伏温之邪,由春夏温热之气,蒸动而出,此其常也。亦有当春夏之间,感冒风寒,邪郁营卫而为寒热,因
寒热而引动伏气。初起一二日,第见新感之象,意其一汗即解。乃得汗后,
表证略减,而里热转甚。昧者眩其病状,几若无可把握。不知此新邪引动伏邪之证,随时皆有。治之者,须审
其伏邪与新感,孰轻孰重。若新感重者,先撤新邪,兼顾伏邪。伏邪重者,则专治伏邪,而新感自解。盖伏温
自内达外,苟由三阳而外解,则表分之新邪,自不能容留矣。内经云∶凡病伤寒而成温者,先夏至日者为病温
,后夏至日者为病暑。此指伏邪乘暑令而发者,尚非兼挟暑邪之病。其有兼挟暑热之邪而发者,则必另有暑热
见证。其新病引动伏邪,大致亦与兼挟风寒者相似。须审其轻重缓急,厘清经界,方可着手也。至兼挟湿邪之
证,有外感之湿,有内伏之湿。伏气既动,则热自内发,蒸动湿邪,与伏温之热混合,为病最属淹缠。治之者
,须视其湿与热,孰轻孰重。须令其各有出路,勿使并合,则用药易于着手。再湿邪有宜温燥者,如平胃之类
;有宜渗利者,如苓、泽之类,有宜通泄者,如车前、滑石之类;有宜清化者,如芩、连、栀、柏之类;以上
皆专治湿邪之法。若与湿热并合,则为湿温,见证最繁且杂。其治法须随机应变,初起有芳香化湿者,如胃苓
、正气之属∶而通宣三焦者,如三仁、滑石之属∶中焦热重,有清泄阳明者,如苍术、石膏之属;有苦泄太阴
者,如茵陈、芩连之属。总之,须细察见证,如湿重者,自当治湿∶若伏邪重者,仍当以伏邪为主也。
The pathogenic factor of latent warm disease is stirred out by the warm and hot qi of spring and summer; this is its normal pattern. However, during the transition between spring and summer, one may contract wind-cold, causing the pathogen to stagnate in the Ying (Nutrient) and Wei (Defensive) levels, resulting in alternating chills and fever, which in turn triggers the latent Qi. In the first one or two days of onset, only the signs of the new external contraction are visible, leading people to believe that a single sweating treatment will resolve it. Yet, after sweating, the exterior syndrome slightly subsides, while the interior heat intensifies. Uninformed physicians are bewildered by these symptoms, finding them difficult to grasp. They do not realize that cases where a new contraction triggers latent pathogens can occur at any time. The practitioner must carefully assess whether the latent pathogen or the new external contraction is heavier. If the new external contraction is heavier, one should first eliminate the new pathogen while simultaneously addressing the latent pathogen. If the latent pathogen is heavier, one should focus exclusively on treating the latent pathogen, and the new external contraction will resolve spontaneously. This is because latent warm pathogens emerge from the interior to the exterior; if they exit through the three Yang meridians via the surface, the new pathogens lingering on the surface cannot remain. The *Neijing* states: "For those who suffer from cold damage and subsequently develop warm diseases, those occurring before the Summer Solstice are called Warm Diseases, and those occurring after the Summer Solstice are called Heat Diseases." This refers to latent pathogens erupting during the heat season, not yet involving concurrent heat-pathogens. Cases truly concurrent with heat pathogens will necessarily present with additional heat-specific manifestations. The scenario where a new illness triggers latent pathogens is generally similar to concurrent wind-cold. One must examine the severity and urgency, clarifying the boundaries before initiating treatment. Regarding conditions concurrent with dampness, there is external dampness contracted and internal latent dampness. Once the latent Qi moves, heat arises from within, steaming and agitating the dampness, mixing with the heat of latent warmth, resulting in a most lingering and protracted disease. The practitioner must observe whether dampness or heat is heavier. It is necessary to provide separate pathways for elimination, preventing them from merging, so that medication becomes easier to apply. Furthermore, dampness may be treated with warming-drying methods, such as Pingwei San; with seeping-draining methods, using herbs like Poria (Fuling) and Alisma (Zexie); with unblocking-draining methods, using herbs like Plantaginis Semen (Cheqianzi) and Talcum (Huashi); or with clearing-transforming methods, using herbs like Scutellariae Radix (Huangqin), Coptidis Rhizoma (Huanglian), Gardeniae Fructus (Zhizi), and Phellodendri Cortex (Huangbai). These are all specific methods for treating dampness. When dampness and heat merge, it is termed Damp-Warmth, presenting with the most numerous and complex manifestations. Treatment must adapt flexibly. At the onset, aromatic damp-resolving methods may be used, such as Weiling Tang or Huoxiang Zhengqi San; unblocking and dispersing the Triple Burner may use formulas like Sanren Tang or combinations containing Talcum. For heavy heat in the Middle Jiao, clearing and draining the Yangming may employ Atractylodis Rhizoma (Cangzhu) and Gypsum (Shigao); bitter-draining the Taiyin may use Yinchen, Huangqin, and Huanglian. In summary, one must carefully observe the manifestations: if dampness is heavy, treat the dampness; if the latent pathogen is heavy, prioritize treating the latent pathogen.