许学士治一尼。恶风倦怠。乍寒乍热。面赤心怔忡。或时自汗。是时疫气大行。医见其
寒热。作伤寒治之。用大小柴胡汤杂进。数日病急。许诊视。告之曰。三部无寒邪脉。但厥
阴弦长而上鱼际。宜服抑阴等药。乃以生地二两。赤芍一两。柴胡、秦艽、黄芩各五钱。为
细末。蜜丸如梧桐子大。每服三十丸。乌梅汤吞下。日三服。良愈。
薛立斋治一寡妇因怒。致不时寒热。久而不已。肝脉弦紧。用小柴胡加生地。治之而愈
但见风。寒热仍作。此是脾胃气虚。用加味归脾、补中益气二汤。兼服而止。
一放出宫女。年逾三十。两胯作痛。肉色不变。大小便中作痛如淋。登厕尤痛。此瘀血
渍入隧道为患。乃男女失合之证也。难治。后溃不敛。又患瘰 而殁。此妇在内。久怀忧郁
及出外为人外家。又不如愿。致生此疾。可见瘰 流注。乃七情气血损伤。不可用攻伐。皎
然矣。按精血篇云。女人天癸既至。逾十年无男子合。则不调。未逾十年思男子合。亦不调
不调则旧血不出。新血误行。或渍而入骨。或变而为肿。或虽合而难子。合多则沥枯虚人
产多则血枯杀人。
江篁南治一贵妇寡居。月候不调。常患寒热。手足或时麻木。且心虚惊悸。或心头觉辣
诸治不效。诊其肝脉弦出左寸口。知其郁而有欲心不遂也。乃以乌药、香附二味投之。二
服诸证俱减。
震按欲男子而不得。则相火内郁。郁久必致气血暗耗。阴阳交争。自生寒热。不皆由精
血离位。渍入隧道而变寒热也。故失合之证成痨者。多非药可愈。江氏讲肝脉弦出寸口谓肝
主疏泄。今肝火不泄。逆而上行。此说却通。又魏氏云。今人脉上鱼际者。十居其五。或左
或右。或左右皆然。阴虚火盛之人。类多见之。不可定为郁病。此说亦是。
Xu Xueshi treated a nun. The patient suffered from aversion to wind, fatigue, alternating chills and fever, flushed face, palpitations (heart palpitation), and occasional spontaneous sweating. At that time, epidemic qi was prevalent. Physicians, seeing her chills and fever, treated it as Taiyang disease (a syndrome caused by pathogenic factors invading the Taiyang channel) and administered mixed doses of Da Chaihu Tang (Major Bupleurum Decoction) and Xiao Chaihu Tang (Minor Bupleurum Decoction). After several days, the condition worsened. Xu examined the patient and told the family: "The pulses in the three positions do not show signs of cold pathogens; rather, the Jueyin pulse is wiry and long, extending up to the Yuji area (the thenar eminence at the base of the thumb). It is appropriate to administer Yin-suppressing medicines." He therefore prepared a formula consisting of Shengdi (Rehmanniae Radix Preparata) 2 liang, Chi Shao (Paeoniae Radix Rubra) 1 liang, Chai Hu (Bupleuri Radix), Qin Jiao (Gentianae Macrophyllae Radix), and Huang Qin (Scutellariae Radix), each 5 qian. These were ground into fine powder, mixed with honey, and formed into pills the size of tung tree seeds. Each dose consisted of 30 pills, taken with Wu Mei Tang (Mume Fruit Decoction), three times daily. The patient recovered well shortly after.
Xue Lizhai treated a widow who developed intermittent chills and fever due to anger, which persisted for a long time. Her Liver pulse was wiry and tight. She was treated with Xiao Chaihu Tang added with Shengdi (Rehmanniae Radix Preparata) and recovered. However, exposure to wind still triggered chills and fever. This indicated deficiency of Spleen and Stomach Qi. She was treated concurrently with Jiawei Guipi Tang (Modified Restore the Spleen Decoction) and Buzhong Yiqi Tang (Tonify the Middle and Augment the Qi Decoction), and the symptoms ceased.
A palace maid who had been released suffered from pain in both hips. The skin color remained unchanged, but she experienced pain during urination and defecation resembling strangury (painful urinary dysfunction), which was exacerbated when using the toilet. This was caused by blood stasis infiltrating the orifices/tunnels, a condition resulting from sexual incompatibility or lack of intercourse. It was difficult to treat. Later, the sores ulcerated and failed to heal, and she died after developing scrofula (tuberculous lymphadenitis). This woman had harbored depression while in the palace; after leaving, she served as an external concubine but was dissatisfied, leading to this illness. Thus, it is evident that scrofula and flowing abscesses result from damage to Qi and Blood caused by the Seven Emotions (joy, anger, worry, thought, sadness, fear, fright). They should not be treated with purgative or attacking methods; this is clear. According to the *Jingxue Pian* (Chapter on Essence and Blood): Once a woman's Tian Gui (menstruation) has arrived, if ten years pass without male intercourse, menstruation becomes irregular. If less than ten years have passed and she desires intercourse, menstruation also becomes irregular. Irregularity causes old blood to remain and new blood to flow improperly; some infiltrates the bones, some forms swellings, and even if intercourse occurs, conception may be difficult. Excessive intercourse depletes fluids and weakens the person; excessive childbirth depletes blood and can be fatal.
Jiang Huangnan treated a noblewoman living in widowhood. Her menstruation was irregular, and she frequently suffered from chills and fever. Her hands and feet were occasionally numb, and she felt heart deficiency with palpitations and fright. Sometimes she felt a spicy or burning sensation in her chest. Various treatments were ineffective. Her Liver pulse was wiry and extended beyond the left Cun position (distal radial pulse position). He deduced that she had emotional stagnation and unfulfilled sexual desire. He prescribed only Wu Yao (Linderae Radix) and Xiang Fu (Cyperi Rhizoma). After two doses, all symptoms subsided.
Yu Zhen’s commentary: Desiring a man but being unable to obtain him causes internal stagnation of Minister Fire (Ministerial Fire, associated with the Kidney and San Jiao). Prolonged stagnation inevitably leads to hidden consumption of Qi and Blood, causing Yin and Yang to contend, thereby generating chills and fever internally. This is not always due to essence and blood leaving their proper positions and infiltrating tunnels to generate chills and fever. Therefore, cases of incompatibility progressing to consumptive diseases (lao disease) are often incurable by medicine. Jiang’s statement that the Liver pulse extending beyond the Cun position indicates that the Liver governs free flow (Shu Xie); since Liver Fire does not disperse and rebels upward, this explanation is coherent. Furthermore, Wei stated that among modern people, five out of ten have pulses reaching the Yuji area, either on the left, right, or both sides. This is commonly seen in individuals with Yin deficiency and hyperactive fire, and one cannot definitively diagnose it as stagnation disease. This view is also correct.