惊风原是二症。惊者,急惊慢惊。风者,中脏中风,此言风,热极生风也。惊风本于心肝二脏,肝风、心火相
煽发搐。小儿脾胃弱,肝易凌之引动肝风。风主掣,不得心火不能发搐,儿有病,气血错乱,心神不宁,引动心火。
火主惊,不得肝风亦不发搐。此心与肝相兼为惊风之源也。有惊风痰热四症,然后有搐搦掣颤及引窜视之候,入候理
得惊风定,随便与下痰药,惊风不复复作矣。惊风是总名,急惊者惊风痰热所致,慢惊者久病所得。久泻成慢脾
慢惊,久吐成胃虚。惊无阴因心经实热,而阴不能配,阳盛阴虚之候。慢惊无阳因脾土虚甚,而阳不胜阴,是阴盛阳
虚之症。急慢惊风,虚热寒实,天渊迥隔。急惊九生一死,慢惊九死一生。凡搐时不得擒捉,风气方盛,若一拘
持,痰即流入脉络矣,多致手足拘牵,与痫症同。初有痰热未成惊风,先宜解利,解用柴胡、黄芩、干葛、紫苏、枳
壳、防风、天麻、半夏等,利用小红丸。如无虚症,不得主用温补。虽热甚不得便用龙脑、麝香,恐引惊入窍,且伤
真气。盖温则补邪,香则败真,心惊大概过暖当风,多食辛辣,郁邪热于心而传于肝,再受惊触。未发时夜卧不稳,
啼哭啮齿,咬乳,气促痰喘,鼻额有汗,忽而闷绝,目直视,牙紧口噤,手足掣,此热甚而然。发则身热面赤,引饮,
口中气热,二便黄赤,眼上视连札,项背强直,痰涎潮响,脉数可辨。盖心有热,肝有风,心藏神,肝藏魂,风火相搏,
神魂易动,故发急惊,关格不通,先用小红丸下之,或用触鼻散与龙脑麝香开关,又须茯苓、木通利小便。退热、治
惊、化痰、驱风药多寒凉,概宜勿用。若遇庸手,无深病而攻之,反致痰热入经络,却成惊痫重症,宜定惊顺气,清热
化痰为主,柴胡(平肝)、黄连(泻心)、枳实(顺气消痰)、贝母(泻痰)、天麻(治风)、陈皮(泻痰顺气)、防
风(治风)、苏子(顺气)。清热,黄芩、黄连、山栀、龙胆草、连翘、犀角、灯心、寒水石;消痰,枳实、胆星、
天花粉、半夏、天竺黄、贝母、牛黄、珍珠;治风,羌活、防风、柴胡、僵蚕、天麻、蝉脱;治惊,全蝎、雄黄、朱砂、
琥珀、钩藤;开窍,麝香、石菖蒲,龙脑。用抱龙丸、苏合丸、牛黄丸、辰砂丸俱可。
Jingfeng (Convulsive Disorder) originally comprises two syndromes. "Jing" refers to Ji Jing (Acute Convulsion) and Man Jing (Chronic Convulsion). "Feng" refers to Zhong Zang Feng Zhong (Wind striking the zang organs), where the term "wind" here denotes wind generated by extreme heat. The root of Jingfeng lies in the Heart and Liver organs; Liver Wind and Heart Fire mutually incite each other, leading to convulsions. Children have weak Spleen and Stomach, making the Liver prone to overacting upon them (Liver Wood insulting Spleen Earth), thereby stirring up Liver Wind. Wind is characterized by pulling and jerking; without Heart Fire, convulsions cannot occur. When a child is ill, Qi and Blood become disordered, the Heart Spirit becomes restless, stirring up Heart Fire. Fire is characterized by fright; without Liver Wind, convulsions will not manifest. Thus, the Heart and Liver together constitute the source of Jingfeng. Only when the four pathological factors of Jing (Fright), Feng (Wind), Tan (Phlegm), and Re (Heat) are present do symptoms such as convulsions, jerking, trembling, upward deviation of eyes, and staring appear. Once these manifestations are understood for diagnosis and treatment, administering phlegm-resolving drugs subsequently will prevent the recurrence of Jingfeng. Jingfeng is a general term; Ji Jing (Acute Convulsion) is caused by Fright, Wind, Phlegm, and Heat, while Man Jing (Chronic Convulsion) results from prolonged illness. Prolonged diarrhea leads to Man Pi Feng (Chronic Spleen Wind) or Man Jing, while prolonged vomiting leads to Stomach Deficiency. Ji Jing arises from Excess Heat in the Heart Meridian, where Yin cannot match Yang, presenting as a syndrome of Excess Yang and Deficient Yin. Man Jing arises from extreme deficiency of Spleen Earth, where Yang cannot overcome Yin, presenting as a syndrome of Excess Yin and Deficient Yang. The difference between Acute and Chronic Convulsions, one being Deficient-Heat and the other Cold-Excess, is as vast as heaven and earth. In Ji Jing, nine out of ten survive; in Man Jing, nine out of ten die. During convulsions, one must not grasp or restrain the child forcefully, as the Wind pathogen is at its peak; forcing restraint may cause Phlegm to flow into the collaterals, often resulting in limb contracture and traction, similar to Xian Zheng (Epilepsy). Initially, if there is Phlegm-Heat but Jingfeng has not yet formed, relief should be sought first. For resolution, use Chai Hu (Bupleuri Radix), Huang Qin (Scutellariae Radix), Gan Ge (Puerariae Lobatae Radix), Zi Su (Perillae Folium), Zhi Qiao (Aurantii Fructus), Fang Feng (Saposhnikoviae Radix), Tian Ma (Gastrodiae Rhizoma), Ban Xia (Pinelliae Rhizoma), etc., utilizing Xiao Hong Wan (Little Red Pill). If there is no Deficiency syndrome, warm tonification should not be primarily used. Even with severe heat, Long Nao (Borneolum Syntheticum) and She Xiang (Moschus) should not be used immediately, lest they guide the Fright pathogen into the orifices and damage True Qi. Generally, warmth nourishes the pathogen, and aromatic substances degrade True Qi. Cases of Heart Fright generally result from excessive warming and exposure to wind, or excessive consumption of pungent and spicy foods, causing stagnant pathogenic heat to lodge in the Heart and transmit to the Liver, compounded by sudden fright. Before onset, the child may sleep restlessly at night, cry, grind teeth, suck/bite the breast, experience shortness of breath and wheezing with phlegm, sweat on the nose and forehead, suddenly become comatose, stare straight ahead, have clenched teeth and locked jaw, and exhibit limb jerking; this is due to severe heat. Upon manifestation, the body is hot, face red, thirst for drinking, breath is hot, urine and stool are yellow and red, eyes roll upward with frequent blinking, neck and back are stiff, phlegm saliva gurgles, and the pulse is rapid and distinguishable. This is because the Heart has Heat and the Liver has Wind; the Heart houses the Shen (Spirit), and the Liver houses the Hun (Ethereal Soul); Wind and Fire combat each other, easily disturbing the Shen and Hun, thus causing Ji Jing. If Guan Ge (Obstruction) occurs, first use Xiao Hong Wan to purge, or use Chu Bi San (Nasal Insufflation Powder) with Long Nao and She Xiang to open the orifices, and additionally use Fu Ling (Poria) and Mu Tong (Akebiae Caulis) to promote urination. Drugs for clearing heat, treating fright, resolving phlegm, and expelling wind are mostly cold and cool in nature; generally, they should be used with caution or avoided if not indicated. If an incompetent physician attacks a patient without deep pathology, it may instead cause Phlegm-Heat to enter the collaterals, resulting in severe Jing Xian (Convulsive Epilepsy). Treatment should focus on calming fright, regulating Qi, clearing heat, and resolving phlegm. Herbs include: Chai Hu (Bupleuri Radix) [calms Liver], Huang Lian (Coptidis Rhizoma) [drains Heart], Zhi Shi (Immature Bitter Orange) [regulates Qi and resolves phlegm], Bei Mu (Fritillariae Bulbus) [drains phlegm], Tian Ma (Gastrodiae Rhizoma) [treats wind], Chen Pi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium) [resolves phlegm and regulates Qi], Fang Feng (Saposhnikoviae Radix) [treats wind], Su Zi (Perillae Fructus) [regulates Qi]. Heat-clearing herbs include: Huang Qin (Scutellariae Radix), Huang Lian (Coptidis Rhizoma), Shan Zhi (Gardeniae Fructus), Long Dan Cao (Gentianae Radix), Lian Qiao (Forsythiae Fructus), Xi Jiao (Rhinocerotis Cornu - note: substitute with Buffalo Horn in modern practice), Deng Xin Cao (Junci Medulla), Han Shui Shi (Halloysit Rubrum). Phlegm-resolving herbs include: Zhi Shi (Immature Bitter Orange), Dan Xing (Armeniacae Semen Amarum cum Galla Chinensis), Tian Hua Fen (Trichosanthis Radix), Ban Xia (Pinelliae Rhizoma), Tian Zhu Huang (Bambusae Calamus in Taenia), Bei Mu (Fritillariae Bulbus), Niu Huang (Bovis Calculus), Zhen Zhu (Margarita). Wind-treating herbs include: Qiang Huo (Notopterygii Rhizoma et Radix), Fang Feng (Saposhnikoviae Radix), Chai Hu (Bupleuri Radix), Jiang Can (Bombyx Batryticatus), Tian Ma (Gastrodiae Rhizoma), Chan Tuo (Cicadae Periostracum). Fright-calming herbs include: Quan Xie (Scorpio), Xiong Huang (Realgar), Zhu Sha (Cinnabaris), Hu Po (Electrum), Gou Teng (Uncariae Ramulus cum Uncis). Orifice-opening herbs include: She Xiang (Moschus), Shi Chang Pu (Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma), Long Nao (Borneolum Syntheticum). Bao Long Wan (Embracing Dragon Pill), Su He Wan (Styrax Pill), Niu Huang Wan (Calculus Bovis Pill), and Chen Sha Wan (Cinnabar Pill) are all suitable.