丁巳予从军至开州。夏月。有千户高国用谓予曰。父亲年。七十有三。于去岁七月间。因内伤
饮食。又值霖雨泻。痢暴下数行。医以药止之。不数日又伤又泻。止而复伤。伤而复泄。至十月间。
肢体瘦弱。四肢倦怠。饮食减少。腹痛肠鸣。又以李医治之。处以养脏汤。治之数日。泻止后添呕
吐。又易以王医。用丁香、藿香、人参去白、橘皮、甘草。同为细末。煎生姜数服而呕吐止。延至
今正月间。饮食不进。扶而后起。又数日不见大便。予问医曰。父亲数日不见大便。何以治之。医
曰。老官人年过七旬。气血衰弱。又况泻痢半载。脾胃又虚。津液耗少。以麻仁丸润之可也。众亲
商议。一亲知曰。冯村牛山人。见证不疑。有果决。遂请治之。诊其脉。问其病证。曰此是风结也
。以搜风丸百余丸服之。利下数行而死。予悔恨不已。敢以为问。予曰。未尝亲见。将何以言。高
千户退而去。或者曰。予亲见之。细说其证。予曰。人以水谷为本。今年高老人久泻。胃中津液耗
少。
又重泻之。神将何根据。灵枢经云。形气不足。病气不足。此阴阳俱不足也。不可泻之。泻之则重不
足。重不足则阴阳俱竭。血气皆尽。五脏空虚。筋骨髓枯。老者绝灭。少者不复矣。又曰。上工平
气，中工乱脉。下工绝气危生。绝气危生。其牛山人之谓欤。
In the Ding Si year, I followed the army to Kaizhou. During the summer, a Qianhu (Military Commander of One Thousand) named Gao Guoyong said to me: "My father is seventy-three years old. Last July, due to dietary injury, and coinciding with continuous rainy weather causing diarrhea and dysentery, he suffered sudden severe diarrhea several times. The physician used medicine to stop it. Not long after, he was injured again and had diarrhea; it stopped, then he was injured again, and injured, then he had diarrhea. By October, his limbs were emaciated and weak, his four extremities were fatigued and listless, his food intake decreased, he experienced abdominal pain and borborygmus. He was then treated by Physician Li, who prescribed Yangzang Tang (Nourish Viscera Decoction). After several days of treatment, the diarrhea stopped, but vomiting was added. Then Physician Wang was consulted, who used Dingxiang (Caryophylli Flos), Huoxiang (Agastaches Herba), Renshen (Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma) with the white skin removed, Chuanpiao (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium), and Gancao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma), ground together into fine powder, decocted with Shengjiang (Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens), and taken in several doses, after which the vomiting stopped. This condition persisted until January of the following year. He could not take any food and needed support to rise. A few days later, he had no bowel movement. I asked the physician: 'My father has not had a bowel movement for several days; how should this be treated?' The physician replied: 'The old gentleman is over seventy years old, with weakened Qi and Blood. Moreover, he has suffered from diarrhea and dysentery for half a year, his Spleen and Stomach are deficient, and his body fluids are depleted. It is acceptable to use Maren Wan (Hemp Seed Pill) to moisten and purge.' The relatives discussed this. One relative suggested: 'Niu Shanren from Fengcun diagnoses without doubt and acts decisively.' So they invited him to treat the patient. Niu Shanren palpated the pulse and inquired about the symptoms, saying: 'This is Wind Knot syndrome.' He administered more than one hundred pills of Soufeng Wan (Search Wind Pill). The patient suffered several episodes of diarrhea and died. I regret this endlessly and dare to ask for your opinion. I said: 'I did not witness it personally; how can I comment?' High Qianhu withdrew and left. Someone said: 'I witnessed it personally; let me describe the symptoms in detail.' I said: 'Humans rely on water and grain as their foundation. This elderly person has suffered prolonged diarrhea, depleting the stomach's body fluids. If subjected to severe purging again, where will the Shen (Spirit) find its basis? The Ling Shu Jing (Spiritual Pivot Classic) states: When both physical Qi and pathogenic Qi are insufficient, this indicates a deficiency of both Yin and Yang. Purging must not be used. If purged, the insufficiency becomes doubly insufficient. Doubly insufficient means both Yin and Yang are exhausted, Blood and Qi are depleted, the Five Zang organs are empty, tendons and bone marrow are withered. The elderly will perish, and the young will not recover.' It also says: 'Superior physicians regulate Qi; average physicians disrupt the pulse; inferior physicians sever Qi and endanger life. Severing Qi and endangering life refers to that Niu Shanren.'