I note: The common people are confused by the saying that after childbirth, cold and cool medicines should be avoided, warm and hot medicines should be preferred, and the main treatment should be greatly tonifying Qi and Blood.
Physicians mislead patients, and patients mislead themselves; cases like this, I have seen many. (Citing Lei Shaoyi's treatment of Mrs. Shen from Siming, who, one month postpartum, suddenly developed high fever, profuse sweating, thirst, and desire to drink.) Xu Huixi and Wei Liuzhou both believed that postpartum blood loss leads to Yin deficiency, causing lone Yang to flourish independently. Even if Shigao (Gypsum Fibrosum, a heat-clearing and fire-purging herb) or Xijiao (Rhinoceros Horn, a heat-clearing and blood-cooling herb) were indicated, they argued against their use. Quack physicians, encountering postpartum conditions regardless of the specific symptoms, uniformly apply dry, hot, warming, and tonifying methods, damaging the patient's Yin and augmenting Fire, leading inevitably to immediate death. Indeed, one cannot help but sigh at this!
The principle is: when there are these symptoms, use these medicines. This applies not only to the postpartum period but also to the antenatal period. Common people often emphasize preserving the fetus above all else. How can they know that fetal instability is caused by pathogenic factors pressing inward? Therefore, resolving the pathogenic factors without allowing them to harm the fetus constitutes protection. Zhang Xugu stated: For instance, in Yangming excess syndromes of Shanghan (Cold Damage), Chengqi Tang (a formula for purging heat and accumulation) should be used to purge downward; once the pathogen is expelled, the fetus becomes stable. If one merely focuses on preserving the fetus without differentiating the pathogen and prescribes medications recklessly, it may either draw pathogens inward or trap them inside, turning mild illness into severe illness, making it difficult to save both mother and fetus.