医能卫人之生，故天下不可无医；其或促人之命，则天下又不如无医。卢、扁已往，方术多岐，家自
为说，人自为书，虽各有所偏，未能一致，而苟能深明乎一家之说，则自有变通补救之方，要无贻害于斯
世。近者以此为业，所学未精，遽思谋利，庸医遍天下，而生人之寿考者寡矣！仆阅世已深，见夫男子痨
瘵、妇人胎产、小儿惊痘，三者之死，尤可惨伤。当其危急时，医者云舍此无疗病之方，病家云不服亦同
归于死也，卒服其方而仍不免于死。仆尝疑之，而未敢以臆断也。今见洄溪徐君所着《慎疾刍言》一书，
始知向所见疗病之法，各犯是书所忌，徐君已言之详而戒之切矣。夫以不明医理之人，处骨肉死生之际，
药亦悔，不药亦悔，其心诚有难安者，得是书以示指南，庶几不迷所往乎！余恨读是书之晚，固愿世之业
医者、疗病者皆得早读是书。乃邮归故里，刊版以广流传榕城。刊是书者为徐君曾孙 ，并书以贻之。
长沙彭蕴章撰
余弱冠时，家多疾病，先世所藏医书颇多，因随时翻阅，不过欲稍识方药而已。循习渐久，乃上追
《灵》、《素》根源，下沿汉、唐支派。如是者十余年，乃注《难经》；又十余年，而注《本草》；又十余
年，而作《医学源流论》；又五年而着《伤寒类方》。五十年中，批阅之书约千余卷，泛览之书约万余卷，
每过几时，必悔从前疏漏，盖学以年进也。乃世之医者，全废古书，随心自造，以致人多枉死，目击心伤。
数年前曾作《刍言》一册，欲以醒世而鲜克听从。窃思生长圣朝，毫无益于此世，而半生攻苦，虽有着述
几种，皆统谈医学，无惊心动魄之语，足令人豁然开悟。因复抠心挖骨，即《刍言》原本，更加痛快剖悉，
实因悲悯填胸不能自已，愿览者谅其苦心，虚怀体察，以之治人则敬慎可以寡过，以之治己则明哲可以保
身。冀遇信从之有人，庶绵斯道于一线。
乾隆丁亥秋七月巧日 洄溪徐灵胎识
道光五年岁次乙酉夏五月既望曾孙 校刊
医生能够保护人的生命，所以天下不能没有医生；但如果医生反而加速了人的死亡，那么天下又不如没有医生。卢医（扁鹊）和秦越人（扁鹊）的时代已经过去，医学方术流派众多，各家自持己见，各写各的书，虽然各自有所偏颇，未能统一，但如果能深刻理解某一家的学说，自然就有变通补救的方法，终究不会给世间带来祸害。近来以行医为业的人，所学不精，就急于谋利，庸医遍布天下，而能长寿的人却很少了！我阅历已深，看到男子患虚劳病、妇女胎产疾病、小儿惊风痘疹这三种病导致的死亡，尤其令人惨痛悲伤。当病情危急时，医生说除了这个方子没有治疗疾病的办法，病人家属说不服药也是同样归于死亡，最终服用了那个方子仍然不免于死。我曾对此怀疑，但不敢凭主观臆断。现在看到徐洄溪先生所著的《慎疾刍言》一书，才知道以前我所见到的治疗方法，都犯了这本书所忌讳的错误，徐先生已经讲得很详细且告诫得很恳切了。那些不懂医理的人在亲人生死攸关之际，用药也后悔，不用药也后悔，心里确实难以安宁，得到这本书作为指南，或许就不会迷失方向了吧！我遗憾读这本书太晚，本来希望世上从事医疗行业的人和治病的人都尽早读到这本书。于是寄回故乡，刻印此书以在榕城广泛流传。刊印这本书的是徐先生的曾孙，并写下文字赠送给大家。长沙彭蕴章撰写
我二十岁左右时，家里多疾病，祖先收藏的医书很多，因此随时翻阅，不过是想稍微认识一些方剂和药物罢了。随着习惯逐渐加深，于是向上追溯《灵枢》、《素问》的根源，向下沿袭汉、唐两代的支流。像这样过了十多年，才注释《难经》；又过了十多年，才注释《本草》；又过了十多年，才写作《医学源流论》；又过了五年才著成《伤寒类方》。五十年中，批阅过的书大约一千多卷，泛览过的书大约一万多卷，每次经过一段时间，必定后悔从前有疏漏之处，因为学问是随着年份增长的。然而世上的医生，完全废弃古书，随心所欲地自行创造，导致许多人枉死，我亲眼目睹心中伤痛。几年前曾作《刍言》一册，想要以此唤醒世人但很少有人听从。私下想生长在圣明朝代，对这个世界毫无益处，而半生刻苦钻研，虽然有几种著作，都是泛谈医学，没有惊心动魄的话语足以让人豁然开悟。于是再次呕心沥血，就在《刍言》原本基础上，更加痛快详尽地剖析，实在是因为悲悯之情充满胸中不能自已，希望读者体谅我的苦心，虚心体会考察，用它来治人则恭敬谨慎可以减少过错，用它来治己则明智哲思可以保全自身。希望能遇到相信并遵从的人，或许能让这条道统延续一线生机。
乾隆丁亥年秋七月吉日 洄溪徐灵胎识
道光五年岁次乙酉夏五月十六日 曾孙 校刊
Physicians have the ability to safeguard human life; therefore, a world without physicians is unthinkable. However, if physicians instead hasten death, then a world without them might be preferable. Since the times of Lu Qian (Bian Que) and Qin Yueren (Bian Que), medical arts have diversified into many schools. Each family holds its own theories, and each person writes their own books. Although each has its biases and lacks uniformity, as long as one deeply understands the doctrines of a single school, there will naturally be methods for adaptation and remedy, ultimately avoiding harm to the world. Recently, those who practice medicine lack refined learning and rush to seek profit. Quack doctors are everywhere, yet few people live to an old age! I have deep experience in the world and have witnessed that deaths among men suffering from consumptive diseases (Lao Zhai), women during pregnancy and childbirth, and children with convulsions and smallpox are particularly tragic. When these conditions are critical, physicians claim there is no other cure, while families believe that not taking the medicine leads to the same outcome—death. Ultimately, they take the prescribed formula but still die. I have often doubted this but dared not make subjective judgments. Now, having seen Mr. Xu Huixi’s book *Shenji Chuyan* (Cautious Words on Illness), I realize that the treatment methods I previously encountered all violated the prohibitions stated in this book. Mr. Xu has explained these points in detail and warned against them earnestly. For those ignorant of medical principles facing the life-and-death juncture of their flesh and blood relatives, regret arises whether they use medicine or not; their hearts are indeed uneasy. With this book as a guide, perhaps they will not lose their way! I regret reading this book too late and sincerely wish that all practitioners and healers read it early. Thus, I sent it back to my hometown to be printed and widely circulated in Rongcheng. The printer of this book is Mr. Xu’s great-grandson, who also inscribed this note to present it. Written by Peng Yinzhang of Changsha.
When I was twenty years old, my family suffered from frequent illnesses. There were many medical books collected by my ancestors, which I consulted from time to time, merely wishing to gain some familiarity with formulas and herbs. As my habit grew, I traced back to the roots of the *Ling Shu* (Spiritual Pivot) and *Su Wen* (Basic Questions), and followed the branches down through the Han and Tang dynasties. This process took over ten years before I annotated the *Nan Jing* (Classic of Difficult Issues). Another ten years passed before I annotated the *Ben Cao* (Materia Medica). Yet another ten years went by before I wrote *Yixue Yuanliu Lun* (Discourse on the Origins and Development of Medicine). Five more years later, I completed *Shanghan Leifang* (Classified Formulas for Cold Damage Disorders). Over fifty years, I reviewed approximately one thousand volumes and broadly scanned over ten thousand volumes. Every time a period elapsed, I would regret previous omissions, for learning advances with age. However, contemporary physicians completely abandon ancient texts, creating treatments arbitrarily according to their whims, resulting in many unjust deaths, which breaks my heart. Several years ago, I compiled a booklet titled *Chuyan* (Humble Words) to awaken the public, but few heeded it. Reflecting that I live in a prosperous era yet contribute little to the world, and that despite half a lifetime of arduous study producing several works, they merely discuss medicine generally without shocking or enlightening language, I once again poured out my heart and bones. Based on the original *Chuyan*, I added more thorough and incisive analysis. This was driven by overwhelming compassion that I could not restrain. I hope readers will understand my painstaking efforts, examine the content with an open mind, and apply it: when treating others, reverence and caution can minimize errors; when treating oneself, wisdom and philosophy can preserve one’s life. I hope to find believers so that this tradition may survive by a thread.
Inscribed by Xu Lingtai of Huixi, on an auspicious day in the seventh month of autumn, Dinghai year of the Qianlong reign.
Proofread and printed by his great-grandson, on the sixteenth day of the fifth month of summer, Yiyu year of the Daoguang reign.