嗳气者,多因胃虚窒塞,气不升降,过极则展舒,而浊气上出于胃也。有因食物停
胃而夹酸臭者,治宜消食,推扬谷气。有因胃中滞气不舒,而无酸臭者,治宜行气调胃
和中。有因痘毒未出,火邪在内萌动所致者,治宜发痘。有因既出之后,而热毒犹郁
于中,欲发不得发而然者,此宜清胃。若夫恶心干呕,其候虽近,其寒实深,盖冲任虚
火上冲,犯于清道,乃脏败毒攻之恶候也。
夫喘而加急,无问朝候见之,此为恶症。然有虚实之分,如气微息短无力者为
虚;如声粗大,气粗且长者为实。盖肺居气之至高,喜清虚而不受室碍,若邪气相干则
窍壅塞而发喘。然有中气不足者;有肺气将绝者;有痘毒未出,枭炎上攻者;有痰涎紧
并者;更有饮食倍伤,气壅于肺者;有卒犯风寒而外束者;有大便久闭而内逆者;有因
泻后而元气下陷者;虚火上壅者∶有因吐后阳虚,不能按纳阴火,火逆上冲者;有因过
补无补,虚气无根据者。种种诸因,并宜分源异治可也。至如泻利不已,腹胀烦燥,汗出
如油,发润作喘者,不治。总之,多因枭毒煽烈,玄池耗灼,肺火输降,火自升迫,喘
斯作矣。
夫咳嗽之所以累人者,以其难于立止也。然欲治肺而止嗽,则益害肺而嗽愈甚,
盖肺受病而咳嗽者,必有因以迫之,治其因则嗽自愈。若不详所自,而徒事于肺,则气
无所归,或邪无所散,肺愈苦而咳嗽愈甚矣。如痘初咳嗽者,因痘疮挟君相二火,上
熏于肺,肺叶焦举。故气逆而咳者,有声无痰之谓也。若脾虚不能运化而生痰,痰生则
嗽,嗽者,无声有痰之谓也。治法无痰要有痰,有痰要无痰。可见,治咳又难于治嗽
也。在发热之时,先有咳嗽之症者,此为外感风邪之故,治宜疏散。在将发疮痍之时
者,是火邪欲达之故,治宜托痘。既见咳嗽更增者,是喉咙有痘,故淫淫如痒,习习如
鲠,治宜利咽。若灌浆而咳者,是肺气虚弱,治宜参 甘桔之类。若靥后而犹咳者,
是肺逆不收,治宜润肺清毒。若落痂后而多嗽者,治宜滋肺化痰,更有身热而咳嗽连声
鼻血者,是余毒在肺也,治宜清热解毒,有因久嗽阴亏,痰水粘滞,气不升降,两胁刺
痛者,治宜养阴清肺,使痰气流通,而痈咳
俱愈也。至若声如水鸡声者,如拽锯者,口中痰涎胶塞者,并皆不治。
Belching (Ouyang) is mostly caused by deficiency of Stomach Qi leading to obstruction, where the ascending and descending functions of Qi are impaired. When extremely uncomfortable, the body stretches to relieve tension, causing turbid Qi to ascend from the Stomach. In cases due to food stagnation in the Stomach accompanied by sour and foul odor, treatment should focus on digesting food and promoting the movement of Grain Qi. In cases due to stagnant Qi in the Stomach without sour or foul odor, treatment should involve moving Qi, regulating the Stomach, and harmonizing the Spleen and Stomach. In cases caused by unexpressed variola toxin with Fire pathogen stirring internally, treatment should aim to promote the eruption of the rash. In cases where the rash has erupted but heat-toxin remains郁 (stagnant) in the Middle Jiao, unable to fully express itself, treatment should clear Stomach Heat. As for nausea and dry heaving, although the symptoms appear similar, the pathology is complex; it is often due to deficient Fire from the Chong and Ren vessels rushing upward, invading the clear orifices, representing a critical condition of organ failure and toxin attack.
Wheezing (Chuan) with urgency, appearing at any time, is considered a malignant symptom. However, there is a distinction between deficiency and excess patterns. Weak respiration with shortness of breath and lack of strength indicates deficiency; loud voice with coarse and prolonged breathing indicates excess. The Lung resides at the highest level of Qi, preferring clarity and emptiness while resisting obstruction. If pathogens interfere, the airways become blocked, leading to wheezing. Causes include insufficiency of Middle Qi; impending exhaustion of Lung Qi; upward attack by variola toxin before eruption; accumulation of phlegm-saliva; excessive dietary injury causing Qi stagnation in the Lung; sudden invasion of Wind-Cold binding the exterior; long-term constipation causing internal Qi reversal; collapse of Yuan Qi following diarrhea; upward congestion of deficient Fire; Yang deficiency after vomiting failing to anchor Yin Fire, causing Fire to rush upward; and overuse of tonics resulting in rootless deficient Qi. All these various causes require differentiation of origin and distinct treatments. Diarrhea that does not cease, abdominal distension with irritability, sweating like oil, moist hair accompanied by wheezing, are untreatable. Generally, this results from intense variola toxin consuming Yin essence, loss of Lung's descending function, and rising Fire forcing Qi upward, thus inducing wheezing.
Cough (Ke) is troublesome because it is difficult to stop immediately. However, attempting to stop cough solely by treating the Lung will further damage the Lung and worsen the cough, as coughing due to Lung disease must have an underlying cause; treating the cause allows the cough to heal naturally. Failing to investigate the source and merely targeting the Lung leaves Qi without direction and pathogens without dispersion, suffering the Lung more and worsening the cough. For instance, cough during the initial stage of variola is due to the rash carrying Ministerial Fire and Sovereign Fire, scorching the Lung, causing the Lung lobes to become dry and elevated. Thus, Qi rebellion causes coughing with sound but no phlegm, termed "Ke". If Spleen deficiency fails to transform fluids, generating phlegm which then triggers coughing, this is characterized by phlegm but no sound, termed "Sou" (phlegmy cough). Treatment principles: when there is no phlegm, generate phlegm (to expel pathogens); when there is phlegm, eliminate it. Thus, treating "Ke" is more difficult than treating "Sou". Cough appearing first during fever is due to external Wind-Pathogen, requiring dispersing treatment. Cough appearing when the rash is about to emerge is due to Fire Pathogen seeking to reach the surface, requiring support for eruption. Increased cough after the rash appears is due to lesions in the throat causing itching and foreign body sensation, requiring soothing the throat. Cough during the pustule-filling stage indicates weak Lung Qi, treated with Ginseng, Licorice, and Platycodon. Persistent cough after crusting indicates rebellious Lung Qi failing to descend, treated with moistening the Lung and clearing residual toxins. Frequent cough after scab falling indicates need to nourish Lung Yin and resolve phlegm. Cough with continuous sounds, fever, and epistaxis indicates residual toxin in the Lung, treated with clearing heat and detoxifying. Chronic cough leading to Yin deficiency, sticky phlegm-water, impaired Qi dynamics, and stabbing pain in both hypochondria requires nourishing Yin and clearing Lung heat to facilitate phlegm and Qi flow, resolving both cough and pain. Cough sounding like a water-bird, sawing wood, or with gelatinous phlegm blocking the mouth are all untreatable.