小儿肥疳恣食,寒暑不适,生冷油腻伤脾,糖面炙爆助火,因循积渐,酿成疳疾。
渴而易饥,善食而瘦,发竖下泄,腹胀鼻干,久久不治。脾弱肝强,化源既绝,肾阴
自亏,木失所养,肝火自燎其窍,这成目眚,多生翳膜,睫闭不开,眵泪如糊,乃中
州弱而清阳不升,肝火盛而浊阴不降所致,治当升清降浊,以白术、人参先补脾胃为
君,柴胡、枳壳疏肝抑气为臣,苍术、茯苓、泽泻渗湿降浊为佐,羌活、蔓荆、升
麻、川芎、薄荷诸风药,既散风火,且借上达之性,以为使,疳与目疾咸获其效矣。
魃病者,儿将过岁,母复有妊,儿饮其魃乳,(又谓爱乳。)以成斯症。或有母患他病,
儿饮其乳,以类母病者有焉。盖母之血气若调,乳则长养,精神血气一病,乳则反生他
病,母既妊娠,精华下荫,气则壅而为热,血则郁而为恶,小儿神气未全,易于感动,
其候寒热时作,微微下痢,毛发 ,意殊不悦,甚至面色痿黄,腹胀青筋,泻青多
吐,日渐 羸,乳食不进,竟成疳状。又有谓受妊之时,或因大实大虚,饥饱劳役,大
暑大寒,风雨雷电,及阴阳不等,犯禁亦成。此候俗以孕在胎中,因儿饮乳,其魄识
嫉,而致儿病,故谓之胎妒。
蒸热之病,多起于足阳明,其始也,火上冲而能啖,火消烁而善饥,盖胃为气血之
海,气血不足,邪火杀谷,水谷之精不足济之,渐成口秽烦躁,夜热朝凉,毛焦口渴,
气促盗汗,形如鹄立,谓之消瘅。若大便日有十余,肢瘦腹大,频食多饥,谓之食并。
再失调治,邪火不退,相传相受,耗烁精滋,五脏俱困。如传诸肝,则多怒善恐,颊
痛转筋,遇卯酉时则较重;传诸脾则神怠肉肿,足冷肠鸣,辰戌丑未时则较重;传诸
肺,则咳逆膈胀,背楚恶寒,遇午后则较重;传诸心,则五心燔灼,唇鲜口苦,当午
则较重;传诸肾,则虫食膂髓,宣露柴骨,遇阴分则较重。此皆邪火为害,而耗伤精
血,致病者也。若至年大,情窦既开,损伤精血而成骨蒸者,此又是精枯受伤,致成骨
蒸者也。当于精血根本处求之。
Pediatric Fei Gan (a syndrome of malnutrition in children due to improper diet), caused by excessive eating, combined with disharmony of cold and heat. Raw, cold, greasy, and oily foods damage the Spleen and Stomach, while sugar, wheat products, and fried or roasted foods assist internal fire. If neglected over time, accumulation gradually brews into Gan disease (pediatric malnutrition syndrome).
Symptoms include thirst with easy hunger, a good appetite but emaciation, upright hair, diarrhea, abdominal distension, and dry nose. If left untreated for a long time, it leads to weak Spleen and strong Liver. With the source of transformation (Spleen-Stomach metabolic origin) cut off, Kidney Yin naturally depletes, and Liver Wood loses nourishment. Liver Fire burns its own orifices, resulting in eye diseases (Gan eyes), often forming pterygium-like membranes, eyelids closing tightly, and discharge resembling paste. This is caused by weakness in the Middle Jiao preventing Clear Yang from ascending, and excess Liver Fire preventing Turbid Yin from descending. Treatment should raise the Clear and descend the Turbid. Use Baizhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma) and Renshen (Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma) to first tonify the Spleen and Stomach as Sovereign herbs; Chaihu (Bupleuri Radix) and Zhike (Aurantii Fructus Immaturus) to soothe the Liver and regulate Qi as Minister herbs; Cangzhu (Atractylodis Rhizoma) and Fuling (Poria) and Zexie (Alismatis Rhizoma) to leach out dampness and descend turbidity as Assistant herbs; Qianghuo (Notopterygii Rhizoma et Radix), Manjingzi (Viticis Semen), Shengma (Cimicifugae Rhizoma), Chuanxiong (Ligustici Chuanxiong Rhizoma), and Bohe (Menthae Haplocalycis Herba), various wind-dispelling herbs, which both disperse wind-fire and utilize their ascending nature as Envoy herbs. In this way, both Gan disease and eye ailments will achieve efficacy.
Ba disease (also known as Ai Ru disease) occurs when a child approaching one year of age drinks the mother's "Ba milk" (lactation during pregnancy) after the mother becomes pregnant again, leading to this condition. Alternatively, if the mother suffers from other illnesses and the child drinks her milk, the child may contract symptoms similar to the mother's illness. Generally, if the mother's blood and Qi are harmonious, the milk nourishes; if the mother's spirit, blood, and Qi are diseased, the milk generates other diseases. When pregnant, the essence descends to nourish the fetus; Qi stagnates and transforms into heat, while Blood stasis transforms into evil. The child's divine Qi is not yet complete and is easily affected. Symptoms include alternating chills and fever, mild diarrhea, dry hair, distinct unhappiness, sallow complexion, abdominal distension with visible blue veins, green diarrhea with frequent vomiting, progressive emaciation, refusal of milk and food, eventually resembling Gan syndrome. Another view suggests that conception conditions—such as extreme excess or deficiency, irregular eating, labor, extreme heat or cold, wind, rain, thunder, lightning, or imbalance of Yin and Yang, or violating taboos—can also cause this. This condition is colloquially called "Tai Du" (Fetal Jealousy), believing that the fetus in the womb, jealous of the child drinking milk, causes the illness through its soul/spirit recognition.
Gu Zheng (bone-steaming fever) usually originates from the Foot-Yangming Stomach Meridian. Initially, fire rushes upward allowing eating, and fire consumes causing hunger. Since the Stomach is the sea of Qi and Blood, insufficient Qi and Blood allow pathogenic fire to digest food rapidly without absorption. Water and grain essences fail to replenish, gradually leading to foul breath, irritability, night fever and morning coolness, scorched hair and thirst, shortness of breath, and night sweats. The body becomes emaciated like a standing crane, termed Xiao Dan (wasting-thirst). If there are more than ten bowel movements daily, thin limbs and large abdomen, frequent eating but constant hunger, it is called Shi Bing (food accumulation). If treatment remains unadjusted, pathogenic fire persists, transmitting and affecting each other, consuming essence and nourishment, distressing the Five Zang organs. Transmission to the Liver causes anger and fear, cheek pain, and tendon spasms, worsening at Mao-You hours (5-7 AM, 5-7 PM). Transmission to the Spleen causes mental fatigue, muscle swelling, cold feet, and borborygmus, worsening at Chen-Xu-Chou-Wei hours (7-9 AM, 7-9 PM, 1-3 AM, 1-3 PM). Transmission to the Lung causes cough, reverse Qi, chest fullness, back soreness, and aversion to cold, worsening in the afternoon. Transmission to the Heart causes five-palm burning, bright red lips, and bitter taste, worsening at Wu hour (11 AM-1 PM). Transmission to the Kidney causes worms eating the spinal marrow, exposed skeletal structure, worsening during Yin phases (night or Yin-dominant times). All these are harms of pathogenic fire consuming essence and blood. For older children whose emotional desires open and damage essence and blood, resulting in Gu Zheng, this is due to essence depletion and injury. One must seek the root in essence and blood.