治病之法，自当欲其速愈。世之论者，皆以为治早而药中病，则愈速，治缓而药不中病
，则
愈迟；此常民。然亦有不论治之迟早，而愈期有一定者。《内经》脏气法时论云∶夫邪气之
客于身也，以胜相加，至其所生而愈，至其所不胜而甚；至其所生而持，自得其位而起。其
他言病愈之期不一。《伤寒论》云∶发于阳者，七日愈；发于阴者，六日愈。又云∶风家表
解而不了了者，十二日愈。此皆宜静养调摄以待之，不可乱投药石。若以其不愈，或多方以
取效，或更用重剂以希功，即使不误，药力胜而元气反伤。更或有不对症之药，不惟无益，
反有大害，此所宜知也。况本源之病，必待其精神渐复。精民有骤长之理？至于外科，则起
发成脓，生肌收口，亦如痘症，有一定之日期。治之而误，固有迁延生变者。若欲强之有速
效，则如揠苗助长，其害有不可胜言者。乃病家、医家，皆不知之。医者投药不效，自疑为
未当；又以别方试之，不知前方实无所害，特时未至耳。乃反误试诸药，愈换而病愈重。病
家以医者久而不效，更换他医。他医遍阅前方，知其不效，亦复更换他药，愈治愈远。由是
断断不死之病，亦不救矣。此皆由不知病愈有日期之故也。夫病家不足责，为医者岂可不知
，而轻以人尝试乎？若医者审知之，而病家必责我以近效，则当明告之故，决定所愈之期。
倘或不信，必欲医者另立良方，则以和平轻淡之药，姑以应病者之求，待其自愈。如更不信
，则力辞之，断不可徇人情而至于人如此。则病家一时或反怨谤，以后其言果验，则亦知我
识高而品崇矣。
治疗疾病的方法，自然应当希望它迅速痊愈。世上的议论者，都认为治疗得早且药证相符，那么病就好得快；治疗得晚且药不对症，那么病就好得慢；这是普通百姓的看法。然而也有不论治疗早晚，而痊愈的日期是有一定规律的。《内经·脏气法时论》说：邪气侵犯人体，是以五行相克的规律相加（即克我者为甚，我生者为持，生我者为愈），到了我所生的日子就会痊愈，到了克制我的日子病情就会加重；到了我生的日子病情会维持稳定，到了本气当令的日子病情就会发作或好转。其他关于疾病痊愈日期的说法也不一而足。《伤寒论》说：发于阳经的病，七天痊愈；发于阴经的病，六天痊愈。又说：患风病的人，表证解除后如果还觉得不舒服，十二天痊愈。这些情况都应当静养调摄来等待痊愈，不可以胡乱投药。如果因为病没好，就多方尝试以求见效，或者改用重剂以期立功，即使不误诊，药力过猛反而会损伤元气。更或者有不对症的药，不仅无益，反而有大害，这是应当知道的。况且本源之病，必定要等到精神逐渐恢复。精气哪有突然生长的道理？至于外科，则起发、成脓、生肌、收口，也像痘症一样，有固定的日期。治疗失误，固然会有拖延产生变证的。如果想要强行求速效，那就如同拔苗助长，其危害有说不完的。然而病人家属和医生都不知道这一点。医生用药无效，自己怀疑是不恰当；又用别的方子试一下，不知道前面的方子其实并无害处，只是时候未到罢了。反而错误地尝试各种药物，越换药病越重。病人家属因为医生久了没效果，更换其他医生。其他医生遍阅前面的处方，知道没效果，也更换其他药物，治得离正道越远。因此，原本断断不会死的病，也变得无法救治了。这都是因为不知道疾病痊愈是有固定日期的缘故。病人家属不值得责备，作为医生怎么能不知道，而轻易拿人来尝试呢？如果医生深知此理，而病人家属一定要求近期见效，那么就应当明确告知原因，决定痊愈的日期。倘若不信，一定要医生另开良方，就用平和轻淡的药物，姑且应付病人的请求，等待其自愈。如果还不信，就坚决推辞，绝对不可顺从人情以至于像这样对待病人。这样病人家属一时或许会怨恨诽谤，以后他的话果然应验，也就知道我的见识高超而品德高尚了。
The method of treating disease naturally ought to desire rapid recovery. Theories in the world generally hold that if treatment is early and the medicine matches the syndrome, recovery will be fast; if treatment is late and the medicine does not match the syndrome, recovery will be slow; this is the view of common people. However, there are cases where regardless of whether treatment is early or late, the period of recovery is fixed. *Huangdi Neijing* (Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon), "Zangqi Fashi Lun" (Treatise on Zang-Fu Organs and Time) states: When pathogenic factors invade the body, they interact according to the principle of mutual overcoming (i.e., the element that overcomes me causes severity, the element I generate causes persistence, and the element that generates me leads to recovery). Recovery occurs when reaching the element I generate; severity increases when reaching the element that overcomes me; the condition persists when reaching the element I generate; and onset or worsening occurs when reaching its own dominant phase. Other statements regarding the timing of disease recovery vary. *Shanghan Lun* (Treatise on Cold Damage Disorders) states: Diseases originating from Yang recover in seven days; diseases originating from Yin recover in six days. It also states: For those suffering from Wind disorders, if after the exterior syndrome resolves one still feels unwell, it will take twelve days to recover. In all these cases, one should rest quietly and regulate lifestyle to await recovery, rather than indiscriminately administering medicines. If, because the disease has not healed, one tries multiple prescriptions to seek efficacy, or switches to heavy doses hoping for merit, even if no error is made, excessive medicinal force may instead damage Yuan Qi (Primary Vital Energy). Moreover, if incorrect medicines are used, not only is there no benefit, but there may be great harm; this is something that must be known. Furthermore, diseases rooted in the source require time for Shen Jing (Spirit and Essence) to gradually recover. Is there any principle by which Jing (Essence) can grow suddenly? As for external medicine, stages such as swelling, suppuration, flesh regeneration, and wound closure, similar to smallpox, have fixed timelines. Mismanagement in treatment certainly leads to prolonged illness and complications. If one attempts to force rapid results, it is like pulling shoots to help them grow; the harms are incalculable. Yet neither patients nor doctors understand this. When a doctor's medication fails, he suspects his prescription was inappropriate; he then tries other formulas, unaware that the previous formula was actually harmless, merely premature. Instead, he erroneously tries various drugs, changing prescriptions until the disease worsens. Patients, seeing no effect over time, change doctors. New doctors review previous prescriptions, see they were ineffective, and change medications again, moving further away from the correct path. Thus, diseases that would definitely not be fatal become incurable. This is all due to ignorance of the fact that disease recovery follows a specific timeline. Patients cannot be blamed, but how can doctors ignore this and lightly use humans as test subjects? If a doctor understands this well, but the patient insists on near-term effects, he should clearly explain the reasons and determine the expected recovery date. If the patient does not believe him and insists on a new excellent prescription, the doctor should use mild and gentle herbs to temporarily satisfy the patient's request, waiting for spontaneous recovery. If the patient still does not believe him, the doctor should firmly decline treatment. One must never indulge human sentiments to the point of harming the patient in this manner. Although the patient may initially resent and slander the doctor, once the predicted outcome proves true, they will realize the doctor's superior insight and noble character.