宁波提标湖南弁勇。患暑热症。初微恶寒。旋即发热。彼地医士。喜用温药。以桂枝、吴萸、苍术、浓朴等燥热之
药服
之。身热如炽。口大渴。喜饮凉水。小便涓滴俱无。邀余诊之。脉洪大而数。曰。此暑热症。误服温燥之所致也。乃用
白虎汤加芦根、花粉、麦冬、银花、鲜石斛、鲜竹叶、金汁水、滑石。大剂煎成。候冷冻饮料之。一剂即瘥。次日扶行至寓。
诊之热
势甚微。小便已通。脉象已和。口舌濡润。诸恙均瘥。乃照前方增减之。去金汁、知母、鲜斛。加西洋参、荷叶、川斛。
服两剂而愈。盖省分虽分南北。而六淫之邪。感人则一。总须审体质之强弱。辨脉症之寒热。不可固执成见以施治耳。
武林丰乐桥华光巷俞姓者。年五十余。患湿邪内蕴。初冬微感风寒。咳嗽气逆。延湖南医士治之。重用麻黄、干姜、
石膏三味。连服六七剂。而腹胀甚。改用商陆、甘遂。大戟、牵牛硬下。初服似稍宽快。久之其胀愈甚。至新正乃邀余
诊。脉已离根。面色灰滞。气逆音哑。所吐之痰。状如腐肉。小便点滴不通。化原已绝。一误再误。无药挽救。真所谓
杀人不以刃也。按是症初起。本属小恙。投以杏苏散一二剂。便可奏效。乃用辛温重药。以致风寒湿之邪。内外凑合。
结于太阴阳明之分。而为 胀。病本非水。而硬下之。使水道反闭。而小便不通。危迫至此。虽神圣亦无所施其技
也。徐灵胎云。不死于病。而死于医。非斯之谓而谁谓耶。噫。
宁波提标营的湖南籍士兵，患了暑热症。起初轻微怕冷，随即发高烧。当地的医生喜欢用温性药物，给他服用桂枝、吴茱萸、苍术、厚朴等燥热性质的药物。结果身体发热如火烧，口中极度口渴，喜欢喝凉水，小便点滴全无。邀请我诊治，脉象洪大且快速。我说：这是暑热症，因误服温燥药物所导致的。于是使用白虎汤加芦根、天花粉、麦冬、金银花、鲜石斛、鲜竹叶、金汁水、滑石。大剂量煎煮成药液，待冷却冷冻后让患者饮用。服用一剂病即痊愈。第二天扶他到寓所，诊察发现热势很微弱，小便已经通畅，脉象平和，口舌湿润，所有病症都好了。于是按照前方进行增减，去掉金汁、知母、鲜石斛，加入西洋参、荷叶、川石斛。服用两剂后完全康复。大概省份虽有南北之分，但六淫邪气伤人是一样的。总须审察体质的强弱，辨别脉症的寒热，不可固执己见来施治。
杭州武林丰乐桥华光巷姓俞的人，五十多岁。患有湿邪内蕴，初冬轻微感受风寒，咳嗽气逆。请湖南医生治疗，重用麻黄、干姜、石膏三味药，连续服用六七剂，导致腹胀严重。改用商陆、甘遂、大戟、牵牛子强行攻下。初服时似乎稍感宽快，久而久之腹胀更加严重。到了新年正月才邀请我诊治。脉象已离根（无根之脉），面色灰暗滞涩，气逆声音嘶哑，所吐出的痰，形状像腐烂的肉，小便点滴不通，化源已绝。一误再误，无药可救。真所谓不用刀杀人却致人死亡啊。按此症初起，本属小病，投以杏苏散一二剂，便可见效。乃用辛温重药，以致风寒湿邪内外凑合，结于太阴和阳明的分界处，而形成胀满。病本不是水饮，而强行攻下，使水道反而闭塞，导致小便不通。危急迫近至此，即使是神医也无能为力了。徐灵胎说：不死于病，而死于医，说的不就是这种情况吗？唉。
A Hunanese soldier in the Ningbo Tiao Biao (Ningbo Standard) camp suffered from Summer-heat Disease (Shu Re Zheng). Initially, he had slight aversion to cold, which was quickly followed by high fever. Local physicians, fond of using warm-natured medicines, administered drying and heating herbs such as Guizhi Tang (Cinnamon Twig Decoction) ingredients—Guizhi (Ramulus Cinnamomi), Wuzhuyu (Fructus Evodiae), Cangzhu (Rhizoma Atractylodis Chinensis), and Houpo (Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis). Consequently, his body heat became intense like a blazing fire, he experienced extreme thirst preferring cold water, and urination ceased completely. Upon my consultation, the pulse was surging (Hong) and rapid (Shuo). I stated: "This is Summer-heat Disease caused by the mistaken administration of warming and drying agents." Therefore, I prescribed Baihu Tang (White Tiger Decoction) supplemented with Dazhusugen (Radix Phragmitis Rhizoma), Huafen (Radix Platycodonis), Maidong (Tuber Ophiopogonis), Yinhua (Flos Lonicerae Japonicae), Xian Shihu (Herba Dendrobii Nobiles Fresh), Xian Zhuye (Folium Bambusae Fresh), Jinzhui Shui (Water of Gold Juice), and Huashi (Talcum). The large dose was decocted, allowed to cool until frozen-cold, and then ingested. One dose resulted in recovery. The next day, upon supporting him to my residence, examination revealed minimal residual heat, patent urination, a harmonious pulse, moist mouth and tongue, and resolution of all ailments. Thus, I adjusted the previous formula by removing Jinzhui Shui, Zhimu (Rhizoma Anemarrhenae), and Xian Shihu, adding Xiyangshen (Radix Panacis Quinquefolii), Heye (Folium Nelumbinis), and Chuan Shihu (Herba Dendrobii Nobiles). Two doses led to complete cure. Although provinces are divided into north and south, the pathogenic factors of the Six Excesses (Liu Yin) affect humans uniformly. One must always assess the strength or weakness of the constitution and distinguish the cold or heat nature of the pulse and symptoms, rather than adhering rigidly to preconceived notions when treating.
A Mr. Yu residing at Huaguang Alley, Fengle Bridge, Wulin, Hangzhou, aged over fifty, suffered from internal accumulation of Dampness (Shi Xie). In early winter, he slightly contracted Wind-Cold, resulting in cough and rebellious Qi (Qi Ni). He sought treatment from a Hunan physician who heavily utilized Mahuang (Ephedrae Herba), Ganjiang (Zingiberis Rhizoma), and Shigao (Gypsum Fibrosum). After taking these for six or seven consecutive doses, severe abdominal distension ensued. The treatment was changed to strong purgatives including Shanglu (Radix Phytolaccae), Gansui (Radix Euphorbiae Kansuen), Daji (Radix Euphorbiae Pekinensis), and Qianniu (Semen Pharbitidis). Initially, there was slight relief, but eventually, the distension worsened significantly. By the first lunar month of the new year, he invited me to consult. The pulse was rootless (Li Gen), complexion was grayish and stagnant, Qi rebellion caused hoarseness, expectorated sputum resembled rotting flesh, and urination was completely obstructed. The source of transformation (Hua Yuan) was exhausted. Due to repeated errors, no medicine could save him. It is truly said that this is killing people without a blade. Analyzing the onset, it was originally a minor ailment; one or two doses of Xingsu San (Apricot Kernel Powder) would have been effective. However, the use of heavy acrid-warm medicines caused Wind-Cold-Damp pathogens to combine internally and externally, knotting at the boundary of Taiyin and Yangming meridians, leading to distension. The disease was not Water-Fluid retention, yet strong purgation was applied, causing the water passages to close and urination to stop. At such a critical juncture, even divine physicians would be powerless. Xu Lingtai stated: "One does not die from the disease, but from the physician." Who else does this refer to but this case? Alas.