Credit: Wellcome Library, London. Wellcome Images images@wellcome.ac.uk http://wellcomeimages.org Woodcut illustrating the 17th century text Xu Ping waike zhengzong (Orthodox Manual of External Medicine with Commentary by Xu Dachun), from an edition published in 1860 (10th year of the Xianfeng reign period of the Qing dynasty). Right-hand illustration: Tuoju ('shedding lesion', gangrene) belongs to the category of ulcer and abscess diseases (yongju bing). The lesions, which generally appear on the toes, are shaped like a grain of millet and the colour of red dates. The condition is analogous in current medical terms to thromboangiitis obliterans or arteriosclerosis obliterans. When the disease is advanced, the toes resemble cooked dates. It is known as tuoju (shedding lesion), because the toes may drop off when sepsis is advanced. Left-hand illustration: Pidu yong (spleen and belly abscesses) also belong to the category of ulcer and abscess diseases. In some texts they are known as shang fa bei (upper back lesions). They are found on the upper back, below the Celestial Pillar Bone (tianzhu gu - 7th cervical vertebra). In the illustration they are shown in a horizontal distribution covering a wide area. They owe their name to their appearance. If the lesions are reddish violet, raised and inflamed, the prognosis is favourable; but if they are purplish black and flat or concave, the patient will die. Woodcut

Library of Zhongguo zhongyi yanjiu yuan (China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine)

Xu Ping waike zhengzong (Orthodox Manual of External Medicine with Commentary by Xu Dachun) Chen ShigongXu Dachun Published: 1860