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Diagnosis of newborn infants involves examining the pulse pattern on the tiger's mouth (the web between the thumb and index finger). For males, the left hand is examined first; for females, the right hand. The index finger is divided into three segments: the Feng Guan (Wind Gate), Qi Guan (Qi Gate), and Ming Guan (Life Gate). A normal pulse pattern appears faint and stable. If the pattern becomes visible and changes in color, illness is present: purple indicates internal heat, red indicates cold damage (Shanghan), yellow indicates spleen disease, black indicates sudden evil attack (Zhong'e), green indicates convulsive wind (Jingfeng), and white indicates malnutrition syndrome (Ganji). A pattern appearing at the Feng Guan indicates mild illness; at the Qi Guan, severe illness; and if it reaches the Ming Guan, the prognosis is critical with high mortality.

Variations in size, curvature, and color correlate with specific etiologies: large or curved purple patterns indicate food stagnation and heat; curved green patterns suggest fright from humans or beasts; red patterns suggest fright from water, fire, or birds; yellow patterns suggest fright from thunder; and black patterns indicate yin epilepsy. Specific shapes correspond to conditions: a shape like a long bead indicates food injury; a flowing bead indicates heat; a "departing snake" shape indicates vomiting and diarrhea; an "arriving snake" shape indicates gan syndrome; an arch shape on the inner side indicates exogenous cold; on the outer side, phlegm-heat; a slant to the left indicates wind invasion; to the right, cold pathogen; needle-like or spear-like shapes indicate phlegm-heat; patterns penetrating to the finger tip or nail bed indicate critical condition; an "Yi" character shape indicates convulsions; two hooks indicate transmission of cold; three worm-like curves indicate ingestion of hard objects; a water-character shape indicates cough and diarrhea; a ring shape indicates food stagnation; a curved-worm shape indicates fright; and fish-bone or chaotic-worm shapes indicate roundworm infestation. Physicians must integrate morphology and color for careful observation.

[Note] For any newborn with illness, one must observe the color and form of the pulse pattern at the tiger's mouth to determine severity and prognosis. Males are examined on the medial aspect of the index finger of the left hand; females on the right. The three segments are named Feng Guan (first segment), Qi Guan (second segment), and Ming Guan (third segment). Reddish-yellow hues that are faint and invisible denote health. Purple denotes internal heat, red denotes cold damage, yellow denotes spleen injury, black denotes sudden evil, green denotes convulsive wind, and white denotes gan syndrome. Patterns at the Feng Guan indicate mild disease; at the Qi Guan, severe disease; and extending beyond the Ming Guan indicates critical, difficult-to-treat disease.