吾衢土俗,凡患四时之感冒,见有发热呕吐等证,开口便云龌龊,动手便是刮揪。揪之刮之,未尝
不善,但其邪在肌肉者顷刻而松,在经络者,非药不愈。最可恶者,先服矾汤一碗,以为治龌龊之需。殊不
知龌龊,即方书所谓秽浊,宜用芳香宣解之方,反服酸寒收涩之药,益使秽浊之邪,胶固气分,而无解
病之期。更有一种俗医,以指节括病患之身,见有一条扛起者,妄言为斑。不知人感秽浊时邪,气机阻滞,血
脉不通,用指节括之,或粗或细,必有一条见出,岂可伪称斑证。更为之取出蛇斑蚤斑等等之名,其谓为蛇斑
者,必令人服蜈蚣数条,取蛇畏蜈蚣之义,而庸夫俗子听之益信。不知蜈蚣之性,辛温有毒,直入厥阴,初
患时邪之证,服之极易化火,更引最浅之邪,而入于深。曷不观方书所云∶大如锦纹者为斑,其色红紫而
成片,或至黑色而病危,是为胃热之候,古人所以用举斑汤、化斑汤之类以治之。或见病患身发红点,遂称为
蚤斑,而乱投草药,及至危险,便说斑老难医。推其身见红点,即方书所谓小如蚊咬者为疹,是为肺热之候,
古人所以用升葛汤、银翘散之类以治之。俗医以伪混真,岂不可叹!既以初起之时邪,为龌
龊斑证,更禁病患勿服汤药,每见轻病转重,重病转危,此皆吾衢土俗之贻害匪浅也。要之揪刮无妨,所患
者,惟矾汤、蜈蚣、草药、禁药之弊,奉劝病家,不可过信俗医而自误,则幸甚矣!
我衢州地区的民间风俗,凡是遇到患四时感冒,出现发热、呕吐等症状,人们开口便说是“龌龊”(一种民间俗称的皮肤病或邪气),动手便是刮擦揪扯。揪抓和刮擦本身并非不好,但如果病邪在肌肉层面,顷刻间就能缓解;但若病邪在经络层面,则非用药不能治愈。最让人厌恶的是,先喝下一碗矾汤,认为这是治疗“龌龊”所必需的。殊不知,“龌龊”即医书中所说的“秽浊”,应当使用芳香宣散解表的方剂,反而服用酸寒收敛的药物,更加使得秽浊之邪胶结固着于气分,导致疾病无法痊愈。
还有一种庸俗的医生,用手指关节刮擦病人的身体,看到有一条隆起的痕迹,就妄言这是“斑”。不知道人感受了秽浊的时行邪气,气机阻滞,血脉不通,用指节刮擦,无论轻重,必然会出现一条痕迹,这怎么能伪称为斑证呢?他们还编造出蛇斑、蚤斑等名称。所谓“蛇斑”,必定让人服用几条蜈蚣,取蛇畏惧蜈蚣的道理,这让庸夫俗子听了更加相信。却不知道蜈蚣性味辛温有毒,直入厥阴经,初患时邪病症时,服用它极易化火,反而引导最浅表的邪气深入体内。
为何不看看医书所说:大如锦纹的是斑,颜色红紫成片,甚至变黑则病情危重,这是胃热的征候,古人因此用举斑汤、化斑汤之类的方剂来治疗。或者见到病人身上发红点,就称之为“蚤斑”,胡乱投喂草药,等到病情危险时,又说斑症难治。推究其理,身上见红点,即医书中所谓小如蚊咬的是疹,这是肺热的征候,古人因此用升葛汤、银翘散之类的方剂来治疗。庸俗的医生以假乱真,难道不可叹惜吗!他们既把初起时的时行邪气当作龌龊斑证,又禁止病人服用汤药,经常见到轻病转重,重病转危,这都是我们衢州地区民间风俗带来的深远危害啊。总之,揪刮并无妨碍,真正有害的是矾汤、蜈蚣、草药以及禁服汤药的弊端。奉劝病家,不要过分相信庸俗医生而耽误自己,那就万幸了!
In the folk customs of Quzhou, whenever people suffer from colds in the four seasons and present with symptoms such as fever (Fe Re) and vomiting (Ou Tu), they immediately label it as "Wocuo" (a local colloquial term for a specific pathogenic condition or skin manifestation) and resort to scraping and pulling. While scraping and pulling are not inherently harmful, if the pathogen is located in the muscles, relief can be instantaneous; however, if the pathogen resides in the meridians and collaterals (Jing Luo), medication is indispensable for cure. Most detestable is the practice of first drinking a bowl of Alum Decoction (Fan Tang), believing it necessary to treat "Wocuo". They fail to realize that "Wocuo" corresponds to what medical texts call "Hui Zhuo" (Filthy Turbidity), which should be treated with aromatic, dispersing, and resolving formulas. Instead, they administer sour and cold, astringent medicines, which only cause the filthy turbid pathogen to adhere firmly to the Qi level (Qi Fen), delaying recovery indefinitely.
Furthermore, there are vulgar physicians who scrape the patient's body with their finger joints. Upon seeing a raised line, they recklessly claim it to be "Ban" (Macules/Purpura). They ignore that when a person contracts filthy turbid seasonal pathogens, Qi mechanism stagnation and blood vessel obstruction occur. Scraping with finger joints will inevitably produce a raised line, whether coarse or fine; how can this be falsely diagnosed as a Ban syndrome? They further invent names such as Snake Ban and Flea Ban. For "Snake Ban," they insist on administering several centipedes, based on the belief that snakes fear centipedes, thereby reinforcing the credulity of laypeople. They do not know that Centipede (Wugong) is acrid, warm, and toxic, entering directly into the Jueyin Liver channel. In cases of initial seasonal pathogen infection, its use easily generates Fire (Huo), driving the most superficial pathogen deeper into the body.
Why not consult medical texts: "Ban" appears large like brocade patterns, red-purple in color and confluent, turning black indicates critical illness, representing Stomach Heat (Wei Re); thus, ancients used formulas like Ju Ban Tang (Lift Macule Decoction) and Hua Ban Tang (Resolve Macule Decoction). If red spots appear on the body, some mistakenly call them "Flea Ban" and indiscriminately prescribe herbal remedies. When the condition becomes critical, they claim Ban is difficult to treat. However, red spots smaller than mosquito bites correspond to "Zhen" (Papules/Rash) in medical texts, indicating Lung Heat (Fei Re); hence, ancients used formulas like Sheng Ge Tang (Pueraria Decoction) and Yin Qiao San (Honeysuckle and Forsythia Powder). It is lamentable that vulgar physicians confuse fake with real. By misidentifying initial seasonal pathogens as Wocuo Ban syndrome and forbidding decoction intake, they often cause mild illnesses to worsen and severe ones to become critical. This is a profound harm caused by local customs in Quzhou. In summary, scraping and pulling are harmless; the true dangers lie in the abuses of Alum Decoction, Centipede, unregulated herbs, and the prohibition of medicine. I advise patients not to overly trust vulgar physicians to avoid self-harm, which would be fortunate indeed!