夫人身气血有虚实，疮疡所发有轻重，治疗之法有攻补。元戎云∶若人气血壅盛，
营卫充满，抑遏不行，腐化而为痈者，当泄之以夺盛热之气。若人饮食少思，精神
衰弱，营卫短涩，寒抟而为痈者，当补之以接虚怯之气。丹溪云∶肿疡内外皆虚，宜
以补接行散为主。大抵用药之法，如执权衡，当察病势轻重，邪蓄表里，疮毒肿溃，
元气虚实，若不详究其因，率尔投治，实
实虚虚，七恶之祸，不能免矣，治者审之。
尝见治寒以热，而寒弥甚，治热以寒，而热弥炽，何也？假如心实生热者，当益
其肾，肾水滋，热自除。肾虚生寒者，补益其心，心火降，寒自退。此所谓寒之而
热者取之阴，热之而寒者取之阳也。又寒因热用，热因寒用，要在通其理而已。又
闻微者逆之，甚者从之，盖治寒以热，必凉药以行之；治热以寒，必温药以导之，此
亦欲其药性之调和也。其间有正有权者，因病有微甚，微者逆治，理之正也。甚者从治，理之权也。
仲景云∶治伤寒有汗、吐、下三法。东垣云∶治疮疡有疏通、托里、和营卫三法。
用之得宜，厥疾瘳矣。假如疮疡肿硬木闷，烦热便秘，脉沉而实，其邪在内，当先疏
其内以下之。 肿作痛，便利调和，脉浮而洪，其邪在表，当先托其里以汗之。元
戎云∶营卫充满，抑遏而为痈者，当泄之以夺盛热之气；营卫虚弱，壅滞而为痈者，
当补之以接虚怯之气。东垣又云∶疮疡虽面赤伏热，不得攻里，里虚则下利。仲景
又云∶疮家虽身体疼痛，不可发汗，汗之则发痉，苟不审详，妄为汗下，以致血气
虚损，毒反内陷，少壮者难以溃敛，老弱者多致不救。
人的气血有虚和实之分，疮疡的发生有轻和重之别，治疗的方法有攻法和补法。元戎说：如果一个人气血壅盛，营卫充满，但被抑制阻碍不能正常运行，郁结腐败而变成痈肿的，应当用泻法来消除其亢盛的邪热之气。如果一个人饮食减少、食欲不振，精神衰弱，营卫短少涩滞，寒邪凝聚而变成痈肿的，应当用补法来接续其虚弱怯弱的气血。丹溪说：对于尚未溃破的疮疡，如果内外都表现为虚证，适宜以补益接续、行气散结为主要治法。大抵用药的原则，就像拿着秤杆称量物体一样，必须考察病势的轻重，邪气蓄积在表还是在里，疮毒是肿胀还是已经溃破，元气是虚还是实。如果不详细探究病因，就草率地投药治疗，就会导致实证更实、虚证更虚（即“实实虚虚”），那么七恶证（中医外科危重证候）的祸患就不能避免了，治病者务必审慎对待。
我曾经见到用热药治疗寒证，但寒邪反而更加严重；用寒药治疗热证，但热邪反而更加炽盛，这是为什么呢？假如心经实证产生热邪的，应当滋补肾水，肾水充足滋润，热邪自然消除。如果是肾虚产生寒邪的，应当补益心火，心火下降，寒邪自然消退。这就是所说的“寒之而热者取之阴，热之而寒者取之阳”的道理。又有“寒因热用，热因寒用”的说法，关键在于通晓其中的医理罢了。又听说病情轻微的逆其病性而治，病情严重的顺从其病性而治。大概治疗寒证用热药，必须配合凉药来引导；治疗热证用寒药，必须配合温药来导引，这也是为了使药性达到调和的目的。其中既有正治也有权变，因为疾病有轻微和严重的区别，轻微的逆其病性治疗，是常理的正治法；严重的顺其病性治疗，是常理的权变法。
仲景说：治疗伤寒病有发汗、催吐、攻下三种方法。东垣说：治疗疮疡有疏通经络、托毒外出、调和营卫三种方法。使用得当，重病就能痊愈。假如疮疡局部肿胀坚硬、麻木闷痛，伴有烦躁发热、大便便秘，脉象沉而有力，说明邪气在体内，应当先疏通内部并用攻下法。如果疮疡红肿疼痛，大小便调和，脉象浮而洪大，说明邪气在体表，应当先固护里气并用发汗法。元戎说：如果营卫充满，被抑制阻碍而形成痈肿的，应当用泻法来消除亢盛的邪热之气；如果营卫虚弱，壅滞不畅而形成痈肿的，应当用补法来接续虚弱怯弱的气血。东垣又说：疮疡患者虽然面部发红、潜伏热邪，但不能攻伐里实，如果里气虚弱就会引起腹泻。仲景又说：患有疮疡的人虽然身体疼痛，也不可以发汗，如果发汗会导致痉病（肌肉痉挛）。如果不仔细审察，妄用发汗或攻下法，导致气血虚损，毒邪反而内陷，年轻力壮的人难以使疮口溃破愈合，年老体弱的人多会导致死亡。
The body's Qi and Blood have deficiencies and excesses, and the onset of sores and ulcers has degrees of severity. The methods of treatment include purging (attacking) and tonifying. Yuan Rong stated: If a person has abundant and stagnant Qi and Blood, with Ying and Wei (Defensive and Nutritive Qi) full but obstructed from flowing freely, leading to stagnation, putrefaction, and the formation of an abscess, one should employ purging methods to drain the excessive heat pathogen. If a person has poor appetite and food intake, with depleted spirit and weakened constitution, where Ying and Wei are scanty and stagnant, and cold pathogens congeal to form an abscess, one should employ tonifying methods to support their deficient and frail Qi. Danxi stated: For un-ulcerated sores (swollen ulcers), if both interior and exterior present deficiency signs, the primary treatment should be tonification and supplementation combined with promoting circulation and dispersing stagnation. Generally, the principle of using herbs is like holding a balance scale; one must examine the severity of the disease, whether the pathogen is stored in the exterior or interior, whether the sore toxin is swollen or ulcerated, and whether the Healthy Qi (Yuan Qi) is deficient or excess. If the etiology is not thoroughly investigated and treatment is administered rashly, it will result in "reinforcing excess and depleting deficiency," making the disaster of the Seven Evil syndromes unavoidable. Practitioners must exercise caution.
I have often seen cases where treating cold with heat causes the cold to intensify, and treating heat with cold causes the heat to flare up further. Why is this? Suppose heart excess generates heat; one should benefit the Kidney. When Kidney Water nourishes sufficiently, the heat will naturally dissipate. Suppose Kidney deficiency generates cold; one should tonify the Heart. When Heart Fire descends, the cold will naturally recede. This is what is referred to as "when cooling fails to resolve heat, seek it in Yin; when heating fails to resolve cold, seek it in Yang." Furthermore, there are principles such as "using heat for cold conditions and cold for heat conditions," which hinge on understanding the underlying logic. It is also said that mild conditions are treated by opposing them (contrary treatment), while severe conditions are treated by following them (concordant treatment). Essentially, when treating cold with hot herbs, cool herbs should be used to guide them; when treating heat with cold herbs, warm herbs should be used to lead them. This aims to harmonize the properties of the medicines. Among these, there are standard treatments (Zheng) and flexible adaptations (Quan). Because diseases vary in severity, opposing the nature of mild conditions is the standard orthodox approach. Following the nature of severe conditions is the flexible adaptation.
Zhang Zhongjing stated: In treating Cold Damage (Shanghan), there are three methods: sweating (diaphoresis), vomiting (emesis), and purging (catharsis). Li Dongyuan stated: In treating sores and ulcers, there are three methods: dredging and unblocking, supporting the interior to expel toxins, and harmonizing Ying and Wei. If applied appropriately, serious illnesses will be cured. Suppose a sore is swollen, hard, numb, and stifling, accompanied by irritability, fever, constipation, and a deep, forceful pulse; this indicates the pathogen is in the interior, and one should first dredge the interior and use purgation. If the sore is red, swollen, and painful, with normal bowel movements and urination, and a floating, surging pulse; this indicates the pathogen is in the exterior, and one should first support the interior and use diaphoresis. Yuan Rong stated: If Ying and Wei are full but obstructed, forming an abscess, purging should be used to drain excessive heat; if Ying and Wei are weak and stagnant, forming an abscess, tonification should be used to support deficient Qi. Li Dongyuan further stated: Even if a patient with a sore has a red face and latent heat, one must not attack the interior; attacking a deficient interior will cause diarrhea. Zhang Zhongjing also stated: Patients with sores who experience body pain should not undergo diaphoresis; inducing sweat may lead to spasms (Jing syndrome). If practitioners fail to examine carefully and recklessly use sweating or purging methods, they will cause damage to Qi and Blood, allowing the toxin to sink inward. Young and strong individuals may struggle to ulcerate and heal, while the old and weak often die.