阳明病发潮热大便溏小便自可胸胁满不去者小柴胡汤主之(方在少阳二)
阳明胃腑为少阳经邪所郁阳气遏逼故发潮热糟粕莫容故便滑溏胃逆胆壅经气不降故胸胁满结宜小柴胡汤半补阳明之
里气半泄少阳之表邪也
阳明病胁下硬满不大便而呕舌上白苔者可与小柴胡汤(方在少阳二)上焦得通津液得下胃气因和身 然而汗出解也
阳明为少阳所遏下脘之气陷则病溏泄上脘之气逆则病呕吐胃逆而津液不降心部瘀浊故舌起白苔由肺胃壅塞而上焦不
通也柴芩泄少阳经邪松其郁迫故上焦通而津液下胃气和而汗出解也
少阳以甲木而化气于相火经在二阳三阴之间阴阳交争则见寒热久而阳胜阴败但热而无寒则入阳明阴胜阳败但寒而无
热则入太阴小柴胡清解半表而杜阳明之路温补半里而闭太阴之门使其阴阳不至偏胜表邪解于本经是谓和解少阳之经自头
走足下行则相火蛰藏而温腰膝上逆则相火燔腾而焚胸膈相火升炎津血易耗是以少阳之病独传阳明者多大柴胡汤治少阳之
经而兼阳明之腑者以此温针汗下亡津耗血之法俱少阳之所切忌恐其阴伤而入阳明也然太阳少阳合病则有呕利之条呕利者
非太阳少阳之病而实阳明之病也缘甲木郁则克戊土胃以仓廪之官而被甲木之邪经迫腑郁不能容纳故病上呕而下利究之胃
病则气逆逆则为呕脾病则气陷陷则为利呕多者少阳传阳明之病利多者少阳传太阴之病也然则少阳之传太阴者正自不乏其
义见于第十八章曰伤寒六七日其人烦躁者阳去入阴也则篇中不必琐及而大旨炳然矣
Yangming disease presenting with tidal fever, loose stools, normal urination, and persistent fullness in the chest and hypochondrium is primarily treated with Xiaochaihu Tang (Chest-Shoulder Minor Decoction) (Formula found in Shaoyang Chapter 2).
This occurs because the Yangming Stomach Fu organ is constrained by Shaoyang channel pathogens. The Yang Qi is suppressed and forced, resulting in tidal fever; the fecal matter cannot be retained, leading to slippery, loose stools. With Stomach Qi rebelling and Gallbladder Qi stagnating, the channel Qi fails to descend, causing fullness and knotting in the chest and hypochondrium. It is appropriate to use Xiaochaihu Tang to half-nourish the interior Qi of Yangming and half-drain the exterior pathogens of Shaoyang.
In Yangming disease, if there is hardness and fullness below the costal margin, constipation accompanied by vomiting, and a white coating on the tongue, Xiaochaihu Tang may be administered (Formula found in Shaoyang Chapter 2). Once the Upper Jiao becomes unobstructed, body fluids descend, Stomach Qi harmonizes, and the patient naturally sweats, leading to resolution.
This happens because Yangming is constrained by Shaoyang pathogens: when Qi in the lower epigastrium sinks, it causes loose stools; when Qi in the upper epigastrium rebels, it causes vomiting. Stomach Qi rebellion prevents fluids from descending, and turbidity stasis accumulates in the Heart region, resulting in a white tongue coating. This is due to congestion in the Lung and Stomach obstructing the Upper Jiao. Chai Hu (Bupleuri Radix) and Huang Qin (Scutellariae Radix) drain Shaoyang channel pathogens and relieve constraint, thereby unblocking the Upper Jiao, allowing fluids to descend, harmonizing Stomach Qi, and resolving the condition through sweating.
Shaoyang is based on Jia Wood and transforms its Qi into Ministerial Fire. Its channels lie between the Two Yangs and the Three Yin. When Yin and Yang contend, chills and fever occur. If, after prolonged illness, Yang prevails and Yin declines, only heat without chills appears, indicating transmission to Yangming. If Yin prevails and Yang declines, only cold without heat appears, indicating transmission to Taiyin. Xiaochaihu Tang clears and resolves the semi-exterior, blocking the path to Yangming; it warms and tonifies the semi-interior, closing the gate to Taiyin. This prevents Yin and Yang from becoming excessive in one direction, resolves exterior pathogens within their own channel, and is termed "harmonizing Shaoyang." When Shaoyang channel Qi descends from head to foot, Ministerial Fire stores itself, warming the waist and knees. If Ministerial Fire rebels upward, it blazes fiercely, burning the chest and diaphragm. Rising Ministerial Fire easily consumes body fluids and blood; therefore, Shaoyang diseases often transmit to Yangming, typically treated with Da Chaihu Tang. Treating Shaoyang channel disease while simultaneously addressing Yangming fu disease is based on this principle. Methods such as warm needle therapy, sweating, and purging that deplete fluids and consume blood are strictly contraindicated in Shaoyang disease, lest Yin injury lead to transmission to Yangming. However, in combined Taiyang and Shaoyang disease, there are patterns involving vomiting and diarrhea. Vomiting and diarrhea are not merely Taiyang or Shaoyang diseases but essentially Yangming diseases. Because Jia Wood depression overacts on Wu Earth, the Stomach, as the official of granaries, suffers from external pressure and internal constraint by Jia Wood pathogens, failing to accommodate food and fluid, thus causing upper vomiting and lower diarrhea. Fundamentally, Stomach disease causes Qi rebellion, which manifests as vomiting; Spleen disease causes Qi sinking, which manifests as diarrhea. Frequent vomiting indicates Shaoyang transmitting to Yangming; frequent diarrhea indicates Shaoyang transmitting to Taiyin. Thus, Shaoyang transmitting to Taiyin is indeed common, as elucidated in Chapter 18: "In cold damage after six or seven days, if the person is irritable, it means Yang has departed and entered Yin." Therefore, detailed discussion in this chapter is unnecessary, as the main purport is clear.