杨如候曰∶身热有汗,舌苔黄而滑,烦渴溺赤,脉洪数,此湿热也。头痛恶寒,身重疼痛,汗出,胸满不饥,舌苔
黄或白,口渴不引饮,脉弦细而濡,面色淡黄,午后身热,状若阴虚,病难速已,此湿温也。遍身拘急而痛,不能转侧,
近之则痛剧,头汗出,脉缓近迟,小便清白,此寒湿也。盖夏末秋初,湿土主气,余暑犹炽,新凉又加,其时暑湿寒三
气最为混杂,有感之而成湿热者,有感之而成湿温者,有感之而成寒湿者。寒湿可以温解,湿热可以清通,惟湿温不寒
不热,最为难治。其性粘腻,故病难速已。世医不知为湿温,见其头痛恶寒,身重疼痛也,以为伤寒而汗之,则湿感辛
温发表之药,蒸腾上逆,蒙蔽内外诸窍,有神昏、耳聋、目瞑、不欲言者矣;见其胸满不饥,以为停滞而下之,则脾阳
下陷,湿邪乘势内溃,有洞泄不已者矣;见其午后身热,以为阴虚,而用柔药润之,湿为膏滞阴邪,再加柔润阴药,遂
有锢结不可解之势矣。盖湿温较诸温,势虽缓而实重。上焦最少,病势不甚显张,惟中焦病最多。
朱丹溪曰∶六气之内,湿热为病,十居八九。
朱南阳曰∶湿温与中暑同,但身凉不渴为异。
蔡宗玉曰∶身冷自汗,四肢沉重,即系湿温。
又曰∶凡阴病胫冷,两臂亦冷,湿温胫冷,臂不冷,非下厥上行,阳微寒厥也。
雷少逸曰∶湿温之病,议论纷纷,后学几无成法可遵。有言温病复感乎湿,名曰湿温,据此而论,是病乃在乎春;
有言素伤于湿,因而中暑,暑湿相搏,名曰湿温,据此而论,是病又在乎夏;有言长夏初秋,湿中生热,即暑病之偏于
湿者,名曰湿温,据此而论,是病又在乎夏末秋初。细揆三论,论湿温在夏末秋初者,与《内经》秋伤于湿之训颇不龃
龉,又与四时之气、大暑至白露,湿土主气,亦属符节,当宗夏末秋初为界限也。所有前言温病复感于湿,盖温病在春,
当云温病夹湿;言素伤于湿,因而中暑;暑病在夏,当云中暑夹湿,皆不可以湿温名之。考其致病之因,良由湿邪踞于
气分,酝酿成温,尚未化热,不比寒湿之病辛散可瘳;湿热之病清利乃解耳。是病之脉,脉无定体,或洪或缓,或伏或
细,故难以一定之脉印定眼目也。其证始恶寒,后但热不寒,汗出胸痞,舌苔白,或黄,口渴不引饮,宜用清宣温化法,
去连翘,加浓朴、豆卷治之。倘头痛无汗,恶寒身重,有邪在表,宜用宣疏表湿法,加葛、羌、神曲治之。倘口渴自利,
是湿流下焦,宜本法内去半夏,加生米仁、泽泻治之。倘有胫冷腹满,是湿邪抑遏阳气,宜用宣阳透伏法,去草果、蜀
漆,加陈皮、腹毛治之。如果寒热似疟,舌苔白滑,是为邪遏膜原,宜用宣透膜原法治之。如或失治,变为神昏谵语,
或笑或痉,是为邪逼心包,营分被扰,宜用祛热宣窍法,加羚羊、钩藤、玄参、生地治之。如撮空理线,苔黄起刺,或
转黑色,大便不通,此湿热化燥,闭结胃腑,宜用润下救津法,以生军易熟军,更加枳壳,庶几攻下有力耳。倘苔不起
刺,不焦黄,此法不可乱投。湿温之病,变证最多,殊难罄述,宜临证时活法可也。
Yang Ruhou stated: Body heat with sweating, yellow and slippery tongue coating, irritability, thirst, and dark urine, with a surging (Hong) and rapid (Shu) pulse, indicates Damp-Heat. Headache, aversion to cold, heaviness and pain in the body, sweating, chest fullness, lack of appetite, yellow or white tongue coating, thirst without desire to drink, a string-taut (Xian), fine (Xi), and soggy (Ru) pulse, pale yellow complexion, afternoon fever resembling Yin deficiency, and a condition that is difficult to resolve quickly, indicate Wet-Warmth Disease (Shi Wen). Generalized stiffness and pain, inability to turn over, severe pain upon touch, sweating only on the head, a slow (Huan) pulse approaching sluggishness (Chi), and clear white urine indicate Cold-Dampness. Generally, at the end of summer and beginning of autumn, Damp Earth governs the Qi, residual Summer-Heat remains fierce, and new Coolness is added. At this time, the three pathogens of Summer-Heat, Dampness, and Cold are most mixed. Some contract Damp-Heat, some contract Wet-Warmth, and some contract Cold-Dampness. Cold-Dampness can be resolved with warming methods; Damp-Heat can be cleared and unblocked. Only Wet-Warmth, being neither cold nor hot, is the most difficult to treat. Its nature is sticky and tenacious, hence the disease is hard to resolve quickly. Physicians of the world do not recognize it as Wet-Warmth. Seeing headache, aversion to cold, body heaviness, and pain, they mistake it for Cold Damage (Shang Han) and apply diaphoresis (sweating method). Consequently, the Dampness responds to acrid-warm exterior-releasing herbs, steaming and rising upward, clouding the orifices inside and outside, leading to coma, deafness, closed eyes, and reluctance to speak. Seeing chest fullness and lack of appetite, they mistake it for food stagnation and apply purgation. Consequently, Spleen Yang sinks, and Damp Pathogen collapses inward, leading to incessant diarrhea. Seeing afternoon fever, they mistake it for Yin deficiency and apply soft/moistening Yin-nourishing drugs. Since Dampness is a sticky, obstructive Yin pathogen, adding soft/moistening Yin drugs creates an impeded and unresolved state. Generally, compared to other Warm Diseases, Wet-Warmth has a slower course but is actually more severe. Lesions in the Upper Jiao are fewest, with mild manifestation; lesions in the Middle Jiao are the most numerous.
Zhu Danxi said: Among the Six Qi, diseases caused by Damp-Heat account for eight or nine out of ten cases.
Zhu Nanyang said: Wet-Warmth is similar to Summer-Heat Stroke, differing in that the body is cool and there is no thirst.
Cai Zongyu said: Cold body with spontaneous sweating and heavy limbs constitutes Wet-Warmth.
He further stated: In Yin syndromes, if the calves are cold, the arms are also cold. In Wet-Warmth, if the calves are cold, the arms are not cold. This is not "Jue from below ascending" or Yang-deficiency Cold Jue.
Lei Shaoyi said: Discussions on Wet-Warmth are diverse, leaving later learners with few established rules to follow. Some say Warm Disease re-infected by Dampness is named Wet-Warmth; based on this, the disease occurs in Spring. Some say chronic injury by Dampness followed by Summer-Heat stroke, where Summer-Heat and Dampness contend, is named Wet-Warmth; based on this, the disease occurs in Summer. Some say early Changxia (late summer) to early autumn, where Heat generates within Dampness, i.e., the Damp-predominant form of Summer-Heat disease, is named Wet-Warmth; based on this, the disease occurs at the end of summer and beginning of autumn. Carefully evaluating these three theories, the theory that Wet-Warmth occurs at the end of summer and beginning of autumn aligns well with the *Neijing*’s teaching of "Autumn injury by Dampness" and corresponds with the seasonal Qi, specifically the period from Great Heat to White Dew when Damp Earth governs. Therefore, one should adopt the end of summer and beginning of autumn as the boundary. The previous statement that Warm Disease re-infected by Dampness implies that since Warm Disease is in Spring, it should be called "Warm Disease with Dampness"; the statement about chronic Damp injury followed by Summer-Heat implies that since Summer-Heat disease is in Summer, it should be called "Summer-Heat with Dampness." Neither should be named Wet-Warmth. Investigating the etiology, the cause lies in Damp Pathogen occupying the Qi Level, fermenting into Warmth, yet not yet transforming into Heat. It differs from Cold-Dampness, which can be cured with acrid-dispersing methods, and Damp-Heat, which is resolved with clearing and draining methods. The pulse of this disease has no fixed form; it may be surging, slow, hidden, or fine. Thus, it is difficult to diagnose solely based on a fixed pulse pattern. Symptoms begin with aversion to cold, progressing to fever without aversion to cold, sweating, chest stuffiness, white or yellow tongue coating, and thirst without desire to drink. One should use Clearing, Diffusing, and Warming Transformation Method, removing Lian Qiao (Forsythia Fruit) and adding Hou Po (Magnolia Bark) and Dou Juan (Fermented Soybean). If there is headache, no sweating, aversion to cold, and body heaviness, indicating pathogen in the Exterior, one should use Diffusing and Dispersing Exterior-Damp Method, adding Ge Gen (Kudzu Root), Qiang Huo (Notopterygium Rhizome), and Shen Qu (Medicated Leaven). If there is thirst and spontaneous diarrhea, indicating Damp flowing to the Lower Jiao, remove Ban Xia (Pinellia Tuber) from the base formula and add Sheng Yi Ren (Coix Seed) and Ze Xie (Alisma Rhizome). If there is cold calves and abdominal fullness, indicating Damp Pathogen suppressing and obstructing Yang Qi, use Diffusing Yang and Revealing Hidden Method, removing Cao Guo (Tsaoko Cardamom) and Shu Qi (Periploca Root Bark), and adding Chen Pi (Citrus Peel) and Fu Pi (Mandarin Orange Peel). If there are alternating chills and fever resembling Malaria, with a white and slippery tongue coating, indicating pathogen restraining the Mo Yuan (Membrane Source), use Diffusing and Revealing Mo Yuan Method. If treatment is delayed, leading to coma and delirious speech, or laughing or spasms, indicating pathogen forcing into the Pericardium and disturbing the Ying (Nutritive) Level, use Removing Heat and Opening Orifices Method, adding Ling Yang Jiao (Antelope Horn), Gou Teng (Uncaria Ramulus), Xuan Shen (Scrophularia Root), and Sheng Di Huang (Rehmannia Root). If there is grasping at empty air and tracing lines, with yellow prickly tongue coating turning black, and constipation, this indicates Damp-Heat transforming into Dryness, closing and binding the Stomach Fu Organ. Use Moistening Purging and Saving Fluids Method, replacing Shu Jun (Prepared Rhubarb) with Sheng Jun (Raw Rhubarb), and adding Zhi Ke (Aurantium Fruit), so that the purgative action is effective. If the tongue coating does not become prickly or scorched-yellow, this method must not be used indiscriminately. Wet-Warmth disease has the most variable manifestations, which are hard to exhaustively describe; one must apply flexible methods during clinical practice.