身轻,自能转侧者可治。沉重,不能转侧者难治。足冷恶寒,蜷卧向壁,为阴
证。阳病者,不能俯,阴病者,不能仰。身目齿爪俱黄者,疸病也。脾病者,色黄
而肉蠕动。肺病者,色白而毛败。头重视身,此天柱骨倒也,死。摇头,以手扪腮
者,齿痛也。坐而伏者,短气也。身汗如油,形体不仁,乍静乍乱,喘而不休者,
死。肉形脱者,脉虽调,亦死。皮肤润泽者生,枯燥者死。皮肤着者死。(皮肤枯燥着
骨也。)
手足冷,名厥。在伤寒则有寒有热。初病即手足冷者,直中寒证也。爪甲青冷,
或过肘膝,且常冷。若先发热,以渐入内,而手足乃冷者,传经热证也。爪甲红,
乍冷乍温,不过肘膝,此仲景之说也。在杂证,则手足冷者名寒厥,手足热者名热
厥,此《内经》之说也。详厥逆门。但足冷,手不冷,身发热者,为外感夹阴,宜
五积散。不可汗下及小柴胡,以有黄芩苦寒也。又夏暑病湿温,人必足冷手温,
多汗妄语,宜苍术白虎合五苓,不可用五积助热。有两手逆冷,而两足热如火烙者,
此阴气衰于下,(则阳下乘之而足热。)阳气衰于上,则阴上干而手冷。阴阳痞隔之兆也。若初起
而脚膝 弱,或足胫赤热肿痛,当从香港脚治之。手足冷至节,而心痛甚者,名真心
痛,旦发夕死。循衣摸床,撮空理线,扬手掷足,此神去而魂乱也,死。坐而下一
脚者,腰痛也。(坐久腰痛,故下一脚以伸之。)行迟者,表强也。(风邪束其筋络,
故步履不随。)肝热
者,色苍而爪枯。搐搦者,肝邪也。搐,抽搐,手足频频伸缩也。搦,十指频频开
合,拳紧握也。(经曰∶肝病变动为握。)螈 者,虚而有风也。(螈,筋脉收引。 ,筋脉弛
纵。)脉急
者,尺之皮肤亦急。(急,紧急也。)脉缓者,尺之皮肤亦缓。(缓,纵缓也。)脉小者,尺之皮
肤亦减而少气。脉大者,尺之皮肤亦贲(音忿,大而沸起也)而起。脉滑者,尺之皮肤
亦滑。脉涩者,尺之皮肤亦涩。尺肤滑而泽脂者,风也。(热风鼓其血液外见,故滑泽。)尺肤
涩者,风痹也。(血少则内热,热则生风。)尺肤粗,如枯鱼之鳞者,水 (同溢)饮也。(脾
土衰而肌
肉消,水反乘之也。)尺肤热甚,脉盛燥者,温病也。尺肤寒甚,脉小者,泄、少气。掌中
热者胸中热,寒者胸中寒。(掌中为三阴脉所聚,其脏皆在胸中。)臂多青脉,曰脱血。(张景岳
云∶血脱则气去寒凝,故色见青黑,言臂则他可知,即诊尺之义。愚按此说,乃血脱后方见青脉
也。然有先见青脉
而后脱血者,则气虚寒凝,不能摄血耳。)
The body is light and agile, capable of turning over independently; this indicates a treatable condition. The body is heavy and stiff, incapable of turning over; this indicates a difficult-to-treat condition. Cold feet with aversion to cold, curling up in bed facing the wall, characterizes Yin Syndrome (a syndrome characterized by internal excess of Yin-cold). In Yang diseases (diseases affecting Yang meridians or characterized by hyperactive Yang-heat), patients cannot bend forward; in Yin diseases, patients cannot lie on their backs. Yellowing of the whole body, eyes, teeth, and nails indicates Jaundice Disease (Huangdan). Spleen disease manifests as yellowish complexion and twitching muscles. Lung disease manifests as pale complexion and brittle hair. A heavy head with blurred vision indicates collapse of the Tianzhu Bone (cervical vertebrae supporting the head and neck); this is a fatal sign. Shaking the head and touching the cheeks with hands indicates toothache. Sitting while leaning forward indicates Shortness of Breath (Duanqi). Sweating like oil, numbness of the body, alternating between quietness and restlessness, and unceasing panting indicate a fatal prognosis. Emaciation and loss of muscle mass indicate death, even if the pulse appears harmonious. Lustrous skin indicates survival; dry and rough skin indicates death. Skin adhering tightly to the bones indicates death. (Skin adhering to bones refers to extreme dryness where the skin clings tightly to the skeleton.)
Cold hands and feet are termed Jue Ni (Reversal Cold). In Shanghan (Cold Damage) diseases, there are both Cold Jue and Heat Jue. If hands and feet are cold from the onset, it is Direct Invasion Cold Syndrome (Zhi Zhong Han Zheng, where cold pathogen directly invades organs and meridians). Cyanotic and cold fingernails, or cold extending beyond elbows and knees, persistently cold. If fever occurs first, gradually transmitting inward before hands and feet become cold, it is Transmitted Meridian Heat Syndrome (Chuan Jing Re Zheng, heat transmitted from exterior to interior). Reddish fingernails, with hands and feet alternating between cold and warm, not exceeding elbows and knees, follows Zhang Zhongjing's theory. In miscellaneous diseases, cold hands and feet are named Cold Jue, and hot hands and feet are named Heat Jue, following the Nei Jing. See the "Jue Ni" section for details. However, if only feet are cold while hands are not, accompanied by body fever, it is External Contraction with Internal Yin (Wai Gan Jia Yin, external contraction complicated by internal Yin-cold), suitable for Wu Ji San. Diaphoresis, purgation, and Xiao Chai Hu Tang should be avoided due to the bitter-cold nature of Huang Qin (Scutellariae Radix). Furthermore, in summer heat-dampness diseases such as Wen Wen (Warm-Dampness), patients inevitably have cold feet and warm hands, profuse sweating, and delirious speech. Cang Zhu Bai Hu Tang combined with Wu Ling San is suitable; Wu Ji San should not be used as it aids heat. If both hands are reversely cold while both feet are hot as if branded, this indicates deficiency of Yin Qi below (leading to Yang Qi descending and causing foot heat) and deficiency of Yang Qi above (leading to Yin Qi ascending and causing hand cold). This is a sign of Yin-Yang Pi Ge (obstruction/blockage between Yin and Yang). If initially the legs and knees are weak, or the shins are red, hot, painful, and swollen, it should be treated as Hong Xiang Jiao (Foot Qi disease/Jamaican Itch). Cold hands and feet extending to the joints with severe heart pain is named Zhen Xin Tong (True Heart Pain), fatal if occurring in the morning and dying in the evening. Grasping at clothes and bedclothes (Xun Yi Mo Chuang), picking at empty air as if arranging threads (Cuo Kong Li Xian), waving hands and kicking feet (Yang Shou Zhi Zu) indicate that the Shen (Spirit) has departed and Hun (Ethereal Soul) is chaotic; this is fatal. Sitting with one leg hanging down indicates Lower Back Pain (Yao Tong). (Sitting for long periods causes back pain, so one leg is lowered to stretch the tendons.) Slow walking indicates Exterior Stiffness (Biao Qiang). (Wind pathogen binds the sinews and collaterals, causing uncoordinated gait.) Liver Heat manifests as dark green/cyan complexion and withered nails. Twitching and spasms indicate Liver Pathogen involvement. "Chu" refers to convulsions, frequent extension and flexion of hands and feet. "Nuo" refers to frequent opening and closing of ten fingers, tight fist clenching. (The Classics state: Liver disease changes manifest as grasping/clenching.) Chi Zong (spasmodic jerking with alternating contraction and relaxation of muscles) indicates deficiency with Wind. (Chi refers to tendon contraction; Zong refers to tendon relaxation.) An urgent pulse corresponds to urgent skin at the Cun position. (Urgent means tense and forceful.) A slow/relaxed pulse corresponds to relaxed skin at the Cun position. (Relaxed means loose and slack.) A small pulse corresponds to diminished Qi and thin skin at the Cun position. A large pulse corresponds to bulging and raised skin at the Cun position. A slippery pulse corresponds to slippery skin at the Cun position. A choppy pulse corresponds to choppy skin at the Cun position. Smooth and lustrous skin at the Cun position indicates Wind. (Hot wind agitates blood to the surface, causing smoothness and luster.) Rough skin at the Cun position indicates Feng Bi (Wind-Bi obstruction). (Blood deficiency leads to internal heat, which generates wind.) Rough skin at the Cun position, resembling scales of a dead fish, indicates Water Yin Overflow (Shui Yi Yin). (Spleen Earth declines and muscles waste away; water dampness overcomes the deficiency.) Very hot skin at the Cun position with a vigorous and dry pulse indicates Wen Bing (Warm Disease). Very cold skin at the Cun position with a small pulse indicates Diarrhea and Qi Deficiency. Heat in the center of the palm indicates heat in the chest; cold in the center of the palm indicates cold in the chest. (The center of the palm is the convergence point of three Yin meridians, corresponding to organs within the chest.) Many blue veins on the arms indicate Blood Loss (Tuo Xue). (Zhang Jingyue stated: When blood is lost, Qi departs and cold coagulates, resulting in cyan/black coloration. What applies to the arms applies elsewhere, which is the principle of inspecting Cun skin. I observe that this view suggests blue veins appear after blood loss. However, there are cases where blue veins appear prior to blood loss; this is due to Qi deficiency and cold coagulation failing to control the blood.)