一 是书独阙痘症。已详明自叙中。其余共分二十四门。虽症变多端。或有不尽于此者。更当临症消息。然大段备
具。已足该幼科纲领。
一 二十四门症候。各着四言韵语。阐明义理。不列散文者。便诵习也。但韵语中。探源析流。义尚简括。阅者当
求意旨之所在。勿以为略而短之。
一 韵语后。各采前人议论。以相发明。要皆择其至精至当。归于一是。足为幼医科律者。故书中所登。无错杂。
无重叠。无支离。无牵扯。
一 是书删繁就简。虽卷帙无多。实足发明病旨。遵守斯法。已大概无误。若更神而明之。则存乎其人矣。
一 芽儿脏气未全。不胜药力。周岁内。非重症。勿轻易投药。须酌法治之。即两三岁内。形气毕竟嫩弱。用药亦
不可太猛。峻攻骤补。反受药累。
一 儿病多由食积。固是要语。医家不可不知。然亦有禀受薄弱。或病后虚怯。其所生病。有全无食积者。不得以
此语横亘心中。仍为消导。即或有之。亦当扶正而使积自消。消息甚微。当意会毋执。
一 古人治幼儿。或专攻。或专补。或专凉。或专热。皆有偏处。是书宗旨一以中和当病为归。不敢偏于攻补凉热。
一 病家怕惊不怕泻。医家怕泻不怕惊。要知惊泻俱为重候。在病家罔知病症。固无足怪。医家既怕泻。又安得不
怕惊耶。若存不怕之念。恐有轻心妄治以致害者。不可不慎思之也。
一 古人制幼方。必使药品与幼儿相得。本与大方有别。医者固不可执古方以治今病。亦不可妄作方剂。有背古人
之意。此旨亦至微。明者自领之。
一 婴儿两三岁内。全属天真。痛痒不能自达。其时脉虽不可凭。而观色察形。或视三关指纹。医者反得根据。有
一种娇养小儿。至四五岁六七岁。知识略开。便生诈伪。不饥为饥。不渴为渴。不痒为痒。不疼为疼。父母溺爱不知。
谆谆告医。医若不察。便尔多误。此又当观色于色之外。察形于形之表。以辨其情伪者也。切勿为他瞒过。
1. This book exclusively omits content regarding variola (smallpox/variolous diseases). This has been detailed in the author's preface. The remaining content is divided into twenty-four categories. Although pathological manifestations are diverse and some may not be included herein, one must carefully deliberate during clinical practice. Nevertheless, the general framework is comprehensively prepared, sufficient to outline the principles of pediatrics.
2. The symptoms for each of the twenty-four categories are presented in four-character rhythmic verses to elucidate medical theories. Prose is excluded to facilitate recitation and memorization. However, within these verses, which trace the origins and analyze the developments, the principles remain concise and comprehensive. Readers should seek the underlying intent and not dismiss the text as too brief or superficial.
3. Following the rhythmic verses, discussions from predecessors are selected to mutually illuminate and clarify the points. These selections are refined to retain only the most exquisite and appropriate insights, unified under a single standard, serving as guidelines for pediatric practitioners. Therefore, the content recorded in this book is free from errors, confusion, repetition, fragmentation, or forced associations.
4. This book deletes redundancy and pursues simplicity. Although the volume is modest, it effectively elucidates the essence of diseases. Adhering to these methods generally prevents errors. Further profound understanding and flexible application depend on the individual practitioner's aptitude.
5. Infants' Zang-Fu Qi (vital energy of the internal organs) is not yet fully matured and cannot withstand potent medicinal forces. Within the first year of life, unless it is a severe condition, medication should not be administered lightly; suitable treatment methods must be carefully considered. Even for children aged two to three years, their physical form and Qi are inherently tender and weak; medications should not be too harsh. Drastic purgation or sudden tonification may instead cause harm due to the drugs.
6. Pediatric illnesses often arise from food stagnation (accumulation of undigested food), which is indeed an important principle that physicians must know. However, there are also cases due to weak congenital constitution or post-illness deficiency and frailty, where the illness occurs without any food stagnation. One should not rigidly apply the rule of food stagnation and invariably use digestive-promoting methods. Even if food stagnation exists, one should support the Righteous Qi (Zheng Qi) so that the stagnation resolves naturally. The subtle distinctions require intuitive comprehension rather than rigid adherence.
7. Ancient treatments for infants sometimes focused solely on purging pathogens, solely on tonifying, solely on cooling, or solely on warming, all of which had biases. The guiding principle of this book is "Harmony" (Zhong He), aiming to suit the disease condition, avoiding bias towards purging, tonifying, cooling, or warming.
8. Parents fear convulsions (Jing Feng) but not diarrhea, while physicians fear diarrhea but not convulsions. It must be understood that both convulsions and diarrhea are critical conditions. It is understandable that parents, lacking knowledge of the disease, might not fear diarrhea; however, since physicians fear diarrhea, how can they not fear convulsions? harboring a mindset of not fearing convulsions may lead to negligent and reckless treatment causing harm. This requires careful consideration.
9. Ancient pediatric formulas were designed to harmonize with the infant's physiology, differing from adult prescriptions. Physicians should not rigidly apply ancient formulas to contemporary diseases, nor should they arbitrarily create formulas that contradict the original intent of the ancients. This principle is subtle; those who understand will grasp it naturally.
10. Infants within their first few years are entirely innocent and cannot clearly express pain or itching. At this stage, although pulse diagnosis may not be fully reliable, observing facial color and physical form, or examining the fingerprint at the Three Passes (San Guan), provides physicians with reference points. Conversely, spoiled children aged four to seven years, whose cognitive abilities have slightly developed, may exhibit deceptive behaviors: feigning hunger when not hungry, thirst when not thirsty, itchiness when not itchy, and pain when not painful. Parents, indulging their children, fail to notice and earnestly report these symptoms to the physician. If the physician fails to investigate, misdiagnosis is likely. In such cases, one must observe color beyond mere appearance and examine form beyond surface traits to distinguish truth from falsehood. Do not allow oneself to be deceived.