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Shortness of breath (Duan Qi) presents as resembling panting but not true panting, characterized by short, rapid breathing that cannot be sustained continuously. However, shortness of breath may arise from excess conditions or deficiency conditions; it may involve pathogens in the exterior or in the interior, presenting various differences. The *Classic of Internal Medicine* states: "The pulse at the foot yang (Duyang) is faint and tight. Tight indicates cold, faint indicates deficiency. When faint and tight interact, shortness of breath results." The *Jin Gui Yao Lue* (Essential Prescriptions of the Golden Cabinet) states: "Shortness of breath with a sensation of insufficient respiration indicates an excess condition." Generally, abdominal distension and fullness accompanied by shortness of breath indicates an excess condition caused by pathogens in the interior. Soft abdominal distension accompanied by shortness of breath indicates a deficiency condition caused by pathogens in the exterior. Additionally, fluid retention in the epigastrium (heart below) can also cause shortness of breath.

Thirst (Ke) belongs to interior heat syndromes. Body fluids are consumed by heat pathogens, thus causing thirst. When Shaoyang disease transmits to the Jueyin meridian, it manifests as Xiao Ke (wasting-thirst syndrome), characterized by drinking large amounts of water while urinating little. In mild cases: Thirst with a floating pulse belongs to Taiyang disease; treat with Xia Qing Long Tang (Minor Blue Dragon Decoction), removing Banxia (Pinelliae Rhizoma) and adding Huafen (Trichosanthis Radix). Thirst with sweating belongs to Yangming disease; treat with Bai Hu Tang (White Tiger Decoction) plus Renshen (Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma); if stool is dry and hard, purgation should be used. Spontaneous diarrhea with thirst belongs to Shaoyin disease; treat with Cheng Qi Tang (Order the Qi Decoction). Regarding Jueyin disease, this represents extreme heat; purgation is suitable for all such cases. Generally, thirst caused by severe stomach excess heat should be treated by reducing the surplus heat. Thirst caused by stomach deficiency leading to floating yin fire should be treated by tonifying the insufficiency. For Taiyang disease with no sweat and thirst, Bai Hu Tang (White Tiger Decoction) is contraindicated. For Yangming disease with profuse sweating and thirst, Wu Ling San (Five-Ingredient Powder with Poria) is contraindicated. If thirst and desire for water occur on the sixth or seventh day, this indicates the disease is about to resolve; provide water in small amounts. If sweating or purgation has been excessive, depleting body fluids, thirst will also result. There is also the condition described as dry tongue and parched mouth, caused by pathogenic heat gathering in the stomach and consuming fluids, drying up stomach juices; Tiao Wei Cheng Qi Tang (Regulate the Stomach Order the Qi Decoction) is appropriate. For Shaoyin disease with dry tongue and parched mouth, this indicates extreme internal and external dehydration where heat consumes kidney fluids; urgent purgation is required. If excessive sweating or purgation has led to depleted fluids, or if the disease has just resolved and qi and blood remain deficient, causing heart fire to fail to descend and kidney water to fail to ascend, resulting in dry mouth and throat, decoctions for nourishing yin and tonifying qi are suitable.

The *Classic of Internal Medicine* states: "When dampness and heat interact, people often suffer from Dan (jaundice/wasting-heat)." Dan refers to a state of pure yang heat without yin fluid restraint. This is usually caused by failing to induce sweating when indicated, failing to purge when indicated, or failing to promote diuresis when indicated. When damp-heat steams the spleen earth of the Taiyin meridian, yellow color appears externally, inevitably causing jaundice. If dampness predominates, the yellow color is dull like smoke-stained, accompanied by whole-body pain; this is a dampness disease. If heat predominates, the yellow color is bright like orange peel, without whole-body pain; this is a jaundice disease. At this stage of Shang Han (Cold Damage), heat intensity is extreme, and it largely resembles blood stasis syndrome. If urination is difficult and stool is hard, it is jaundice; if urination is free and stool is black, it is blood stasis. For jaundice, promoting diuresis to separate and guide qi mechanism and circulate/dissolve dampness is appropriate. Thus it is said: "Treating dampness without promoting diuresis is not the correct treatment." If the body looks dull like smoke-stained, the area around the mouth is dark/black, cold sweat occurs, and skin turns yellow, this indicates the extinction of spleen qi and is incurable.