夫痘与疟偕来,而有难保全者,何也?盖疟名脾寒,则脾先受伤而虚矣。痘者,豆
也。赖土而生长,若土先受伐,则焉能滋培化育!况似疟非疟者多,盖阳虚则恶寒,阴
虚则恶热,阴阳虚而寒热交作,若不大为补益,而投以青柴则殆矣。
夫有蒸热作渴,肉瘦肌黄而患痘反多无恙者,何也?请云气者,不于肌肉论肥瘦,
言血气者,不于形骸定虚实,况毒从外病而化,肌由潮热而松乎,且肥白之儿,肉浮骨
脆,肾气多虚,能耐诸症,而独难于痘疮。黄瘦之儿,骨劲筋强,肾元多实,虽多生疾
病,而独于痘疮恒无苦也。
有因跌扑所伤,是以血气亏损者,不可概用归尾、桃仁之类。盖受伤已耗荣血,何
堪又复败之?夫痘岂可破败其血以成功耶!故宜参、 、芎、归、红花、熟地、蝉蜕之
类,以流行其滞,而直补于内,再加茯神、远志,以宁固其心,外用文蛤、棕灰 于
伤处,收敛其表。若痛甚者,再加乳香。若外伤痕阔,弗克收靥者,则用白芨、白敛、
象皮末以掺之。若伤而不破者,则用蛤蟆灰贴,以手徐徐摩抚散其滞血可也。至于汤泼
火烙者,则宜疗以清凉之剂,不可敷以寒冷之方,盖恐凝滞其痘,而且热气内攻也。
凡声物兼出者为呕,如物独出者为吐,如声独出者为干呕。其干呕与哕,皆声之独
出,惟干呕其声小而短,哕则其声重大而长。吐在初起,是火炎上之征,至于呕哕,
乃毒内攻之兆,然有暴大吐泻不已,神亡欲绝,脉微欲脱,面青厥冷,恶症备见,而反
觉膈快神强者,是正气虽脱,内热方去,热则神昏,寒则神清,是以暂觉宽快,但正气
大虚,邪气必夺,故不久顿发喘汗,昏闷而死,犹灯尽复明也。至于呕哕,在病深者,
尤为恶候,盖人以胃气为本,胃者,土也。土败而木来侮之故,木挟相火之势上乘乎
胃,其气自脐下直犯清道,上出贲门,微则干呕,甚则发哕,总皆土败之象。《经》曰∶
木陈者,叶必落;弦绝者,声必嘶;病深者,声必哕。
凡痘初吐泻,不可骤止者,以吐乃出热,泻乃出毒之义,盖痘毒在内,愈止愈
甚,夫热毒壅塞于胃口,火气炎上之象,不治痘而吐愈者,未之有也。但宜表痘,痘出
而吐自止,不治吐而吐自愈。若以寻常治吐之法,益增呕逆烦躁之端,更不可用辛燥之
药,以致血不华色。虽似胃寒,勿用热药,盖暴病非阴,况痘本热毒耶!至若痘从恶心
干呕不止者,是冲任虚火上冲,犯于清道,多系脏败毒攻,不救之恶候也,急宜分阴
阳,利小便,盖治干呕之症,法以利小便为主耳。若利而不通者,危也。
When smallpox (Douzhen) and malaria occur simultaneously, yet life is difficult to preserve, why is this? Malaria is called "Spleen Cold" (Pi Han), indicating that the Spleen is first injured and becomes deficient. Smallpox, like beans/plants, relies on Earth (Soil/Spleen) to grow; if the Earth is first destroyed, how can it nourish and transform? Moreover, cases resembling malaria but not being true malaria are common. Yang deficiency leads to aversion to cold, Yin deficiency leads to aversion to heat; when both Yin and Yang are deficient, cold and heat alternate. If one does not perform substantial tonification but instead administers Qinghao Tang (Artemisia Annua Decoction) or Chaihu (Bupleurum Root) for antipyretic purposes, it would be perilous.
Some patients present with steaming fever, thirst, emaciated muscles, sallow complexion, and develop smallpox, yet remain largely unharmed. Why? Those discussing Qi do not judge fatness or thinness based on muscles; those discussing Blood and Qi do not determine deficiency or excess based on physical form. Furthermore, the toxin transforms from external invasion, and the skin loosens due to tidal fever. Children who are fat and white have floating flesh and fragile bones, with generally deficient Kidney Qi. They may tolerate various ailments but find smallpox particularly difficult. Children who are yellow and thin have strong bones and sinews, with generally solid Kidney Yuan (Original Qi). Although they may suffer from many diseases, they rarely suffer from smallpox.
Injuries from falls or blows cause loss of Blood and Qi; one should not indiscriminately use herbs like Danggui Wei (Angelica Sinensis Tail) and Taoren (Prunus Persica Seed) to break blood stasis. Injury has already consumed Ying Blood (Nutritive Blood); how can it bear further destruction? How can smallpox succeed by breaking and damaging blood? Therefore, it is appropriate to use Renshen (Ginseng), Baizhu (Atractylodes Macrocephala Rhizome), Chuanxiong (Ligusticum Chuanxiong Rhizome), Danggui (Angelica Sinensis Root), Honghua (Carthamus Tinctorius Flower), Shudi (Rehmannia Glutinosa Root Prepared), and Chantui (Cicada Slough) to circulate stagnation and directly tonify internally. Add Fushen (Poria with Hostwood) and Yuanzhi (Polygala Tenuifolia Root) to calm and stabilize the Heart. Externally, apply Wen Ge (Clam Shell) and Zonghui (Changal Palm Fiber Ash) to the injury site to consolidate the exterior. If pain is severe, add Rushi (Frankincense). If the external wound is wide and cannot scab over, apply Baiji (Bletilla Striata Tuber), Bailian (Veratrum Nigrum Bulb), and Xiangpi (Elephant Skin Powder) as a dusting powder. If injured but not broken, apply Hamagui (Toad Ash) paste and gently massage to disperse stagnant blood. For burns from hot water or fire, treat with cooling agents; do not apply cold formulas, lest they congeal and stagnate the smallpox eruption and allow internal attack by heat qi.
Vomiting (Ou) involves both sound and matter; spitting up (Tu) involves only matter; dry heaving (Gan Ou) involves only sound. Both dry heaving and hiccups (Yue) involve only sound, but dry heaving is low-pitched and short, whereas hiccups are heavy and long. Vomiting at the onset indicates Fire flaming upward. However, vomiting and hiccups signify internal attack by toxin. In cases of sudden, continuous severe vomiting and diarrhea, with spirit fading and nearly departing, pulse faint and nearly vanishing, face blue, limbs cold, and all evil signs manifesting, yet feeling temporary chest relief and mental clarity: this occurs because although Zheng Qi (Upright Qi) is departing, the internal Heat is just leaving. Heat causes mental confusion; Cold allows mental clarity, hence the temporary relief. But with massive Zheng Qi deficiency, Evil Qi inevitably prevails, leading soon to sudden panting, sweating, coma, and death, like a lamp refiring before extinction. Vomiting and hiccups in deep disease are especially ominous prognoses. Humans rely on Stomach Qi as their root; the Stomach belongs to Earth. When Earth fails, Wood insults it. Wood, carrying the force of Ministerial Fire, attacks the Stomach from above. The qi rises directly from below the navel, invading the clear pathways, and exits via the贲门 (Cardia). Mildly, it causes dry heaving; severely, it causes hiccups. All are signs of Earth's failure. The Classic states: "When wood is exhausted, leaves must fall; when the string breaks, the sound must hoarse; when disease is deep, the sound must be hiccup."
Initial vomiting and diarrhea during smallpox should not be abruptly stopped, as vomiting expels Heat and diarrhea expels Toxin. Smallpox toxin resides inside; stopping it makes it worse. Heat-toxin congested at the stomach opening is a sign of Fire flaming upward. There is no case where treating only the vomiting stops it without treating the smallpox. One should only promote the eruption of smallpox; once erupted, vomiting stops naturally. Treating vomiting without addressing the root leads to self-healing of vomiting. Using ordinary anti-emetic methods increases irritability and regurgitation. Do not use acrid-warm-drying drugs, which prevent Blood from nourishing the complexion. Although it may seem like Stomach Cold, do not use hot medicines, for acute illness is not necessarily Yin-cold, especially since smallpox is inherently Heat-Toxin. If accompanied by nausea and incessant dry heaving, this indicates Deficient Fire of the Chong and Ren meridians rushing upward, invading clear pathways. This usually signifies organ failure and toxic attack, an untreatable ominous sign. Urgently differentiate Yin and Yang and promote urination. The method for treating dry heaving primarily involves promoting urination. If urination remains blocked after treatment, the condition is critical.