先哲有云用得其宜。虽乌罔亦可奏功。不得其宜。至参苓亦能为害。夫药何定施哉。昔
有人
患阳明胃腑证。法须承气。因误投参术。几殆。后以他病阳虚发热。宜用参术。却为前故畏
而不服。亦致留连增剧是犹因噎废食者也吁同一药石耳。用之有宜有不宜。而生死系之。益
见病者须择好医耳。
无知愚民每每擅一二单方草药。为能立奏殊功。且复省费。谁不悦从。但此须村里坚刚
异禀。别具一副耐毒肠胃者用之极验。若元气稍虚。误服旋倾。目击者屡矣。书此为戒。
针灸理极玄微。必按穴精详。视人肥瘦短长。以意消息。毫芒不瘥者。一着可胜百药。
今之
称善此术者亦犹盲瞽索途。反滋祸害耳。此亦只是泻法。而非补法。即云为补亦泻中补也设
若精气两亏。敢妄施乎。大抵阳衰虚寒。六脉沉迟者。亦借外火以资内火。于法得矣。若乎
阴虚火旺。脉数发热之病。灸之则 害立生。内经东垣。论之详矣。
今病者既择名手。复得好方。而药非地道。杂以伪者。非惟无功。适足取害耳。如沙参
之
假人参。苜蓿根之假黄 。 本头之伪川芎。浙贝母之伪川贝母。广黄连之伪川黄连。紫楝
根之伪巴戟。南当归之充秦归。浙地之充怀地。建山药之充怀山药。丁茄叶之伪藿香。染独活
之伪当归。粗鹅管之伪钟乳。金莲根之伪肉苁蓉。浙枸杞之伪甘枸杞。黄丝子之伪菟丝。西
五味之乱北五味。杜蘅之乱细辛。枫香之杂乳香。黑束之乱沉香。沙石之杂灵脂。牛胶。之
伪阿胶川
乌之伪附子。土防己野马肝之乱何首乌。诸如此类。不可胜穷小人既售赝器君子当具灼鉴。
先哲曾说，用药得当，即使是乌头、附子这类有毒的药物也能取得疗效；若用药不当，即使是人参、茯苓这样补益的药物也会造成危害。那么药物究竟该如何施用呢？
过去有个人患阳明胃腑证，按照治法应当使用承气汤类方剂，却误用了人参、白术等补益药，差点丧命。后来他又因其他疾病出现阳虚发热的症状，适宜用人参、白术治疗，却因为之前的教训而畏惧不服用，结果导致病情拖延加重。这就像因为吃饭噎住就停止进食一样啊！唉，同样是药物，用得恰当与否，直接关系到生死，这也更加说明了病人必须选择好医生。
无知的百姓常常擅自使用一两个单方草药，认为能立即产生显著功效，而且节省费用，谁不乐意听从呢？但这只适合那些身体强壮、禀赋特异，拥有一副耐毒肠胃的人使用，才会极其灵验。如果元气稍虚，误服后很快就会倒下，亲眼目睹这种情况的人很多了。写下这些作为警戒。
针灸的道理极为玄妙精微，必须精确详细地按取穴位，观察人的肥瘦长短，用心斟酌分寸。毫厘不差的话，一次施针胜过百种药物。如今自称擅长此术的人，也如同盲人摸索道路，反而增添祸害罢了。这（指前文提到的灸法或特定针法）也只是泻法，而非补法。即便说是补，也是泻中寓补。倘若精气两亏，敢妄加施治吗？大抵阳气衰微、虚寒、六脉沉迟的病人，也可以借助外火来资助内火，这在治法上是合适的。至于阴虚火旺、脉数发热的病，施灸则会立刻产生危害。《内经》和李东垣对此论述得很详细了。
现在的病人既然选择了名医，又得到了好方子，但药材如果不是地道药材，混杂着伪品，不仅没有功效，反而足以招致危害。比如用沙参假冒人参，苜蓿根假冒黄芪，藁本头假冒川芎，浙贝母假冒川贝母，广东黄连假冒四川黄连，紫楝根假冒巴戟天，南方当归冒充秦艽归（注：此处原文“秦归”可能指代某种特定当归或混淆概念，依字面译），浙江地黄冒充怀地黄，建山药冒充怀山药，丁香茄叶假冒藿香，染色独活假冒当归，粗鹅管石假冒钟乳石，金莲根假冒肉苁蓉，浙江枸杞假冒甘肃枸杞，黄丝子假冒菟丝子，西五味子扰乱北五味子，杜蘅扰乱细辛，枫香脂混杂乳香，黑束（注：疑为某种黑色树脂或木材）扰乱沉香，沙石混杂五灵脂，牛胶假冒阿胶，川乌假冒附子，土防己和野马肝混杂何首乌。诸如此类，不胜枚举。小人既已出售赝品，君子应当具备明辨真伪的眼光。
The ancient sages said that if medicines are used appropriately, even toxic substances like Aconitum carmichaelii (Fuzi, 附子) and Aconitum kusnezoffii (Wutou, 乌头) can achieve therapeutic effects. Conversely, if used inappropriately, even tonics like Ginseng Radix (Renshen, 人参) and Poria (Fuling, 茯苓) can cause harm. So how should medicines be administered?
In the past, a person suffered from Yangming Stomach-Fu syndrome (a pattern of excess heat in the stomach and intestines), for which the indicated treatment was Chengqi Decoction (Chengqi Tang, 承气汤). However, he mistakenly took tonics such as Ginseng Radix (Renshen, 人参) and Atractylodes Macrocephala Rhizome (Baizhu, 白术), nearly dying. Later, when he developed fever due to Yang deficiency from another illness, which was suitable for treatment with Ginseng Radix (Renshen, 人参) and Atractylodes Macrocephala Rhizome (Baizhu, 白术), he feared taking them because of the previous incident and refused to use them. This resulted in his condition lingering and worsening. This is akin to giving up eating altogether because one has choked on food. Alas! The same medicinal substances, depending on whether they are used appropriately or not, can determine life or death. This further highlights the necessity for patients to select skilled physicians.
Ignorant common people often arbitrarily use one or two single-herb prescriptions, believing they can produce immediate and remarkable results while saving money. Who would not be pleased to follow such advice? However, this approach is only effective for those who are physically robust, possess exceptional constitution, and have a digestive system capable of tolerating toxicity. If a patient’s primordial Qi (Yuanqi, 元气) is slightly deficient, accidental ingestion can lead to rapid collapse. Such cases have been witnessed frequently. These words are written as a warning.
The principles of acupuncture and moxibustion are extremely profound and subtle. One must accurately and meticulously locate acupoints, consider the patient’s body type (fat/thin, tall/short), and exercise careful judgment. If performed with precision down to the hair’s breadth, a single application can surpass the efficacy of hundreds of herbs. Today, those who claim proficiency in this art are like blind men groping for a path, thereby causing more harm. Note: The text here refers specifically to moxibustion (implied by context of "external fire") as a draining method rather than a tonifying one. Even if considered tonifying, it is tonification within draining. If both Essence (Jing, 精) and Qi (Qi, 气) are depleted, dare one apply it recklessly? Generally, for patients with Yang deficiency, coldness, and deep-slow pulses, using external heat (moxibustion) to support internal heat is therapeutically appropriate. However, for diseases characterized by Yin deficiency with hyperactive fire and rapid pulse with fever, moxibustion will immediately cause harm. The *Neijing* (Inner Canon) and Li Dongyuan (Li Dongyuan, 李东垣) have discussed this in detail.
Nowadays, even if a patient selects a renowned physician and obtains an excellent prescription, if the herbs are not genuine geographical varieties (Daodi herbs, 地道药材) and are adulterated with fakes, it will not only fail to work but also cause harm. Examples include: Adenophora Radix (Shashen, 沙参) passed off as Ginseng Radix (Renshen, 人参); Medicago sativa root (Muzhugen, 苜蓿根) passed off as Astragalus Membranaceus Root (Huangqi, 黄芪); Ligusticum sinense rhizome head (Gaoben tou, 藁本头) passed off as Ligusticum chuanxiong Rhizome (Chuanxiong, 川芎); Fritillaria thunbergii Bulb (Zhebeimu, 浙贝母) passed off as Fritillaria cirrhosa Bulb (Chuanbeimu, 川贝母); Coptis chinensis Rhizome from Guangdong (Guanghuanglian, 广黄连) passed off as Sichuan Coptis Rhizome (Chuanhuanglian, 川黄连); Morinda officinalis root substitute (Ziliangen, 紫楝根) passed off as Morinda officinalis Root (Bajitian, 巴戟天); Southern Angelica sinensis (Nandanggui, 南当归) substituted for Qin Gui (Qingu, 秦归 - likely referring to a specific type or origin of Angelica); Zhejiang Rehmannia glutinosa Root Preparata (Zhedihuang, 浙地) substituted for Huai Shan Yao (Huaidihuang, 怀地黄); Jian Yam (Jianshanyao, 建山药) substituted for Huai Yam (Huai shanyao, 怀山药); Evodia fruit leaf (Dingqieye, 丁茄叶) passed off as Agastache rugosa Herb (Huoxiang, 藿香); Dyed Notopterygium Root (Randuohuo, 染独活) passed off as Angelica sinensis Root (Danggui, 当归); Coarse Gypsum Fibrosum (Cu eguan, 粗鹅管) passed off as Halloysitum (Zhongru, 钟乳); Golden Lotus root (Jinliangen, 金莲根) passed off as Cistanche Deserticola Stem (Roucongrou, 肉苁蓉); Zhejiang Lycium barbarum Fruit (Zhegouqi, 浙枸杞) passed off as Gansu Lycium barbarum Fruit (Gan gouqi, 甘枸杞); Yellow Seed-like substance (Huangsi zi, 黄丝子) passed off as Cuscuta Chinensis Seed (Tusizi, 菟丝子); Western Schisandra chinensis Fruit (Xi wuweizi, 西五味) confused with Northern Schisandra (Bei wuweizi, 北五味); Aristolochia debilis root (Duheng, 杜蘅) confused with Asarum Europaeum Root (Xixin, 细辛); Liquidambar resin (Fengxiang, 枫香) mixed with Boswellia carterii Resin (Ruxiang, 乳香); Black bundle (Heishu, 黑束 - likely a local name for a dark resinous wood) confused with Aquilaria Sinensis Wood (Chenxiang, 沉香); Sand and stones mixed with Trogopterus Dung (Lingzhi, 灵脂); Bovine glue (Niu jiao, 牛胶) passed off as Donkey-hide Gelatin (Ejiao, 阿胶); Sichuan Aconitum Carmichaelii Lateral Root Preparata (Chuanwu, 川乌) passed off as Aconitum Carmichaelii Lateral Root Preparata (Fuzi, 附子); Earth Stephania Tetrandra Root (Tu fangji) and Wild Horse Liver (Yemagan) confused with Polygonum multiflorum Root (Heshouwu, 何首乌). There are countless such examples. While petty merchants sell counterfeit goods, gentlemen must possess the discernment to distinguish truth from falsehood.