疳在内，目肿，腹胀，利色无常，或沫青白，渐瘦弱，此冷证也。
疳在外，鼻下赤烂，目燥，鼻头上有疮不着痂，渐绕耳生疮。治鼻疮烂，兰香散。诸疮
，白粉散主之。
肝疳，白膜遮睛，当补肝，地黄丸主之。
心疳，面黄颊赤，身壮热，当补心，安神丸主之。
脾疳，体黄腹大，食泥土，当补脾，益黄散主之。
肾疳，极瘦，身有疮疥，当补肾，地黄丸主之。
筋疳，泻血而瘦，当补肝，地黄丸主之。
肺疳，气喘，口鼻生疮，当补脾肺，益黄散主之。
骨疳，喜卧冷地，当补肾，地黄丸主之。
诸疳，皆根据本脏补其母及与治疳药，冷则木香丸，热则胡黄连丸主之。
疳皆脾胃病，亡津液之所作也。因大病或吐泻后，以药吐下，致脾胃虚弱亡津液。且小
儿病疳，皆愚医之所坏病。假如潮热，是一脏虚一脏实，而内发虚热也。法当补母而泻本脏则愈
。假令日中发潮热，是心虚热也，肝为心母，则宜先补肝，肝实而后泻心，心得母气则内平
，而潮热愈也。医见潮热，妄谓其实，乃以大黄、牙硝辈诸冷药利之。利既多矣，不能禁约
而津液内亡，即成疳也。又有病癖，其疾发作，寒热饮水，胁下有形硬痛。治癖之法，当
渐消磨，医反以巴豆、 砂辈下之。小儿易虚易实，下之既过，胃中津液耗损，渐令疳瘦。
又有病伤寒，五六日间有下证，以冷药下之太过，致脾胃津液少，即使引饮不止，而生
热也。热气内耗，肌肉外消，他邪相干，证变诸端，因亦成疳。
又有吐泻久病，或医妄下之，其虚益甚，津液燥损，亦能成疳。
又有肥疳，即脾疳也，身瘦黄，皮干，而有疮疥。其候不一，种种异端，今略举纲纪∶
目涩或生白膜，唇赤，身黄干或黑，喜卧冷地，或食泥土，身有疥疮，泻青白黄沫，水利色变，
易腹满，身耳鼻皆有疮，发鬓作穗，头大项细极瘦，饮水，皆其证也。
大抵疳病当辨冷热肥瘦。其初病者为肥热疳，久病者为瘦冷疳。冷者木香丸，热者黄
连丸主之。冷热之疳，尤宜如圣丸。故小儿之脏腑柔弱，不可痛击，大下必亡津液而成疳。
凡有可下，量大小虚实而下之，则不至为疳也。初病津液少者，当生胃中津液，白术散主之
。惟多则妙。余见下。
疳证病位在内，表现为眼睛肿胀，腹部胀满，腹泻颜色无常，有时大便中有青白色的泡沫，身体逐渐消瘦虚弱，这属于寒证。
疳证病位在外，表现为鼻子下方红肿溃烂，眼睛干燥，鼻头上有疮疡且不结痂，逐渐蔓延至耳周生疮。治疗鼻部疮疡溃烂，用兰香散。其他各种疮疡，用白粉散主治。
肝疳，表现为白膜遮蔽瞳孔，应当补益肝脏，用地黄丸主治。
心疳，表现为面色发黄、两颊发红，身体高热，应当补益心脏，用安神丸主治。
脾疳，表现为身体发黄、腹部膨大，喜欢吃泥土，应当补益脾脏，用益黄散主治。
肾疳，表现为极度消瘦，身上有疮疥，应当补益肾脏，用地黄丸主治。
筋疳，表现为腹泻带血且身体消瘦，应当补益肝脏，用地黄丸主治。
肺疳，表现为气喘，口鼻生疮，应当补益脾肺，用益黄散主治。
骨疳，表现为喜欢躺在凉地上，应当补益肾脏，用地黄丸主治。
各种疳证，都应根据本脏补其母脏（虚则补其母）并配合治疗疳证的药物，属寒证用木香丸，属热证用胡黄连丸主治。
疳证都是脾胃病，是由于津液耗损而造成的。因为大病或呕吐腹泻后，医生误用药物催吐或泻下，导致脾胃虚弱、津液亡失。况且小儿患疳证，都是被庸医治坏的结果。假如出现潮热，是一脏虚一脏实，体内产生虚热。治法应当补母脏而泻本脏即可痊愈。假如中午发作潮热，这是心阴虚热，肝为心之母，则应当先补肝，待肝气充实后再泻心，心得到母脏之气则内部平和，潮热也就痊愈了。医生见到潮热，胡乱认为是实证，就用大黄、芒硝等寒凉药攻下。攻下次数多了，不能控制而津液内亡，就形成了疳证。又有患癖积病的，疾病发作时，忽冷忽热想喝水，胁下有形状坚硬疼痛的包块。治疗癖积的方法，应当逐渐消磨消散，医生反而用巴豆、硇砂等峻下药攻下。小儿体质容易虚也容易实，攻下太过，胃中津液耗损，逐渐导致疳瘦。又有患伤寒病的，在五六天时有可下之证，医生用寒凉药攻下太过，导致脾胃津液减少，即使引水自救不止，而产生内热。热气在体内消耗，肌肉在体外消减，其他邪气干扰，症状变化多端，因此也形成疳证。
又有呕吐腹泻久病，或者医生误用攻下法，其虚损更加严重，津液燥热受损，也能形成疳证。
又有肥疳，就是脾疳，身体消瘦发黄，皮肤干枯，并且有疮疥。其症状不一，种种异常，现在简要列举纲要：眼睛干涩或生白膜，嘴唇红，身体黄干或发黑，喜欢躺在凉地上，或吃泥土，身上有疥疮，腹泻青色、白色、黄色泡沫，小便颜色改变，容易腹部胀满，身体、耳朵、鼻子都有疮疡，头发结成穗状，头大脖子细，极度消瘦，想喝水，都是其症状。
大抵疳病应当辨别寒热和肥瘦。初发病的为肥热疳，久病的为瘦冷疳。寒证用木香丸，热证用黄连丸主治。寒热疳，尤其适宜用如圣丸。所以小儿脏腑柔弱，不可猛烈攻伐，大力攻下必然亡失津液而形成疳证。凡是有可下之证，要衡量大小虚实来适度攻下，就不会变成疳证。初病津液少的，应当滋生胃中津液，用白术散主治。越多越好。其余见下文。
Gan syndrome (Malnutrition) located internally presents with swollen eyes, abdominal distension, and diarrhea of variable color, sometimes with greenish-white froth in the stool. The body gradually becomes emaciated and weak; this is a cold pattern. Gan syndrome located externally presents with redness and ulceration under the nose, dry eyes, sores on the nasal tip that do not form scabs, and sores spreading around the ears. For treating nasal sores and ulceration, Lanxiang San (Orchid Fragrance Powder) is used. For various other sores, Baifen San (White Powder) is the primary treatment.
Liver Gan syndrome presents with a white membrane obscuring the pupils; the Liver should be tonified, treated primarily with Dihuang Wan (Rehmannia Pill). Heart Gan syndrome presents with a yellow face, red cheeks, and high fever; the Heart should be tonified, treated primarily with Anshen Wan (Spirit-Calming Pill). Spleen Gan syndrome presents with a yellow body, large abdomen, and pica for eating dirt; the Spleen should be tonified, treated primarily with Yihuang San (Yellow-Boosting Powder). Kidney Gan syndrome presents with extreme emaciation and skin sores/scratches; the Kidney should be tonified, treated primarily with Dihuang Wan (Rehmannia Pill). Tendon Gan syndrome presents with bloody diarrhea and emaciation; the Liver should be tonified, treated primarily with Dihuang Wan (Rehmannia Pill). Lung Gan syndrome presents with wheezing and sores in the mouth and nose; the Spleen and Lung should be tonified, treated primarily with Yihuang San (Yellow-Boosting Powder). Bone Gan syndrome presents with a preference for lying on cool ground; the Kidney should be tonified, treated primarily with Dihuang Wan (Rehmannia Pill).
For all types of Gan syndrome (Malnutrition), treatment should follow the principle of tonifying the mother organ relative to the affected organ and administering specific Gan-treating herbs. For cold patterns, Muxiang Wan (Aucklandia Pill) is used; for heat patterns, Huhuanglian Wan (Coptis Pill) is used. Gan syndrome (Malnutrition) is fundamentally a disease of the Spleen and Stomach, caused by the depletion of Body Fluids. It arises after severe illness or vomiting and diarrhea, when physicians mistakenly use emetics or purgatives, leading to Spleen and Stomach weakness and loss of Body Fluids. Moreover, pediatric Gan syndrome (Malnutrition) is often iatrogenic, resulting from incompetent medical treatment. For instance, tidal fever indicates one organ is deficient and another is excess, generating internal deficiency heat. The method should be to tonify the mother organ and drain the affected organ to achieve cure. If tidal fever occurs at noon, it is Heart deficiency heat. Since the Liver is the mother of the Heart, one should first tonify the Liver. After the Liver is filled, drain the Heart. Once the Heart receives Qi from its mother, internal balance is restored, and the tidal fever resolves. Physicians seeing tidal fever may wrongly assume it is an excess pattern and use cold medicines like Dahuang (Rhubarb Root and Rhizome) and Yaxiao (Mirabilite) to purge. Excessive purging leads to uncontrollable loss of Body Fluids, resulting in Gan syndrome (Malnutrition). Another condition is Pi accumulation (Abdominal Masses). When this disease attacks, the patient experiences alternating chills and fever, thirst, and hard, painful masses under the ribs. The treatment for Pi accumulation (Abdominal Masses) should be gradual dissipation. However, physicians mistakenly use harsh purgatives like Badou (Croton Seed) and Naosha (Ammonium Chloride). Children’s constitutions are prone to both deficiency and excess; excessive purging depletes Stomach Body Fluids, gradually leading to emaciation due to Gan syndrome (Malnutrition). Furthermore, in cases of Taiyang Disease (Exogenous Cold Damage), if there are indications for purgation on the fifth or sixth day, but the physician uses cold purgatives excessively, it reduces Spleen and Stomach Body Fluids. This causes unquenchable thirst and generates internal heat. Internal consumption by heat and external wasting of muscles, combined with interference from other pathogens, leads to varied symptoms and eventually Gan syndrome (Malnutrition).
Also, prolonged vomiting and diarrhea, or mistaken purgation by physicians, exacerbates deficiency and dries up Body Fluids, also forming Gan syndrome (Malnutrition). There is also Fei Gan (Obesity-type Malnutrition), which is essentially Spleen Gan (Spleen Malnutrition). The body is thin and yellow, skin is dry, and there are sores and scratches. Symptoms vary widely; here are the main guidelines: dry eyes or white membranes, red lips, yellow/dry/blackish body, preference for lying on cool ground, pica for dirt, skin sores, diarrhea with green/white/yellow froth, variable urine color, easy abdominal distension, sores on the body/ears/nose, hair matted into tufts, large head with a thin neck, extreme emaciation, and thirst are all symptoms.
Generally, Gan syndrome (Malnutrition) must be differentiated into cold/heat and obesity/emaciation. Early-stage disease manifests as Obese-Heat Gan; late-stage disease manifests as Emaciated-Cold Gan. Cold patterns are treated with Muxiang Wan (Aucklandia Pill); heat patterns are treated with Huanglian Wan (Coptis Pill). For both cold and heat Gan, Rusheng Wan (Like-Sage Pill) is particularly suitable. Therefore, children’s Zang-Fu organs are delicate and cannot withstand harsh attacks; drastic purgation will inevitably deplete Body Fluids and cause Gan syndrome (Malnutrition). Whenever purgation is indicated, it must be dosed according to age, size, and deficiency/excess status to avoid causing Gan syndrome (Malnutrition). In early stages with low Body Fluids, one should generate Stomach Body Fluids using Baizhu San (Atractylodes Macrocephala Powder). More is better. See below for more.