万全论田妇护儿,绝无他疾,譬之草木生于深山大泽,容易合抱,至于异果奇
材,纵加培养,间有不秀实者,岂贵贱异哉!儿数见风日,即血凝气刚,肌肉硬密,
堪耐风寒,以田舍儿较之相似。田氏曰∶大凡小儿过暖生热,热极生风,提抱生
痈,喂饲生癖,最宜慎之。张涣曰∶乳母须每日三时摸儿项后风池,若壮热者,即
须熨之,使微汗即愈。谚云∶戒养小儿,谨护风池。风池在颈项筋两辕之边,有病
乃治之,疾微,切不可妄针灸,亦不用辄吐下,所以然者,针灸伤儿经络,吐下伤
动脏腑故也。婴儿暑中,常令在稍凉处,乳母勿禁新水,即不宜多。婴儿春夏间
有疾,不可乱有动下,使下焦虚,上焦热,变成大病矣。婴儿须看禀受南北之殊,
盖地土寒温不同故也。婴儿生后两盈月,即目瞳子成,能笑,识人,乳母不得令生
人抱之,及不令见非常之物。婴儿百 ,任脉生,能反复,乳母当存节喜怒,
适其寒温。婴儿半 ,尻骨已成,乳母当教儿学坐。婴儿二百日,外掌骨成,乳
母教儿地上匍匐。婴儿三百日,膑骨成,乳母教儿独立。婴儿周 ,膝骨已
成,乳母教儿行步。上件,并是定法,盖世之人不能如法存节,往往抱儿过时,损
伤筋骨,切宜戒之,为吉。罗谦甫曰∶一小儿五月间,因食伤冷粉,腹中作痛,遂
于市药铺中赎得神芎丸服之,脐腹渐加冷疼,时发时止,逾七八年不已。因思古人
云寒者热之,治寒以热,良医不能废其绳墨,而更其道也,据所伤之物,寒也,所
攻之药,亦寒也,重寒伤胃,其为冷痛可知矣。凡人之脾胃,喜温而恶冷,况小儿
血气尚弱,不任其寒,故阳气潜伏,寒毒留连,久而不除也。治病必先其本,当用
和中养气之药,以救前失,服之月余方愈。呜乎,康子馈药,孔子拜而受之,以未
达,不敢尝,此保生之重者也。奈何常人拱默而令切脉,以谓能知病否,且脉
者,人之血气,附行经络之间,热胜则脉疾,寒胜则脉迟,实则有力,虚则无力,
至于所伤何物,岂能别其形象乎!医者不可不审其病源,而主家亦不可不说其病源,
且此子之父不以病源告医,而求药于市,铺中发药者,亦不审病源而以药付之,以
致七八年之病,皆昧此理也。孙真人云∶未诊先问,最为有准。东坡云∶只图愈疾,
不欲困医。二公之语,其有功于世,大矣。
Wan Quan discussed the care of children by rural women, noting that (the children) have no other illnesses. This is like plants growing in deep mountains and large marshes, easily reaching a size where they can be embraced with two arms; whereas for rare fruits and precious timber, even with cultivation, there are occasional failures to flower or bear fruit. Is this not due to differences in value? Children who are frequently exposed to wind and sunlight develop condensed blood and qi, becoming robust, with hard and dense muscles capable of withstanding cold and wind, similar to country children. Tian Shi stated: Generally, if infants are kept too warm, internal heat arises; extreme heat generates wind; frequent carrying leads to carbuncles; improper feeding causes accumulations (Pi Ji). These must be handled with caution. Zhang Huan said: The nursemaid should massage the Fengchi acupoint on the back of the infant's neck three times daily. If the infant has high fever, moxibustion or warming therapy should be applied to induce slight sweating, which will lead to recovery. The proverb says: Guard against over-protecting infants and carefully protect the Fengchi acupoint. Fengchi is located at the sides of the tendons in the neck region. Treatment is only necessary when illness occurs. If the disease is mild, one must absolutely avoid arbitrary acupuncture and moxibustion, and should not readily use emetic or purgative methods. The reason is that acupuncture damages the meridians and collaterals of infants, while emetics and purgatives injure the Zang-Fu organs. When an infant suffers from summerheat, keep them in slightly cool places. The nursemaid should not forbid drinking newly drawn water, but it should not be consumed in large quantities. If infants fall ill during spring and summer, do not indiscriminately use purgative methods, as this may cause deficiency in the Lower Jiao and heat in the Upper Jiao, transforming into a serious disease. Raising infants requires observing differences in innate constitution due to northern and southern geographical variations, as the cold and warmth of local soils differ. Two months after birth, the infant's pupils form, they can smile and recognize people; the nursemaid should not allow strangers to hold them nor let them see unusual objects. At 100 days, the Ren Mai (Conception Vessel) develops, and they can roll over; the nursemaid should regulate emotions and maintain appropriate temperature. At half a year, the sacrum is formed; the nursemaid should teach the child to sit. At 200 days, the metacarpal bones form; the nursemaid should teach the child to crawl on the ground. At 300 days, the patella forms; the nursemaid should teach the child to stand independently. At one year old, the knee bones are formed; the nursemaid should teach the child to walk. These are all fixed rules. People in the world often fail to adhere to these regulations, holding infants for too long and damaging their bones and sinews. One must beware of this to ensure good fortune. Luo Qianfu said: A child in May suffered abdominal pain after eating cold powder-like food. He bought Shenxiong Wan (Shenxiong Pill) from a pharmacy and took it. The cold pain in the umbilical and abdominal regions gradually worsened, coming and going, persisting for seven or eight years without cessation. Reflecting on the ancient saying "Treat cold with heat," a good physician cannot abandon principles. The ingested substance was cold; the administered medicine was also cold. Double cold injuring the Stomach explains the cold pain. Human Spleen and Stomach prefer warmth and dislike cold. Infants have weak Qi and Blood and cannot withstand cold, leading to latent Yang Qi and lingering cold pathogens that persist over time. Treating disease requires addressing the root. Medicines to harmonize the Middle Jiao and nourish Qi should be used to remedy the previous error. After taking medicine for over a month, the child recovered. Alas, when Kang Zi offered medicine, Confucius bowed and accepted it but did not taste it because he did not understand its properties. This highlights the importance of preserving life. Why do ordinary people remain silent and allow pulse diagnosis, believing it reveals illness? Pulse reflects Qi and Blood moving through the meridians. Excess heat causes rapid pulse; excess cold causes slow pulse. Excess conditions are forceful; deficiency conditions are weak. How can one distinguish the specific pathogenic factor from the pulse alone! Physicians must investigate the source of disease, and families must disclose it. In this case, the father did not inform the doctor of the cause but sought medicine at the market. The pharmacist dispensed medicine without investigating the cause, resulting in a seven-to-eight-year illness due to ignorance of this principle. Sun Simiao said: Inquiry before diagnosis is most accurate. Su Dongpo said: Seek only to cure the disease, do not burden the physician. The contributions of these two gentlemen to the world are immense.