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There are seven types of negligence that render a disease incurable: negligence in not examining carefully, negligence in not being cautious, negligence in lacking faith (in the treatment), negligence in delaying and missing the timing, negligence in not selecting a qualified physician, negligence in not distinguishing the medicines, and negligence in adhering to one's own opinions. When tonification should be used, blame is placed on the physician for using purgation; fearing efficacy, blame is placed on the physician for desiring to tonify; when acupuncture should be employed, moxibustion is desired; when cauterization should be applied, Bian stone therapy is desired. Among these seven, if even one exists, it becomes difficult to treat. This is not merely the fault of the physician, but indeed the self-misguidance of the patient. Moreover, if the physician lacks benevolence and the patient is suspicious and derogatory, these two factors intertwine in the illness, causing considerable harm. Therefore, physicians must not lack benevolence, and patients must not be overly suspicious or derogatory; violating this invites disaster. Physicians should take saving and relieving as their heart's intent, and patients should take sincerity and earnestness as their thought, each exerting themselves to the utmost, which is the major principle of curing diseases and seeking recovery.

Common ailments in the elderly are often treated by mixing them with those of the young, blindly administering herbal decoctions, and recklessly performing acupuncture and moxibustation, striving for rapid recovery. Little do they know that in the elderly, blood and Qi have already declined, and spirit and essence are diminished. Consequently, hearing and vision are no longer sharp and clear, hand and foot movements do not follow the will, the body feels fatigued, the head and eyes feel dizzy, old diseases flare up intermittently, alternating between constipation and diarrhea, cold and heat. These are all normal conditions for the elderly. One must not use needles and medicines aggressively nor seek immediate cure, as doing so often leads to perilous situations. Furthermore, drugs that attack pathogens may induce sweating, vomiting, releasing the exterior, or promoting urination. Because the aged differ from the young, whose true Qi is robust and vigorous, even if sweating, vomiting, purging, or draining methods are used, danger does not ensue. However, in the elderly and weak, inducing sweating depletes Yang Qi, inducing vomiting causes Stomach Qi to rebel upward, and purging causes the Yuan Qi (Original Qi) to collapse, leading immediately to untreatable conditions. This is a major taboo in caring for the elderly. Generally, medicinal intake for the elderly should only serve to support and sustain; only mild, harmonizing agents that regulate Qi, promote appetite, and tonify deficiency should be used. Medicines purchased from markets or gifted by others, whose formulas and properties are unknown, must not be administered to the elderly; careful scrutiny is essential. If old diseases flare up, one should use mild herbal decoctions to regulate and harmonize according to the symptoms. After three to five days, natural recovery will occur. The key lies in managing diet, preparing meals according to food nature and individual constitution. This is the best method.