汪省吾暮秋患疟,三日一次,发于夜。迨次年仲春犹不能止,遍身疼,头疼,背脊疼,
百治
不应。即炙亦仅止得一日,次日仍发,面色青,肌肉瘦。以症参之,邪在足太阳经,用麻黄
一钱五分,人参、桂枝、白芍药、粉草、知母各一钱,陈皮、贝母各七分,姜、枣煎服,诸
疼减半而疟未止。以何首乌、白术各五钱,青蒿一钱,乌梅一个,陈皮二钱,生姜三大片,
水煎,临发日五更服。寻常以六君子汤加黄 、柴胡、五味子、乌梅、草果调理而愈。
江东之丈,七月初旬自浙归,连日与客手谈过劳,口中生疮,医以香薷饮、清胃汤、泻
黄汤
、三黄丸、黄连解毒汤、白虎汤、凉膈散。凡治上焦热症之剂,竭寒凉而进之者十一日矣。
口疮日甚一日,不但饮食不进,即药亦难下咽,因疮延及于喉也。逆予为诊,其脉六部俱豁
大无力。诊罢,有外科陈氏者自称喉舌专门,炫其口疳敷药之妙。予曰∶汝试为口中一洗,
看
是何状?才开口见涎沫迷漫,不能得见肉色,陈以荆芥汤洗而引之,搅出稠涎一二碗余。倾
于地上,偶见二鸡争啄之,二鸡立毙,其毒何如?此亦疾之奇者。予嘱陈曰∶汝用药只可吹
入喉中,切不可敷其舌,必候喉中全好,然后敷舌,待舌好再敷口唇,甚毋得概敷。恐毒无
出路,反攻入喉,极为误事。陈曰∶诺。予对
乃翁曰∶令郎之疾,乃虚阳口疮也。翁曰∶当用何剂?予曰∶附子理中汤,煎热待冷冻饮料之,
可救。如他药不能立功。翁曰∶疮乃热症,况上身已热,又天时酷暑,大热之剂其敢进乎?
予曰∶此阴盛格阳之症,初未尝如此,因服寒凉过剂激之使然尔,翁不看其两足膝下皆冷
乎?翁用手探足下果冷,乃欣然听用。用人参、白术各三钱,大附子、炮姜、炙甘草各一钱
,水煎冷与之。服后即鼾睡达旦,次早便能食粥半盏,足膝下渐暖,药仍如前。早饭后,予
与二三友散步山溪,午刻归来,乃见举家大恸于地,见予至,哭语予曰∶不可为矣?本是热
病误服热药,今舌肿大,塞满口中,不能言语,死在顷刻,奈何?奈何?予骇然应曰∶安得有
是不祥语也?今晨诊脉与昨不二,适往返不过二时许,何倏尔有此大变乎?待予再诊决之,及
诊六脉渐敛较昨大有神气,面色亦和,独舌胀大。予心知为陈寒凉敷药所致也。乃诘陈曰
∶
我别后可用敷药否?陈点首曰∶已二次矣。予抚翁及诸人曰∶无恸,立看予为翁消之。急取
官桂研末五钱,用生姜自然汁调涂舌上,才涂上但见眼泪双流,鼻中涕出,口内涎垂,舌顿
消去。语近侍曰∶我无事矣。诸环侍者,男妇不下二十,皆面面相觑,以为神奇。予曰∶可
即取粥与食,使压之庶虚火不再升。适舌胀满者,乃敷药寒凉,闭其毒瓦斯,毒无从出,故作
胀耳。桂皮乃辛热之物,又以姜汁调涂,取辛散之义也。诸人皆服其论。
Wang Shengwu contracted malaria in late autumn, occurring once every three days, specifically at night. By mid-spring of the following year, it had not ceased. He suffered from generalized body pain, headache, and back pain. Despite various treatments, there was no response. Even moxibustion only provided relief for one day, with recurrence the next day. His complexion was bluish, and his muscles were emaciated. Based on the symptoms, the pathogenic factor was determined to be in the Foot-Taiyang Meridian (Foot-Taiyang channel disease). Ma Huang (Ephedrae Herba) 1.5 qian, Renshen (Ginseng Radix), Guizhi (Cinnamomi Ramulus), Baishao Yao (Paeoniae Radix Alba), Fencacao (Licorice Root), and Zhimu (Anemarrhenae Rhizoma) each 1 qian, Chenpi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium) and Beimu (Fritillariae Thunbergii Bulbus) each 0.7 qian were decocted with Shengjiang (Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens) and Dazao (Jujubae Fructus) for oral administration. The pains decreased by half, but the malaria persisted. Subsequently, Heshouwu (Polygoni Multiflori Preparata Radix) and Baizhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma) each 5 qian, Qinghao (Artemisiae Annuae Herba) 1 qian, Wumei (Mume Fructus) one piece, Chenpi 2 qian, and Shengjiang three large slices were decocted in water and administered at wugeng (3-5 AM) on the day of the impending attack. Ordinarily, Liu Junzi Tang (Six Gentlemen Decoction) modified with Huangqin (Scutellariae Radix), Chaihu (Bupleuri Radix), Wuweizi (Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus), Wumei, and Caoguo (Tsaoko Fructus) was used for regulation, leading to recovery.
Mr. Jiang Dongzhi returned from Zhejiang in early July. After several days of excessive mental exertion playing chess with guests, he developed mouth ulcers. Physicians prescribed Xiangru Yin (Elsholtzia Drink), Qingwei Tang (Stomach-Clearing Decoction), Xiehuang Tang (Draining Yellow Decoction), Sanhuang Wan (Three Yellows Pill), Huanglian Jiedu Tang (Coptis Detoxification Decoction), Baihu Tang (White Tiger Decoction), and Liangge San (Cooling the Chest Powder). For eleven days, all preparations aimed at clearing heat in the Upper Jiao (Upper Burner) were administered, exhausting cold-natured remedies. The mouth ulcers worsened daily; not only could he not eat, but he could hardly swallow medicine because the sores extended into the throat. I examined his pulse, finding all six positions (cun, guan, chi on both hands) vast, empty, and weak. After the examination, a surgeon surnamed Chen, claiming expertise in throat and tongue diseases, boasted of the efficacy of his topical application for mouth cankers. I said, "Try washing his mouth and see what condition it is in." Upon opening his mouth, saliva and foam were seen obscuring the view of the mucosal tissue. Chen washed and suctioned with Jingjie Tang (Schizonepeta Decoction), extracting over one or two bowls of thick saliva. When poured on the ground, two chickens were observed pecking at it and died immediately. How toxic this must be! This is indeed a rare case. I instructed Chen: "Your medication should only be blown into the throat. Do not apply it to the tongue. Wait until the throat is completely healed before treating the tongue, and only after the tongue heals should you treat the lips. Do not apply it generally. If the toxin has no exit route, it may attack inward toward the throat, causing serious error." Chen agreed. I told Mr. Jiang's father: "Your son's illness is Mouth Ulcer due to Deficient Yang (Xu Yang Kou Chuang)." The father asked: "What prescription should be used?" I replied: "Fuzi Lizhong Tang (Aconite Regulate the Middle Decoction), decocted hot but served cold like frozen liquid, can save him. Other medicines will not work." The father said: "Ulcers are heat syndromes. Moreover, his upper body is already hot, and it is the height of summer. How dare we administer such hot medicine?" I explained: "This is a syndrome of Yin Excess repelling Yang (Yin Sheng Ge Yang). It was not originally like this; it was provoked by excessive administration of cold-natured drugs. Have you not noticed that his feet and knees below are cold?" The father felt his son's feet and found them indeed cold, so he happily consented. Renshen and Baizhu each 3 qian, Da Fuzi (Prepared Aconiti Lateralis Radix), Paojiang (Prepared Zingiberis Rhizoma), and Zhigancao (Honey-fried Licorice Root) each 1 qian were decocted in water and given cold. After ingestion, he fell into snoring sleep until dawn. The next morning, he could eat half a bowl of congee. His feet and knees gradually warmed up, and the medication remained the same. After breakfast, I walked with friends by the mountain stream. Returning at noon, I saw the whole family mourning on the ground. Seeing me, they cried out: "It is hopeless! Originally a heat disease, mistakenly treated with hot medicine. Now his tongue is swollen, filling the mouth, unable to speak. Death is imminent. What shall we do? What shall we do?" I responded in shock: "How can such an ominous statement exist? My morning pulse diagnosis was no different from yesterday's. In just two hours, how could such a drastic change occur?" I decided to re-examine him. The six pulses had gradually converged and showed much more spirit compared to yesterday. His complexion was harmonious, except for the swollen tongue. I knew internally that this was caused by Chen's cold-natured topical application. I questioned Chen: "Did you use the topical application after I left?" Chen nodded: "I have applied it twice." I comforted the father and others: "Do not grieve. Watch as I eliminate this for your father." I urgently took Guigui (Cinnamomi Cortex) powder, five qian, mixed with fresh Shengjiang juice, and applied it to the tongue. As soon as it was applied, tears flowed freely, nasal mucus appeared, and saliva dripped from the mouth. The tongue instantly subsided. He told his attendants: "I am fine now." The twenty or so male and female attendants surrounding us looked at each other in astonishment, considering it miraculous. I said: "Immediately give him congee to eat, to suppress the rising of deficient fire. The previous tongue swelling was due to the cold nature of the topical application closing off the toxic qi, which had no outlet, thus causing swelling. Cinnamon bark is acrid and hot. Mixed with ginger juice for topical application, it utilizes the principle of acrid dispersal." Everyone admired his reasoning.