小儿急慢惊风,古谓阴、阳痫也,急者属阳,阳盛而阴亏。慢者属阴,阴盛而阳
亏。阳动而躁疾,阴静而迟缓,皆因脏腑虚而得之。虚能发热,热则生风,是以风
生于肝,痰生于脾,惊出于心,热出于肝,而心亦热,以惊、风、痰、热合为四
证,搐、搦、掣、颤、反、引、窜、视,为八候,凡眨眼摇头,张口出舌,唇红脸
赤,面眼唇青,及泻皆青,发际印堂青筋,三关虎口纹红紫或青者,皆惊风候也。
大抵肝风、心火,二者交争,必挟心热而后发,始于搐,故热必论虚实,证先分
逆顺,治则有后先,盖实热为急惊,虚热为慢惊,慢惊当无热,其发热者虚也,急
惊属阳,用药以寒,慢惊属阴,用药以温,然又必明浅深轻重、进退疾徐之机,故
曰热论虚实者此也。男搐左视左,女搐右视右,男眼上窜,女眼下窜,男握拇指出
外,女握拇指入里,男引手挽、左直右曲,女引手挽、右直左曲,凡此皆顺,反之
则逆,亦有先搐左而后双搐者,但搐顺则无声,搐逆则有声,其指纹、弯弓入里者
顺,反外者逆,出入相半者难痊,故曰证分逆顺者此也。阳病阴脉,阴病阳脉,亦
为反。凡热盛生痰,痰盛生惊,惊盛生风,风盛发搐,治搐先于截风,治风先于利
惊,治惊先于豁痰,治痰先于解热,其若四证俱有,又当兼施并理,一或有遗,必
生他证,故曰治有先后者此也。纲领如此,若分三者言之,暴烈者为急惊,沉重者
为慢惊,至重者肝风木之克脾土,则为慢脾风矣。〔娄〕急惊,证属木火土实也,
木实则搐而力大,目上目札,所谓木太过曰发生,其动掉眩,癫痫是也。火实则身
热面赤。土实则不吐泻,睡合睛。故其治法合凉泻而用凉惊丸、利惊丸之类。慢惊,
证属木火土虚也,木虚则搐而力小,似搐而不甚搐,经所谓木不及曰委和,其病摇
动注恐是也,谓手足搐动,腹注泄,心恐悸也。火虚则身冷口气冷,土虚则吐泻,
睡露睛,故其治法合温补而用羌活膏、益黄散,有热者用东垣黄 益黄散,其东垣、
非钱氏羌活膏。治慢惊者谓土虚泄泻,火木乘之,谓手掌与腹俱热之证,若火木土
俱虚而摇动恐悸、注泻、手腹冷者,非羌活膏不能治之。〔丹〕小儿惊风有二,急
惊属痰热宜凉泻,慢惊属脾虚所主,多死,宜温补。急惊用降火下痰丸,养血药作
汤下之。慢惊当补脾,兼用朱砂安神丸,清米汤下,更于血药中求之,(如四物、四君、
东垣黄 益黄散之类。)世以一药通治之,甚妄。
Pediatric acute and chronic convulsions (Ji Man Jing Feng), known in ancient times as Yin epilepsy (Yin Xian) and Yang epilepsy (Yang Xian). Acute convulsion belongs to Yang, characterized by excess Yang and deficiency of Yin. Chronic convulsion belongs to Yin, characterized by excess Yin and deficiency of Yang. Yang is active and restless, while Yin is quiet and slow. Both arise from the deficiency of Zang-Fu organs. Deficiency generates heat (Re), and heat generates wind (Feng). Thus, wind originates from the Liver (Gan), phlegm (Tan) from the Spleen (Pi), fright (Jing) from the Heart (Xin), and heat originates from the Liver (with the Heart also affected). The combination of fright, wind, phlegm, and heat constitutes the "Four Syndromes" (Si Zheng). The manifestations of twitching (Chu), grasping/relaxing fingers (Nuo), shrugging (Che), trembling (Chan), opisthotonos (Fan), arm traction (Yin), upward deviation of eyes (Cuan), and staring (Shi) constitute the "Eight Signs" (Ba Hou). Any blinking, head shaking, opening mouth with tongue protrusion, red lips and flushed face, cyanosis of the face, eyes, and lips, greenish stool, cyanotic veins at the hairline and Yintang (Ex-HN14), or red-purple/cyanotic patterns on the Three Passages and Tiger's Mouth (San Guan Hu Kou) are all signs of convulsions.
Generally, Liver Wind (Gan Feng) and Heart Fire (Xin Huo) contend with each other, necessarily accompanied by Heart Heat before onset, starting with twitching. Therefore, one must distinguish between deficiency and excess of heat, and first determine if the syndrome is favorable (Shun) or unfavorable (Ni). Treatment follows a sequence. Excess heat causes acute convulsion; deficiency heat causes chronic convulsion. Chronic convulsion should ideally be without heat; if heat is present, it is due to deficiency. Acute convulsion belongs to Yang, treated with cold-natured herbs; chronic convulsion belongs to Yin, treated with warm-natured herbs. However, one must clearly understand the depth, severity, progression, and speed of the disease. Hence, "discussing the deficiency and excess of heat" refers to this principle. In boys, twitching is associated with looking left; in girls, looking right. Boys' eyes deviate upward; girls' eyes deviate downward. Boys' thumbs extend outward when clenched; girls' thumbs tuck inward. In boys, arm traction involves the left arm straight and the right curved; in girls, the right arm straight and the left curved. These are all favorable signs; the reverse indicates unfavorable signs. There may be cases starting with left-sided twitching followed by bilateral twitching. If the twitching is favorable, there is no sound; if unfavorable, there is sound. Finger vein patterns curving inward are favorable; those curving outward are unfavorable. Mixed patterns indicate difficult recovery. Hence, "distinguishing favorable and unfavorable syndromes" refers to this. Yang diseases presenting with Yin pulses, or Yin diseases presenting with Yang pulses, are also considered unfavorable.
When heat is excessive, it generates phlegm; when phlegm is excessive, it generates fright; when fright is excessive, it generates wind; when wind is excessive, it triggers twitching. To treat twitching, one must first intercept wind; to treat wind, one must benefit fright; to treat fright, one must resolve phlegm; to treat phlegm, one must clear heat. If all four syndromes are present, they must be treated simultaneously. Neglecting any aspect will lead to other complications. Hence, "treatment has a sequence" refers to this. The general principles are as follows: violent cases are acute convulsions; heavy/profound cases are chronic convulsions; the most severe cases involve Liver Wood overcoming Spleen Earth, known as Chronic Spleen Wind (Man Pi Feng).
[Lou] Acute convulsion belongs to excess syndromes of Wood, Fire, and Earth. Wood excess leads to strong twitching, upward eye deviation or blinking. This corresponds to "Wood Excess," termed "Fa Sheng," manifesting as tremors, vertigo, and epilepsy. Fire excess leads to body heat and flushed face. Earth excess leads to absence of vomiting/diarrhea and closed eyes during sleep. Thus, the treatment method should employ cooling and purging, using formulas such as Liang Jing Wan (Cooling Convulsion Pill) or Li Jing Wan (Benefiting Fright Pill).
Chronic convulsion belongs to deficiency syndromes of Wood, Fire, and Earth. Wood deficiency leads to weak twitching, appearing as mild convulsions. This corresponds to "Wood Deficiency," termed "Wei He," manifesting as tremors, diarrhea, and fear (specifically, hand-foot twitching, abdominal diarrhea, and heart palpitations/fear). Fire deficiency leads to cold body and cold breath. Earth deficiency leads to vomiting and diarrhea, and open eyes during sleep. Thus, the treatment method should employ warming and tonifying, using formulas such as Qiang Huo Gao (Notopterygium Paste) or Yi Huang San (Yellow Protecting Powder). If heat is present, use Dong Yuan's Tu Huang Yi Huang San (Earth-Yellow Protecting Powder by Li Dongyuan, distinct from Qian Yi's Qiang Huo Gao). Regarding the treatment of chronic convulsion: if Earth deficiency causes diarrhea, overcome by Fire and Wood, manifesting as heat in palms and abdomen, but if Fire, Wood, and Earth are all deficient, manifesting as tremors, fear, diarrhea, and cold hands/abdomen, only Qiang Huo Gao can treat it.
[Dan] Pediatric convulsions have two types. Acute convulsion belongs to Phlegm-Heat, suitable for cooling and purging. Chronic convulsion is governed by Spleen Deficiency, often fatal, suitable for warming and tonifying. For acute convulsion, use Jiang Huo Xia Tan Wan (Fire-Reducing Phlegm-Resolving Pill), administered with decoctions of blood-nourishing herbs. For chronic convulsion, tonify the Spleen, combined with Zhu Sha An Shen Wan (Cinnabar Calming Spirit Pill), taken with clear rice soup. Further, seek treatment within blood-nourishing formulas (such as Si Wu Tang [Four Substances Decoction], Si Jun Zi Tang [Four Gentlemen Decoction], Dong Yuan's Tu Huang Yi Huang San). It is highly absurd for people to use a single formula to treat all convulsions universally.