经曰∶新积痛可移者,易已也,积不痛,难已也。夫饮食之积,必用消导。消者,散其积也;导者,行其气
也。脾虚不运则气不流行,气不流行则停滞而为积,或作泻痢,或成 痞,以致饮食减少。五脏无所资禀,血
气日愈虚衰,因致危困者多矣。故必消而导之,轻则和解常剂,重必峻下汤丸。盖浊阴不降,则清阳不升;客垢
不除,则真元不复。如戡定祸乱,然后可以致太平。若积因脾虚,不能健运药力者,或消补并行,或补多消少,
或先补后消,洁古所谓养正而积自除。故前人破滞削坚之药,必假参术赞助成功。经曰∶无致邪,无失正,绝人
长命。此之谓也。
夫食者,有形之物,伤之则宜损其谷,其次莫若消之,消之不去则攻之。此治初伤乳食之法也。倘治之不
早,以致陈 菀聚,乃成积也。其候面色黄白,或青黄,腹大或紧,食少腹痛,发则数日不止。而医者治积,
不问平日所伤之物是寒是热,并不察儿之形气或虚或实,可攻不可攻,竟用偏寒偏热峻下之药,而犯虚虚之戒,其
害岂胜言哉!如先伤热乳热食者,则为热积;伤冷乳冷食者,则为冷积。五谷之类为食积,禽畜之类为肉积,
菜果之类为冷积,故药宜分寒热。冷积应用消积丸,热积木香槟榔丸,仍用原伤之物作汤送之,谓之溯源汤。
凡用攻下取积之药,必先补其胃气,如六君之类,预服数剂,扶其元神,然后下之,免伤胃气也。
如小儿体质素怯者,虽有积必不宜下,当以补为消。六君子汤加莪术、木香,共为细末,姜汁打神曲糊丸。
每一二钱米汤下,久服自消。今儿禀受怯弱者众,有积皆当识此,攻积之药,慎勿轻用。
The *Classic of Medicine* (Huangdi Neijing) states: "Newly formed accumulations with migratory pain are easy to cure; accumulations without pain are difficult to cure." Accumulations caused by diet and food must be treated with methods that resolve digestion and guide qi. "Resolving" (Xiao) means dispersing the accumulation; "Guiding" (Dao) means promoting the movement of qi. When Spleen deficiency fails to transport, qi does not circulate freely; when qi stagnates, it forms an accumulation, manifesting as diarrhea or dysentery, or forming a palpable mass (Pi), thereby reducing dietary intake. As the Five Zang organs lack sufficient nourishment, Qi and Blood gradually become deficient and weak, leading to many critical and precarious conditions. Therefore, one must employ both resolving and guiding methods. For mild cases, standard harmonizing formulas are used; for severe cases, potent purgative decoctions or pills are necessary. This is because if turbid Yin does not descend, clear Yang cannot ascend; if pathogenic filth is not eliminated, true Yuan Qi cannot recover. It is like pacifying chaos before achieving peace. If the accumulation is due to Spleen deficiency, rendering the body unable to effectively utilize medicinal power, one may use simultaneous tonification and resolution, or tonify more than resolve, or tonify first then resolve. This aligns with Li Dongyuan's (Jiegu) principle: "Nourish the righteous Qi, and the accumulation will eliminate itself." Thus, predecessors always relied on Ginseng and Atractylodes macrocephala Rhizome to assist in the success of drugs that break stagnation and reduce hardness. The Classic states: "Do not exacerbate the pathogen, do not lose the righteous Qi, lest you cut short people's lives." This refers to this very principle.
Food consists of tangible matter. When injured, one should first reduce grain intake; next best is to resolve it; if resolution fails, then purge it. This is the method for treating initial damage from milk and food. If treatment is delayed, allowing old depression to gather, it becomes an accumulation. Its symptoms include a yellowish-white or greenish-yellow complexion, abdominal distension or tightness, poor appetite with abdominal pain, and attacks lasting several days. However, physicians treating accumulations often fail to inquire whether the ingested substance was cold or hot, nor do they observe whether the child's constitution and Qi are deficient or excess, or whether purging is indicated. Instead, they recklessly use strongly cold or hot purgatives, violating the taboo of making the deficient even more deficient. How can the harm be fully described? Injuries from hot milk or food result in Heat Accumulation; injuries from cold milk or food result in Cold Accumulation. Grains cause Food Accumulation; poultry and meat cause Meat Accumulation; vegetables and fruits cause Cold Accumulation. Therefore, medications must distinguish between cold and heat. Cold Accumulation should be treated with Xiaoji Wan (Accumulation-Resolving Pill); Heat Accumulation with Muxiang Binglang Wan (Aucklandia and Areca Seed Pill). These should still be taken with a decoction made from the originally injurious substance, known as Suyuan Tang (Source-Tracing Decoction). Whenever using purgative drugs to remove accumulation, one must first tonify Stomach Qi, such as with Liu Jun Zi Tang (Six Gentlemen Decoction), administering several doses beforehand to support the Primordial Spirit, before proceeding with purging, to avoid damaging Stomach Qi.
If a child has a naturally timid/weak constitution, even if there is an accumulation, purging is inappropriate. One should use tonification as a means of resolution. Use Liu Jun Zi Tang (Six Gentlemen Decoction) added with Curcuma zedoaria Rhizome (Ezhu) and Aucklandiae Radix (Muxiang), ground into fine powder, and made into paste pills using Ginger Juice and Medicated Leaven (Shenqu). Take 1–2 qian each time with Rice Decoction. Long-term administration will naturally resolve the accumulation. Nowadays, many children have inherently weak constitutions; for those with accumulations, this principle must be recognized. Purging drugs for accumulation should never be used lightly.