一人患咳吐血,余诊脉数而有力,独脾脉洪实而紧,此煎炒浓味所致,乃脾胃二经火也
。余以陈皮、白芷、当归、生地黄、桔梗、甘草、白芍、黄芩、贝母、天花粉、白茯苓、知母
、黄柏,数十剂而愈。
一农家因救旱过劳,忽吐血不止,医作火病治之,不效,求救于余,余以补中益气汤数
服而愈。《内经》所谓劳者温之,正此义也。一老人下血不止,服止血药不效,余以四
物加牡丹皮、白术,理脾而愈。
夫汗者,心之液,非大热过劳而出者,则病也。由则非一,或冲冒风雨湿邪,熏蒸郁
遏,致营卫之气不和,是以腠理开张, 然汗出,此外邪之所为,惟彻其邪,则汗自止
。若内伤之汗,非营虚则卫弱也。何则?以阴乘阳分,自然汗出者曰自汗,法当调营以益卫
;以阳乘阴分,睡里汗出者曰盗汗,法当滋阴以抑阳。若病久而肌脱肉消者,昼则自汗蒸蒸
夜则盗汗袭袭,又属阴阳两虚也,法当气血两益之。大都自汗之脉,则必微而弱,盗汗之脉
,则必细而涩,微主阳气衰,细主阴气弱。王氏之论,岂欺我乎?要之自汗盗汗,乃亡津夺
液之肇端,但见是证,则当警惕以治,毋以寻常一例视也。
圣曰∶所谓汗为心液者,以其心主是液,如脾主涎,肺主涕,肝主泪之类,非心窍之真
液也。盖以水谷至清之液,脾气散精,上归于肺,输布一身,五脏六腑,四体百骸,靡不藉
营养,人所不可一日无者,犹水湿于土中,淫则浸渍,燥则干枯,燥湿相得,则滋长万物矣
。而其所以为汗者,必藉阳气鼓舞乃生。譬则造酒者,然以曲谷湿罨,置之甑中,注水于釜
,迫之以火,则液气升而为酒矣。造酒作汗之理,以此喻之,若符之合节,可异乎?夫汗则
也,而复有自汗盗汗之异,理何致也?所谓阳虚阴必凑之,抑何别耶?以阴乘阳分,是营气
不与卫气谐也。阳主动,以动中有静,故觉而汗出,乃曰自汗,法当补阳以养阴。盖补
者,参、 是也。养阴者,归、地是也。阴虚阳必乘之,以阳侵阴分,是卫气不与营气和也
。阴主静,以静中有动,故寐而汗出,乃曰盗汗。若盗之潜出,觉之即止,法当补阴以抑阳
。盖补阴者,四物是也。抑阳者,三黄是也。若夫昼则自汗,而夜盗汗者,固为阴阳两虚,
然病至于此,则医亦掣肘矣。何也?卫气者,昼则行阳,夜则行阴,行阳则寤,行阴则寐。
今也寤寐俱汗,是阳动极而阴静反动,总之阴气已败,而微阳亦自浮越矣。时将补其阳,则
阴火得补而遂炽,时欲济其阴,则阳微无以生其阴,于斯时也,惟脉大虚缓不数者,则为阴
未甚虚,胃气尚存,二法用之,或可冀其万一耳。藉使脉来细数无力者,则为阴败阳颓,却
仓扁复起,又何施耶?
A patient suffered from coughing and hemoptysis. I palpated his pulse, which was rapid and forceful, but specifically, the spleen pulse was surging (Hong), full, and tight. This was caused by consuming fried foods and rich, strong flavors, indicating fire in the Spleen and Stomach meridians. I prescribed Chenpi (Tangerine Peel), Baizhi (Angelicae Dahuricae Radix), Danggui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix), Shengdihuang (Rehmanniae Radix), Jiegeng (Platycodonis Radix), Gancao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma), Baishao (Paeoniae Radix Alba), Huangqin (Scutellariae Radix), Beimu (Fritillariae Bulbus), Tianhuafen (Trichosanthis Radix), Baifuling (Poria), Zhimu (Anemarrhenae Rhizoma), and Huangbai (Phellodendri Cortex). After taking dozens of doses, he recovered.
A farmer, due to overexertion in saving against drought, suddenly began profuse hemoptysis. Physicians treated it as a Fire disease, but with no effect. He sought my help. I administered Buzhong Yiqi Tang (Tonifying the Middle and Augmenting Qi Decoction) for several doses, and he recovered. This aligns with the principle in *Huangdi Neijing* (The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon): "For exhaustion, use warm methods" (Lao zhe wen zhi).
An elderly man suffered from continuous lower gastrointestinal bleeding. Medications for stopping bleeding were ineffective. I modified Siwu Tang (Four Substances Decoction) by adding Mudanpi (Moutan Cortex) and Baizhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma), regulating the Spleen's qi, and he recovered.
Sweat is the fluid of the Heart. If not induced by extreme heat or overexertion, its occurrence is pathological. The causes are varied: some result from exposure to wind, rain, and damp pathogens, where steaming and stagnation disrupt the harmony between Ying (Nutrient) and Wei (Defensive) qi, causing the couli (pores) to open and sweat to flow continuously. This is caused by external pathogens; only by thoroughly eliminating the pathogen will the sweating stop. If sweating results from internal injury, it is either due to Ying deficiency or Wei weakness. Why? When Yin invades the Yang aspect, spontaneous sweating occurs naturally; the treatment method should harmonize Ying to benefit Wei. When Yang invades the Yin aspect, sweating occurs during sleep, known as night sweating; the treatment method should nourish Yin to suppress Yang. If the disease has persisted for a long time, leading to muscle wasting and emaciation, with daytime spontaneous sweating and nighttime night sweating, this belongs to both Yin and Yang deficiency; the treatment method should tonify both Qi and Blood. Generally, the pulse for spontaneous sweating must be faint and weak, while the pulse for night sweating must be fine and choppy. A faint pulse indicates decline of Yang qi, and a fine pulse indicates weakness of Yin qi. Does Wang Shi's discussion deceive us? In summary, spontaneous and night sweating are the beginnings of fluid depletion and essence loss. Whenever these syndromes appear, one must be vigilant and treat them, not regarding them as ordinary cases.
The Sages said: "Sweat is the fluid of the Heart," meaning the Heart governs this fluid, just as the Spleen governs saliva, the Lungs govern nasal mucus, and the Liver governs tears; it is not the true fluid of the Heart orifice. Essentially, clear fluids derived from food and drink are distributed by the Spleen's essence, ascending to the Lungs, and disseminated throughout the body. All five Zang and six Fu organs, four limbs, and hundred bones rely on this for nourishment; humans cannot survive a day without it. It is like water moistening soil: excessive moisture causes soaking, dryness causes withering; when dryness and moisture are balanced, all things grow. However, for this fluid to become sweat, it must be urged and generated by Yang qi. Consider winemaking: using yeast and grains, covered and moistened, placed in a steamer, with water added to the pot below and heated by fire, the liquid vapor rises to become wine. The principle of making wine is analogous to producing sweat; they fit together perfectly like matching tally sticks. Is there anything strange about this? Since both are sweat, why is there a distinction between spontaneous and night sweating? What is the difference in the principle that "when Yang is deficient, Yin must encroach"? When Yin invades the Yang aspect, Ying qi does not harmonize with Wei qi. Yang is active; because there is stillness within activity, sweating occurs while awake, termed spontaneous sweating. The treatment method should tonify Yang to nourish Yin. Tonifying Yang involves herbs like Renshen (Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma) and Huangqi (Astragali Radix). Nourishing Yin involves Danggui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix) and Dihuang (Rehmanniae Radix). When Yin is deficient, Yang must invade; when Yang invades the Yin aspect, Wei qi does not harmonize with Ying qi. Yin is static; because there is activity within stillness, sweating occurs during sleep, termed night sweating. Like a thief sneaking out, it stops upon waking. The treatment method should tonify Yin to suppress Yang. Tonifying Yin refers to Siwu Tang (Four Substances Decoction). Suppressing Yang refers to Sanhuang (the three yellows: Huanglian, Huangqin, Huangbai). As for those who have spontaneous sweating by day and night sweating by night, this is indeed Yin and Yang dual deficiency. However, at this stage, physicians are often impotent. Why? Wei qi travels through Yang during the day and Yin at night; traveling through Yang leads to wakefulness, traveling through Yin leads to sleep. Now, sweating occurs in both wakefulness and sleep, indicating that Yang activity has reached its extreme and Yin stillness reacts oppositely. Ultimately, Yin qi has failed, and the slight Yang qi is also floating and escaping. At this moment, if we tonify Yang, the Yin fire will become more blazing due to the tonification; if we attempt to nourish Yin, the weak Yang cannot generate Yin. In such a situation, only if the pulse is large, deficient, slow, and not rapid can we conclude that Yin is not severely deficient and Stomach qi remains. Using either method might offer a slim hope. Conversely, if the pulse is fine, rapid, and forceless, it indicates failure of Yin and collapse of Yang. Even if Cang Gong or Bian Que were resurrected, what could they do?