions when Phlegm mists the
Mind on a background of Qi and Yang deficiency.
From a mental-emotional viewpoint, the patient will be calmer than in the previous two cases.
He or she will feel very confused mentally, exhausted and depressed. The obstruction of the
Mind by Phlegm, combined with the deficient Heart and Kidneys not nourishing the Mind, will
make this person very forgetful and disorientated. In severe cases, the depression may be such
that the patient feels suicidal.
Case History 9.4
Mental-Emotional Problems: Phlegm-Heat Harassing the Mind
(Heart)-Male, Age 39
A 39-year-old man had been suffering from what was labelled as "phobic anxiety" for 8 years.
His history was quite complex and many factors contributed to his problem, so, rather than
starting from his presenting symptoms, it might be better to describe his history from the
beginning. His childhood had been very troubled, most of all because his mother was very
unloving towards him and she constantly reproached him. At the age of 28 he worked in Belfast
at the time of a very tense political and military situation which caused a great deal of anxiety to
him. He suffered a shock when he found a bomb under his car. When he was 30 he had a car
accident and had concussion. Nine months after that he contracted an extremely severe case of
influenza which was nearly fatal. He was in bed for a month with a constant temperature. A few
months after that he collapsed crying hysterically, he was unable to speak, could not move and
could not bear to look at the light. His GP thought he had a brain haemorrhage but this was not
the case. After that collapse he continued to be extremely anxious, lost all confidence in himself,
lacked self-esteem, felt extremely insecure and was prone to bouts of crying. At this time he