病有七失不可治者，失于不审，失于不慎，失于不信，失于怠忽过时，失于不择医，失于不辨药，
失于自立意见。应补责医以泻，畏功责医欲补；应针欲艾，应灼欲砭。七者之中，有一于此，即为难治。
非止医家之罪，实病家之自误也。矧有医不慈仁，病者猜鄙二理，交驰于病，为害者不少。由是言之，
医者不可不慈仁，病者不可多猜鄙，如犯之则招祸。在医者当以救济为心，在病家务以精诚笃挚为念，
各尽其极，乃治病求愈之大端也。
常见年高疾患，将同少年混投汤药，妄行针灸，务欲速愈。殊不知老年之人，血气已衰，精神减耗，
至于视听不至聪明，手足举动不随其志，身体劳倦，头目昏眩，宿疾时发，或秘或泄，或冷或热，皆老
人之常也。勿紧用针药，急求痊愈，往往因此别致危殆。且攻病之药，或汗或吐，或解或利。缘衰老之
人不同年少，年少者真气壮盛，虽汗吐转利，未致危殆。其老弱者汗之则阳气泄，吐之则胃气逆，下之
则元气脱，立致不可救。此养老之大忌也。大率老人药
饵，止用扶持，只可温平顺气，进食补虚，中和之剂，不可用市肆购买，他人惠送，未识方味
者与之服饵，切须详审。若有宿疾时发，则随其疾状，用和平汤剂调顺，三朝五日，自然痊退
，惟是调停饮食，随其食性变馔治之。此最为良法也。
疾病有七种失误导致无法治愈的情况：一是诊断不审慎，二是护理不慎重，三是对治疗缺乏信心，四是拖延怠慢错过最佳时机，五是不选择良医，六是不辨别药物真伪优劣，七是固执己见。应当采用补法却责备医生用了泻法，畏惧疗效而责备医生想要用补法；应当针刺却想用艾灸，应当烧灼却想用砭石。这七种情况中，只要存在其中一种，就属于难治之症。这不仅仅是医生的过错，更是患者自身的误判。况且如果医生不够仁慈，患者多疑鄙陋，这两种心态交织在病情之中，造成的危害不少。由此而言，医生不可不仁慈，患者不可多猜忌鄙陋，如果触犯这些原则就会招致灾祸。作为医者应当以救济病患为心志，作为患者务必要以真诚笃实为念头，各自做到极致，这才是治病求愈的关键所在。
常见的老年疾病，人们往往将其与年轻人的病症混同，随意投用汤药，胡乱进行针灸，务必追求快速痊愈。殊不知老年人血气已经衰退，精神消耗减少，以至于视听不再灵敏聪明，手足动作不能随心意指挥，身体疲倦乏力，头目昏沉眩晕，旧疾时常发作，有时便秘有时腹泻，有时怕冷有时发热，这些都是老年人的常态。不要紧用针药，急于求成寻求痊愈，往往因此反而导致危险境地。而且攻伐病邪的药物，有的通过发汗，有的通过催吐，有的通过解表，有的通过利尿。因为衰老的人不同于年轻人，年轻人真气壮盛，即使使用汗、吐、下、利等法，也不会导致危殆。但老年人如果使用发汗法则阳气外泄，使用催吐法则胃气上逆，使用泻下法则元气脱失，立刻导致不可救治的后果。这是养老的大忌。大抵老年人的用药，只宜用于扶持正气，只能使用温和平顺、增进食欲、补益虚损的中正平和之剂，不可使用市井购买或他人赠送的、自己不了解药性方义的药剂给老人服用，必须详细审慎。如果有旧疾时常发作，则根据疾病的症状，使用平和的汤剂调理顺气，经过三到五天，自然就会痊愈消退，只是要妥善安排饮食，根据其食性变化烹饪食物来调理。这最为良好的方法。
There are seven types of negligence that render a disease incurable: negligence in not examining carefully, negligence in not being cautious, negligence in lacking faith (in the treatment), negligence in delaying and missing the timing, negligence in not selecting a qualified physician, negligence in not distinguishing the medicines, and negligence in adhering to one's own opinions. When tonification should be used, blame is placed on the physician for using purgation; fearing efficacy, blame is placed on the physician for desiring to tonify; when acupuncture should be employed, moxibustion is desired; when cauterization should be applied, Bian stone therapy is desired. Among these seven, if even one exists, it becomes difficult to treat. This is not merely the fault of the physician, but indeed the self-misguidance of the patient. Moreover, if the physician lacks benevolence and the patient is suspicious and derogatory, these two factors intertwine in the illness, causing considerable harm. Therefore, physicians must not lack benevolence, and patients must not be overly suspicious or derogatory; violating this invites disaster. Physicians should take saving and relieving as their heart's intent, and patients should take sincerity and earnestness as their thought, each exerting themselves to the utmost, which is the major principle of curing diseases and seeking recovery.
Common ailments in the elderly are often treated by mixing them with those of the young, blindly administering herbal decoctions, and recklessly performing acupuncture and moxibustation, striving for rapid recovery. Little do they know that in the elderly, blood and Qi have already declined, and spirit and essence are diminished. Consequently, hearing and vision are no longer sharp and clear, hand and foot movements do not follow the will, the body feels fatigued, the head and eyes feel dizzy, old diseases flare up intermittently, alternating between constipation and diarrhea, cold and heat. These are all normal conditions for the elderly. One must not use needles and medicines aggressively nor seek immediate cure, as doing so often leads to perilous situations. Furthermore, drugs that attack pathogens may induce sweating, vomiting, releasing the exterior, or promoting urination. Because the aged differ from the young, whose true Qi is robust and vigorous, even if sweating, vomiting, purging, or draining methods are used, danger does not ensue. However, in the elderly and weak, inducing sweating depletes Yang Qi, inducing vomiting causes Stomach Qi to rebel upward, and purging causes the Yuan Qi (Original Qi) to collapse, leading immediately to untreatable conditions. This is a major taboo in caring for the elderly. Generally, medicinal intake for the elderly should only serve to support and sustain; only mild, harmonizing agents that regulate Qi, promote appetite, and tonify deficiency should be used. Medicines purchased from markets or gifted by others, whose formulas and properties are unknown, must not be administered to the elderly; careful scrutiny is essential. If old diseases flare up, one should use mild herbal decoctions to regulate and harmonize according to the symptoms. After three to five days, natural recovery will occur. The key lies in managing diet, preparing meals according to food nature and individual constitution. This is the best method.