Neck scrofula is common in young and middle-aged people. For a long time, it could not be satisfactorily treated by Western methods and medicines. The fire needle treatment by seventh generation Master Wang Wenhao, with over 50 years experience in clinic, had a high rate of cure. All his six generations of ancestors took up TCM surgery. However, in a follow-up survey, the authors found that patients were not satisfied due to the permanent scars left after the therapy.
In order to solve this problem, a thorough improvement was made in the therapy, including both apparatus and methods. The new treatment was tested on 200 patients divided into two groups. Hundred patients in the observation group were treated by students of Wang Wenhao using improved apparatus and methods, and the remaining 100 in the control group were treated by Wang Wenhao using old apparatus and methods. The observations are reported below:
General Data: The scrofula was on the side of the neck, along the connecting line between earlobe and the Quepen acupuncture point in the patients. The skin was normal; there was no redness, swelling, heat, or ache. The swelling beneath the skin was obvious, but not painful. The scrofula border was clear. The disease development was slow. In the cases of patient with scrofula on two sides, only one side was included.
Data: Among the 200 cases, there were 36 males and 164 females. The course of disease varied from one year to 38 years. A total of 120 cases had scrofula on one side, 80 had on two sides. They were divided into observation and control groups, each with 100 patients. There were no differences in gender, age, course of disease, and disease situation.
Improved treating tools and operating method: 1. Fire needle and operation
2. Fixer (a ring-like apparatus to fix scrofula)
3. Chinese Wood oil box
4. Alcohol burner
5. Selecting needling point on scrofula
Ancestral treating tools and method:
Fire needle and operation: The fire needle is made of large sewing needles, the longest about 12-cm long. The needle body is about 1.5cm, and is wrapped with 26 iron or copper wires to act as needle handle. Medical acupuncturists use this needle by holding the handle with right hand. It’s burnt on kerosene burner until red hot, dipped into sesame oil, before needling the focus. The depth is uniform at 1.5 cm.
Treatment results: Treatment comparison between the traditional fire needle group and improved fire needle group revealed that of the 100 cases in the traditional group, 92 were very effective and eight marked effect. On the other hand, 98 cases of the 100 were very effective in the improved group, and only two marked effect.
This study was done by Wang Ju and Wang Hongquan at Guangyan Beiwang Hospital, Hebei province ( Langfang, 06500).
The author is Head of the Department of Acupuncture, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi.
This treatment is now being made available in India at his clinic in Delhi.