典藏书目

Wan Quan discussed the care of children by rural women, noting that (the children) have no other illnesses. This is like plants growing in deep mountains and large marshes, easily reaching a size where they can be embraced with two arms; whereas for rare fruits and precious timber, even with cultivation, there are occasional failures to flower or bear fruit. Is this not due to differences in value? Children who are frequently exposed to wind and sunlight develop condensed blood and qi, becoming robust, with hard and dense muscles capable of withstanding cold and wind, similar to country children. Tian Shi stated: Generally, if infants are kept too warm, internal heat arises; extreme heat generates wind; frequent carrying leads to carbuncles; improper feeding causes accumulations (Pi Ji). These must be handled with caution. Zhang Huan said: The nursemaid should massage the Fengchi acupoint on the back of the infant's neck three times daily. If the infant has high fever, moxibustion or warming therapy should be applied to induce slight sweating, which will lead to recovery. The proverb says: Guard against over-protecting infants and carefully protect the Fengchi acupoint. Fengchi is located at the sides of the tendons in the neck region. Treatment is only necessary when illness occurs. If the disease is mild, one must absolutely avoid arbitrary acupuncture and moxibustion, and should not readily use emetic or purgative methods. The reason is that acupuncture damages the meridians and collaterals of infants, while emetics and purgatives injure the Zang-Fu organs. When an infant suffers from summerheat, keep them in slightly cool places. The nursemaid should not forbid drinking newly drawn water, but it should not be consumed in large quantities. If infants fall ill during spring and summer, do not indiscriminately use purgative methods, as this may cause deficiency in the Lower Jiao and heat in the Upper Jiao, transforming into a serious disease. Raising infants requires observing differences in innate constitution due to northern and southern geographical variations, as the cold and warmth of local soils differ. Two months after birth, the infant's pupils form, they can smile and recognize people; the nursemaid should not allow strangers to hold them nor let them see unusual objects. At 100 days, the Ren Mai (Conception Vessel) develops, and they can roll over; the nursemaid should regulate emotions and maintain appropriate temperature. At half a year, the sacrum is formed; the nursemaid should teach the child to sit. At 200 days, the metacarpal bones form; the nursemaid should teach the child to crawl on the ground. At 300 days, the patella forms; the nursemaid should teach the child to stand independently. At one year old, the knee bones are formed; the nursemaid should teach the child to walk. These are all fixed rules. People in the world often fail to adhere to these regulations, holding infants for too long and damaging their bones and sinews. One must beware of this to ensure good fortune. Luo Qianfu said: A child in May suffered abdominal pain after eating cold powder-like food. He bought Shenxiong Wan (Shenxiong Pill) from a pharmacy and took it. The cold pain in the umbilical and abdominal regions gradually worsened, coming and going, persisting for seven or eight years without cessation. Reflecting on the ancient saying "Treat cold with heat," a good physician cannot abandon principles. The ingested substance was cold; the administered medicine was also cold. Double cold injuring the Stomach explains the cold pain. Human Spleen and Stomach prefer warmth and dislike cold. Infants have weak Qi and Blood and cannot withstand cold, leading to latent Yang Qi and lingering cold pathogens that persist over time. Treating disease requires addressing the root. Medicines to harmonize the Middle Jiao and nourish Qi should be used to remedy the previous error. After taking medicine for over a month, the child recovered. Alas, when Kang Zi offered medicine, Confucius bowed and accepted it but did not taste it because he did not understand its properties. This highlights the importance of preserving life. Why do ordinary people remain silent and allow pulse diagnosis, believing it reveals illness? Pulse reflects Qi and Blood moving through the meridians. Excess heat causes rapid pulse; excess cold causes slow pulse. Excess conditions are forceful; deficiency conditions are weak. How can one distinguish the specific pathogenic factor from the pulse alone! Physicians must investigate the source of disease, and families must disclose it. In this case, the father did not inform the doctor of the cause but sought medicine at the market. The pharmacist dispensed medicine without investigating the cause, resulting in a seven-to-eight-year illness due to ignorance of this principle. Sun Simiao said: Inquiry before diagnosis is most accurate. Su Dongpo said: Seek only to cure the disease, do not burden the physician. The contributions of these two gentlemen to the world are immense.