Library

When a child is in the mother's womb, after ten months of gestation, it accumulates turbid, foul, hot, and toxic qi. This accumulation does not happen in one day but develops over years before manifesting. Whether noble or base, everyone is subject to this. Mild cases present with sparse eruptions, while severe cases are dense; all result from influences received during gestation. The severity of the turbid, foul, hot, and toxic qi varies. This condition is not exclusive to humans. All viviparous beings with blood and qi accumulate such turbid, foul, hot, and toxic qi. Some manifest at one or two years old, some between three to five up to seven or eight years old, and some develop erysipelas (erysipeloid eruption) and urticaria (hives) in old age. Others may develop macules (maculae) due to warm-toxin complicating Taiyang disease (disease of the Taiyang channel), or due to Yang toxicity causing macules. Macules vary in size and color intensity. Large ones belong to Yin, small ones to Yang, yet both are essentially heat syndromes. Dark red color indicates deep heat; light red indicates shallow heat.

For treatment, mild cases should be dispersed and vented according to their nature, while severe cases should be reduced and mitigated. The *Neijing* states: "When the guest pathogen of Shaoyang prevails, erysipelas and rashes erupt externally, forming erysipelas." The Hand-Shaoyang channel corresponds to the Sanjiao Shaoyang Ministerial Fire. Qixuanzi (Wang Bing) noted: "This occurs in years of Wu-Yin and Wu-Shen, when Shaoyang Ministerial Fire governs the Heaven Qi, though it can occur in other years as well." However, the *Neijing* specifically highlights that rashes and eruptions are caused by Shaoyang Ministerial Fire. The common term "macule-rash typhoid" has merit. In this condition, it often accompanies Taiyang disease, initially presenting with fever, aversion to cold, headache, stiff neck, and rigidity of the waist and spine. After transmitting from Taiyang for four to five days, the rash begins to emerge, starting from under the hypochondrium, spreading to the chest and flanks, then to the body surface, and gradually to the limbs. Thus, pediatric eruptions, erysipelas, and urticaria are all caused by the predominance of Shaoyang Ministerial Fire as a guest pathogen. The *Neijing* states: "All pain, itching, sores, and ulcers belong to Heart Fire." How could there be cold? Therefore, treating sores and eruptions follows the same principles as treating Taiyang disease and seasonal epidemics. Initial symptoms of headache, fever, and aversion to cold indicate the onset of pediatric eruptions. The pulse is floating, large, and forceful, making it difficult to distinguish from Taiyang disease, seasonal epidemics, wind-cold invasion, convulsions, or retained milk.

Initial treatment requires releasing the exterior using two methods: in periods of extreme heat and yang abundance, use acrid-cool agents; in periods of prolonged cold and freezing weather, use acrid-warm agents. Acrid-cool preparations include Liangge San (Cool the Chest Powder) and Fangfeng Tongsheng San (Wind-Protecting Universal Rescue Powder); acrid-warm preparations include Shengma (Cimicifugae Rhizoma) and Gegen (Puerariae Radix). These two methods must not be mixed. After applying these methods, administer Baihu Tang (White Tiger Decoction) with added Ginseng, taken cold, without interruption. This prevents asthma induced by the eruption. Asthma in this context is fatal; Ginseng is used to stop wheezing. Some argue that Baihu Tang should not be used after the Start of Autumn. This is incorrect. If malaria occurs in late autumn, and it is caused by summerheat, Baihu Tang effectively clears summerheat toxicity. If the Baihu Tang syndrome is present, why restrict its use based on seasons? Eruptions, urticaria, and erysipelas are manifestations of Fire and indicate deficiency of Lung Metal. Thus, Baihu Tang with Ginseng treats eruptions. If eruptions are uneven, varying in size like beans or millet seeds, relatives observing the irregularity should assess the weather's temperature. Burn cicada slough (Cicadae Periostracum) into ash, take an amount equivalent to half or one Chinese character weight, mix with a small amount of light wine, and administer. Adults should take it warmed with light wine. Within half a day, the eruptions will become uniform. Baixiang Wan (Hundred Reliance Pill) and Zicao Yinzi (Arnebia Decoction) are also acceptable. Common practices of fumigating with wine and vinegar only increase confusion and dizziness. By the sixth or seventh day, when eruptions have fully appeared, treat with Xiaochengqi Tang (Minor Order the Stomach Decoction) or Liangge San to purge, following the same regimen as for Taiyang disease. Some claim that purgatives should never be used from start to finish for eruptions, citing Zhu Fengyi Gong. This induces fear and hesitation in prescribing. Qian Zhongyang used Baixiang Wan, which contains Daji (Euphorbiae Pekinensis Radix); did Zhu Fengyi fail to see this? Since Zhu's statement was made, many have died on the roads!

Relatives and old friends' children in my family suffered from black-retracting eruptions and abdominal asthma. I administered Baihu Tang with Ginseng and Liangge San with Danggui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix) and Jiegeng (Platycodonis Radix). Continuous administration caused vomiting and diarrhea day and night. I placed the child in a cool environment and poured fresh water over their face, hands, and feet until pus and fluid were exhausted. The four limbs are the root of all Yang qi. While the child was being scorched by external fire from the eruptions, pouring cold water allowed Yin qi to enter via the meridians, reaching the Heart and Lungs, akin to waking from a drunken stupor. This method opens congestion and breaks depression. Using this method, I saved thousands. Black-retracting eruptions with asthma and fullness usually result in 80-90% mortality. Following this method, 60-70% survival is possible. Why do physicians and families remain unaware?

Recently, boats traveling along the Cai River near my estate often moored here. One day, the boatman saw a bundle of decaying rushes drifting downstream, approaching the boat, accompanied by faint crying sounds. Suspecting a person, he retrieved it and found a child of about four or five years old. Eruptions covered the entire body densely, yet the eyes were bright, and the child cried for food. He fed the child porridge. The boatman's wife scolded him: "Our own children often contract infectious eruptions; why feed this stranger?" Since the river flow was slow, the origin must be nearby. Holding one of the child's shoes, he went upstream. Everyone asked said they hadn't seen such a child. After traveling nearly twenty li to a village, he shouted loudly: "A child of this age, who died of eruptions and was thrown into the river, is now alive!" Hearing the commotion from a tavern, a man came out saying: "I am from [Village Name]. My four-or-five-year-old son died of eruptions." The boatman showed the shoe. The father wept: "It is truly my son!" Running to look, he was shocked to see his son alive, weeping bitterly. He thanked the boatman and joyfully took his son home. The boy is now over twenty years old. This child, originally destined to die, lived because of water. I earnestly inform future practitioners: Is the eruption disease Heat or Cold? The *Classic* states: "All pain, itching, sores, and ulcers belong to Heart Fire." Qixuanzi annotated: "When the Heart is calm, pain is slight; when the Heart is agitated, pain is severe." All ailments originate from the Heart. How can eruptions be Cold? I inherited medical knowledge from my father and have treated many diseases. If I deceive future generations, where would my guilt lie? If this method is correct, then the graves on the plains represent people wrongly killed by eruptions. Therefore, for pediatric treatment, Qian Zhongyang's book offers the most valuable content. However, his formulas were corrupted by Yan Xiaozhong. Discerning practitioners should select and adopt them wisely.