Skink
Gart der Gesundheit, Cuba, 1485

Bulk farmed Ge Jie at the Chengdu Medicine Market (Adam, 2016)

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Uses:

SKINK:
1. Warms the Kidneys, Strengthens the Yang:

-Aphrodisiac; ‘Rekindle the Fire of Love when exhausted by the frosts of Age or at the expense of debauchery’.
-‘The part of it which lies about the Kidneys, being drank to the quantities of a drachm in wine, is a great provocation to Lust’ (Dioscordies);
-‘Its use will make a lover the most excellent one, even if he be old’. (Mahavedaveda, Unani)

2. Strengthen Lungs, Stops Cough:

-Chronic Cough and Wheezing from Kidney and Lung weakness with low libido, debility, premature Ejaculation etc. (Unani: Indusyunic)

3. Resists Poison:

-‘A Great Antidote’; used in Theriac and Mithridate
-restorative in chronic and debilitating disease including Elephantiasis, Leprosy and other cutaneous diseases;
-Tumors and cancerous conditions, tumors
–Pliny said they were specific for wounds from Poison arrows (probably Aconite).

GECKO: (Ge Jie)
1. Strengthens the Lung, Stops Cough:

-Asthma, chronic cough, consumption, dyspnoea, hemoptysis.
-chronic Lung diseases with Kidney deficiency
-‘the berst drug for relieving Asthma and for stopping Coughing’. (He Da Ying, TCM)

2. Strengthens and Warms the Kidneys:

-diuretic, for bladder stones and gravel.
-Impotence, and as an Aphrodisiac; strengthen the male sex drive and sex performance.
-traditionally used for Diabetes-like disorders
-help fractures heal.
-nourishes Essence (Jing) and Blood. (Li Shi Zhen)

Main Combinations:

SKINK:
1. Impotence and as an Aphrodisiac:
i. Skink with Orchis root, Pine kernel, Rocket seed, Aniseed
ii. Skink with Cinnamon, Ginger, Pepper, Cress seed, Rocket seed, Onion seed (Roscellus)
iii. Skink with Pistachio, Pine kernels, Orchis, Cinnamon, Cabbage seed
iv. Skink with Orchis, Elecampane, Cinnamon
v. Skink with Pine nuts, Hazelnut, Sweet Almond, Walnut, Pistachio, Sesame, Linseed, Orchis, Ginger, Sea Holly root, Asparagus root, Nettle seed (as in Antidote for Cold Lumbar, for Venery, and Defect of Semen of Nicholas)
2. Cold and Weak Kidneys, Skink with Elecampane, Cinnamon, Rocket seed

GECKO:
1. Chronic Cough, Asthma and Wheezing from Lung and Kidney deficiency:
i. Gecko with Ginseng and Walnut
ii. Gecko with Ginseng, Almond kernel, Cinnamon, Walnut, Licorice
iii. Take a pair of dried Gecko, cut into pieces, coat with Wine and Honey then stir fry, dry and powder. Add half ounce of Ginseng powder. Blend this powder into 4 ounces of melted Beeswax and make 6 cakes, To use, make a rice porridge of glutinous rice, add one of the cakes and stir until dissolved. Sip the porridge. (Pu Ji Fang, TCM)
iv. Gecko with with Ginseng, Poria Fu Ling, Mulberry root bark (Sang Bai Pi), Almond kernel (Xing Ren), Licorice
2. Lung abscess with chronic Cough, Gecko, Donkey-hide Gelatin (E Jiao), Deer Horn Gelatin (Lu Jiao Jiao), Rhino horn (Xi Jiao, substitute Water Buffalo Horn extract), Antelope horn (Ling Yang Jiao, substitute Goat horn), equal parts, powdered and decocted to be taken.
3. Kidney deficiency with Impotence:
i. Gecko, Ginseng, Cistanche Rou Cong Rong
ii. Gecko, Epimedium Yin Yang Huo, Velvet Deer Horn (Lu Rong), Dioscorea Shan Yao, prepared as a tincture.
iii. Gecko, Deer Pizzle, Velvet Deer Horn, Bull Testicles, Cordyceps, Ginseng, Lycium Gou Qi Zi

Major Formulas:

Mithridate and Theriac
Electuary of Orchid (Diasatyrion) (Nicholas)
Electuary of Steel (Unani)
Antidote for Cold Kidneys and to Excite Libido (Nicholas)
Antidote for Cold Lumbar, for Venery, and Defect of Semen (Nicholas)
Confection for Coitus (Galen)
Confection to Increase Seed of Augusta
Pills of Nishat (Unani)

Ren Shen Ge Jie San
Shen Ge San

1. Electuarium ad Venerem
(Electuary to Promote Venery) (Avicenna)
  Skink   1 ½ oz.
  Seeds of Napi
  Bauciae
  Alleft
  Onion
  Nettle
  Rocket     1 oz. ea.
  Black Pepper 
  White Pepper
  Long Pepper     5 drams
  Cepae muris assae ½ oz.
  Pine nut  2 ½ oz.
  Pyrethrum   ½ oz.
  Ash tree keys   6 drams
  Sparrow brains      ½ oz.
  Rooster testicles     1 oz.
Form an electuary with butter and honey.
Dose: ½ dram in sweet wine after eating.
2. Electuary Venerem Excitans
  Asparagus seed
  Satyrion   1 oz.
  Bedeguar
  Red Behen 
  White Behen
  Ginger   3 drams ea.
  Rocket seed
  Carrot seed
  Onion seed
  Nettle seed      2 drams ea.
  Siler montane seed
  Skink middle     ½ oz.
  Cardamon   3 drams
  Ash tree keys   1 dram
  Sugar  sufficient
Mix with Milk, or Mulsa (Honey and Wine).

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