万全论田妇护儿,绝无他疾,譬之草木生于深山大泽,容易合抱,至于异果奇
材,纵加培养,间有不秀实者,岂贵贱异哉!儿数见风日,即血凝气刚,肌肉硬密,
堪耐风寒,以田舍儿较之相似。田氏曰∶大凡小儿过暖生热,热极生风,提抱生
痈,喂饲生癖,最宜慎之。张涣曰∶乳母须每日三时摸儿项后风池,若壮热者,即
须熨之,使微汗即愈。谚云∶戒养小儿,谨护风池。风池在颈项筋两辕之边,有病
乃治之,疾微,切不可妄针灸,亦不用辄吐下,所以然者,针灸伤儿经络,吐下伤
动脏腑故也。婴儿暑中,常令在稍凉处,乳母勿禁新水,即不宜多。婴儿春夏间
有疾,不可乱有动下,使下焦虚,上焦热,变成大病矣。婴儿须看禀受南北之殊,
盖地土寒温不同故也。婴儿生后两盈月,即目瞳子成,能笑,识人,乳母不得令生
人抱之,及不令见非常之物。婴儿百 ,任脉生,能反复,乳母当存节喜怒,
适其寒温。婴儿半 ,尻骨已成,乳母当教儿学坐。婴儿二百日,外掌骨成,乳
母教儿地上匍匐。婴儿三百日,膑骨成,乳母教儿独立。婴儿周 ,膝骨已
成,乳母教儿行步。上件,并是定法,盖世之人不能如法存节,往往抱儿过时,损
伤筋骨,切宜戒之,为吉。罗谦甫曰∶一小儿五月间,因食伤冷粉,腹中作痛,遂
于市药铺中赎得神芎丸服之,脐腹渐加冷疼,时发时止,逾七八年不已。因思古人
云寒者热之,治寒以热,良医不能废其绳墨,而更其道也,据所伤之物,寒也,所
攻之药,亦寒也,重寒伤胃,其为冷痛可知矣。凡人之脾胃,喜温而恶冷,况小儿
血气尚弱,不任其寒,故阳气潜伏,寒毒留连,久而不除也。治病必先其本,当用
和中养气之药,以救前失,服之月余方愈。呜乎,康子馈药,孔子拜而受之,以未
达,不敢尝,此保生之重者也。奈何常人拱默而令切脉,以谓能知病否,且脉
者,人之血气,附行经络之间,热胜则脉疾,寒胜则脉迟,实则有力,虚则无力,
至于所伤何物,岂能别其形象乎!医者不可不审其病源,而主家亦不可不说其病源,
且此子之父不以病源告医,而求药于市,铺中发药者,亦不审病源而以药付之,以
致七八年之病,皆昧此理也。孙真人云∶未诊先问,最为有准。东坡云∶只图愈疾,
不欲困医。二公之语,其有功于世,大矣。
Wan Quan discussed the care of children by rural women, stating that if a child has no other diseases, it is like grass and trees growing in deep mountains and large marshes, easily reaching a size where two arms can embrace them. In contrast, rare fruits and precious timber, even with cultivation, may occasionally fail to flower or bear fruit. Is this due to differences in nobility or baseness? When children are frequently exposed to wind and sunlight, their blood becomes refined and their Qi firm, their muscles hard and dense, enabling them to withstand cold and wind; this is similar to country children. Tian Shi said: Generally, if infants are kept too warm, heat arises; extreme heat generates wind (convulsions); frequent carrying leads to carbuncles; improper feeding leads to accumulations and parasites. These situations require utmost caution. Zhang Huan said: The wet nurse must massage the Fengchi acupoint on the back of the infant's neck three times daily. If the infant has high fever, moxibustion or hot compress should be applied until slight sweating occurs, which will lead to recovery. The proverb says: To care for an infant, carefully protect the Fengchi point. Fengchi is located at the sides of the tendons in the neck. Treatment is only necessary when illness is present. For mild ailments, one must not recklessly use acupuncture or moxibustion, nor should emetics or purgatives be used casually. This is because acupuncture damages the meridians, while vomiting and purging damage the Zang-Fu organs. When an infant suffers from summerheat, they should be kept in slightly cool places. The wet nurse should not forbid the infant from drinking fresh water, but intake should not be excessive. If an infant falls ill during spring and summer, one must not indiscriminately use purgative methods, as this may cause deficiency-cold in the Lower Jiao and heat in the Upper Jiao, transforming into a severe disease. Rearing infants requires observing differences in innate constitution due to northern and southern geographical variations, caused by different climatic conditions. Two months after birth, the infant's pupils are formed, they can smile and recognize people; the wet nurse should not allow strangers to hold them, nor let them see unusual objects. At one hundred days, the Ren Mai (Conception Vessel) develops, and they can roll over; the wet nurse should regulate emotions and maintain appropriate temperature. At half a year, the sacral bone is formed; the wet nurse should teach the infant to sit. At two hundred days, the metacarpal bones are formed; the wet nurse should teach the infant to crawl on the ground. At three hundred days, the patella is formed; the wet nurse should teach the infant to stand independently. At one year old, the knee bones are formed; the wet nurse should teach the infant to walk. These are fixed rules. People often fail to observe these limits, holding infants too long and damaging bones and sinews; this must be avoided for good health. Luo Qianfu said: A child in May suffered abdominal pain after eating cold starch food. He bought Shenxiong Wan (Shenxiong Pill) from a pharmacy. Consequently, cold pain in the umbilical and abdominal regions worsened intermittently, lasting for seven or eight years without cessation. Recalling the ancient saying "treat cold with heat," a skilled physician would not abandon standard principles. The ingested substance was cold, and the administered medicine was also cold. Double cold injuring the Stomach explains the cold pain. Human Spleen and Stomach prefer warmth and dislike cold. Infants have weak Qi and Blood and cannot tolerate cold, leading to latent Yang and lingering cold pathogens. Treating disease requires addressing the root; thus, herbs to harmonize the Middle Jiao and nourish Qi were used to remedy the previous error, resulting in recovery after more than a month. Alas, when Kang Zi offered medicine to Confucius, Confucius bowed and accepted it but did not taste it because he did not understand its nature. This highlights the importance of preserving life. Why do ordinary people remain silent and rely solely on pulse diagnosis, believing it reveals all? Pulse reflects Qi and Blood moving through the meridians: heat causes rapid pulse, cold causes slow pulse, excess presents with force, deficiency with weakness. How can one determine the specific pathogenic factor from the pulse alone? Physicians must carefully investigate the etiology, and families must disclose it. In this case, the father did not inform the doctor of the cause but sought medicine at a shop. The pharmacist dispensed medicine without investigating the cause, leading to chronic illness for seven or eight years due to ignorance of this principle. Sun Simiao said: Inquiry before diagnosis is most accurate. Su Dongpo said: Seek cure, do not burden the physician. Their words benefit the world greatly.