急惊病在腑,慢惊病在脏;急惊多因风热闭塞,(手厥阴足)少阳(心胞络胆)而成。小儿
心胆
气弱,辄见非常之物,或骤听震响,皆致气机不利,气化为痰。其为病也,身热吐乳,目珠
翻上,筋掣身跳,治宜散风清热,安神平肝,清痰开窍,药如薄荷、荆芥、杏仁、茯神、远
志、钩藤、黄芩、连翘、丹皮、桑叶、橘红、半夏、南星、天虫、石菖蒲、通草、灯心、竹
卷心、甘草、大苏梗等味,随症选用。牛黄清心丸、玉枢丹、琥珀抱龙丸,俱可采施。更推
拿尤为要紧,症虽恐人,平复亦易。惟慢惊一症,其初不过寒热,或单热不休,或吐泻并作
,治之得当,未必便成慢惊。每见昧者,治此等症,不辨其体气不足,脉象虚弱,概用霸剂
,如石膏、黄连、枳实、大黄之类。其初小虚,药后脾胃衰败,遂致角弓反张,危象骈生。
呜呼!病家犹以为如此重药而疾不痊,命数当然;而不知不服霸药,尚可挽回,极至木旺土
衰,始无及矣。予治小儿此症,先用理表清热消导三剂,后即用培脾平肝,如异功散加桑
叶、丹皮,或补中益气加麦冬、生地、白芍,往往得痊,以告天下为父母者,不可不察也。
经云∶阴虚生内热。更有热病久服寒凉,而身热不止,反口渴消水,大便燥结,此寒之
不寒
,是无水也。当补肾水以制阳光,前人用六味汤,未尽善也。盖六味惟地黄滋肾,萸肉酸收
肝风,丹皮清肝经血热,山药培脾益胃,茯苓、泽泻能泻肝肾浮火,此方治肝肾虚火上炎最
妙,若以补北济南则未也。予治沈姓一子,年十七,病热,服石膏二斤余,其热不退,脉虚
数,口燥而渴,大便燥结难下,大肉尽脱,服药即呕,纳粥无几,症甚危急。予曰∶阴气大
耗,大肉尽脱,在法难治,幸神气尚存,但胃口已受药伤,可将人乳与糯米饮各半杯温服
,三日得呕止;再商治法,果不呕,纳稍增,身热口渴便结仍然,乃用鲜生地、鲜石斛、天
冬、麦冬、花粉、麻仁、橘红、粉草、松子仁。此方甘寒养津,不犯胃气,四服纳增,余症
不减。复用熟地、生地、天冬、麦冬、龟板、川柏、知母、橘红、鲜石斛、甘草,此方大补
阴,合甘露饮四服,热退不渴,大便润而易下。若守六味,断难取效,复用八珍汤收功。
Acute convulsion (Ji Jing Feng) involves the Fu organs, while chronic convulsion (Man Jing Feng) involves the Zang organs; acute convulsion is mostly caused by wind-heat pathogenic factors blocking the pericardium of hand jueyin and gallbladder of foot shaoyang. Children's heart qi and gallbladder qi are naturally weak; suddenly seeing strange objects or hearing loud noises can cause qi mechanism dysfunction, where stagnant qi transforms into phlegm. The manifestations include fever, vomiting milk, upward deviation of the eyes, muscle spasms, and body jumping. Treatment should focus on dispersing wind, clearing heat, calming the mind, pacifying the liver, resolving phlegm, and opening the orifices. Medicines such as Bohe (Menthae Haplocalycis Herba), Jingjie (Schizonepetae Spica), Xingren (Armeniacae Semen Amarum), Fushen (Poria with Hostwood), Yuanzhi (Polygalae Radix), Gouteng (Uncariae Ramulus cum Uncis), Huangqin (Scutellariae Radix), Lianqiao (Forsythiae Fructus), Danpi (Moutan Cortex), Sangye (Mori Folium), Juhong (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Rubrum), Banxia (Pinelliae Rhizoma Preparatum), Tian Nanxing (Arisaematis Cum Bile Rhizoma), Jiangcan (Bombyx Batryticatus), Shichangpu (Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma), Tongcao (Tetrapanacis Medulla), Dengxincao (Junci Medulla), Zhu Juanxin (Bambusae Caulis in Taedia), Gancao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma), and Dasu Geng (Perillae Caulis) can be selected according to symptoms. Niuhuang Qingxin Wan (Calculus Bovis Clearing Heart Pill), Yushu Dan (Jade Pivot Powder), and Hupo Baolong Wan (Amber Embracing Dragon Pill) can all be used. Furthermore, tuina massage is particularly important; although the symptoms appear frightening, recovery is relatively easy once stabilized.
However, regarding chronic convulsion, it initially presents merely as alternating chills and fever, persistent fever alone, or simultaneous vomiting and diarrhea. If treated appropriately, it may not necessarily develop into chronic convulsion. I often see ignorant physicians treating such cases without distinguishing the patient's deficient constitution and weak pulse, indiscriminately using potent "domineering" agents such as Shigao (Gypsum Fibrosum), Huanglian (Coptidis Rhizoma), Zhishi (Aurantii Fructus Immaturus), and Dahuang (Rhei Radix et Rhizoma). Initially slight deficiency leads to spleen-stomach collapse after medication, resulting in opisthotonos and a convergence of critical signs. Alas! The families believe that since such heavy medicines failed to cure the disease, it is fate; they do not realize that if these potent drugs had not been taken, the condition could have been salvaged, until it reached the stage of wood flourishing and earth declining (liver overacting on spleen), at which point it was too late. In my treatment of children with this condition, I first use three doses each of exterior-resolving, heat-clearing, and digestion-promoting formulas, followed immediately by spleen-nourishing and liver-pacifying methods, such as Yigong San (Benefit the Work Decoction) added with Sangye and Danpi, or Buzhong Yiqi Tang (Tonify the Middle and Augment the Qi Decoction) added with Maidong, Shengdi, and Baishao. Such treatments often result in recovery. I inform parents everywhere to examine this carefully.
The Classic states: Yin deficiency generates internal heat. Moreover, in prolonged febrile diseases, long-term use of cold-cooling herbs causes persistent fever, thirst that drinking does not quench, and dry, hard stools. This indicates that the cold nature of the medicine has not cleared the heat but rather depleted the fluids, i.e., "lack of water." At this time, one should tonify kidney water to control the flaring yang fire. The previous generation's use of Liuwei Dihuang Wan (Six-Ingredient Rehmannia Pill) was not entirely perfect. In Liuwei Dihuang Wan, only Dihuang nourishes kidney yin, Shanroyu (Corni Fructus) astringently gathers liver wind, Danpi clears liver blood heat, Shanyao (Dioscoreae Rhizoma) supports spleen and benefits stomach, and Fuling (Poria) and Zexie (Alismatis Rhizoma) drain floating fire from liver and kidney. This formula is excellent for treating floating fire due to liver-kidney yin deficiency, but it is insufficient for truly replenishing the north (kidney yin) to harmonize with the south (heart fire). I once treated a seventeen-year-old son of the Shen family who suffered from fever. After taking more than two jin of Shigao, the fever did not subside. His pulse was deficient and rapid, his mouth was dry and thirsty, his stools were dry and difficult to pass, and his muscles were severely wasted. He vomited upon taking medicine and ate very little porridge; the condition was critical. I said: Yin qi is largely exhausted, and muscles are severely wasted; according to medical principles, this is difficult to treat. Fortunately, the spirit (shen) remains. However, the stomach function has been damaged by the medicine. Administer half a cup of human milk and half a cup of glutinous rice drink, warmed, taken orally. After three days, the vomiting stopped. We then discussed further treatment. Indeed, there was no vomiting, and intake increased slightly, but fever, thirst, and constipation persisted. Therefore, I used fresh Shengdi (Rehmanniae Radix), fresh Shihu (Dendrobii Caulis), Tiandong (Asparagi Radix), Maidong (Ophiopogonis Radix), Huafen (Trichosanthis Radix), Mahren (Cannabis Semen), Juhong, Fencao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma), and Songziren (Pini Semen). This formula is sweet and cold to nourish fluids without offending the stomach qi. After four doses, appetite increased, but other symptoms remained unchanged. I then reused Shudi (Rehmanniae Radix Preparata), Shengdi, Tiandong, Maidong, Guiban (Testudinis Carapax et Plastrum), Chuanbai (Phellodendri Chinensis Cortex), Zhimu (Anemarrhenae Rhizoma), Juhong, fresh Shihu, and Gancao. This formula greatly tonifies yin, combining the principles of Ganlu Yin (Sweet Dew Drink). After four doses, the fever subsided, thirst ceased, and stools became moist and easy to pass. Had we stuck to Liuwei Dihuang Wan, efficacy would hardly have been achieved. Finally, Bazhen Tang (Eight-Treasure Decoction) was reused to conclude the treatment.