Chinese woodcut: Pathology of 'pouchy jaw' throat abscess

Woodcut from Yanhou miji (Collected Secrets of Laryngology), published in 1862 (1st year of the Tongzhi reign period of the Qing dynasty). It illustrates the condition known as dousai houyong ('pouchy jaw' throat abscess) or xuanyong (suspended abscess), which occurs on the lower part of the cheek. This is attributed to cold Qi proliferating and accumulating. It can be treated externally with moxibustion so as to dispel the cold malignity with warmth, and internally with six-flavour decoction (liuwei tang) concocted with pangolin scales (chuanshanjia), angelica root tips (dangguiwei), rhizome of Szechuan lovage (chuanxiong), Dahurian angelica root (baizhi), rhizome of cimifuga (shengma), safflower (honghua) or frankincense (ruxiang).

PICTURE TITLE: Dousai houyong ('pouchy jaw' throat abscess)