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Although the treatment of women's diseases belongs to different specialties, there are cases where the methods of the sages (ancient famous physicians) cannot be fully followed. Nowadays, wealthy families live in deep courtyards, within curtains, and cover their arms with silk. This prevents them from displaying the divine skill of observing complexion and hinders the dexterity of pulse diagnosis. Among these four diagnostic methods, two are deficient. The Yellow Emperor said: "In treating disease, one must observe the patient's form, qi, and color. If form and qi are harmonious, it is called treatable; if the color is floating and bright, it is called easily curable; if form and qi are discordant, it is called difficult to treat; if the complexion is dull and lusterless, it is called difficult to cure." He also said: "The way to diagnose disease lies in observing a person's courage or timidity, as well as the state of bones, muscles, and skin, to understand the condition and establish diagnostic methods." If the patient's pulse does not correspond to the illness, and the physician cannot see the physical form, relying solely on the pulse to prescribe medicine—is this feasible? In this sense, how can one exhaust the art of medicine? This is a common plight of physicians, which society cannot change. Physicians are compelled to ask questions thoroughly. Patients, seeing the numerous inquiries, often suspect the physician's lack of proficiency and frequently refuse to take the prescribed medicine. Such cases are common. Even Bian Que was not believed when he observed the complexion of the Marquis of Qi, let alone situations where the physician cannot see the patient at all. Alas! It is truly difficult!

There was a woman who had suffered from warm disease for twelve days. Upon diagnosis, her pulse beat six or seven times per respiration and was choppy; the cun position was slightly large, and the chi position was slightly small. She presented with aversion to cold and fever, flushed cheeks, dry mouth, mental confusion, and deafness. Inquiry revealed that menstruation occurred several days after the onset of illness. This belongs to Shaoyang heat entering the blood chamber. If the treatment does not match the disease, death is inevitable. Based on the syndrome, Xiao Chai Hu Tang (Minor Bupleurum Decoction) was administered. Two days later, Xiao Chai Hu Tang plus Guizhi Ganjiang Tang (Cinnamon Twig and Dried Ginger Decoction) was given. One day later, the chills and fever subsided. She then stated, "I feel urgency and pain below the umbilicus," so Didang Wan (Didang Pill) was administered. After mild purgation, the pain below the umbilicus resolved. Her body gradually became cool and harmonious, and her pulse became even, though mental clarity remained incomplete. Thus, Xiao Chai Hu Tang was administered again. The next day, she reported, "I only feel heat and dryness in the chest, and dryness in the mouth and nose." A small amount of Tiaowei Chengqi Tang (Regulating the Stomach and Directing Downward Decoction) was given, but defecation did not occur. The next day, she complained of pain in the epigastrium. Half a dose of Daxiexiong Wan (Major Scrofula Pill) was given, resulting in three bowel movements. On the following day, she experienced empty irritability and restlessness, occasionally speaking deliriously and acting madly. Although dry feces were known to remain, due to her extreme deficiency, aggressive purgation was avoided. Instead, Zhuye Tang (Bamboo Leaf Decoction) was used to clear irritability and heat. That night, stool passed naturally, twice by dawn, containing several pieces of dry feces. Consequently, the delirium and empty irritability were completely resolved. However, she continued to cough and expectorate froth, indicating Lung deficiency. If untreated, it might lead to Fei Wei (Lung Withering) due to deficiency. Therefore, Xiao Chai Hu Tang was modified by removing Renshen (Ginseng), Dazao (Jujube), and Shengjiang (Fresh Ginger), and adding Ganjiang (Dried Ginger) and Wuweizi (Schisandra). Cough decreased after one day, and the disease was completely cured after two days. All the above cases utilized formulas from Zhang Zhongjing.

A woman suffered from vomiting and regurgitation, obstruction of both urination and defecation, mental agitation, cold limbs, and a gradually imperceptible pulse. This lasted for one and a half days. Two doses of Dachengqi Tang (Major Order the Qi Decoction) were administered. By midnight, defecation gradually resumed, the pulse returned, and she stabilized the next day. This is Guan Ge disease (Obstruction and Rejection), which is extremely difficult to treat, requiring utmost caution from physicians. The Classics state: "Guan leads to vomiting and regurgitation; Ge leads to inability to urinate." In such cases, inability to defecate may also occur.

A child suffered from deficiency-type loose stools, slight digestion of food, more than ten bowel movements daily, emaciated limbs, distended abdomen, and hunger immediately after eating. This disease is precisely the transfer of heat from the Large Intestine to the Stomach, characterized by good appetite but emaciation. It is also called Shi Dan disease. During May and June, the pulse was surging and large, but vanished upon heavy pressure. The current six pulses showed a singular surging quality, indicating that summer pathogenic factors were dominant. The absence of pulse upon pressure indicated a lack of Stomach qi. The Classics state: "Summer pulse is surging. If surging with Stomach qi, it is normal; if surging with little Stomach qi, it is pathological; if surging without Stomach qi, it indicates death." Summer relies on Stomach qi as the foundation. Due to improper treatment and missed timing, the patient died suddenly within ten days.

A person suffered from chronic cough, with Lung deficiency generating cold and heat. Three taels of buds of Kua Dong Hua (Adenophora Flower) were burned. As smoke emerged, it was inhaled through a brush tube until the mouth was full, then swallowed. When tired, the process stopped. This was done five or seven times over several days, leading to recovery.

A person suffered from malaria for over a month. Emetics and cathartics were administered, weakening the qi, yet the disease persisted. Observing the symptoms and pulse, it was determined that summer heat injury occurred first, followed by wind injury in autumn. One dose of Chaihu Tang (Bupleurum Decoction) was given. After stabilization, irregular diet caused the recurrence of chills and fever. This was likely due to prior heat injury combined with recent dietary indiscretion, leading to vomiting, anorexia, pulling pain in the hypochondrium, and irregular chills and fever. The disease was named Tan Nue (Phlegm Malaria). One dose of Shizao Tang (Ten Jujube Decoction) was administered, expelling several sheng of phlegm-water. The next day, Lizhong San (Regulate the Middle Powder) was given, leading to recovery.

A person suffered from wind-phlegm, headache, tremors, vomiting, and reduced appetite. The physician attributed this to cold-damage and applied warming medicines, but to no avail. Pill-based purgatives were then used, causing jue (cold extremities). Subsequently, Jin Ye Dan (Golden Liquid Pill) was administered, leading to delirium, vomiting, tremors, unconsciousness, manic behavior resembling ghost-seeing, picking at clothes and bed sheets, cold hands and feet, and a hidden pulse. This indicated accumulated heat in the Stomach causing coma; yang qi could not distribute outward, and yin qi could not sustain inward, resulting in tremors and jue. Dachengqi Tang (Major Order the Qi Decoction) was administered. One dose led to recovery. The formula is found in Zhang Zhongjing's works. Later, Jinbo Wan (Gold Foil Pill) was taken, found in the book *Shanfan*.

A sixty-one-year-old man suffered from swollen legs with sores. After eating pork, he felt uncomfortable. Medicines promoting drainage were used, and he improved slightly. However, upon going outside, he contracted wind. After sweating, his face and head swelled suddenly, turning purple-black. He slept excessively, and blisters with yellow discharge appeared on his earlobes. Xiao Xuming Tang (Minor Continuation of Life Decoction) with double the amount of Qianghuo (Notopterygium Rhizome) was administered, leading to recovery.

A fifty-four-year-old man was constitutionally weak and prone to cold injuries. Recently, Tusizi (Cuscuta Seed) proved effective. In his youth, he consumed several jin of raw Liuhuang (Sulfur). His pulse was wiry and tight in the left upper and right lower positions. For five to seven years, he suffered from spasms and contractures of the tendons in the right hand and foot, with slightly delayed speech. Zhang Zhongjing's Xiao Xuming Tang (Minor Continuation of Life Decoction) was prescribed, with Yiyiren (Coix Seed) added in one liang to treat tendon spasms. Huangqin (Scutellaria Root), Renshen (Ginseng), and Shaoyao (Peony Root) were each reduced by half to avoid aggravating cold damage. Only 150 Xingren (Apricot Seeds) were used. He later reported feeling very cold. Therefore, Renshen, Shaoyao, and Huangqin were removed, and Danggui (Angelica Sinensis) was added in one and a half liang, leading to stability. Nowadays, many use Xiao Xuming Tang indiscriminately. Without adjusting according to syndromes, patients face danger, often unaware of the cause. Since Xiao Xuming Tang is widely needed today, this case is cited as an example. Can one not be cautious?

The righteous qi of the eight solar terms sustains life; the deficient evil of the eight solar terms kills. What is not righteous qi becomes evil; what is not substantial becomes deficiency. Righteous qi refers to spring warmth, summer heat, autumn coolness, and winter cold—these are the qi of heaven. If disease occurs in the meridians in spring, muscles in summer, skin in autumn, and marrow in winter, these are the locations of human qi. Where qi is present is excess; where it is absent is deficiency. Thus, if the body's deficiency meets the seasonal deficient evil and unrighteous qi, the two deficiencies interact. Initially affecting skin and meridians, it then transmits to zang-fu organs; once reaching the marrow, medicinal power becomes ineffective. Therefore, physicians should use medicines to block, scatter, and tonify, preventing the pathogen from becoming deep-seated and incurable. Furthermore, protecting Stomach qi is essential. Taking this as an example, other cases can follow suit.