有妇人胎死于腹,病喘不得卧,诊其脉,气口盛人迎一倍,左关弦动而疾,两尺俱短而离经,因曰病
盖得之毒药动血,以致死胎不下,奔迫上冲,非风寒作喘也。大剂芎归汤加催生药服之,夜
半果下一死胎而喘止。其夫曰病外家诚有怀,以室人见嫉,故药去之,众所不知也。然妊娠气喘,有乍感风
寒而不得卧者,客邪盛也,发散自愈,参苏饮主之。若脾虚四肢无力,肺虚不任风寒,肾
虚腰 ,短气不能行步,猝然气喘不息,此脾肺素亏,母虚子亦虚,肾气不归元而上乘于肺也,生脉散、
补中汤去升柴主之。丹溪所谓火动作喘,此胎前最多。至于毒药伤胎病喘,世俗往往有之,病机之
不可不察者也。
仲景曰∶妇人脏躁,喜悲伤欲哭,象如神灵所凭,数欠伸,甘麦大枣汤主之。立斋治一妊妇,悲哀烦躁。其夫询之,
云∶我无故,但欲自悲耳。用仲景方,又用淡竹茹汤佐八珍汤而愈。故妊娠无故悲伤,属肺病脏躁者,肺之脏燥也,胎
前气血壅养胎元,则津液不能充润,而肺为之燥。肺燥当补母,故有甘草、大枣以补脾。若立斋用八珍汤补养气血,更
发前人之所未尽。
《产宝》曰∶腹中脐带上疙瘩,儿含口中,因妊妇登高举臂,脱出儿口,以此作声,令妊妇曲腰就地如拾物状,仍
入口中即止。又云∶孕妇腹中儿哭,治法用空房中鼠穴土同川黄连浓煎汁,饮之即止。
A woman had a fetus that died in the uterus, presenting with asthma (wheezing/shortness of breath) and an inability to lie flat. Upon pulse diagnosis, the Qi Kou pulse was one times larger than the Ren Ying pulse; the Left Guan pulse was wiry, moving, and rapid; both Chi pulses were short and showed the Li Jing (departing from the normal pregnancy pulse pattern) characteristic. It was therefore concluded: This illness resulted from toxic drugs disturbing the blood, causing the dead fetus to remain inside, with qi and blood rushing upward in a chaotic manner. It was not asthma caused by wind-cold. A large dose of Xiong Gui Tang (Angelica and Ligusticum Decoction) with added emmenagogues/dystocia-relieving herbs was administered. By midnight, a dead fetus was indeed expelled, and the asthma ceased. Her husband stated, "My wife did conceive, but due to jealousy from the principal wife, she took medicine to abort it. This is unknown to others."
However, during pregnancy, asthma may occur due to sudden contraction of wind-cold, preventing lying flat; this is due to excess pathogenic factors, and self-healing occurs through dispersing methods, primarily treated with Shen Su Yin (Ginseng and Perilla Leaf Decoction). If there is spleen deficiency leading to weakness in the four limbs, lung deficiency unable to withstand wind-cold, kidney deficiency causing lower back pain, shortness of breath, and inability to walk, accompanied by sudden continuous asthma, this is due to inherent deficiency of the spleen and lungs. When the mother is deficient, the child (fetus/organ systems derived from mother) is also deficient; kidney qi fails to return to its root and overcomes the lung. The primary formulas are Sheng Mai San (Generate the Pulse Powder) and Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang (Tonify the Middle and Augment the Qi Decoction) with Sheng Ma and Chai Hu removed. Zhu Danxi's concept of "asthma caused by fire movement" is most common before delivery. As for asthma caused by toxic drugs damaging the fetus, such cases often occur in secular practice; the pathogenesis must be carefully examined.
Zhang Zhongjing stated: "In women suffering from Zang Zao (Organ Dryness), there is a tendency toward sadness and weeping, symptoms resembling possession by spirits, frequent yawning and stretching. The primary formula is Gan Mai Da Zao Tang (Licorice, Wheat, and Jujube Decoction)." Xue Lizhai treated a pregnant woman who presented with sorrow and irritability. Upon inquiry with her husband, she said, "I have no specific reason, I simply wish to be sad." Using Zhang Zhongjing's formula, assisted by Dan Zhu Ru Tang (Bamboo Shave Decoction) combined with Ba Zhen Tang (Eight Treasure Decoction), she recovered. Therefore, unprovoked sadness during pregnancy belonging to Lung disease and Zang Zao is due to dryness of the Lung. During pregnancy, qi and blood are congested to nourish the fetal origin, resulting in insufficient fluid secretion to moisten, causing Lung dryness. For Lung dryness, one should tonify the Mother organ (Spleen); hence, Licorice and Jujube are used to tonify the Spleen. If, as Xue Lizhai did, Ba Zhen Tang is used to tonify qi and blood, it further elaborates on points not fully addressed by predecessors.
The *Chan Bao* records: "A knot on the umbilical cord is held in the infant's mouth. Due to the pregnant woman climbing high and raising her arms, the knot slips out of the infant's mouth, producing sound. Instruct the pregnant woman to bend her waist to the ground as if picking up an object; once the knot re-enters the mouth, the sound stops." It also states: "For fetal crying within the pregnant woman's abdomen, the treatment method uses soil from a rat hole in an empty room decocted thickly with Chuan Huang Lian (Coptis Chinensis Rhizome). Drinking this will stop the crying."