感者触也。冒其罩乎。触则必犯。犯则内趋。罩则必蒙。蒙则里瘀。当其感冒。浅在肌肤。表之则散。发之则祛。
病斯痊矣。宁至盘纡。若不早治。由外内徂。侵经及络。脏腑壅沮。潜骨沦髓。邪毒固储。变成大病。难以骤驱。而至
于危。而至于殂。伊芳谁之过。能无憾欤。感冒之邪。惟风最初。风行迅速。飘忽吹嘘。当风行止。便入身驱。由风挟寒。
风寒是区。乃风之寒。非风寒俱。故异伤寒。六经遍逾。脉兼浮紧。其候吁喁。由风挟热。风热是呼。乃风及热。非风
热殊。故异中热。暑喝猝 。脉兼浮数。其候 。感冒之原。由卫气虚。元府不闭。腠理常疏。虚邪贼风。卫阳受摅。
惟肺主气。首先犯诸。心火相合。肝风并 。以渐而入。因风疾驰。避风避箭。载在方书。正风且然。况戾风刳。感冒
之症。未可尽拘。头疼身热。轻则或无。必恶风寒。肢体不舒。鼻流清涕。堵塞气粗。咳喘声重。涎沫有余。咽干口闭。
自汗沾襦。此外因也。当用表除。素有痰热。窠囊若墟。太阳阳明。二经是居。风邪易入。招引而孚。风乘火势。火煽
风枢。互相鼓动。病盛膈 。此内因也。当用爬梳。感冒之治。四时难诬。春夏辛凉。升麻柴胡。荆防羌葛。取效须臾。
秋冬辛温。桂枳参苏。二胡二活。其要也夫。内治甘苦。升散同符。冲和通圣。二方是图。临时消息。以意 畲。庶几
疾。如草加锄。所触斯解。所罩亦纾。
Gan (Infection/Contact) refers to touching or encountering. Mao (Covering/Overwhelming) refers to shrouding or enveloping. To encounter implies invasion; invasion leads to an inward tendency. To shroud implies obscuring; obscuring leads to internal stagnation. When a common cold occurs, the pathogen is superficial, residing in the skin and muscles. Releasing it through the exterior (diaphoresis) disperses it; promoting its exit eliminates it. Thus, the disease is cured. How could it become complicated and difficult to treat? If not treated early, the pathogen moves from the exterior to the interior, invading the meridians and collaterals, causing congestion and obstruction in the zang-fu organs. It may penetrate deep into the bones and marrow, where evil toxins accumulate firmly, transforming into severe diseases that are hard to dispel quickly, potentially leading to critical conditions or death. Whose fault is this? Can one not feel regret?
The pathogen of the common cold is primarily wind. Wind moves rapidly, unpredictably blowing upon the body. When the wind stops, the pathogen has already entered the body. If wind carries cold, it is termed Wind-Cold. This is a combination of wind and cold, not necessarily equal in severity, thus differing from Taiyang Cold Damage (Shanghan). The pulse is floating and tight, and symptoms include labored breathing and hoarse voice. If wind carries heat, it is termed Wind-Heat. This is a combination of wind and heat, distinct from Summerheat or Heat Stroke (Zhongre). The pulse is floating and rapid, and symptoms manifest as heat signs.
The root cause of the common cold lies in the deficiency of Defensive Qi (Wei Qi), failure of the Yuan Fu (pores) to close, and loose Cou Li (skin texture and interstices). Deficient evils and thieving winds invade, damaging the Defensive Yang first. Since the Lung governs Qi and controls the skin and hair, the wind pathogen attacks the Lung system first. Heart Fire may combine with it, and Liver Wind may join, allowing the pathogen to enter gradually, driven by the speed of wind. Ancient texts advise avoiding wind as if avoiding arrows; even normal wind is dangerous, let alone virulent winds (epidemic pathogens).
Symptoms of the common cold should not be rigidly fixed. Headache and fever may be absent in mild cases. However, aversion to wind and cold is inevitable, accompanied by limb discomfort, clear nasal discharge, nasal congestion with coarse breathing, cough and asthma with heavy sounds, excessive phlegm, dry throat, closed mouth, or spontaneous sweating soaking the clothes. These are external causes, requiring exterior-releasing treatment. If one previously harbors Phlegm-Heat, accumulating like a nest, the disease resides mainly in the Taiyang and Yangming meridians. Wind pathogen easily enters, attracting and nurturing internal pathogens. Wind fuels fire, and fire fans the wind pivot, mutually agitating, causing the disease to flourish in the diaphragm area. This is an internal cause, requiring regulation and dredging (clearing phlegm and heat).
Treatment of the common cold varies by season and must not be ignored. In spring and summer, acrid-cool herbs such as Shengma (Cimicifugae Rhizoma), Chaihu (Bupleuri Radix), Jingjie (Schizonepetae Herba), Fangfeng (Saposhnikoviae Radix), Qianghuo (Notopterygii Rhizoma et Radix), and Ge Gen (Puerariae Lobatae Radix) are used for quick effect. In autumn and winter, acrid-warm herbs such as Guizhi (Cinnamomi Ramulus), Zhike (Aurantii Fructus), Renshen (Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma), and Suye (Perillae Folium), along with Qianhu (Peucedani Radix), Houpo (Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex - *Note: Text says Er Hu, likely referring to Qian/Hou or similar pairs, but context suggests aromatic/dispersing herbs*), Qianghuo (Notopterygii Rhizoma et Radix), and Duhuo (Angelicae Pubescentis Radix) are key. For internal involvement mixed with external contraction, sweet-bitter herbs are used in conjunction with ascending and dispersing methods, such as Chonghe Tang (Harmonizing Decoction) and Tongsheng San (Free and Easy Powder). One must adapt flexibly according to circumstances, using wisdom to guide treatment, so that the disease is cured like weeding with a hoe, resolving what was encountered and relieving what was shrouded.