人生十六岁以前，血气俱盛，如日方升，如月将圆。惟阴长不足，肠胃尚脆而窄，养之之道不可不谨。童子不衣裘
帛，前哲格言，具在人耳。裳，下体之服。帛，温软甚于布也。盖下体主阴，得寒凉则阴易长，得温暖则阴暗消。是以
下体不与帛绢夹浓温暖之服，恐妨阴气，实为确论。血气俱盛，食物易消，故食无时。然肠胃尚脆而窄，若稠粘干硬，
酸咸甜辣，一切鱼肉、木果、湿面、烧炙、煨炒，但是发热难化之物，皆宜禁绝。只与干柿、熟菜、白粥，非惟无病，
且不纵口，可以养德。此外生栗味咸，干柿性凉，可为养阴之助。然栗大补，柿大涩，俱为难化，亦宜少与。妇人无知，
惟务姑息，畏其啼哭，无所不与。积成痼疾，虽悔何及！所以富贵骄养，有子多病，迨至成人，筋骨柔弱，有疾则不能
忌口以自养，居丧则不能食素以尽礼，小节不谨，大义亦亏。可不慎欤！至于乳子之母，尤宜谨节。饮食下咽，乳汁便
通。情欲动中，乳脉便应。病气到乳，汁必凝滞。儿得此乳，疾病立至。不吐则泻，不疮则热。或为口糜，或为惊搐，
或为夜啼，或为腹痛。病之初来，其溺必甚少，便须询问，随证调治。母安亦安，可消患于未形也。夫饮食之择，犹是
小可。乳母禀受之浓薄，情性之缓急，骨相之坚脆，德行之善恶，儿能速肖，尤为关系。或曰∶可以已矣！曰∶未也。
古之胎教，具在方册，愚不必赘。若夫胎孕致病，事起茫昧，人多玩忽，医所不知。儿之在胎，与母同体，得热则俱热，
得寒则俱寒，病则俱病，安则俱安。母之饮食起居，尤当慎密。
东阳张进士次子二岁，满头有疮，一日疮忽自平，遂患痰喘。予视之曰∶此胎毒也。慎勿与解利药。众皆愕然。予
又曰∶乃母孕时所喜何物？张曰∶辛辣热物是其所喜。因口授一方，用人参、连翘、芎、连、生甘草、陈皮、芍药、木
通，浓煎。沸汤入竹沥与之，数日而安。或曰∶何以知之？曰∶见其精神昏倦，病受得深，决无外感，非胎毒而何？
予之次女，形瘦性急，体本有热，怀孕三月，适当夏暑口渴思水，时发小热，遂教以四物汤加黄芩、陈皮、生甘草、
木通，因懒于煎煮。数帖而止。其后，此子二岁，疮痍遍身，忽一日其疮顿愈，数日遂成 疟。予曰∶此胎毒也。疮若
再作，病必自安。已而果然。若于孕时确守前方，何病之有？
又陈氏女八岁时得痫病，遇阴雨则作，遇惊亦作，口出涎沫，声如羊鸣。予视之曰∶如胎受惊也。其病深痼，调治
半年，病亦可安。仍须淡味以佐药功。与烧丹元，继以四物汤入黄连，随时令加减，半年而安。
人在十六岁之前，气血都很旺盛，就像太阳刚刚升起，月亮即将圆满。只是阴气生长不足，肠胃还脆弱且狭窄，养育的方法不可不谨慎。童子不穿皮衣和丝绸衣服，这是前代哲人的格言，大家都清楚。裳，是下半身的衣物。帛，比布更温暖柔软。因为下半身主阴，得到寒凉则阴气容易生长，得到温暖则阴气容易消减。所以下半身不穿丝绸夹厚温暖的衣服，恐怕妨碍阴气，这确实是确切的理论。气血旺盛，食物容易消化，所以饮食没有固定时间。然而肠胃还脆弱狭窄，如果吃稠粘干硬、酸咸甜辣、一切鱼肉、水果、湿面、烧烤、煨炒，凡是发热难消化的食物，都应该禁止。只给干柿饼、熟菜、白粥，不仅不得病，而且不纵容口腹之欲，可以培养德行。此外生栗子味咸，干柿饼性凉，可以作为养阴的辅助。但是栗子大补，柿饼大涩，都难以消化，也应该少量给予。妇人无知，只顾姑息，害怕孩子啼哭，什么都给。积成顽固疾病，即使后悔又有什么用！所以富贵人家骄纵溺爱，孩子多病，等到成年，筋骨柔弱，有病时不能忌口来调养自己，守丧时不能吃素来尽礼，小节不谨慎，大义也受损。能不慎重吗！至于哺乳的母亲，尤其应该谨慎节制。饮食咽下，乳汁就通畅。情欲在心中发动，乳脉就响应。病气到乳汁，汁液必然凝滞。孩子得到这种乳汁，疾病立刻到来。不是呕吐就是腹泻，不是长疮就是发热。或者成为口疮，或者惊厥抽搐，或者夜间啼哭，或者腹痛。病刚开始来时，小便一定很少，必须询问，随证调理治疗。母亲安好孩子也安好，可以在隐患未形成时消除它。饮食的选择，还是小事。乳母禀赋的浓薄，性情的缓急，骨相的坚脆，德行的善恶，孩子能迅速模仿，尤为关键。有人说：可以结束了吧！我说：还没有。古代的胎教，都在典籍中，我不必多说。至于胎孕致病，事情起于模糊，人们多轻视忽略，医生也不知道。孩子在胎中，与母亲同体，受热则一起热，受寒则一起寒，有病则一起有病，安则一起安。母亲的饮食起居，尤其应当谨慎严密。
东阳张进士的二儿子两岁时，满头有疮，一天疮突然自行平复，于是患痰喘。我看后说：这是胎毒。千万不要给解利药。众人都很惊讶。我又问：你怀孕时喜欢吃什么？张说：辛辣热物是他喜欢的。于是口头传授一方，用人参、连翘、川芎、黄连、生甘草、陈皮、芍药、木通，浓煎。沸汤加入竹沥给他喝，几天就好了。有人说：怎么知道的？我说：看他的精神昏倦，病受得深，决无外感，不是胎毒是什么？我的次女，形体瘦弱性情急躁，体质本来有热，怀孕三个月，正当夏暑口渴想喝水，时常发低热，于是教她用四物汤加黄芩、陈皮、生甘草、木通，因为她懒得煎煮。几帖后就停止了。后来，这个孩子两岁时，疮痍遍布全身，忽然一天疮顿愈，几天后就成了疟疾。我说：这是胎毒。疮如果再发作，病一定会自愈。后来果然如此。如果在怀孕时确实遵守前面的方子，会有什么病呢？
还有陈氏女儿八岁时得癫痫，遇到阴雨就发作，受到惊吓也发作，口出涎沫，声音像羊叫。我看后说：像是胎里受惊。这病深重顽固，调理半年，病也可以好。仍然需要清淡口味来辅助药效。给烧丹元，接着用四物汤入黄连，随时令加减，半年就好了。
Before the age of sixteen, a person's qi and blood are abundant, like the sun just rising or the moon about to become full. However, yin growth is insufficient, and the intestines and stomach remain fragile and narrow; therefore, the method of nurturing must not be careless. It is a maxim of former sages that children should not wear fur or silk garments, a principle well known to all. "Chang" refers to lower-body clothing. "Bo" (silk) is warmer and softer than cloth. Since the lower body governs yin, exposure to cold promotes yin growth, while warmth causes yin to dissipate. Thus, avoiding warm, thick, silk-lined garments for the lower body to prevent hindering yin qi is indeed a sound theory. With abundant qi and blood, food digests easily, so there is no fixed time for meals. Nevertheless, because the intestines and stomach are fragile and narrow, one should strictly avoid sticky, dry, hard foods, as well as sour, salty, sweet, spicy items, all meat and fish, fruits, wet noodles, roasted, baked, or stir-fried dishes—anything that generates heat and is difficult to digest. Only dried persimmons, cooked vegetables, and white rice porridge should be given. This not only prevents illness but also curbs gluttony, thereby cultivating virtue. Additionally, raw chestnuts have a salty flavor, and dried persimmons have a cool nature, which can assist in nourishing yin. However, since chestnuts are strongly tonifying and persimmons are highly astringent, both being hard to digest, they should be given sparingly. Ignorant women often indulge their children out of pity, giving them anything to stop crying. This accumulates into chronic diseases, making regret futile! Therefore, spoiled children from wealthy families suffer from frequent illnesses; upon adulthood, their sinews and bones are weak, unable to observe dietary restrictions for self-care when ill, or abstain from meat during mourning to fulfill ritual propriety. Neglecting minor details compromises major principles. Is this not something to be cautious about? Regarding nursing mothers, strict discipline is especially required. What the mother eats enters her system and directly affects the milk. Emotional desires within stir the breast meridians. If pathogenic factors reach the milk, its flow becomes stagnant. If the infant consumes such milk, disease arises immediately: vomiting or diarrhea, sores or fever, mouth ulcers, convulsions, night crying, or abdominal pain. At the onset of illness, urine output is necessarily scant; inquiry and symptom-based treatment are essential. If the mother is healthy, the child is healthy, preventing issues before they manifest. Dietary selection is merely a minor concern. The nursing mother's innate constitution (richness or thinness), temperament (calm or hasty), skeletal structure (strong or fragile), and moral character (good or bad) are rapidly mirrored by the infant, which is particularly significant. One might ask, "Is that all?" I reply, "No." Ancient prenatal education is recorded in texts, requiring no elaboration here. However, diseases originating from pregnancy are obscure, often ignored by people and unknown to physicians. While in the womb, the fetus shares the mother's body; if she is hot, the fetus is hot; if cold, the fetus is cold; if diseased, the fetus is diseased; if at peace, the fetus is at peace. The mother's diet and lifestyle must be meticulously guarded.
The second son of Scholar Zhang from Dongyang was two years old with sores covering his head. One day, the sores suddenly healed, and he developed phlegm-induced wheezing. Upon examination, I said, "This is fetal toxin. Do not administer detoxifying or purgative medicines." Everyone was astonished. I asked further, "What did you crave during pregnancy?" Zhang replied, "Spicy and hot foods." I then prescribed orally: Ren Shen (Ginseng Radix), Lian Qiao (Forsythiae Fructus), Xiong (Ligusticum Chuanxiong Rhizome), Lian (Coptidis Rhizoma), Sheng Gan Cao (Raw Glycyrrhizae Radix), Chen Pi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium), Shao Yao (Paeoniae Radix Alba), and Mu Tong (Akebiae Caulis). Decoct strongly. Administer with boiling water mixed with Zhu Li (Bamboo Sap). He recovered in a few days. Someone asked, "How did you know?" I answered, "His spirit was dull and fatigued, indicating deep pathology without external contraction. How else could it be explained but as fetal toxin?"
My second daughter was slender and irritable, with an inherent internal heat. At three months of pregnancy, during summer heat, she felt thirsty and craved water, experiencing occasional low-grade fever. I advised Si Wu Tang (Four Substances Decoction) added with Huang Qin (Scutellariae Radix), Chen Pi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium), Sheng Gan Cao (Raw Glycyrrhizae Radix), and Mu Tong (Akebiae Caulis). Due to laziness in decocting, she stopped after a few doses. Later, this child, at age two, had sores all over the body. Suddenly, the sores healed completely, and several days later, malaria developed. I stated, "This is fetal toxin. If the sores recur, the illness will resolve itself." This proved true. Had she strictly adhered to the previous prescription during pregnancy, what illness would have occurred?
Furthermore, the daughter of the Chen family developed epilepsy at age eight, triggered by rainy weather or fright, with foaming at the mouth and bleating sounds like a sheep. I diagnosed, "This resembles fright received in utero." The condition was deep and stubborn; after six months of regulation, the disease subsided. A bland diet was necessary to support the medicinal efficacy. I administered Shao Dan Yuan (a specific pill formula) followed by Si Wu Tang (Four Substances Decoction) combined with Huang Lian (Coptidis Rhizoma), adjusted according to the seasons, resulting in recovery after half a year.