凡诊小儿之法。诸书皆以面部及手纹为识病之资。其所援引。率皆渺昧难凭。烦琐无要
于诸大家所谓望闻问切四者之诊。置闻问切三者于不讲。可得谓之为良医乎。夫小儿言语不
通。病情难识。则尤当以望闻问切为延医之要。盖望其形色。则有以知其邪正之盛衰。审其
声音。则有以别其禀赋之强弱。询其向背。则有以识其性情之好恶。察其脉息。则有以明其
表里之寒热。苟能细心求之。则表里寒热虚实。皆得其真。用药自无不当。奈何近日幼科。
学术更浅。一遇小儿有病。不是从事于表。便是攻伐其里。迨至真阳外越。虚热日增。则清
凉并进。一味胡猜。不独望闻问切四者不知。抑且置虚寒二症于不问。嗟乎。曾不知迩来气
化日薄。今人禀赋更虚。加以婴儿气血未坚。脏腑柔绝。些小病痛。其元气已不能支。而堪
庸劣之徒。寒热不分。虚实莫辨。妄意揣摩。任情剥削者乎。兹则掀翻底蕴。直指精微。专
以望闻问切四者为纲。以揭明表里寒热虚实六者之要。俾学人有所根据。庶几不致颠倒混
施。诛伐无过。或于婴儿有浓幸矣。至于用药之法。宁勿药。毋过剂。宁轻。毋重。毋偏寒
毋偏热。毋过散。毋过攻。须遵内经邪之所凑。其气必虚之训。时以保护元气为主。知乎此。
于婴儿延医之道。思过半矣。至于虚寒败症。则非峻用温补。不可挽回。毋得稍涉因循。致
令不救。此又不可不知也。
凡是诊断小儿疾病的方法，各类医书中多以面部色泽及手纹作为辨识疾病的依据。这些所引用的内容，大多模糊不清、难以凭信，繁琐且不得要领。
对于各位名医所说的望、闻、问、切四种诊法，如果置闻诊、问诊、切诊这三者于不顾，不讲求它们，这能称得上是良医吗？
小儿言语不通，病情难以识别，因此更应当以望、闻、问、切作为延请医生诊治的关键。观察其面色形态，就能知道邪气与正气的盛衰；审视其声音，就能辨别其先天禀赋的强弱；询问其喜好倾向，就能了解其性情的爱憎；察按其脉息，就能明了表里寒热的状况。如果能细心探求，那么表里、寒热、虚实的情况都能得到真实的判断，用药自然没有不当之处。
为何近来的儿科医生，学术水平更加浅薄？一遇到小儿生病，不是单纯解表，就是攻伐其里。等到真阳外越、虚热日益增加时，又并进使用清凉药物，一味胡乱猜测。这不仅不知道望、闻、问、切四诊，甚至连虚证和寒证也不加过问。唉！他们哪里不知道近来天地气化日渐薄弱，今人的禀赋更加虚弱，加上婴儿气血尚未坚固，脏腑柔弱至极，些许病痛，其元气已经不能支撑，怎能忍受庸劣之徒寒热不分、虚实莫辨，妄加揣摩、任意剥削呢？
现在本书掀开深层底蕴，直指精微之处，专门以望、闻、问、切四诊为纲领，来阐明表、里、寒、热、虚、实六者的要点，使学习的人有所依据，或许不至于颠倒混乱地施治，误伤无辜（诛伐无过），这对婴儿或许能有极大的幸运了。
至于用药的方法，宁可不用药，也不要过量用药；宁可药力轻，也不要药力重；不要偏于寒凉，不要偏于温热；不要过度发散，不要过度攻伐。必须遵循《内经》中“邪之所凑，其气必虚”的教诲，时常以保护元气为主。懂得这一点，在婴儿延医之道上，就掌握了一半以上的关键了。至于那些虚寒导致的败症，则非要用峻猛的温补药物，才不可挽回。不得稍有拖延，致使无法救治。这一点又是不可不知道的。
Regarding the methods for diagnosing pediatric diseases, various medical texts rely primarily on facial complexion and hand lines as indicators for identifying illness. The citations drawn from these sources are often vague and unreliable, being cumbersome and lacking in essential principles.
If one disregards the three diagnostic methods of Auscultation and Olfaction (Wen), Inquiry (Wen), and Palpation (Qie) advocated by renowned physicians alongside Inspection (Wang), can such a practitioner be considered a competent physician? Since infants cannot speak clearly and their conditions are difficult to ascertain, it is particularly crucial to employ Inspection, Auscultation and Olfaction, Inquiry, and Palpation as the key aspects of seeking medical attention. By inspecting their appearance and color, one can discern the balance between pathogenic factors (Xie Qi) and healthy qi (Zheng Qi); by examining their voice, one can evaluate the strength of their innate constitution (Bian Fu); by inquiring about their preferences, one can understand their temperament; and by palpating their pulse, one can clarify the interior-exterior dynamics and cold-heat patterns. If one seeks diligently, the true nature of interior-exterior, cold-heat, and deficiency-excess will be revealed, ensuring that medication is appropriately prescribed.
Why, however, have contemporary pediatric practitioners become even more superficial in their scholarship? Upon encountering an ill child, they either indiscriminately apply exterior-releasing methods or excessively attack the interior. When this leads to the floating away of True Yang (Zhen Yang) and an increase in deficient heat, they further compound the error by administering cooling agents, guessing blindly. Not only do they neglect the four diagnostic methods, but they also ignore signs of deficiency-cold syndromes. Alas! They fail to realize that the vital energy of the times has grown thin, people's constitutions are weaker, and infants possess unconsolidated Qi and Blood with extremely delicate Zang-Fu organs. Even minor ailments may overwhelm their Yuan Qi (Original Qi). How can they withstand the arbitrary exploitation by incompetent practitioners who cannot distinguish cold from heat or deficiency from excess, relying on speculation?
This text aims to reveal profound principles and point directly to subtleties, using the four diagnostic methods as the framework to elucidate the essentials of interior-exterior, cold-heat, and deficiency-excess. This provides learners with a basis, hopefully preventing chaotic treatment and unjustified attacks on the innocent, thereby offering great benefit to infants.
Regarding medication, it is better to use no medicine than to overdose; lighter formulas are preferable to heavier ones; avoid bias toward cold or heat; avoid excessive dispersal or purgation. One must follow the teaching of the *Nei Jing* (Inner Canon): "Where pathogenic factors gather, there is always a deficiency of Qi." The primary focus should always be on protecting the Original Qi. Understanding this constitutes half the wisdom required in pediatric care. However, for severe cases of deficiency-cold collapse, potent warming and tonifying therapies are indispensable to reverse the condition. Delay must not be tolerated, lest the patient become incurable. This is another point that must not be overlooked.