Early C20 Chinese Lithograph: 'Fan' diseases

Huitu zhenjiu yixue (Illustrated Acupuncture Made Easy), by Li Shouxian, was composed in 1798 (3rd year of the Jiaqing reign period of the Qing dynasty). It comprises two volumes (juan), plus a supplementary volume containing illustrations of the 'Seventy-two fan'. The 'Seventy-two fan' are not mentioned in any other early Chinese medical sources. Judging from the accounts given in this text, fan must be a generic term for a category of acute illness of unexplained origin. The word fan is qualified by names of animals and insects to characterise the external manifestations of these illnesses. This illustration shows the manifestations of Mule fan, Entwining Thread (chansi) fan, Bean Insect (douchong) fan and Fish fan According to the captions, the signs of these conditions are as follows: In Mule fan, the ears are cold, the legs are straightened, and the mouth will not open. It can be treated with the powdered sediment from the bottom of a water trough, washed down with yellow rice wine and aged vinegar. In Entwining Thread (chansi) fan, the patient has a swollen abdomen, headache, feelings of turmoil in the heart, and and a blue, yellow and purple rash on the front and back of the body. This can be treated by lancing the rash with a needle and applying vinegar externally. If the whole body is numb (paralysed) and no rash appears, the disease is known as Heart Killer (xin shazi). This is treated with a draught made with stir-fried salt. In Bean Insect (douchong) fan, the patient moves like an insect waving its head and tail. It is treated by needling the tianmen (Celestial Portal) point once and applying fresh Golden Thread (huanglian, Rhizoma Coptidis) three times. In Fish fan, the patient is nauseous, drinks large quantities of water, and has a painful, distended abdomen. This can be treated by administering the ashes of an old fishing net, mixed with yellow rice wine. When a sweat is produced, the treatment is successful.

TITLE: Mule fan; Entwining Thread (chansi) fan; Bean Insect (douchong) fan; Fish fan. CAPTIONS: See 'Description of Image Content'