李华甫继室,娠三月而崩,孟英按脉,弦洪而数。予大剂∶生地 银花 茅根 柏叶 青蒿 白 薇 黄芩
续断 驴皮胶 藕节 胎发灰 海螵蛸而安。奈不能安逸,越数日,胎堕复崩。孟英于前方去后六味,加犀角、
竹茹、元参为治。
或谓胎前宜凉,产后则否,乃招专科及萧山竹林寺僧治之。咸用温药,且执“暴崩宜补”。服药数剂,虚象日
着,时时汗出昏晕,畏闻人声,懒言息微,不食不眠,间有呃忒,崩仍不止,皆束手待毙矣。复邀孟英视之,曰∶
此执死书以治活病也。夫血因热而崩,胎因崩而堕。岂胎堕之后,热即化为寒乎?参、术、姜、桂、棕灰、五味之
类,温补酸涩,既助其热,血亦奔流。又窒其气,津液潜消。至现以上诸证。脉或不知,而苔黄黑燥,岂不见乎?
因与∶犀角 石膏 元参 知母 花粉 竹沥 麦冬 银花 栀子 石斛 旋复 青蒿 白薇等,大剂投之,神气
渐清,旬日后,各恙始平。继去犀角,加生地,服二月,痊愈。
朱砥斋司李之夫人,累患半产,每怀孕,服保胎药,卒无效。今秋受妊后病(咳)嗽,孟英视之,尽屏温
补,纯与清肺。或诘其故?曰∶胎之不固,或由元气之弱者,宜补正。或由病气之侵者,宜治病。今右寸脉滑大搏
指,吾治其病,正所以保其胎。苟不知其所以然,而徒以俗尚保胎之药投之,则肺气愈壅,咳逆愈甚,震动胞系,
其胎必堕矣。朱极钦佩。服之,良效。次年夏,诞子甚茁壮。
胎前产后,疑似(之证)极多,号曰专科,尚难措手。陈肖岩孝廉之媳,屠仲如之女也。汛愆一度,次月
仍行,方疑其病也。孟英诊曰∶尺虽小弱,来去缓和,是娠也。继而果然。
屠仲如令弟子缘之室,经事稍迟,孟英偶诊,亦以妊断,寻验。甫三月,患胎漏,适孟英丁内艰(遭母丧),
遂不克保而堕。堕后恶露虽行,而寒热头痛,时或自汗,且觉冷自心中出。医谓类疟,与温化之药,病日甚。交八
日,孟英始出门,即延诊之,脉来沉实而数,舌苔紫黯,乃瘀血为患耳。与∶桃仁 泽兰 山楂 茺蔚 旋复
红花 丹参 通草 琥珀 蛤壳 丝瓜络之剂,服之,腹痛大减,下瘀血如肺者一枚。次日,诸恙较减,乳汁大流,
再以前方去通草,加麦 投之,服后仍腹痛,复下瘀块累累,而诸恙若失。
或问曰∶先生尝言,产后腹无痛苦者,不可妄行其血。此证恶露已行,腹无痛胀,何以断为瘀阻,而再
行其血耶?孟英答曰∶正产如瓜熟蒂落,诸经荫胎之血,贯串流通,苟有瘀停,必形痛胀,堕胎如疡痈未熟,强
挤其脓,尚有未化之根绊,不能一齐尽出。所以胎虽堕,而诸经荫胎之血,萃而未涣,浅者虽出,深者尚留,
况是血旺之躯,加以温升之药,挽其顺流之路,窒其欲出之机,未到腹中,胀痛
奚作?吾以循经通络、宣气行瘀之法,导使下行,故出路始通,而后腹痛瘀来,必然有脉可征。非谓凡属堕胎,
皆有是证也。
张慈斋室,自春间半产后,发热有时,迄于季秋。广服滋阴之药,竟不能愈。其大父陈霭山延孟英诊脉,按之
豁然。投以当归补血汤而热退,继以小建中(汤)愈之。
全畹香令媳,半产后,营分不摄,淋漓数月,治之勿瘳。孟英于季夏诊视,两尺皆浮,左寸关弦,与∶“三
甲”“二至”“二地”(青)蒿 (白)薇 柏叶 (海)螵蛸 黄柏为方,服之渐愈。
仲秋,诊其脉,即断(为)受孕,渠谓怀孕,必无病矣。而不知病久初痊,正须培养,虽即受孕,涵蓄无权,
果至仲冬而胎堕矣。
顾氏妇,半产后,因吃饭脘痛。人以为停食也,进以消导。痛甚发热,卧则右胁筋掣难忍。孟英曰∶此
非发散攻消可疗。与∶旋复 丝瓜络 冬瓜子 莲秆 苇茎 竹茹
贝母 枇杷叶 兰叶 通草为方,一剂知,二剂已。
Li Huafu's second wife, after three months of pregnancy, suffered a miscarriage accompanied by severe hemorrhage. Mengying palpated the pulse, which was wiry (Xian), surging (Hong), and rapid (Shu). I prescribed a large dose of: Sheng Di (Rehmanniae Radix), Yin Hua (Jasmini Flos), Mao Gen (Imperatae Rhizoma), Bai Ye (Meliae Folium), Qing Hao (Artemisiae Annuae Herba), Bai Wei (Cynanchi Atrati Radix), Huang Qin (Scutellariae Radix), Xu Duan (Dipsaci Radix), Lv Pi Jiao (Colla Corii Asini), Ou Jie (Nelumbinis Node), Tai Fa Hui (Ash of Fetal Hair), Hai Piao Xiao (Sepiae Endoconcha), which stabilized the condition. However, unable to rest peacefully, several days later, the fetus was expelled again, and bleeding recurred. Mengying removed the last six herbs from the previous formula (Xu Duan, Lv Pi Jiao, Ou Jie, Tai Fa Hui, Hai Piao Xiao) and added Xi Jiao (Rhinocerotis Cornu - *Note: now substituted with Water Buffalo Horn in modern practice*), Zhu Ru (Bambusae Caulis in Taenia), and Yuan Shen (Scrophulariae Radix) for treatment.
Some argued that cooling herbs are suitable during pregnancy, but not postpartum, so they invited specialists and monks from Zhulin Temple in Xiaoshan to treat her. They all used warming herbs and adhered to the principle that "sudden severe hemorrhage requires tonification." After several doses, the deficiency symptoms worsened daily; she experienced frequent sweating and fainting, feared hearing voices, spoke lazily with weak breath, ate nothing, slept nothing, occasionally had hiccups, and the bleeding continued unabated. Everyone was at a loss, waiting for death. Mengying was invited again and said, "This is treating a living disease with rigid book knowledge. Blood hemorrhages due to heat, and the fetus is lost due to hemorrhage. Could it be that after fetal expulsion, heat instantly transforms into cold? Ginseng (Ren Shen), Atractylodes (Bai Zhu), Ginger (Gan Jiang), Cinnamon (Gui Zhi), Lygodii Spora (Zong Hui), Schisandra (Wu Wei Zi), and similar herbs possess warming and astringent properties; they both exacerbate heat, causing blood to rush, and obstruct Qi, leading to the latent consumption of body fluids. Thus, the aforementioned symptoms appear. Perhaps the pulse is unknown, but yellow-black dry tongue coating is visible, is it not?" Therefore, he prescribed: Xi Jiao (Rhinocerotis Cornu), Shi Gao (Gypsum Fibrosum), Yuan Shen (Scrophulariae Radix), Zhi Mu (Anemarrhenae Rhizoma), Hua Fen (Puerariae Radix), Zhu Li (Bambusae Succus), Mai Dong (Ophiopogonis Tuber), Yin Hua (Jasmini Flos), Zhi Zi (Gardeniae Fructus), Shi Hu (Dendrobii Caulis), Xuan Fu Hua (Inulae Flos), Qing Hao (Artemisiae Annuae Herba), Bai Wei (Cynanchi Atrati Radix), etc., in large doses. Spirit gradually cleared, and after ten days, all ailments subsided. Subsequently, Xi Jiao was removed, Sheng Di (Rehmanniae Radix) was added, and after two months of medication, she recovered completely.
The wife of Zhu Dizhai, who served as Si Li, suffered recurrent spontaneous abortions. Every time she became pregnant, she took fetal preservation medicines, but ultimately to no avail. This autumn, after conceiving, she fell ill with cough. Mengying examined her, discarded all warming and tonifying herbs, and purely prescribed lung-clearing herbs. When questioned about the reason, he said, "Fetal instability may stem from deficient Yuan Qi, requiring tonification of righteous Qi; or it may stem from pathogenic invasion, requiring treatment of the disease. Now, the right Cun pulse is slippery, large, and forceful against the finger. By treating her illness, I am indeed preserving her fetus. If one does not understand the rationale and merely follows popular custom by administering fetal preservation drugs, Lung Qi will become more congested, cough and asthma will worsen, disturbing the uterine ligaments, and the fetus will inevitably be lost." Zhu was deeply impressed. Upon taking the medicine, there was excellent effect. The following summer, she gave birth to a very robust child.
There are many ambiguous conditions before and after childbirth, making it difficult even for self-proclaimed specialists to handle. The daughter-in-law of Chen Xiaoyan, a Xiaolian (scholar), was the daughter of Tu Zhongru. Her menstruation was delayed once, and then occurred the next month, leading them to suspect illness. Mengying diagnosed, "Although the Chi pulse is slightly weak, its arrival and departure are gentle and harmonious; this is pregnancy." It proved true subsequently.
The wife of Tu Zhongru's disciple, Yuanzhi, had slightly delayed menstruation. Mengying accidentally palpated her pulse and also diagnosed pregnancy, which was later verified. At just three months, she suffered from threatened abortion (Tai Lou). Coincidentally, Mengying was observing mourning for his mother (Ding Neijian), so he could not preserve the fetus, and it was lost. Although lochia flowed after the abortion, she experienced chills, fever, headache, occasional spontaneous sweating, and felt cold originating from the heart. Physicians considered it similar to malaria and administered warming-transforming herbs, worsening the condition. On the eighth day, Mengying finally went out and was consulted. The pulse was deep, solid, and rapid; the tongue coating was purple and dark. This indicated pathology due to blood stasis. He prescribed: Tao Ren (Persicae Semen), Ze Lan (Lycopus Herba), Shan Zha (Crataegi Fructus), Chong Wei Zi (Leonuri Fructus), Xuan Fu Hua (Inulae Flos), Hong Hua (Carthami Flos), Dan Shen (Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix), Tong Cao (Tetrapanacis Medulla), Hu Po (Electrum), Ge Qiao (Meretrix Shell), Si Gua Luo (Luffae Retinervia). After taking it, abdominal pain decreased significantly, and a piece of blood stasis resembling a lung was discharged. The next day, symptoms reduced further, and milk flow increased abundantly. The same formula was given again without Tong Cao, but with Mai Dong (Ophiopogonis Tuber). After ingestion, abdominal pain persisted, and multiple clumps of blood stasis were discharged, after which all symptoms disappeared.
Someone asked, "You have stated that if there is no abdominal pain postpartum, one should not recklessly promote blood circulation. In this case, lochia has flowed, and there is no abdominal pain or distension. Why diagnose blood stasis obstruction and again promote blood circulation?" Mengying replied, "Normal delivery is like a ripe melon falling from the vine; the blood nourishing the fetus from various meridians flows continuously. If stasis stagnates, pain and distension must manifest. Abortion is like squeezing pus from an unripe abscess; there remain un-dissolved roots and connections that cannot be fully expelled at once. Therefore, although the fetus is expelled, the blood nourishing the fetus gathers rather than disperses; superficial blood exits, but deep blood remains. Moreover, in a constitution with abundant blood, combined with warming and ascending herbs, the smooth flow is reversed, and the mechanism of expulsion is blocked. Stasis remaining in the abdomen causes pain and distension, does it not? I use methods to follow the meridians, unblock collaterals, diffuse Qi, and move stasis, guiding it downward. Thus, the exit opens, and subsequent abdominal pain and discharge of stasis are inevitable and supported by pulse signs. This does not mean that all abortions present with this syndrome."
Zhang Cizhai's wife, since a spontaneous abortion in spring, had intermittent fever until late autumn. She widely consumed yin-nourishing herbs but failed to recover. Her grandfather, Chen Aishan, invited Mengying to palpate. The pulse felt suddenly open and clear. He prescribed Dang Gui Bu Xue Tang (Angelica Sinensis and Astragalus Decoction), and the fever subsided. Subsequently, Xiao Jian Zhong Tang (Minor Construct the Middle Decoction) cured her.
Quan Wanxiang's daughter-in-law, after a spontaneous abortion, failed to secure Ying (Nutritive) level blood, resulting in dripping hemorrhage for months, which treatment did not heal. In mid-summer, Mengying examined her; both Chi pulses were floating, and the left Cun and Guan pulses were wiry. He prescribed: "San Jia" (Three Shells), "Er Zhi" (Two Solstices), "Er Di" (Two Earths), Qing Hao (Artemisiae Annuae Herba), Bai Wei (Cynanchi Atrati Radix), Bai Ye (Meliae Folium), Hai Piao Xiao (Sepiae Endoconcha), Huang Bo (Phellodendri Cortex). She gradually improved.
In mid-autumn, palpating her pulse, he diagnosed pregnancy. She believed that being pregnant meant she would certainly be free of illness. Unaware that after prolonged illness and initial recovery, cultivation was necessary, and although she conceived, her ability to nurture and store was weak, the fetus was indeed lost in mid-winter.
Mrs. Gu, after a spontaneous abortion, experienced epigastric pain upon eating. Others assumed food stagnation and administered digestive-promoting herbs. Pain intensified with fever, and lying down caused unbearable pulling pain in the right hypochondrium. Mengying said, "This cannot be treated with dispersing or attacking-digestion methods." He prescribed: Xuan Fu Hua (Inulae Flos), Si Gua Luo (Luffae Retinervia), Dong Gua Zi (Benincasae Semen), Lian Gan (Nelumbinis Rhizomatis Nodus), Wei Jing (Phragmitis Rhizoma), Zhu Ru (Bambusae Caulis in Taenia), Bei Mu (Fritillariae Bulbus), Pi Pa Ye (Loquasi Folium), Lan Ye (Orchid Leaf), Tong Cao (Tetrapanacis Medulla). One dose brought relief, two doses cured it.