凡虚劳之疾皆缘情欲过度荣卫劳伤致百脉空虚五脏衰损邪气乘袭致生百疾圣人必假药石
以资
气血密腠理以御诸邪肌肉之虚犹如体之轻虚如马勃通草蒲梢灯心之属是也非滋润粘腻之物以
养之不能实也故前古方中鹿角胶阿胶牛乳鹿髓羊肉饴糖酥酪杏仁煎酒蜜人参当归地黄门冬之
类者盖出此意本草云补可去弱羊肉人参之属是也所谓虚劳者因劳役过甚而致虚损故谓之虚劳
今人才见虚弱疾证悉用燥热之药如伏火金石附子姜桂之类致五脏焦枯血气干涸而致危困皆因
此也如虚而兼冷者止可于诸虚劳方中加诸温热药为助可也如此即不失古人之意(医余)
有人多得劳疾相因染死者数人取病者于棺中钉之弃于水永绝传染之患流之金山有人异之
引岸开视见一女子犹活因取置渔舍多得鳗鲡鱼食之病愈遂为渔人之妻(稽神录)
养生必用方论虚劳不得用凉药如柴胡鳖甲青蒿麦门冬之类皆不用服唯服黄 建中汤有十
余岁女
子因发热咳嗽喘急小便少后来成肿疾用利水药得愈然虚羸之甚遂用黄 建中汤日一服三十余
日遂愈盖人禀受不同虚劳小便白浊阴脏人服橘皮煎黄 建中汤获愈者甚众至于阳脏人不可用
暖药虽建中汤不甚热然有肉桂服之稍多亦反为害要之用药亦量其所禀审其冷热而不可一概以
建中汤治虚劳也谨之(医余)
凡是虚劳这类疾病，都是因为情欲过度，导致营卫之气劳损受伤，进而使得全身经脉空虚、五脏功能衰败，外邪趁机侵袭，从而引发各种疾病。圣人必定借助药物来资助气血，致密腠理（皮肤肌肉间的纹理及汗孔），以抵御各种邪气。
身体肌肉的虚弱，就像马勃、通草、蒲梢、灯心草这类药材一样（质地轻虚疏松）。不能用滋润粘腻的药物来滋养它，否则不能使身体充实。所以前代古方中使用的鹿角胶、阿胶、牛乳、鹿髓、羊肉、饴糖、酥酪、杏仁、煎酒、蜂蜜、人参、当归、地黄、门冬等药物，大概都是出于这个用意。《本草》记载：“补法可以去除虚弱”，指的就是羊肉、人参这类药物。
所谓“虚劳”，是因为过度劳累役使而导致虚损，所以称为虚劳。现在的人一见到虚弱的病症，就全部使用燥热性质的药物，如伏火金石（经过炮制的矿物药）、附子、干姜、肉桂之类，导致五脏焦枯、血气干涸，从而陷入危困境地，这都是因为误用此类药物的缘故。如果是虚证兼有寒象的，只可以在各种治疗虚劳的方剂中加入一些温热药物作为辅助即可。这样做才不违背古人的本意。（出自《医余》）
有人患有多例劳疾并相互传染致死的情况，共有数人。人们将死者从棺材中钉死并抛弃在水中，以永远断绝传染的祸患。这件事流传到金山，有人对此感到奇怪，便引水至岸边打开查看，发现其中有一名女子还活着，于是将她救起安置在渔舍中。她吃了很多鳗鲡鱼，病就好了，后来成为了渔人的妻子。（出自《稽神录》）
《养生必用方论》论述：治疗虚劳不得使用凉性药物，如柴胡、鳖甲、青蒿、麦门冬之类的都要避免服用。只应服用黄芪建中汤。曾有一个十多岁的女子，因发热、咳嗽、气喘急促、小便量少，后来发展成水肿病，使用利水药物后痊愈。然而她极度虚弱消瘦，于是服用黄芪建中汤，每天服用一次，三十多天后便痊愈了。这是因为人的先天禀赋不同，对于虚劳导致的小便白浊，阴脏体质的人服用橘皮煎配合黄芪建中汤，获得痊愈的人很多。至于阳脏体质的人则不能使用暖性药物，虽然建中汤不是很热，但如果服用的肉桂稍多，也会反而造成伤害。总之，用药也要衡量患者的禀赋，审察其体质的冷热，而不能一概而论地用建中汤治疗所有虚劳患者。务必谨慎。（出自《医余》）
All diseases of deficiency consumption (Xu Lao) arise from excessive emotional desires, leading to the exhaustion and injury of Ying-Wei Qi (Defensive and Nutritive Qi). This results in the emptiness of all meridians and the decline of the five Zang organs, allowing pathogenic factors to invade and cause various illnesses. The sages necessarily utilize medicinal substances to nourish Qi and Blood, and to consolidate the Couli (pores and interstitial spaces) to resist various pathogens.
The emaciation of muscles is akin to the properties of herbs such as Phallus Impudicus (Mabo), Tetrapanacis Medulla (Tongcao), Typhae Pollen (Pushao), and Junci Medulla (Dengxin). Such conditions cannot be treated with moistening and sticky substances for nourishment, as these would fail to solidify the body. Therefore, the ingredients used in ancient prescriptions—such as Cervi Cornus Gelatinum (Lujiaojiao), Asini Corii Gelatinum (Ejiao), Bos Taurus Milk, Cervi Marrow, Mutton, Saccharum Candi (Yitang), Butter, Almond, Fermented Wine, Honey, Ginseng Radix (Renshen), Angelicae Sinensis Radix (Danggui), Rehmanniae Radix (Dihuang), and Ophiopogonis Radix (Mendong)—are derived from this principle. The Materia Medica states: "Tonification can remove weakness," referring specifically to mutton and ginseng.
"Deficiency consumption" refers to the depletion caused by excessive physical labor or overexertion. Nowadays, when people observe symptoms of weakness, they indiscriminately apply drying and heating drugs, such as processed mineral drugs (Fuhuo Jinshi), Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata (Fuzi), Zingiberis Rhizoma (Jiang), and Cinnamomi Ramulus (Guizhi). This leads to the scorching of the five Zang organs and the drying up of Qi and Blood, resulting in critical danger. All such outcomes stem from this error. If a deficiency pattern is accompanied by cold, one may only add warming herbs to various deficiency-consumption formulas as an aid. This approach aligns with the intent of the ancients. (From *Yi Yu*)
There were instances where several individuals died from infectious deficiency consumption. To prevent further transmission, corpses were nailed shut in coffins and discarded in water. This practice was reported in Jinshan, where someone investigated out of curiosity. Upon opening the coffin at the shore, a young woman was found still alive. She was rescued and placed in a fisherman's hut. After consuming many eels, her illness cured, and she eventually became the wife of the fisherman. (From *Ji Shen Lu*)
*Yang Sheng Bi Yong Fang Lun* discusses that cooling medicines should not be used for deficiency consumption; herbs such as Bupleuri Radix (Chaihu), Testudinis Carapax et Plastrum (Biejia), Artemisiae Annuae Herba (Qinghao), and Ophiopogonis Radix (Mendong) should all be avoided. Only Huangqi Jianzhong Tang (Astragalus Decoction to Establish the Middle) should be taken. There was a girl of over ten years old who suffered from fever, cough, rapid breathing, and oliguria, which later developed into edema. After being cured with diuretic drugs, she remained extremely emaciated. She then took Huangqi Jianzhong Tang once daily for more than thirty days and recovered. This illustrates that individual constitutions vary. For deficiency consumption presenting with turbid white urine, patients with a Yin constitution often recover after taking Chenpi Jian (Tangerine Peel Decoction) combined with Huangqi Jianzhong Tang. However, those with a Yang constitution must not use warming medicines. Although Jianzhong Tang is not excessively hot, excessive cinnamon (Rougui) within it can cause harm. In summary, medication must be tailored to the patient's constitution and assessed for heat or cold patterns; one cannot universally apply Jianzhong Tang to treat all cases of deficiency consumption. Caution is required. (From *Yi Yu*)