夫小儿托质胞胎。成形气血。诞生之后。骨肉轻软。肠胃细微。哺乳须是合宜。脏腑自
然调适。若乳母寒温失理。动止乖违。饮食无恒。甘肥过度。喜怒气乱。醉饱伤劳。便即乳
儿。致成疳也。又小儿百日以后。五岁以前。乳食渐多。不择生冷。好食肥腻。恣食甘酸。
脏腑不和。并生疳气。凡五疳者。一曰肝疳。其候摇头揉目。白膜遮睛。流汗遍身。合面而
卧。目中涩痒。肉色青黄。发竖头焦。筋青脑热。腹中积聚。下痢频多。久而不痊。转甚羸
瘦。此是肝疳。亦名风疳也。二曰心疳。其候。浑身壮热。吐利无恒。颊赤面黄。胸膈烦满。
鼻
三曰脾疳。其候。腹多筋脉。喘促气粗。乳食不多。心腹胀满。多啼咳逆。面色萎黄。骨立
毛焦。形枯力劣。胸膈壅闷。水谷不消。口鼻常干。好吃泥土。情意不悦。爱暗憎明。肠胃
不和。痢多酸臭。此是脾疳。亦名食疳也。四曰肺疳。其候。咳嗽气逆。皮毛干焦。饶涕多
啼。咽喉不利。揉鼻咬甲。壮热憎寒。口鼻生疮。唇边赤痒。腹内气胀。乳食渐稀。大肠不
调。频频泄痢。粪中米出。皮上粟生。此是肺疳。亦名气疳也。五曰肾疳。其候。肌骨消瘦
。齿龈生疮。寒热作时。口鼻干燥。脑热如火。脚冷如冰。吐逆既增。乳食减少。泻痢频并
。下部开张。肛门不收。疳疮痒痛。此是肾疳。亦名急疳也。今以一方同疗之。故曰五疳也
Infants are conceived from the essence and blood of their parents, forming their structure and relying on Qi and Blood for nourishment. After birth, their bones and flesh are light and soft, and their intestines and stomach are delicate and minute. Breastfeeding must be appropriate; only then will the Zang-Fu organs naturally harmonize and adapt. If the nursing mother fails to regulate cold and warmth properly, acts contrary to reason, has irregular eating habits, consumes excessive sweet and fatty foods, experiences emotional fluctuations causing Qi chaos, or suffers from fatigue due to drunkenness and overeating, and immediately breastfeeds the infant, it will lead to the formation of Gan syndrome (malnutrition syndrome).
Furthermore, after one hundred days and before five years of age, infants gradually consume more milk and food. However, they do not discriminate against raw and cold foods, favor fatty and greasy items, and indulge in sweet and sour foods. This disharmony of the Zang-Fu organs generates Gan Qi (pathogenic factor of malnutrition).
The so-called "Five Gans" are as follows: The first is Liver Gan. Its manifestations include shaking the head and rubbing the eyes, a white membrane obscuring the pupils, sweating all over the body, sleeping face down, dry and itchy eyes, greenish-yellow muscle color, upright and scorched hair, cyanotic tendons, heat in the brain, abdominal accumulations, frequent diarrhea, and if untreated for a long time, progressing to severe emaciation. This is Liver Gan, also known as Wind Gan.
The second is Heart Gan. Its manifestations include high fever throughout the body, irregular vomiting and diarrhea, red cheeks with a yellow complexion, and irritability and fullness in the chest and diaphragm... [Text missing in original].
The third is Spleen Gan. Its manifestations include visible veins on the abdomen, panting and coarse breathing, poor appetite for milk and food, chest and abdominal distension, frequent crying accompanied by cough and rebellious Qi, sallow complexion, protruding bones, dry and scorched hair, withered form and weak strength, oppression and stuffiness in the chest and diaphragm, inability to digest water and grain, dry mouth and nose, craving for eating soil, dissatisfaction, preference for darkness and aversion to light, disharmony of the intestines and stomach, frequent diarrhea with a sour and foul odor. This is Spleen Gan, also known as Food Gan.
The fourth is Lung Gan. Its manifestations include cough and rebellious Qi, dry and scorched skin and hair, abundant nasal discharge with frequent crying, throat discomfort, rubbing the nose and biting nails, high fever with aversion to cold, sores in the mouth and nose, red and itchy lips, abdominal gas distension, gradual reduction in milk and food intake, dysfunction of the large intestine, frequent dysentery, rice-like particles in stool, and millet-grain-like rashes on the skin. This is Lung Gan, also known as Qi Gan.
The fifth is Kidney Gan. Its manifestations include emaciation of muscles and bones, sores on the gums, alternating chills and fever, dry mouth and nose, intense heat in the brain like fire, ice-cold feet, increased vomiting and regurgitation, reduced milk and food intake, concurrent frequent diarrhea and dysentery, laxity of the lower orifices, inability of the anus to close, and itching and pain from Gan sores. This is Kidney Gan, also known as Urgent Gan.
Currently, a single formula is used to treat all five simultaneously; therefore, they are collectively referred to as Five Gans.