丁酉冬,宫詹少溪吴公,年七十二,以长君秋闱之捷,应酬贺者过劳过饮,又伤于犬肉
,市
医概用消导之剂投之,漠如也。反加内热。常州张氏,荆溪缙绅大家恃为锁钥者,至则谓公
高年过劳,消剂峻而致内热,用补可愈也。因投人参,则右胁胀痛,尽夜难支。张又谓补法
不瘥,唯少行气之味,故无功耳。于前药加木香、砂仁,辛热止痛之剂,益呕吐不止,胀痛
转剧,而大便燥结。张不自咎不认病而误投,乃遍语缙绅相知曰∶吴少翁老年膈食,非其所
宜。丹溪复生,无能为也。少翁闻予在苕,而急予治,予兼程而往,至则脑之念一日也。诊
其脉,左弦右滑,两手皆数,且搏指,谛视其色,神藏气固,唯肌肉略瘦,手心甚热。予曰
∶此内伤症,非膈食症也。公曰∶诸君言吐而大便燥结,食不得下,非膈而何?予曰∶否,
公原不热不痛又不吐,由误饮药而使然耳。书云∶通则不痛,痛则不通。大便既燥而用补,
非也。经曰∶食不得入,是有火也。尤用辛热,非之非也,以是而治,比之以油救火,益令
其炽耳。予见与诸医不侔也。即与琥珀调中丸一帖,其夜胁痛稍缓,次早诊之,脉仍如前。
予决谓非通不可,即以龙荟丸与调中丸兼服之,五日内下黑粪十五六次,诸症悉减,饮食大
进,改以保和丸,调中丸调理。念七日,公即能巾栉,元旦命庖人治酒,榜人舣舟拉予泛于
南门,持觞为予寿曰∶与兄别者十六年,不惮劳涉险而赴吾急,自今以后之齿,皆兄之赐也
。敢不铭心,为欢竟日。至谷日,予乃别而复之苕。
In the winter of the Dingyou year, Wu Gong, a Palace Scholar (Gongzhan) styled Shaoxi, aged seventy-two, due to his eldest son's success in the autumn imperial examination, suffered from excessive fatigue and drinking while receiving congratulations, as well as injury from consuming dog meat. Local physicians generally administered digestive-promoting agents, but with no effect. Instead, internal heat increased. Zhang, a prominent gentry family from Changzhou who served as a key supporter for Jingxi, examined the patient and stated that given Wu's advanced age and overexertion, the harsh digestive agents had caused internal heat, which could be cured by tonification. Consequently, Ren Shen (Ginseng Root) was administered, resulting in distending pain in the right hypochondrium, making the night unbearable. Zhang then claimed that the tonification method failed because it lacked qi-moving ingredients, so it was ineffective. He added Mu Xiang (Aucklandiae Radix) and Sha Ren (Amomi Fructus) to the previous prescription, using acrid-warm analgesic agents, which exacerbated vomiting, intensified the distending pain, and led to dry, hard stools. Unwilling to admit his error in misdiagnosis and mistreatment, Zhang spread rumors among his gentry acquaintances, saying: "Young Master Wu suffers from old-age dysphagia (Ge Shi), which is not suitable for this treatment. Even if Zhu Danxi were reborn, he would be powerless." Upon hearing that I was in the Tiaoxi area, Young Master Wu urgently requested my treatment. I traveled day and night and arrived the next day. Palpating his pulse, the left side was wiry (Xian), the right side was slippery (Hua), both hands showed rapid (Shuo) rates, and the pulse beat forcefully against the fingers. Observing his complexion, his spirit was contained and Qi was solid, though his muscles were slightly emaciated and his palms were very hot. I said: "This is an internal injury syndrome, not dysphagia." Mr. Wu asked: "Everyone says there is vomiting, dry hard stools, and inability to swallow food; how is this not dysphagia?" I replied: "Incorrect. Originally, you had no fever, pain, or vomiting; these symptoms arose only after taking the wrong medicine. The medical classics state: 'If there is free flow, there is no pain; if there is pain, there is no free flow.' Since the stool is already dry and hard, using tonification is incorrect. The Classics say: 'Food cannot enter, indicating the presence of Fire.' Using acrid-warm herbs further exacerbates this. Treating it this way is like using oil to extinguish fire, only intensifying the blaze. My view differs from other physicians." I immediately prescribed one dose of Hupo Tiaozhong Wan (Amber Regulating Middle Pill). That night, the hypochondriac pain eased slightly. The next morning, upon palpation, the pulse remained unchanged. I determined that unblocking was imperative, so I administered Longhui Wan (Dragon Gallbladder Pill) combined with Tiaozhong Wan. Within five days, fifteen to sixteen bowel movements of black stool occurred, all symptoms significantly decreased, and dietary intake greatly improved. Subsequently, Baohe Wan (Harmonize Harmony Pill) and Tiaozhong Wan were used for regulation. By the seventh day, Mr. Wu was able to dress himself. On New Year's Day, he ordered cooks to prepare wine, invited me to boat on the Nanmen River, and raised his cup to toast my longevity, saying: "Having been separated from you for sixteen years, you did not spare labor or risk danger to answer my emergency. All my future years are your gift. How could I not engrave this in my heart? We rejoiced for the entire day." On the Gu day, I bid farewell and returned to Tiaoxi.