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Chinese Theories Regarding The
KIDNEYS The kidneys are those organs of the human system that resemble the water in the ocean. They distribute nourishment through the body by means of the nerves. The nerves of the lower limbs pass through the kidneys and run up the back, through the neck, and over the head and eyes. All these nerves depend on the kidneys for their strength and nourishment, just as the earth depends upon the water element of the ocean for its rain and moisture.
When the kidneys fail to function properly because of inflammation, or by reason of weakness, they become the source of numerous ailments. In cases of inflammation, people sometimes have Bright's Disease, floating kidneys, etc. The tendency of inflammation (the fire element) is to cause swelling, especially in the lower limbs, which frequently develops into dropsy. Sometimes, inflammation of the kidneys causes the lower limbs to cramp. This is accompanied by burning pain from the small of the back down to the toes, and is commonly known as Rheumatism or Neuritis. When it gets a strong and lasting grip, the sufferer is crippled for life. Inflammation of the kidneys also causes constipation because it dries up the moisture of the blood-circulation in the bowels. In inflammation of the kidneys, the urine is generally dark-colored, and there is frequent voiding of small quantities.
In cases where the kidneys are weak and inactive, they cause dizziness, weakness, backache, headache, stiffness and pain in the back of the neck, which continues up into the nerves of the head, ringing or buzzing noises in the ears and even cross eyes. This condition is accompanied by loss of vitality, forgetfulness, brain fatigue, poor concentration, shortness of breath, and frequent voiding of large quantities of urine. -(67)- .
In a person who is consumptive, or in one who coughs frequently for other reasons, the lungs become dry and feverish, and the kidneys are therefore liable to become inflamed. When these organs do not function in unison, a condition sets in that is difficult to relieve. The liver, stomach, and spleen become affected one after the other; the spleen being the last thing to become diseased. When the spleen is affected, the sufferer has diarrhoea which cannot be relieved. He has then but a week or two more to live. One should drink the Fong Wan Herbs and drive off the cough before Consumption fastens itself upon him.
The herbs for the restoration of the kidneys to normal are of various kinds. Each compound for a cup of tea contains from 13 to 20 varieties. If the kidneys are inflamed, two or three kinds of herbs are put in to bring to them plenty of good blood; two or three kinds to accumulate more moisture in the kidneys; two or three kinds to cause the moisture or water to flush the kidneys; one or two kinds to work through the nerves to the lower limbs and upper parts of the body; one kind to work into the lungs, from which the kidneys gain part of their strength and motive power; one kind to purify the blood and cleanse the bladder; and one kind to clean out the liver and cool the blood.
The number of packages of herbs necessary to bring permanent relief depends upon the severity of the ailment and the length of time it has persisted. As a rule, the herb compound must be changed as the condition of the kidneys changes.
When herbs are compounded for weakness of the kidneys, very different herbs are given from those required for inflammation. Many persons try to get relief by merely flushing the kidneys with water, without the addition of any curative elements. The result is often the overburdening of the kidneys, the weakening of the bladder, and the keeping of the sufferer on the jump most of the night. Furthermore, the drinking of too much water causes indigestion, and sooner or later the health of the individual is broken.
THE "CHANGE OF LIFE" IN MAN While most people are familiar with the term "Change of Life" as applied to woman, few realize that man also undergoes a chaange of life.
For thousands of years the Chinese people have been taught that -(68)the life of both sexes is divided into periods of time, or cycles. A woman's life is divided into cycles of 7 years. The first cycle is that of early childhood; at the close of the second cycle, she is 14 years of age, and has developed into young womanhood. When she has completed 7 cycles of 7 years each, the average woman has come to the change of life, although she is but 49 years of age. With man, each cycle consists of 8 years instead of 7 years. He develops into young manhood at the age of 16 years, after having completed two cycles of 8 years each. Moreover, he must complete 8 cycles of 8 years' duration before he comes to the change of life, at which time he is therefore 64 years of age.
Because of this difference in the age at which men and women reach the change of life, we may infer that a man who is 15 years oider than his wife is actually of the same age physiologically, and that though younger in years, a wife who is less than 15 years younger than her husband is really the elder of the two.
During the period of their change of life, most men suffer because of difficulties in the functioning of the kidneys and bladder, accompanied by more or less dizziness of the head and pain in the back of the neck, etc. This trouble may be traced to the loss of power by the kidneys, due to the change of life in man. When, from about 55 to 65 years of age, many suffering men consult their physicians' regarding these ailments, the physicians generally diagnose the trouble as swollen glands or decide that it is the neck of the bladder that is causing the trouble. Frequently the bladder is operated upon and left leaky as long as the man lives. However, the real seat of the trouble is to be found in the change of life, which has lessened the power of the kidneys, thus weakening the circulation of the blood and the air pressure.