Treatment of acute pathologies, suojiao yongsha, lithograph

Lithograph from Huitu shajing hebi (Illustrated Compendium of Acute Pathologies), published in 1911 (3rd year of the Xuantong reign period of the Qing dynasty). This is a specialised text dealing with shabing - a category of sudden, acute diseases. It contains descriptions of 44 conditions, each accompanied by an illustration. In suojiao yongsha (sudden acute illness with spasm of the legs and boils), all the channels of the body are said to become constricted. The limbs go into spasm; the left arm or right arm, the left leg or right leg contracts separately; and at the same time abscesses or carbuncles (yongju) appear. According to this text, this condition is treated by needling both earlobes, both shoulder blades and the places in the hollows of the knees where 'sha tendons' (shajin) are seen. The illustration shows a male patient wearing his hair in the style of the Qing period, long at the back with the forehead shaven.

Picture title: Suojiao yongsha (sudden acute illness with spasm of the legs and boils). Other lettering: Needle the 'sha tendons' (shajin) in the hollows of both knees, once each. Needle both earlobes, once each. Needle the hollows of both shoulder blades, once each.