经历晋才卿。膏粱而饮。至春病衄。医曰。诸见血者为热。以清凉饮子投之。即止。越数日。
其疾复作。医又曰。药不胜病故也。遂投黄连解毒汤。既而或止。止而复作。易医数回。皆用苦寒
之剂。俱欲胜其热而已。然终不愈。而饮食起居。浸不及初。肌寒而时躁。言语无声。口气臭秽。
恶如冷风。然其衄之余波。则未绝也。或曰。诸见血者热。衄、热也。热而寒之。理也。今不惟不
愈而反害之。何哉。内经曰。以平为期。又言下工不可不慎也。彼惟知见血为热。而以苦寒攻之。
抑不知苦泻土。土、脾胃也。脾胃、人之所以为本者。今火为、病而泻其土。火固未尝除而土已病
矣。土病则胃虚。胃虚则营气不能滋荣百脉。元气不循天度。气随阴化而无声肌寒也。意粗工嘻嘻
以为可治。热病未已。寒病复起。此之谓也。
华严寺和上座代史侯出家。年未四十。至元癸酉四月间。因澡浴大汗出。还寺剃头。伤风寒。
头疼。四肢困倦。就市中购通圣散服之。又发之汗。头疼少减。再日复作。又以通圣散发之。发汗
数回。反添劳动喘促。自汗恶风。咳而有血。懒于言语。饮食减少。求医治之。医与药。多以生姜
为引子。至六月间。精神愈困。饮食减
少。形体羸瘦。或咳或唾红血极多。扶而后起。请予治之。具说前由。诊其脉。浮数七八至。按之
无力。予曰。不救矣。或曰。何谓不救。内经曰。血之与汗。异名而同类。夺汗者无血。夺血者无
汗。金匮要略云。肺痿之病。从何而得之。师曰。或从汗出。又被快药下利。重亡津液。故得之。
今肺气已虚。又以辛药泻之。重虚其肺。不死何待。藏气法时论曰。肺欲收。急食酸以收之。用酸
补之。辛泻之。盖不知内经之旨。仲景云。祸术浅狭。懵然不知病源为治。乃误发汗吐下之相反。
其祸至速。世上之士。但务彼翕习之荣。而莫见此倾危之败。惟明者居然能识其本。近取诸身。夫
何远之有焉。其僧不数日。果亡。
The patient Jin Caiqing, accustomed to a diet rich in fats and sweets, suffered from epistaxis (nosebleed) in spring. The physician stated, "All cases of bleeding are due to heat," and administered Qingliang Yinzi (Clearing Heat Decoction), which stopped the bleeding. After a few days, the condition recurred. The physician remarked, "The medicine was insufficient to overcome the disease," and prescribed Huanglian Jiedu Tang (Coptis Decoction for Detoxification). Although it sometimes stopped the bleeding, it would recur after stopping. Several physicians were consulted, all using bitter-cold agents, aiming solely to conquer the heat. However, the patient did not recover; his diet and daily activities gradually deteriorated compared to the beginning. His muscles felt cold, yet he experienced occasional restlessness. His voice became faint, his breath foul, and he disliked drafts as if they were cold winds. Nevertheless, the residual effects of his epistaxis had not completely ceased. Some argued, "Bleeding indicates heat; epistaxis is heat. Treating heat with cold is logical. Why does it fail and cause harm now?" The *Neijing* states, "Treatment aims at restoring balance." It also warns, "Inferior physicians must be cautious." These physicians only knew that bleeding implies heat and used bitter-cold drugs to attack it, unaware that bitter flavors drain Earth (Spleen and Stomach). Earth corresponds to the Spleen and Stomach, which are the foundation of human life. By draining Earth because of Fire (Heat) pathology, although the Fire might not have been eliminated, the Earth had already become diseased. When Earth is diseased, Stomach Qi becomes deficient. Deficiency of Stomach Qi prevents Ying Qi (Nutritive Qi) from nourishing the collaterals. Yuan Qi (Original Qi) fails to follow its natural course. Qi transforms with Yin depletion, leading to faint voice and cold muscles. Essentially, careless physicians, dismissingly thinking it curable, allowed the heat disease to persist while inducing a cold disease. This is what is meant.
The abbot of Huayan Temple, Monk Dai Shihou, who had taken vows before age forty, suffered from wind-cold invasion in April of the Guiyou year of Zhiyuan. After bathing and sweating profusely, he returned to the temple to shave his head. He developed headache and fatigue in the four limbs. He purchased Tongsheng San (Unobstructed Holy Powder) from the market and took it, followed by diaphoresis (sweating-inducing treatment). His headache decreased slightly but recurred the next day. He underwent diaphoresis again with Tongsheng San. After several rounds of sweating, he developed worsening exertional dyspnea, spontaneous sweating, aversion to wind, coughing with blood streaks, reluctance to speak, and reduced appetite. Seeking medical help, physicians prescribed medicines often using Shengjiang (Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens, Fresh Ginger) as a guiding drug. By June, his spirit became increasingly lethargic, food intake decreased, and his body emaciated. He occasionally coughed or expectorated large amounts of bright red blood, requiring support to rise. I examined him and detailed the history. His pulse was floating and rapid, counting seven to eight beats per respiration, and weak upon deep pressure. I said, "It cannot be saved." Someone asked, "Why do you say it cannot be saved?" The *Neijing* states, "Blood and sweat are different names but of the same category. Those who lose sweat lose blood; those who lose blood lose sweat." The *Jinkui Yaolue* asks, "How is Fei Wei (Flaccidity of the Lung) obtained?" The Master replies, "Sometimes from excessive sweating. If further purged with drastic laxatives, causing severe loss of body fluids, this disease results." Now, Lung Qi is already deficient, and using acrid-draining herbs further depletes the Lung. How could death not be expected? The *Zangqi Fashi Lun* states, "The Lung desires consolidation; urgently eat sour to consolidate it. Use sour to tonify the Lung, and acrid to drain it." They likely misunderstood the essence of the *Neijing*. Zhongjing said, "Shallow and narrow medical knowledge, ignorant of the disease source, leads to erroneous treatments such as opposite methods of diaphoresis, emesis, and purgation. The disaster comes swiftly." Scholars of the world pursue superficial fame but ignore impending ruin. Only the wise can recognize the root. Taking reference from one's own body, how far is the truth? The monk died indeed within a few days.