伏天所受之暑者,其邪盛,患于当时;其邪微,发于秋后,时贤谓秋时晚发,即伏暑之病也。是时凉风飒
飒,侵袭肌肤,新邪欲入,伏气欲出,以致寒热如疟,或微寒,或微热,不能如疟厘清。其脉必滞,其舌必
腻,脘痞气塞,渴闷烦冤,每至午后则甚,入暮更剧,热至天明得汗,则诸恙稍缓。日日如是,必要
二、三候外,方得全解。倘调理非法,不治者甚多。不比风寒之邪,一汗而解,温热之气,投凉则安。
拟用清宣温化法,使其
气分开,则新邪先解,而伏气亦随解也。然是证变易为多,其初起如疟,先服清宣温化法。倘畏寒已解,
独发热淹绵,可加芦、竹、连翘,本法内之半夏、陈皮,乃可删去,恐其温燥之品,伤津液也。其舌苔本腻,
倘渐黄、渐燥、渐黑、渐焦,是伏暑之热,已伤其阴,于本法内可加洋参、麦冬、元参、细地治之。倘
神识昏蒙者,是邪逼近心包,益元散,紫雪丹,量其证之轻重而用。倘壮热舌焦,神昏谵语,脉实不虚,是
邪热归并阳明,宜用润下救津法治之。如年壮体强,以生军易熟军,更为有力。种
种变证,务在临证之时,细审病之新久,体之虚实,按法用之,庶无差忒耳。
或问曰∶曾见禹载书中论伏暑,谓三伏之时,以书晒曝烈日之中,随即收藏于笥,火气未散,冬时
启笥,触之遂病。今是论中全未言及,得毋遗漏乎?答曰∶子诚刻舟求剑也,此不过偶一有之之证。若此论
之,则伏暑之证,专病晒书之家,而无书晒者则不病;专病在冬,而三秋则不病,可发一笑。
The summer-heat pathogen contracted during the Sanfu period (the hottest days of summer), if strong, manifests immediately; if weak, it erupts in late autumn. Contemporary physicians refer to this late-onset condition in autumn as "Fu Shu" (Latent Summer-heat Disease). At this time, cool breezes invade the skin and muscles; new external pathogens attempt to enter while latent qi attempts to exit, resulting in alternating chills and fever resembling malaria. The symptoms may present with slight chills or slight fever, lacking the clear demarcation seen in typical malaria. The pulse is necessarily sluggish, and the tongue coating is necessarily greasy. There is epigastric fullness and Qi obstruction, thirst, and a sense of stifling vexation. Symptoms worsen after noon and become more severe at night, only alleviating slightly after sweating occurs at dawn. This pattern persists daily for two to three pentads (each pentad being five days) before complete resolution. If management is improper, many cases remain untreatable. Unlike Wind-Cold pathogens, which resolve with a single sweat, or Warm-Thermal pathogens, which settle with cooling agents, this condition requires specific handling.
It is proposed to use the method of Clearing, Disseminating, Warming, and Transforming (Qing Xuan Wen Hua Fa) to separate the new pathogen from the latent qi, thereby resolving the new pathogen first, followed by the latent qi. However, this syndrome involves numerous variations. Initially resembling malaria, one should first administer the Clearing, Disseminating, Warming, and Transforming method. If chills have resolved but fever lingers persistently, add Reeds Rhizome (Lugen, 芦根), Bamboo Rhus (Zhuru, 竹茹), and Forsythia Fruit (Lianqiao, 连翘). Banxia (Pinelliae Rhizoma, 半夏) and Chenpi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium, 陈皮) within the original formula may be removed, lest their warming and drying properties damage Body Fluids (Jin Ye, 津液). If the initially greasy tongue coating gradually turns yellow, dry, black, and scorched, it indicates that the heat of Latent Summer-heat has injured Yin. In this case, add American Ginseng (Yangshen, 洋参), Ophiopogon Tuber (Maidong, 麦冬), Scrophularia Root (Xuanshen, 元参), and Rehmannia Root prepared with wine (Shengdihuang, 细地) to treat the condition. If mental confusion and clouding of consciousness occur, it signifies the pathogen approaching the Pericardium (Xin Bao, 心包). Yi Yuan San (Benefit Origin Powder) and Zi Xue Dan (Purple Snow Pill) should be used according to the severity of the syndrome. If high fever, scorched tongue, delirium, and a full yet not deficient pulse are present, the pathogenic heat has merged into the Yangming channel. One should employ the Moistening Purging and Saving Fluids method (Run Xia Jiu Jin Fa). For robust individuals, raw Rhubarb (Sheng Dahuang, 生军) may replace processed Rhubarb (Shu Dahuang, 熟军) for greater efficacy. Regarding these various transformed syndromes, one must carefully examine the duration of the disease and the deficiency or excess of the constitution during clinical practice, applying methods accordingly to avoid errors.
A questioner asked: "In Yu Zai's writings on Latent Summer-heat, it was stated that during the Sanfu period, books were exposed to the scorching sun and then stored in chests while still hot. Upon opening the chest in winter, contact with the residual heat caused illness. This current discussion does not mention this at all. Is it an omission?" The reply was: "You are indeed carving a mark on the boat to find the sword (acting dogmatically without regard to changing circumstances). This is merely an occasional occurrence. If your theory held, Latent Summer-heat would only affect those who dry books, and never those who do not; it would only occur in winter, never in autumn. Such reasoning is laughable."