陈飞霞曰∶身安定见红黄色,红艳多从寒里得。淡黄隐隐本虚寒,莫将深红化为热。关纹见紫热之征,青色为
风古所称。伤食紫青痰气逆,三关青黑祸难胜。
陈飞霞曰∶指纹淡淡亦堪惊,总为先天禀赋轻。脾胃本虚中
气弱,切防攻伐损胎婴。关纹涩滞甚因由,邪遏阴荣卫气留。食郁中焦风热炽,不行推荡更何求。
陈飞霞曰∶腹痛纹入掌中心,弯内风寒次第侵。纹白外弯痰食热,水形脾肺两伤阴。又曰∶凡看指纹,以我大
拇指侧面,推儿食指三关,切不可覆指而推。盖螺纹有火,克制肺金,纹必变色。又只可从命关推下风关,切不
可从风关推出命关,此纹愈推愈出。其纹在先原未透命关,误推而出之,大损肺气,慎之慎之。
以上表里寒热虚实,凿凿有据。但能于临症时,认得此六字,分明胸中自主宰,虽不中不远矣。若但以惊证
塞责,何能应对。第晨钟自问,未免怀惭。凡我同人,互为砥砺,幸矣。
陈飞霞曰∶小儿三五岁,可以诊脉。第手腕短促,三部莫分。惟以一指侯之,诚非易易。《内经》诊视小儿,
以大小缓急四脉为准。予不避僭越,体其意,竟易为浮沉迟数,而以有力无力定其虚实。似比大小缓急,更为明悉,
后贤其体认之。
黄帝曰∶乳子而病热,脉悬小者何如?岐伯曰∶手足温则生,寒则死。帝曰∶乳子中风热,喘鸣肩息者脉何如?
岐伯曰∶喘鸣肩息,脉实大也,缓则生,急则死。
陈飞霞曰∶此《内经》之旨。圣人立言,可总括无余,世人不悟,视为平常。能于此处着眼,则诊视之要,思过
半矣。予之
临症诊视,无论吉凶而多中者,亦不外此。第意之所在,口莫能宣。窃详《内经》所谓大小缓急者,亦发而不露之
意。盖大即浮洪类也,小即沉细类也,急即数也,缓即迟也,何若竟易以浮沉迟数为得乎?再以节庵之有力无力,
辨其表里虚实,诚诊小儿天然不易之妙诀。夫节庵亦一常人,而能以有力无力,辨其阴阳表里寒热虚实,虽至显浅,
至平易,却至确当。孰谓今人不相及也。
Chen Feixia stated: When observing the fingerprint while the body is at rest, if it appears red-yellow, the bright red color often results from internal cold. A faint yellow hue indicates inherent deficiency-cold; do not mistake deep red for heat. Purple at the Guan position (middle section of the finger) is a sign of heat, while green represents wind, as described in ancient texts. Food stagnation leads to purple-green colors, and rebellious phlegm-qi also presents similarly; if all three sections (Feng, Qi, Ming) show blue-black, the prognosis is dire and difficult to overcome.
Chen Feixia stated: A faint fingerprint color is also alarming, generally indicating weak congenital endowment. The Spleen and Stomach are inherently deficient with weak Middle Qi; one must guard against using purgative or attacking methods that damage the infant's constitution. Stagnation and roughness at the Guan position occur because pathogenic factors obstruct Ying-Qi (Nutritive Qi) and Wei-Qi (Defensive Qi). If food stagnates in the Middle Jiao and wind-heat blazes, what other recourse is there but to employ pushing and purging methods?
Chen Feixia stated: Abdominal pain with the fingerprint extending to the center of the palm, curving inward, indicates sequential invasion by wind-cold. A white fingerprint curving outward suggests phlegm, food stagnation, or heat; a water-shaped (black) fingerprint indicates injury to the Yin of both the Spleen and Lung. He further said: When examining the fingerprint, use the side of your thumb to push along the Feng, Qi, and Ming sections of the child's index finger towards the tip. Never push in reverse (from tip to root). Because the whorl has fire properties that counteract Lung Metal, the fingerprint color will inevitably change. Moreover, one should only push from the Ming Guan towards the Feng Guan, never from the Feng Guan outwards to the Ming Guan, otherwise the fingerprint becomes more exposed the more it is pushed. If the fingerprint originally did not reach the Ming Guan but is forced out by incorrect pushing, it severely damages Lung Qi. Be extremely cautious. The above judgments regarding exterior-interior, cold-heat, and deficiency-excess are well-founded. As long as these six characters (Exterior, Interior, Cold, Heat, Deficiency, Excess) are clearly recognized during clinical practice, one will have inner autonomy; even if not perfectly accurate, the error will be small. Merely covering up with "fright syndrome" is insufficient for handling complex cases. Upon morning self-reflection, I feel ashamed. I hope my colleagues will encourage each other to improve their skills.
Chen Feixia stated: Children aged three to five can have their pulse taken. However, their wrists are short and rapid, making it difficult to distinguish the Cun, Guan, and Chi positions. Using only one finger to assess the pulse is indeed difficult. The *Huangdi Neijing* uses four pulse qualities—Large, Small, Slow, and Urgent—as standards for pediatric diagnosis. Not fearing overstepping, I interpreted its intent and changed them to Floating, Deep, Slow, and Rapid, determining deficiency and excess by forcefulness. This seems clearer than Large/Small/Slow/Urgent, and later scholars should reflect on this.
The Yellow Emperor asked: What is the condition when an infant suffering from heat disease has a hanging-small (suspended and thin) pulse? Qibo replied: Survival is indicated if the hands and feet are warm; death is indicated if they are cold. The Yellow Emperor asked: When an infant contracts wind-heat and exhibits wheezing with barking sounds and shoulder breathing, what should the pulse be like? Qibo replied: In cases of wheezing with barking sounds and shoulder breathing, the pulse is Excess-Large. A slow/relaxed quality indicates survival; an urgent/tight quality indicates death.
Chen Feixia stated: This is the essence of the *Neijing*. The Sage's words cover everything comprehensively, yet people fail to realize this, treating it as ordinary. Focusing here captures half the essence of diagnosis. My clinical accuracy, regardless of outcome, stems from this principle. It is hard to express fully in words. I carefully examined the *Neijing*'s mention of Large, Small, Slow, and Urgent, which implies hidden meanings. Essentially, "Large" corresponds to Floating-Hong, "Small" to Deep-Fine, "Urgent" to Rapid, and "Slow" to Delayed. Is it not better to directly use Floating, Deep, Slow, and Rapid? Combined with Jie'an's method of distinguishing Exterior-Interior and Deficiency-Excess via Forceful vs. Forceless pulses, this is indeed a natural and indispensable key for pediatric diagnosis. Jie'an was an ordinary person who could distinguish Yin-Yang, Exterior-Interior, Cold-Heat, and Deficiency-Excess using just forcefulness. Though simple and plain, it is highly accurate. Who says modern practitioners cannot match the ancients?