数脉息数辐辏按举有力主阳盛燔灼侵剥真阴之实病。浮为在表沉为在里发表攻里。脉症
相符
。不难治也。而独有如数之脉。疑似真假之间便有生死。霄壤之殊。人多不知也。夫数按不
鼓
则为虚寒相搏之。脉数大而虚则为精血销竭之脉细疾。若数阴燥似阳之候也。沉弦细数虚
痨垂死之期也。又有快脉即疾脉。快疾即如数脉。非真数也。若假热之病。误服凉剂。脉亦见
数也。每见
举世医流。诊得息数急疾。竟不知新病久病有力无力鼓与不鼓之异。一概混投苦寒。遽绝胃
气。安得不速人于死乎。徐东皋云∶数候多凶。匀健略可。惟宜伤寒妊疟小儿。濒湖脉学云
∶数脉为阳热可知。只将君相火来医。实宜凉泻虚温补。肺病秋深却畏之。据此亦尝有温
补之者矣。若仅言只将君相火来医。则犹见之。未扩也夫独不有阳虚阴盛之重恙。反得洪数
有力
之实脉。急温桂附。旋即痊可者乎。余谨再引内经色脉篇论。以正其谬。以救其枉。为时师
下一痛针法。经言冬脉曰∶其气来如弹石者。此为太过。病在外。其去如数者。此为不及。
病在中。释云∶来如弹石者其至坚强。营之太过也。去如数者动止疾促。营之不及也。盖数
本属热而此真阴亏损之。脉亦必急数然。愈数则愈虚。愈虚则愈数。而非阳强实热之。数故
不曰。数而曰如数则辨柝之。意深矣。此而一瘥。生死反掌。愚以为何独数脉有相似者。即
浮沉迟缓滑涩虚实弦紧诸脉。亦皆有相似也。又非唯脉然也。至症若如疟如痰如喘如风如淋
等
病。设非素娴审辨。临事最撼心目。故庸浅者只知现下。精妙者疑似独明为医之难。政此关
头矣。
The Shu Mai (Rapid Pulse) is characterized by a rapid respiratory and pulse rate, feeling forceful upon pressing and lifting. It primarily indicates an excess condition where Yang Qi is hyperactive, fire is blazing, and consuming the True Yin. A Floating pulse indicates disease in the Exterior, while a Deep pulse indicates disease in the Interior; treating via diaphoresis for the Exterior or purgation for the Interior, if the pulse matches the symptoms, treatment is not difficult. However, when only a Rapid pulse appears, it often falls into a realm of suspicion between true and false, where the difference between life and death is as vast as heaven and earth, yet most people do not understand this. If the pulse feels weak upon pressure (not drumming), it is caused by the interplay of deficiency and cold; a Rapid, large, and deficient pulse indicates the depletion of Essence and Blood; a fine and rapid pulse indicates Yin deficiency with dryness resembling Yang heat; a Deep, wiry, fine, and rapid pulse indicates the critical stage of consumptive disease approaching death. There is also the Kuai Mai (Fast Pulse), which is synonymous with the Ji Mai (Hasty Pulse); the Fast/Hasty pulse resembles the Rapid pulse but is not truly Rapid. In cases of false heat, if cooling agents are mistakenly administered, the pulse may also appear Rapid. It is common to see physicians in the world who, upon detecting a rapid and hasty pulse, fail to distinguish between new and old diseases, strength and weakness, and whether the pulse drums under pressure. They indiscriminately administer bitter-cold herbs, abruptly destroying Stomach Qi, how can they not hasten the patient to death? Xu Donggao stated: "Rapid pulses mostly indicate ominous signs; only if uniform and robust is it acceptable. It is suitable only for Shanghan (Cold Damage), pregnancy-related malaria, and pediatric cases." Li Shizhen's Binhu Maixue (Pulse Studies from Binhu) states: "Rapid pulses belong to Yang Heat, known clearly; one should treat using Ministerial Fire and Sovereign Fire. Excess conditions suit cooling purgation, while deficiency suits warming tonification. For Lung disease in late autumn, one fears it." Based on this, there have been instances of using warming tonification. If one merely says to treat using Ministerial and Sovereign Fire, the insight is still shallow and unexpanded. Are there not severe cases of Yang deficiency and Yin excess that present with a洪 (Surging), Rapid, and forceful excess pulse, requiring urgent warming with Guizhi Tang (Cinnamon Twig Decoction) and Fuzi (Prepared Aconite Root), resulting in immediate recovery? I cautiously cite again the discussion from the Seimen and Maixian chapters of Neijing (Inner Canon) to correct these errors and save those wrongly treated, delivering a painful needle to contemporary physicians. The Classic states regarding Winter pulses: "When the Qi comes like a flicking stone, this is called Excess, disease is in the Exterior; when it goes like a Rapid pulse, this is called Deficiency, disease is in the Interior." The explanation clarifies: "Coming like a stone means the arrival is firm and strong, indicating Excess of Ying (Nutritive) Qi; going like a Rapid pulse means movement and cessation are hurried, indicating Deficiency of Ying Qi." Generally, Rapid pulses belong to Heat, but here, due to True Yin deficiency, the pulse must also be hurriedly Rapid. The more Rapid, the more deficient; the more deficient, the more Rapid; this is not the Rapid pulse of Yang hyperactivity and excess Heat. Thus, it does not say "Rapid" but "Like Rapid," implying deep diagnostic discernment. If this condition improves even slightly, life and death hang in the balance. I believe it is not only the Rapid pulse that has similar counterparts; all other pulses such as Floating, Deep, Slow, Moderate, Slippery, Choppy, Deficient, Excess, Wiry, and Tight also have similarities. Nor is it only the pulse that is so; regarding symptoms, diseases resembling Malaria, Phlegm, Asthma, Wind Stroke, and Lin Syndrome, unless one is proficient in careful differentiation, these situations most easily shake the mind and eyes at the moment of practice. Therefore, mediocre and superficial practitioners only know the present appearance, while refined practitioners uniquely clarify the suspicious aspects. This difficulty in medicine lies precisely at this juncture.