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Hu, male, 76 years old, visited on April 1, 1992. He had been experiencing episodic abdominal pain, stuffiness, and diarrhea for one and a half years. The patient was generally healthy, but one and a half years ago, he began to experience colicky abdominal pain for no apparent reason. During the pain, a soft mass the size of a fist could be felt on the right side of the navel, which was very painful when pressed. After about a day of gentle massage, fulminant diarrhea began, with watery stools mixed with dry fecal matter, occurring more than 10 times a day. The diarrhea stopped on its own after two days, and the abdominal pain was relieved, with the mass disappearing. During the remission stage, the patient felt mentally fatigued and exhausted, but his diet was normal, though he did not have a bowel movement for seven or eight days. After that, the aforementioned symptoms recurred, with a similar progression. This cycle of recurrence-remission-recurrence occurred 2-3 times a month, causing the patient great distress. He had been examined at the First Affiliated Hospital of He Medical University, where a tumor was ruled out, and he was diagnosed with chronic intussusception in the elderly, with a recommendation for surgical treatment. The patient declined surgery and sought treatment elsewhere without improvement.

The patient appeared emaciated, with mental fatigue and a shortage of qi. His tongue texture was pale, with a thick white coating, and his pulse was deep and tight. Considering the "Cold-Damage Disease Treatise," which states, "When there is abdominal distension and fullness with pain, it belongs to Taiyin, and Cinnamon Twig plus Peony Decoction is the main treatment. For severe pain, Cinnamon Twig plus Rhubarb Decoction is the main treatment," the prescription was Cinnamon Twig plus Rhubarb Decoction:

Cinnamon Twig 10g, Peony Root 20g, Prepared Liquorice Root 6g, Fresh Ginger Rhizome 3 slices, Chinese Date 10 pieces, Rhubarb Rhizoma 6g
, decocted with water and taken. During the remission stage, one dose was taken daily, and during the attack stage, two doses were taken daily. When the patient experienced another episode after taking the medication, the abdominal pain was significantly reduced. The prescription was not changed, and Tangshen 15g was added to the original formula and continued. After that, each episode became progressively milder, and after a total of 60 doses, the episodes ceased. The patient stopped the medication on his own, and follow-up to date has shown no recurrence.