湿热之邪，从表伤者十之一二，由口鼻入者十之八九。阳明为水谷之海，太阴为湿土之脏，故多阳明、太阴受病。
太阴之表，四肢也，阳明也；阳明之表，肌肉也，胸中也。故胸痞为湿热必有之证，四肢倦怠，肌肉烦疼，亦必并见。
膜原者，外通肌肉，内近胃腑，即三焦之门户，实一身之半表半里也。邪由上受，直趋中道，故病多归膜原。要之
湿热之病，不独与伤寒不同，且与温病大异。温病乃少阴、太阳同病，湿热乃阳明、太阴同病也。言证而不言脉者，以
湿热之候，脉无定体，或洪或缓，或伏或细，故难以一定之脉，拘定后人眼目也。
湿热之证，阳明必兼太阴者，徒知脏腑相连，湿土同气，而不知当与温病之必兼少阴比例。少阴不藏，木火内燔，
风邪外袭，表里相应，故为温病；太阴内伤，湿饮停聚，客邪再至，内外相引，故病湿热。此皆先由内伤，再感客邪，
非由腑及脏之谓。若湿热之证，不挟内伤，中气实者，其病必微。或有先因于湿，再因饥劳而病者，亦属内伤挟湿，标
本同病。然劳倦伤脾为不足，湿饮停聚为有余，所以内伤外感，孰多孰少，孰虚孰实，又在临证时权衡矣。
凡暑月霪雨之后，日气煦照，湿浊上蒸，人在湿热蒸腾中，感之则暑湿交受；兼溷秽浊之气，人中之，即痧毒也。
夫人之正气一虚，暑湿秽浊之邪，俱从口鼻吸入，流布三焦。上乘于心，为中痧；中入于胃，为霍乱；踞于募原，为寒
热；归于肠胃，为泄泻。盖暑热之邪，骤发而重者，为湿温；迟发而轻者，为寒热如疟，为伏暑晚发；触邪随时即发者，
为寒热，为泄泻；伏邪遇秋始发者，则为疟为痢矣。一邪之染，为病非一，临证者可不探本穷源以治哉？
湿热之邪，从体表侵入的占十分之一二，由口鼻进入的占十分之八九。阳明经是水谷汇聚的海，太阴经是湿土性质的脏，所以疾病多发生在阳明和太阴两经。
太阴经的表部在四肢，也关联阳明经；阳明经的表部在肌肉，也关联胸中。因此，胸部痞闷是湿热病必然出现的症状，四肢倦怠、肌肉烦痛，也一定会同时出现。
膜原（位于半表半里的特殊部位），外通肌肉，内近胃腑，是三焦的门户，实际上是一身的半表半里之地。邪气从上受入，直趋中道，所以病症多归于膜原。总之，湿热病，不仅与伤寒不同，而且与温病大相径庭。温病是少阴病与太阳病同见，湿热病则是阳明病与太阴病同见。这里只论述证候而不论述脉象，是因为湿热病的脉象没有固定形态，有的洪大，有的缓弱，有的沉伏，有的细弱，所以难以用固定的脉象来束缚后人的诊断思路。
湿热证中，阳明病必兼有太阴病的原因，人们只知道脏腑相连、湿土同气，却不知道应当将其与温病必兼少阴病进行类比。少阴不藏精，导致木火在内燔烧，风邪从外侵袭，表里相应，所以形成温病；太阴内伤，导致湿饮停聚，客邪再次到来，内外相互牵引，所以发生湿热病。这都是先由内伤引起，再感受客邪，并非由腑传及脏的说法。如果湿热证不夹杂内伤，中气充实的人，其病情一定轻微。或者有先因于湿，又因饥饿劳累而发病的，也属于内伤挟湿，标和本同病。然而劳倦伤脾属于不足（虚证），湿饮停聚属于有余（实证），所以内伤和外感，哪个多哪个少，哪个虚哪个实，需要在临证时权衡判断。
凡是暑天连绵阴雨之后，阳光煦照，湿浊之气上蒸，人在湿热蒸腾的环境中，感受了则暑湿交加；再加上混杂秽浊之气，人吸入后，就是痧毒。人的正气一旦虚弱，暑湿秽浊之邪，都从口鼻吸入，流布于三焦。上乘于心，称为中痧；中入于胃，称为霍乱；踞守于膜原，表现为寒热往来；归于肠胃，表现为泄泻。大概暑热之邪，突然发作且严重的，称为湿温；迟发且轻微的，称为寒热如疟疾，或称为伏暑晚发；触邪随即发作的，称为寒热，或称为泄泻；伏邪遇到秋天才发作的，就称为疟疾或痢疾了。一种邪气的感染，导致的疾病不止一种，临证诊治者怎能不探究本源以治疗呢？
Pathogenic factors of Damp-Heat (Shī Rè, damp-heat) enter from the exterior in one or two cases out of ten, and enter via the mouth and nose in eight or nine cases out of ten. The Yangming channel is the sea of water and grain, and the Taiyin organ is the wet earth viscera; therefore, diseases often occur in both the Yangming and Taiyin channels/organs.
The exterior of the Taiyin involves the four limbs and also relates to the Yangming; the exterior of the Yangming involves the muscles and also relates to the chest. Therefore, chest stuffiness (xiōng pǐ, a sensation of fullness and obstruction in the chest) is an inevitable symptom of Damp-Heat disease, while limb fatigue and muscle discomfort/pain will inevitably appear concurrently.
The Mo Yuan (Membrane Source, a specific location between the interior and exterior), externally connects to the muscles and internally approaches the stomach fu-organ; it is the gateway of the Sanjiao (Triple Burner) and actually constitutes the half-exterior half-interior of the entire body. Pathogens received from above directly tend toward the middle pathway; thus, diseases often localize at the Mo Yuan. In summary, Damp-Heat diseases differ not only from Cold Damage (Shāng Hán, cold damage syndrome) but are also significantly distinct from Warm Diseases (Wēn Bìng, warm disease syndrome). Warm Disease involves simultaneous pathology of the Shaoyin and Taiyang; Damp-Heat involves simultaneous pathology of the Yangming and Taiyin. Here, symptoms are discussed without pulse diagnosis because the pulse presentation in Damp-Heat has no fixed pattern: it may be洪 (Hóng, surging/vigorous), 缓 (Huǎn, slow/relaxed), 伏 (Fú, deep-hidden), or 细 (Xì, fine/thready). Thus, it is difficult to restrict practitioners' judgment with a fixed pulse pattern.
In Damp-Heat syndromes, Yangming pathology must accompany Taiyin pathology. People merely know that the zang-fu organs are connected and share the nature of wet earth, but they do not realize that this should be compared to Warm Disease where Shaoyin pathology is invariably involved. When Shaoyin fails to store essence, wood and fire blaze internally; when Wind pathogen attacks externally, the exterior and interior correspond, resulting in Warm Disease. When Taiyin suffers internal injury, leading to stagnation and accumulation of Dampness and fluids, and external pathogens arrive again, the interior and exterior attract each other, resulting in Damp-Heat disease. These all arise first from internal injury followed by exposure to external pathogens, rather than transmission from fu-organs to zang-organs. If a Damp-Heat syndrome does not involve internal injury and the Middle Qi (Zhōng Qì, central qi) is solid, the disease will necessarily be mild. There are cases where illness begins due to Dampness and is subsequently aggravated by hunger and labor; these also belong to internal injury complicated by Dampness, where both root and branch are diseased simultaneously. However, labor injuring the Spleen results in deficiency (Xu, deficient condition), while stagnation of Dampness and fluids results in excess (Shí, excess condition). Therefore, regarding internal injury versus external contraction, which is more prevalent, and whether the condition is deficient or excess, one must weigh and judge during clinical practice.
After continuous rain during the summer months, when sunlight shines warmly, turbid Dampness steams upward. When humans are in this steaming environment of Damp-Heat and become infected, Summerheat and Dampness combine. Mixed with foul and turbid air, if inhaled by humans, it becomes Sha Du (Sha Toxin, epidemic toxin). Once human Zheng Qi (True Upright Qi, vital energy) becomes deficient, pathogens of Summerheat, Dampness, and Turbidity are all inhaled via the mouth and nose and spread throughout the Sanjiao. Ascending to reach the Heart, it is called Zhong Sha (Central Sha); entering the Stomach, it is called Huo Luan (Cholera-like disorder); occupying the Mo Yuan, it presents as alternating Chills and Fever (Hán Rè); returning to the Intestines and Stomach, it presents as Diarrhea (Xiè Xiè). Generally, Summerheat-Heat pathogens that erupt suddenly and severely are called Shi Wen (Damp-Warmth); those that erupt late and mildly are called Han Re Ru Nüe (Chills and fever resembling Malaria) or Fu Shu Wan Fa (Late-onset latent Summerheat); those that erupt immediately upon exposure are called Han Re or Xie Xie; those whose latent pathogens erupt only in autumn are then called Nüe (Malaria) or Li Ji (Dysentery). A single pathogen infection can cause multiple diseases; how can clinicians fail to investigate the root and source for treatment?