梅翁令爱，年甫两龄，仲夏时发热吐泻，渠宅同事方心树兄知医，作暑风食滞治，热甚
烦渴
，吐泻益频。延予至，心兄述其病状，并用药大意。予视其儿，身热肢冷，舌绛苔黄，烦扰
不定。谓心兄曰∶证属暑邪扰胃，热气上冲，以故渴饮吐泻。经云∶诸逆冲上，皆属于火。
暴注下迫，皆属于热。但婴儿质脆，暑邪酷烈，最易激动肝风。许宣治先生论暑风惊候，由
吐泻而后发搐者，谓之慢惊。治之不易，且吐甚于泻，吐多胃伤，不能宣布津液，是以诸药
无验，必得生机活泼，方转灵轴，所制黄土稻花汤一方甚妙。予遇此证，每仿其法，治多应
手。于是方疏黄土、稻花、沙参、茯苓、甘草、半夏、乌梅、木瓜、扁荚叶，因其热甚，再
加黄连，一剂而效。夏月小儿感受暑邪热渴，吐呕不利于香砂术曲者，服此方而晏如。
安波按∶细绎方议，暑邪犯胃为呕，以黄土稻花温而不燥，香而不窜，安胃为君。吐
多伤
液，以沙参茯苓甘草半夏，养而不腻，辅而不滞，使中宫得以运旋，则吐泻不治而自愈矣。
故主为臣，盖土气衰微，致招客邪，则胜已之木来侮，可不待言而知也。故以乌梅、木瓜预
以定木为佐，而脾胃得以安，肝得以伏，而炎炎之暑邪未驱，故使以扁豆叶得金气之最早，
祛暑平木，良由斯乎。
The daughter of Elder Mei, aged only two, presented with fever, vomiting, and diarrhea in midsummer. Her father’s colleague, Mr. Fang Xinshu, who was knowledgeable in medicine, treated it as Summerheat-Wind (Shu Feng) and Food Stagnation (Shi Zhi). Consequently, the high fever intensified, accompanied by severe irritability and thirst, while vomiting and diarrhea became more frequent. Upon my arrival, Mr. Fang described the symptoms and the general principles of his medication. I examined the child and observed body heat with cold limbs, a crimson tongue with yellow coating, and restlessness. I said to Mr. Fang: "This syndrome belongs to Summerheat pathogen disturbing the Stomach, with Heat Qi rushing upward, hence the thirst for drinking, vomiting, and diarrhea. The Classics state: 'All rebellious upward rushings belong to Fire.' 'Sudden violent diarrhea with tenesmus belongs to Heat.' However, infants have fragile constitutions; intense Summerheat pathogen easily agitates Liver Wind. Mr. Xu Xuanzhi discussed Summerheat-Wind convulsive conditions, stating that convulsions occurring after vomiting and diarrhea are termed Slow Convulsion (Man Jing). Treatment is difficult. Moreover, since vomiting exceeds diarrhea, excessive vomiting damages the Stomach, preventing the distribution of Body Fluids (Jin Ye), which explains why previous medications failed. Vitality must become active again to reverse the situation. His prescription, Huangtu Daohua Tang (Yellow Earth and Rice Flower Decoction), is excellent. Whenever I encounter such cases, I imitate his method, and treatment is often effective. Therefore, I prescribed Huangtu (Huangtu, Yellow Earth), Daohua (Daohua, Rice Flower), Shashen (Glehniae Radix), Fuling (Poria), Gancao (Licorice Root), Banxia (Pinelliae Rhizoma), Wumei (Mume Fructus), Mugua (Chaenomelis Fructus), and Biandouye (Dolichos Lablab Leaf). Due to the severe heat, I added Huanglian (Coptidis Rhizoma). One dose yielded results. In summer, when children contract Summerheat pathogen presenting with heat-thirst and vomiting, making formulas containing aromatic damp-resolving herbs like Xiangsha Zhuchu unsuitable, this formula ensures peace and recovery.
An Bo’s commentary: Carefully analyzing the prescription logic, Summerheat pathogen invading the Stomach causes vomiting. Huangtu and Daohua serve as the Sovereign drugs (Jun Yao); they are warm but not drying, fragrant but not dispersing, thereby stabilizing the Stomach Qi. Excessive vomiting injures fluids; Shashen, Fuling, Gancao, and Banxia serve as Minister drugs (Chen Yao); they nourish without being cloying and assist without causing stagnation, allowing the Middle Jiao to rotate and transform effectively, so that vomiting and diarrhea resolve spontaneously without specific intervention. Thus, they act as Ministers because when Earth Qi is weak, it invites external pathogens, leading to Wood (which controls Earth) to insult it—a fact known without saying. Therefore, Wumei and Mugua are used as Assistant drugs (Zuo Yao) to preemptively subdue Wood, thereby calming the Spleen and Stomach and suppressing the Liver. However, since the blazing Summerheat pathogen has not yet been expelled, Biandouye is used as Envoy drug (Shi Yao). It acquires the Metal Qi earliest, dispelling Summerheat and pacifying Wood. This is likely the reason."