咳嗽者,一由于胃气不清,一由于阴火上乘。五脏六腑,虽皆有咳,而大要不越聚于胃
关于
肺六字而已。何者,胃为脏腑之总司,肺为诸咳之门户也。外感咳嗽,有风从皮毛而入于肺
者,有从背俞而入于肺者,有素患咳嗽,复加风寒,及形寒饮冷所致者,一表即清,故为轻
症。不比杂病积久而发,急难取效也。然风热风燥,最当辨明。如冬时先伤其节之暖,复加
风寒外遏,而致咳嗽痰结咽肿,身重自汗,脉浮者,风热也,宜用萎蕤汤,慎不可用辛热发
汗。燥为秋气,令不独行,长夏湿土之余气,既伏藏于肺胃之间,至深秋燥令大行,与湿不
能兼容。至于挟风寒之威,而成咳嗽者,风燥也。惟千金麦门冬汤,五味子汤为宜。盖肺燥
胃湿,两难分解,故敛散互用,燥润杂出也。若兼目疾,风热则赤痛,风燥则涩痒,气逆则
睛胀,痰凝则视昏,治如上法。至于火炎干咳,悉是阴虚。大抵肾水枯竭,肝脏多火,故及
于目,只宜壮水制阳,如六味加麦冬五味子之类,堪称善治。若导火之法,断断不可用也。
更有形寒饮冷,伤于肺胃,连及脾脏,咳嗽多痰,目胞浮肿,气轮红赤,宜桂枝人参汤,枳
实理中汤,四逆加人参汤等治之。不明乎此而误用寒凉之药,鲜不为害矣。
黄胆病,以湿得之,故口渴难治,不渴易治。其症有阴有阳,由于湿之有寒有热。阳黄
者,
湿从火化,瘀热在里,胆热液泄,与胃之浊气共并,上不得越,下不得泄,熏蒸郁遏,面部
先
黄,次及身体指甲,汗溺俱黄,黄如橘子色,阳主明,治在胃。阴黄者,湿从寒水,脾阳不
能化热,胆液为湿所阻,浸淫肌肉,溢于皮肤,色如熏黄,阴主晦,治在脾。伤寒发黄,《
金匮》黄胆立名虽异,治法则同。再瘀热入胃,有因食谷者,有因酣酒者,有因色欲者,上
盛则一身尽热,下郁则小便为难。食滞宜消之,酒热宜清之。女劳秽浊,始宜解毒,继则滑
窍。湿在上,以辛散。以风胜湿,在下,以苦泄,以淡渗。各有方法,可按症以求之也。若
寒湿在里,惟罗谦甫茵陈四逆汤,最有卓识,诚足补仲景之未备者也。然无论寒湿湿热,其
目皆黄,甚至瞳神亦黄,势必云雾翳障,瞻视昏花,治亦无他法,以茵陈为主,五苓四逆
,随症选用。黄虽分阴阳,实阳多阴少也,故叶天士曰∶夏秋疸病,湿热气蒸而成。堪为明
征。而徐灵胎疸囊之说,滥 其方,不肯示人,苟有济世之心,何忍珍而不露哉?
Cough arises from two main causes: one is the turbidity of Stomach Qi, and the other is the counterflow of Yin Fire. Although all Zang and Fu organs can give rise to cough, the general principle does not exceed the six characters: "accumulated in the Stomach, related to the Lung." Why is this? Because the Stomach is the master of all Zang and Fu organs, and the Lung is the gateway for all coughs. In external contraction coughs, wind pathogens may enter the Lung through the skin and hair, or enter via the Back-Shu points on the back. There are also cases where a person already suffers from chronic cough and is further affected by wind-cold, or caused by exposure to cold and consumption of cold drinks. Once the exterior is resolved through sweating, the condition clears up; thus, it is considered a mild syndrome. This differs from miscellaneous diseases that develop after long accumulation, which are difficult to cure quickly. However, it is crucial to distinguish between wind-heat and dryness. For instance, if during winter one is first affected by unseasonal warmth (latent heat), followed by external constraint of wind-cold, resulting in cough, phlegm accumulation, sore throat, heavy body, spontaneous sweating, and a floating pulse, this is wind-heat. The appropriate formula is Yu Zhu Tang (Polygonatum Decoction), and one must strictly avoid using acrid-warm diaphoretic herbs. Dryness is the qi of autumn; it does not act alone but carries residual dampness from the late summer earth phase, which lies latent between the Lung and Stomach. When deep autumn dryness prevails, dryness and dampness cannot coexist. If accompanied by the force of wind-cold leading to cough, this is wind-dryness. The suitable formulas are Qian Jin Mai Men Dong Tang (Million Gold Ophiopogon Decoction) and Wu Wei Zi Tang (Schisandra Decoction). Since Lung dryness and Stomach dampness are hard to separate, treatment involves combining astringent and dispersing methods, and mixing drying and moistening herbs. If eye disorders accompany the cough, wind-heat causes redness and pain, wind-dryness causes dryness and itching, Qi counterflow causes distension of the eyeballs, and phlegm condensation causes blurred vision; these should be treated according to the above methods. As for dry cough caused by fire flaring up, it is entirely due to Yin deficiency. Generally, exhaustion of Kidney Water leads to excessive Fire in the Liver, which then affects the eyes. Treatment should focus on nourishing Water to control Yang, such as Liu Wei Di Huang Wan (Six-Ingredient Rehmannia Pill) added with Mai Dong (Ophiopogon Rhizome) and Wu Wei Zi (Schisandra Fruit). This is considered an excellent approach. Methods that guide fire outwards must absolutely not be used. Furthermore, if exposure to cold and consumption of cold drinks injure the Lung and Stomach, extending to the Spleen, causing cough with much phlegm, swollen eyelids, and redness of the white part of the eye (Qi Wheel), formulas such as Gui Zhi Ren Shen Tang (Cinnamon Twig and Ginseng Decoction), Zhi Shi Li Zhong Tang (Immature Bitter Orange and Middle-Regulating Decoction), or Si Ni Jia Ren Shen Tang (Frigid Extremities Plus Ginseng Decoction) should be used. Failure to understand this and mistakenly using cold-cooling herbs will rarely fail to cause harm.
Jaundice is caused by dampness; therefore, those with thirst are difficult to treat, while those without thirst are easy to treat. Its symptoms include Yin Jaundice and Yang Jaundice, depending on whether the dampness is cold or hot. Yang Jaundice occurs when dampness transforms into fire, with stagnant heat inside the interior. Gallbladder heat causes fluid leakage, which merges with turbid Qi from the Stomach. Unable to vent upwards or excrete downwards, it steams and stagnates. Yellowing appears first on the face, then spreads to the body and fingernails. Sweat and urine turn yellow, resembling the color of an orange peel. Yang governs brightness, so treatment focuses on the Stomach. Yin Jaundice occurs when dampness follows cold-water patterns; Spleen Yang fails to transform heat, and bile fluid is blocked by dampness. It infiltrates muscles and overflows into the skin, presenting a color like smoked yellow. Yin governs obscurity, so treatment focuses on the Spleen. Jaundice arising from Cold Damage has different names in *Jin Gui Yao Lue* (*Essential Prescriptions of the Golden Cabinet*), but the treatment principles are the same. Additionally, stagnant heat entering the Stomach may result from food retention, excessive alcohol consumption, or sexual excess. Excess at the upper level causes whole-body heat, while stagnation at the lower level makes urination difficult. Food retention should be resolved by digestion-promoting methods; alcohol heat should be cleared. For jaundice caused by female labor and turbid pathogens, detoxification should be applied initially, followed by methods to open orifices. Dampness in the upper part is dispersed with acrid herbs; wind can overcome dampness. Dampness in the lower part is drained with bitter herbs and leached with bland herbs. Each has its specific method, which can be sought according to symptoms. If cold-dampness resides in the interior, Luo Qianfu's Yin Chen Si Ni Tang (Artemisiae Scopariae Frigid Extremities Decoction) shows the most insight and truly supplements the incompleteness of Zhang Zhongjing's work. Regardless of whether it is cold-damp or damp-heat, the eyes become yellow, even the pupil may appear yellow, inevitably leading to visual obstructions like clouds and mist, and blurred vision. There is no other treatment method than using Yin Chen (Artemisiae Scopariae Herba) as the principal herb, selecting Wu Ling San (Five-Ingredient Powder with Poria) or Si Ni Tang (Frigid Extremities Decoction) based on symptoms. Although jaundice is divided into Yin and Yang, Yang jaundice is more common than Yin jaundice. Therefore, Ye Tianshi stated: "Jaundice in summer and autumn is formed by the steaming of dampness and heat." This serves as clear evidence. Xu Lingtai's views in *Dan Nang* (*Jaundice Bag*) were stingy with his prescriptions, refusing to reveal them. If one had a heart to save the world, how could one bear to hoard them without revealing them?