汪石山治萧师训。年逾五十。形肥色紫。气从脐下逆冲而上。睡卧不安。饮食少。精神
倦。汪诊之。脉皆浮濡而缓。曰。气虚也。问曰。丹溪云气从脐下起者。阴火也。何谓气虚
汪曰。难执定论。丹溪又云。肥人气虚。脉缓亦气虚。今据形与脉。当作气虚论治。遂以
参、 为君。白术、白芍为臣。归身、熟地为佐。黄柏、甘、陈为使。煎服十余帖。稍安。
彼以胸膈不利。陈皮加作七分。气冲上。仍守前方。月余而愈。
震按此条仍合丹溪二说同用之。非专主气虚也。惟汪公于濡缓脉。多以参、 加麦冬、
黄柏。不加附子。想系一生得手处。至如陈皮加作七分。气即冲上。此尤气虚之显然者。前
方可操券取效也。窃忆生平治气冲证。用熟地、归、杞、牛膝、紫石英、胡桃肉、坎气、青
铅等药而愈者。不计其数。又有用肾气丸而愈者。用大补阴丸、三才丸而愈者。总不出丹溪
之训。唯一陆姓书生。形瘦。饮食如常。别无他病。而气自脐下上冲。始仅抵胸。后渐至喉
又渐达巅顶。又渐从脑后由督脉及夹脊两傍而下。又渐至腿踝足心。仍入少腹。再复上冲
其冲甚慢。约一年而上下周到。谷食降序。肌肉愈削。共两年半而其人方死。凡温凉补泻
靡药不尝。针灸祝由。无法不试。震固不能愈之。而就医于吴门叶薛两先生。亦无寸效。
此种病。恨不遇张戴人喻西昌周慎斋诸公。听其议论以开茅塞也。又按魏志华佗传。载一士
大夫不快。佗曰。君病深。当破腹取。然君寿亦不过十年。病不能杀君。忍病十岁。寿俱当
尽。不足故自刳裂。士大夫不耐痛痒。必欲除之。佗遂下手。所患寻瘥。十年竟死。震读此
益慨然于术之疏也。设华公遇此陆生。即早知其十年后以气冲证寿当尽矣。何药之能为。
马元仪治袁玉行。小腹厥气上冲。即吐。得饮则吐愈甚。诸药不效。马诊之。两脉虚涩
右尺独见弦急。此下焦浊气上胜。则胸中阳气不布。故饮入于胃。上壅而不下达。宜通其
地道。用调胃承气汤。下宿秽甚多。继渐培中气而愈。
震按凡病皆有虚实。勿谓气冲证皆系阴虚气虚也。故选此条。别开一例。然必是暴病或
便秘。乃从右尺脉印其机耳。昔年曾与杜良一先生治下焦肾虚。上焦气冲者。杜用六味地黄
汤。合五磨饮子去木香。以汁和服而效。又一新翻式样也。
Wang Shishan treated Scholar Xiao. He was over fifty years old, with a fat body and purplish complexion. Qi rushed upward from below the navel, causing restlessness in sleep and lying down, reduced appetite, and mental fatigue. Wang examined his pulse, finding it floating, soggy (Ru), and slow throughout. He stated, "This is Qi deficiency." The questioner asked, "Danxi said that Qi rising from below the navel is due to Yin Fire. Why do you call it Qi deficiency?" Wang replied, "One cannot adhere rigidly to fixed theories. Danxi also said that fat people often have Qi deficiency, and a slow pulse also indicates Qi deficiency. Now, based on the patient's physique and pulse, we should treat this as Qi deficiency." Thus, he used [missing herb] and Ginseng Radix (Renshen) as the sovereign drug, Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma (Baizhu) and White Peony Root (Baishao) as the minister drugs, Angelicae Sinensis Radix (Guishen) and Prepared Rehmanniae Radix (Shudi) as the assistant drugs, Phellodendri Cortex (Huangbai), Licorice Root (Gancao), and Tangerine Peel (Chenpi) as the envoy drugs. After taking more than ten doses of the decoction, the condition slightly improved. Because the patient experienced discomfort in the chest and diaphragm, Chenpi was increased to 7 fen. However, the upward rushing of Qi recurred. Wang adhered to the original prescription. The patient recovered after more than a month.
Zhen commented: This case still combines both of Danxi's theories simultaneously; it does not exclusively focus on Qi deficiency. It seems that for soggy and slow pulses, Master Wang frequently combined Ginseng Radix (Renshen), [missing herb], Ophiopogonis Radix (Maidong), and Phellodendri Cortex (Huangbai), without adding Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata (Fuzi). This must be an experience where he excelled throughout his life. Regarding the fact that increasing Chenpi to 7 fen caused the Qi to rush upward, this is a clear manifestation of Qi deficiency. The previous formula could surely achieve efficacy. I privately recall treating numerous cases of Qi rushing syndrome in my life using Prepared Rehmanniae Radix (Shudi), Angelicae Sinensis Radix (Danggui), Lycii Fructus (Gouqi), Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix (Niuxi), Hematitum (Zishiying), Juglandis Semen (Hetaoren), Penis Bovis (Kanzi), and Lead (Qingqian), resulting in cures, which are too many to count. There were also cases cured by Shenqi Wan (Kidney Qi Pill), Dabu Yin Wan (Great Yin Tonifying Pill), and Sancai Wan (Three Talents Pill). All these methods did not deviate from Danxi's teachings. However, there was one scholar surnamed Lu, who was thin, had normal appetite, and no other illnesses, yet Qi rushed upward from below the navel. Initially, it only reached the chest, then gradually ascended to the throat, then to the vertex, then descended from the back of the head along the Du Meridian and the sides of the spine, then to the ankles and soles of the feet, re-entering the lower abdomen, and then rushing upward again. The rushing was very slow, taking about one year to complete a full cycle up and down. Food digestion proceeded normally, but muscles wasted away. After two and a half years, the patient died. He tried every kind of warming, cooling, tonifying, and draining medicine, and tested all acupuncture and exorcism methods. Zhen could not cure him, nor could the two masters Ye and Xue in Wu men (Suzhou) achieve any effect. For such a disease, I regret not meeting Zhang Dairen, Yu Xichang, or Zhou Shenzhai to listen to their discussions and open my mind. Furthermore, according to the Biography of Hua Tuo in the Records of Wei (Wei Shu), a gentleman suffered from discomfort. Hua Tuo said, "Your illness is deep; the abdomen must be opened to remove the pathology. However, your lifespan will not exceed ten years. The disease will not kill you; endure the pain for ten years, and your lifespan will end naturally. It is not worth mutilating yourself." The gentleman could not tolerate the pain and itching and insisted on removing the disease. Hua Tuo performed surgery, and the illness quickly healed. Ten years later, he indeed died. Reading this, Zhen further lamented the limitations of medical art. If Master Hua had encountered this scholar Lu, even if he knew early on that the scholar would die of Qi rushing syndrome in ten years, what medicine could be done?
Ma Yuanyi treated Yuan Yuxing. There was rebellious Qi rushing upward from the lower abdomen, accompanied by vomiting. Drinking water exacerbated the vomiting. Various medicines were ineffective. Ma examined his pulse, finding both wrists deficient and choppy (Se), while the right Chi position alone showed a wiry and rapid (Xian Ji) quality. This indicated turbid Qi in the lower jiao overpowering upwards, preventing the Yang Qi in the chest from distributing. Thus, when water entered the stomach, it obstructed upward and failed to descend. The method should be to unblock the "earthly pathway" (intestines). He used Tiaowei Chengqi Tang (Regulating the Stomach and Directing Downward Decoction). A large amount of retained feces was discharged. Subsequently, the middle Qi was gradually fortified, and the patient recovered.
Zhen commented: All diseases have deficiency and excess aspects. One should not assume that Qi rushing syndrome is always due to Yin or Qi deficiency. Therefore, this case was selected to present a different example. However, it must be an acute illness or constipation for the right Chi pulse to confirm the mechanism. In the past, I once treated a patient with Kidney Deficiency in the lower jiao and Qi rushing in the upper jiao together with Mr. Du Liangyi. Mr. Du used Liuwei Dihuang Wan (Six-Ingredient Pill with Rehmannia) combined with Wumo Yinzi (Five-Monk Drink) with Xiangru removed, taken as a liquid mixture, which was effective. This represents another new approach.