甲申仲夏王介人病前症自汗灼热。鼾睡昏眩。兼患疝疾。脉浮洪稍缓。前医投以阳明药
不应。余曰此风温症也。以白薇汤倍升麻。入桂少许。两服全愈。
甲申仲夏对邻唐英母年六十余。亦患前症。自汗灼热。鼾睡昏眩。独脉则浮数欲脱。稍
按即
无。时或谵燥。余曰病不难疗须先救脉勿缓视也遂以人参三钱为君。术 归苓甘草知母为佐
。肉桂附子为使。冷服一剂。得睡半日。脉亦转静。至晚再剂。精神逸爽。啜粥碗许。脉按
有力。余曰脉已撤消。不须虑也。次早投白薇汤。始治本症。彼舅氏李姓者请吴醒生。吴以
余所投第三剂极是。但前两剂。不知何解。妄用桂附燥药。余曰吾既用白薇汤。而前两服岂
浪施乎。薛立斋先生云凡脉暴脱。或促代无力。或屋漏。余急用参附汤等药。多有得生者。聆
此则先哲法言。炳如日星余遵而用之。恐未必妄也。
癸未仲夏方我贞外家弟黄申初犯房劳旋感瘟病头痛发热。呕渴胀满。大便洞泄。夜增狂谵
。六
脉迟弱。左关右尺沉伏如绝。初治藿香正气散不效。余以附子理中汤停冷与服。得静睡半日
。呕泄顿止。胀满亦舒。脉即渐出。至晡烦渴未解。余曰寒去而热尚在。经云热虽甚不死不
必虑投以竹叶石膏汤。去石膏。加知母天花牛蒡。热渴半减。次日复烦舌转黄胎。余仍以前
汤去石膏加芩连连三剂全愈。石膏性甘寒沉坠。前症因兼伤肾寒。故去之。第此症倘不先用
温剂消寒救脉。而徒见病治病。枉死必矣。
In the mid-summer of the Jiashen year, Wang Jieren suffered from the aforementioned symptoms: spontaneous sweating (Zihan), burning heat (Zhuore), snoring sleep with dizziness and vertigo (Hanshui Hunxuan), accompanied by hernia disease (Shanji). The pulse was floating, large, and surging but slightly slow. The previous physician administered medicines for Yangming disease (Yangming Bing) without effect. I said this is Wind-Warmth disease (Fengwen Zheng - a disease caused by pathogenic wind-heat). I prescribed Baiwei Tang (White Root Decoction) with doubled Shengma (Cimicifugae Rhizoma), adding a small amount of Guizhi (Cinnamon Twig). After two doses, he was completely cured.
In the mid-summer of the Jiashen year, the mother of Tang Ying, my neighbor, who was over sixty years old, also suffered from the same prior symptoms: spontaneous sweating, burning heat, snoring sleep with dizziness and vertigo. However, her pulse was floating and rapid, seemingly about to collapse; it disappeared upon slight pressure. Occasionally, she exhibited delirium and irritability. I said the illness was not difficult to treat, but the pulse must be rescued first without delay. Thus, I used Renshen (Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma) as the sovereign drug, 3 qian in dose, assisted by Baizhu (Atractylodis Rhizoma), Danggui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix), Fuling (Poria), Gancao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma), and Zhimu (Anemarrhenae Rhizoma), with Rougui (Cinnamomi Cortex) and Fuzi (Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata) as the guiding drugs. The decoction was taken cold. After one dose, she slept soundly for half a day, and her pulse became calm. By evening, after another dose, her spirit was refreshed and comfortable, she drank about a bowl of congee, and her pulse became forceful upon palpation. I said the pulse has stabilized; there is no need to worry. The next morning, I administered Baiwei Tang to treat the root condition. Her uncle, surnamed Li, invited Wu Xingsheng. Wu considered my third dose very correct but questioned the rationale behind the first two doses, accusing me of recklessly using drying-hot medicines like Rougui and Fuzi. I said, since I employed Baiwei Tang, were the first two doses wasted? Mr. Xue Lizhai stated: "Whenever the pulse suddenly collapses, or is hurried, knotted, intermittent, and weak, or resembles water dripping from a leaking roof [intermittent and irregular], I urgently use medicines such as Shenfu Tang (Ginseng and Aconite Decoction), and many are saved." Hearing these words of wisdom from former sages, which are as clear as the sun and stars, I followed and applied them. I fear they were not reckless actions.
In the mid-summer of the Guiwei year, Huang Shenchu, the nephew of Fang Wozhen's wife, contracted a pestilential disease due to sexual exhaustion. He presented with headache, fever, vomiting, thirst, abdominal distension and fullness, profuse watery diarrhea, and worsening delirium at night. All six pulses were slow and weak; the pulses at the Left Guan and Right Chi positions were deep, hidden, and seemed absent. Initially, Huoxiang Zhengqi San (Agastache Powder to Regulate the Qi and Rectify the Middle) was ineffective. I prescribed Fuzi Lizhong Tang (Aconite Pill to Warm the Middle) cooled before administration. He slept quietly for half a day, vomiting and diarrhea stopped immediately, abdominal distension relieved, and the pulse gradually emerged. By dusk, irritability and thirst remained unresolved. I said, "The cold has gone, but the heat remains." As the Classics state, "Even if the heat is severe, death will not occur," so there was no need to worry. I administered Zhuye Shigao Tang (Bamboo Leaf and Gypsum Decoction), removing Shigao (Gypsum Fibrosum), and adding Zhimu, Tianhua Fen (Trichosanthis Radix), and Niubangzi (Arctii Fructus). Heat and thirst were reduced by half. The next day, irritability recurred, and the tongue coating turned yellow and thick. I still used the previous formula, removing Shigao and adding Huangqin (Scutellariae Radix) and Lianqiao (Forsythiae Fructus) [Note: Text says 'Lianlian', likely referring to Lianqiao or Lianzi, context suggests clearing heat, usually Huangqin Lianqiao or similar pair, here interpreted as clearing heat herbs]. After three doses, he was completely cured. Shigao is sweet, cold, and heavy/sinking. The prior condition involved concurrent kidney-cold injury, hence Shigao was removed. Indeed, if this condition had not first been treated with warming agents to eliminate cold and rescue the pulse, but merely treated symptomatically, death would have been inevitable.