赤紫丹瘤,皆心火内郁而发。赤如丹砂,故名曰丹,因热毒客于皮肤,搏于气
血,而风乘之,阴滞于阳,即发丹毒。热极生风,片刻之间,游走遍体,虚热则痒,实
热则痛。自腹而达于四肢者,易治;自四肢而归于腹者,难疗。书虽有五色之分,十月
之异,总不出血热,而属于心。心火内炽,客风外乘,风胜则庶物皆摇,故令游走殊
速。名之丹者,以应心火而色赤也。色红者生,白者气虚挟痰,紫者毒盛,色青如苔
者,死。赤者名赤游丹,热毒感之深也。其状赤肿,片片如胭脂涂染,或发于手足,或
发于头面胸背,令儿躁闷腹胀,其热如火,痛不可忍,游走遍体,流行甚速,须急治
之。若一入腹入肾,即不可救。白者名曰游风,感风湿之轻症也。其候流块作痒,壮热
憎寒,鼻塞脑闷,咳嗽吐逆,其治之法,赤者清凉解毒,甚则砭去恶血,以药涂之。白
者不过疏散渗湿而已。火灼疮者,先天之热毒也。火走空窍,故必于口鼻眼目阴囊粪门
之处,红点如痈,渐成红泡,逾日而穿,赤色无皮,如汤火 炙之状,痛苦殊甚,睡卧
不安,一二日间,周身能腐。若至囟门肿起,阴毒肿亮者不治。及一切丹毒入脏,脐
突出浆,面颊紫浮,噎气不乳,手足拳禁,大小便绝,胸背血点,舌生黑疮,心胸紫肿
者,皆为不治。然小儿脏腑娇嫩,凡一切丹毒,必先内服解毒,方可外敷,盖毒易入难
出,肌肉受伤,其害轻,脏腑受伤,其害速耳。
Chi (red) and zi (purple) Danliu (Dan tumors/erysipelas-like lesions) are all caused by the internal stagnation of Heart Fire. The color is red like cinnabar, hence named "Dan" (Cinnabar/Erysipelas), because heat-toxin invades the skin, contends with Qi and Blood, and Wind takes advantage to invade; Yin stagnates within Yang, resulting in Dan Du (Erysipelas). Extreme heat generates Wind, causing the pathogen to wander throughout the body within moments. Deficient heat manifests as itching, while excess heat manifests as pain. When the condition spreads from the abdomen to the limbs, it is easy to treat; when it retreats from the limbs to the abdomen, it is difficult to cure. Although texts classify Dan Du into five colors corresponding to ten months, it ultimately falls under blood-heat and belongs to the Heart. With Heart Fire blazing internally and external Wind invading, excessive Wind causes all things to tremble, thus making the pathogen wander extremely fast. It is named "Dan" because it corresponds to Heart Fire and its color is red. A red color indicates a favorable prognosis (Sheng), white indicates Qi deficiency with phlegm accumulation, purple indicates severe toxin, and a cyan color resembling moss indicates an unfavorable prognosis (Si). Red type is called Chi You Dan (Red Wandering Erysipelas), indicating deep infection of heat-toxin. Its presentation includes redness and swelling, appearing in patches like rouge applied to the skin, occurring on hands and feet or head, face, chest, and back. It causes the infant to be irritable, distended, with high fever like fire, unbearable pain, rapid wandering throughout the body, and requires urgent treatment. If the toxin enters the abdomen or Kidneys, it becomes incurable. White type is called You Feng (Wandering Wind), representing a mild case of Wind-Damp invasion. Symptoms include flowing masses with itching, high fever with aversion to cold, nasal congestion, head heaviness, cough, and vomiting. Treatment for the red type involves cooling and detoxifying; in severe cases, Bian Shi (Bian stone/thin stone) is used to puncture and remove bad blood, followed by topical application. The white type requires only dispersing Wind and promoting dampness drainage. Huo Zhu Chuang (Fire-Burned Sore) is due to congenital heat-toxin. Fire moves through hollow orifices, so red spots resembling carbuncles appear at the mouth, nose, eyes, scrotum, and anus, gradually forming red blisters that rupture after a day, leaving raw red flesh without skin, resembling burns from boiling water or fire, causing extreme pain, restlessness during sleep, and potential whole-body tissue necrosis within one to two days. If the fontanelle swells up, or if Yin toxins swell brightly, it is incurable. Furthermore, any Dan Du entering the Zang organs, presenting with umbilical protrusion and pus discharge, purple and swollen cheeks, inability to swallow or suckle, clenched fists and limbs, cessation of urination and defecation, blood spots on chest and back, black ulcers on the tongue, or purple swelling in the heart and chest region, are all considered incurable. However, since infants have delicate Zang-Fu organs, for all types of Dan Du, internal administration of detoxifying herbs must precede topical applications, because toxins enter easily but exit with difficulty; injury to muscles is less harmful, whereas injury to Zang-Fu organs causes rapid and severe damage.