搐证已具悉于前矣。更有百日内发搐。凡真者不过三两次必死，假者发频不为重；
真者内生风痫，假者外伤风冷。盖血气未实，不能胜任，乃发搐也。欲知假者，口中
气热脉洪而不沉细，面红而不青黯者是也，治之可用发散。
慢脾风者，急惊传慢惊，慢惊而后成脾风，故脾风者，纯阴之症也。盖由慢惊，亦
有虚热而便闭，痰塞气壅，便误为实热，妄用巴、黄，以下痰行便；或投脑、麝，以通
窍凉脏，致使阴气愈盛，阳气愈虚，幸不死而成此候。又有一名虚风，因吐泻日久，风
邪入于肠胃，乃大便不禁，面色虚黄，脾气已脱，真元已亏，继此发热，即是慢脾，故
不必皆由急惊传至，男子以泻得之为重，女以吐得之为重，其候面青舌短，头低眼合，
吐舌切牙，声音沉小，睡中摇头，四肢微搐，冷而不收，身则有冷有热，痰涎凝滞，
神志昏迷，手空摸人，沉沉喜睡，逐风则无风可逐，疗惊则无惊可疗，乃至重之候，十
难救一二也。其脉沉微迟缓，其纹红紫丝于风关者轻。若青丝紫丝黑丝，隐隐相杂于风
关者重，于气关者为更重。治法大要，生胃养脾，回阳益志，镇心定魄，化痰顺气而
已。若眼半开半合，手足不冷，二便皆难，此尚有阳症，须温和化痰理气，不可即用回
阳。然亦不可因有阳症而用清凉之剂，此仅虚火往来，会成如阳症耳。若至身额汗多，
频呕腥臭，泻遗黑色，气急殊常，是脾胃绝，及命关有青黑紫丝，隐隐相杂，或至射
甲，纯黑色者，并皆不治。
凡诊三岁以上，须看男左女右，虎口三关。左手之纹应在心肝，右手之纹应
在脾肺。青者，主惊。紫者，风邪在表。淡红者，寒热在表。深红者，伤寒痘疹，青而红
者，惊热。纹乱则病久。纹细则腹前多啼，乳食不消。纹粗直射甲，惊风恶候。纹黑
者，不救。见于风关为轻气关为重，过于命关，为难治。然介宾曰∶三关乃手阳明之浮
络，不足以候脏腑之气，且有病无病，纹色常见，难有浓淡之殊，何足辨其雷惊水惊，
或风或食之确？近者习以为常，全不究脉，及考《内经》，并无三关名目，惟《脉经》
云∶有察手鱼之色，是概言诊法，非独小儿也。故诊小儿者，必察气口之脉，面部之
色，呼吸之声，或兼察手鱼可也。但小儿三岁以下，纯阳之体，脉来周行驶而应指疾，
七至为率，太过为数，不及为迟。且小儿易虚易实，动静之间，脉有变迁，故脉之七
八，亦难为准，必于色候手鱼兼察可也。（寸口者，脉之大会，但小儿气血未定，其脉常大
常小，常数常滑，寸口难凭。故取三关占之，亦谓此处为手太阴肺经散见之余耳。）
小儿睡中惊动者，因脏腑娇嫩，血气未固，神气浮越，且多由心肾不足所致。盖天
之神气在于日月，人之神气在于两目，寤则栖于心，寐则归于胃。心肾既虚，则神无所
根据，气无所归，不能宁摄，故睡中惊动也。若平居闻响跳掣，睡中惊哭者，由肝肺有
亏，魂魄受伤，精神失守故也。宜补肝肺，不可用惊风药治之。即惊风多是热症，盖心
有热而肝有风，二脏乃阳中之阳，二阳相鼓，风火相搏，肝魂心神浮越而成矣。惟宜
导去心经邪热，其惊自散。且每脏俱有阴阳，如肝气为阳为火，肝血为阴为水，肝气
旺则肝之血愈衰火妄动，则水被煎熬益甚，火旺阴消，势所必至。况小儿多禀肾阴不
足，虚火内动，热极生风，风从火出，非外症也。故尤宜滋水，是以最忌风药者，辛能
助热，风能燥血也。忌辛药者，走散真阴也。忌惊药者，寒伤胃气也。忌泻肺者，子
气虚而母愈虚也。忌伐肝者，肝未平而脾先
困也。用药太温，则消无阳；用药太冷，则伤真气。截惊截搐者，未得病原之至，轻攻
轻下者，何如固本之方？有余者，病气也。不足者，元气也。邪气盛则实，正气夺则
虚，故宜认患预防，斯少失矣。若至口中出血，或泻黑血，恶叫两三声者，是心绝也。
目睛反转，爪甲青黑者，是肝绝也。泻无止息者，是脾绝也。吐止又吐者，是胃绝也。
两目不开不合，忽作鸦声者，是肺绝也。口吐白沫者，是肾绝也。并四肢俱软，神昏气
促，通关不嚏者，并皆不治。
慢惊者，属木火土虚也。未虚则搐而力小，似搐而不甚搐，《经》曰∶木不及。曰
委和其症，摇动注恐。谓手足搐动，腹注泄，心恐恐也。火虚则身口气冷，土虚则吐
泻露贴，故其治合宜温补。至于慢脾，阴气极盛，胃气极虚，病传已极，总归虚处，推
脾所受，故曰脾风，即慢惊传变而为极虚之候，初非别有一名也。
凡急惊手足发搐，切不可按伏，待其自定，盖风力遍行经络，自然息止不伤。夫筋
乃肝之合，若一用力按束，则经络为风邪痰气所闭，气血偏胜，致成固疾，至老难治矣。
惊疳吐泻，症候虽四，其原则一。惊者，火乘肝之风木也。疳者，热乘脾之湿土
也。吐者，火乘胃膈而上行也。泻者，火乘脾与大肠而下注也。夫乳者，血从金化而大
寒，小儿食之，肌肉充实，然其体为水，故伤乳过多，反从湿化，汤热相兼，吐利作
矣。医者，过用燥热峻攻，则去湿留热，热病生焉。或谓小儿纯阳之体，多以清凉施
治，其说亦误。盖女子二七，男子二八，而天癸至。天癸者，阴气也。阴气未至，故
曰∶纯阳，原非谓阳气有余之论，特稚阳耳。稚阳之阳，其阳几何？使阳本非实，而
误用寒凉，则阴既不足，又伐其阳，多致阴阳两败脾肾俱伤，又将何所倚赖，而望其生
长耶？！故贵宜审其禀赋，阴阳偏盛，而济之以平，斯无弊矣。
急惊多在初病，尚为实症。或因惊触，或因风热，或因痰热，或因食郁，随所因而
施治，佐以惊门类药，从标清理。至于慢惊、慢脾，用投治未当，由客病而累及本
病，客邪之去期难定，根据希之元气无几，苟罔顾本却邪，犹徒宅而忘身矣。此时绝不可
用惊门类药。脾虚者，力补脾元；阴虚者，力滋真水；虚火旺者，甘温退之；虚寒甚
者，温补保之。正气得力，微邪自解。治客病者，以其元气未甚虚，不必便为瞻顾，去
病以保命也。扶正气者，以其元气既甚虚，不容再有迁延，以致命也。治病而罔顾人元
气，徒存治病之名，而无保命之实，噫嘻。
小儿惊风及泄泻，并宜用五苓散，以泻丙火，渗土湿，盖内有肉桂能抑肝风而扶脾土也。
惊风抽搐的证候在前面已经详细论述过了。此外还有百日内婴儿发生的抽搐。凡是真性抽搐，发作不过两三次就会死亡；假性抽搐虽然发作频繁，但病情不重。真性抽搐是内生风痫，假性抽搐是外感风冷。这是因为婴儿血气尚未充实，不能胜任（邪气），所以发生抽搐。想要辨别假性抽搐，特征是口中气息热、脉象洪大而不沉细，面色红赤而不青暗，治疗时可以使用发散法。
慢脾风，是由急惊风传变为慢惊风，慢惊风进一步发展为脾风，所以脾风属于纯阴的病症。这通常是因为慢惊风期间，也有虚热导致便秘，痰湿阻塞、气机壅滞，被误认为是实热，妄用巴豆、大黄等药物来通便化痰；或者使用牛黄、麝香等药物来通窍凉脏，致使阴气更加旺盛，阳气更加虚弱，幸好没有立即死亡而形成了这种证候。又有一种称为“虚风”，因为长期呕吐腹泻，风邪侵入肠胃，导致大便失禁，面色虚黄，脾气已脱失，真元已亏损，随后出现发热，这就是慢脾风，所以并不一定都是由急惊风传变而来。男子因腹泻得此病较重，女子因呕吐得此病较重。其症状表现为面色发青、舌头短缩、头低眼合、吐舌磨牙、声音低沉细小、睡眠中摇头、四肢轻微抽搐且冰冷不收、身体有时冷有时热、痰涎凝滞、神志昏迷、手在空中摸索、嗜睡昏沉。此时逐风则无风可逐，疗惊则无惊可疗，这是非常危重的证候，十个人中难得救活一两个。其脉象沉微迟缓，指纹在风关呈现红紫色丝纹的较轻。如果青色、紫色、黑色丝纹隐隐混杂在风关，病情较重；如果在气关，则更重。治疗的大要，在于生胃养脾，回阳益志，镇心定魄，化痰顺气而已。如果眼睛半开半闭，手足不冷，大小便都困难，这说明还有阳症，需要温和地化痰理气，不可以立即使用回阳救逆的药物。然而也不可以因为有阳症就使用清凉剂，这只是虚火往来，看起来像阳症罢了。如果发展到额头出汗多，频繁呕吐腥臭物，排泄黑色粪便，呼吸极度急促，这是脾胃之气断绝，以及命关出现青黑紫丝纹隐隐混杂，或者延伸至指甲端，纯黑色的，都属于不治之症。
凡是诊断三岁以上的小儿，必须看男左女右的虎口三关指纹。左手纹应该对应心肝，右手纹应该对应脾肺。青色主惊风。紫色主风邪在表。淡红色主寒热在表。深红色主伤寒或痘疹。青色兼红色主惊热。纹乱说明病程久。纹细则腹部多啼哭，乳食不消化。纹粗直冲指甲端，是惊风的恶候。纹黑色者，预后不良，难以救治。见于风关为轻，气关为重，超过命关，为难治。但是介宾说：三关只是手阳明经的浮络，不足以候察脏腑之气，而且无论有病没病，纹色常见，很难有浓淡的区别，怎么能分辨是雷惊、水惊，或者是风邪、食积的确切性质呢？近来人们习以为常，完全不研究脉诊，并考证《内经》，并没有三关的名目，只有《脉经》说：观察手掌大鱼际的颜色，这是概言诊法，并非专指小儿。所以诊断小儿，必须察气口之脉，面部之色，呼吸之声，或者兼察手鱼部（大鱼际）即可。但是三岁以下的小儿，是纯阳之体，脉来周行驶而应指疾速，七至为正常标准，超过七至为数脉，不足七至为迟脉。而且小儿容易虚也容易实，动静之间，脉象会有变迁，所以仅凭脉象七八至，也难以作为准绳，必须在色候和手鱼部兼察才可以。（寸口是脉之大会，但小儿气血未定，其脉常大常小，常数常滑，寸口脉难以凭信。所以取三关指纹来占测，也称此处为手太阴肺经散见之余气。）
小儿睡眠中惊动，是因为脏腑娇嫩，血气未固，神气浮越，而且多由心肾不足所致。大概天的神气在于日月（眼睛），人的神气在于两目，醒则栖于心，睡则归于胃。心肾既虚，则神无所根据，气无所归，不能宁摄，所以在睡眠中惊动。如果平时听到响声就跳掣，睡眠中惊哭，是由于肝肺有亏，魂魄受伤，精神失守的缘故。应当补肝肺，不可用惊风药治疗。即使惊风多是热症，盖因心有热而肝有风，这两脏乃阳中之阳，二阳相鼓动，风火相搏，导致肝魂心神浮越而成。只宜导去心经邪热，其惊自散。而且每脏都有阴阳，如肝气为阳为火，肝血为阴为水，肝气旺则肝之血愈衰，火妄动，则水被煎熬益甚，火旺阴消，是势所必至的情况。何况小儿多禀赋肾阴不足，虚火内动，热极生风，风从火出，并非外感之症。所以尤其适宜滋水（补肾阴），因此最忌用风药，因为辛能助热，风能燥血也。忌用辛药，是因为走散真阴。忌用惊药（金石重镇类），是因为寒伤胃气。忌用泻肺药，是因为子气虚而母（肺属金，脾属土，土生金，此处指母子关系或五行相生，原文意指肺气虚影响整体）愈虚。忌用伐肝药，是因为肝未平而脾先困。用药太温，则消耗阳气；用药太冷，则损伤真气。截惊截搐者，若未得病原之至，轻攻轻下者，何如固本之方？有余的是病气，不足的是元气。邪气盛则实，正气夺则虚，所以应当认患预防，这样失误就少了。如果到口中出血，或泻黑血，恶叫两三声的，是心绝。目睛反转，爪甲青黑的，是肝绝。泻无止息的，是脾绝。吐止又吐的，是胃绝。两目不开不合，忽作鸦声的，是肺绝。口吐白沫的，是肾绝。并且四肢俱软，神昏气促，通关穴不嚏的，都属于不治之症。
慢惊，属于木火土虚。未虚时抽搐而力量小，似搐而不甚搐，《内经》说：木不及。曰委和其症，摇动注恐。谓手足搐动，腹注泄，心恐恐也。火虚则身口气冷，土虚则吐泻露贴，所以治疗应当适宜温补。至于慢脾，阴气极盛，胃气极虚，病传已极，总归虚处，推脾所受，所以叫脾风，即慢惊传变而为极虚之候，初非别有一名也。
凡是急惊手足发搐，切不可按伏，待其自定，盖风力遍行经络，自然息止不伤。夫筋乃肝之合，若一用力按束，则经络为风邪痰气所闭，气血偏胜，致成固疾，至老难治矣。
惊疳吐泻，症候虽四，其原则一。惊者，火乘肝之风木也。疳者，热乘脾之湿土也。吐者，火乘胃膈而上行也。泻者，火乘脾与大肠而下注也。夫乳者，血从金化而大寒，小儿食之，肌肉充实，然其体为水，故伤乳过多，反从湿化，汤热相兼，吐利作矣。医者，过用燥热峻攻，则去湿留热，热病生焉。或谓小儿纯阳之体，多以清凉施治，其说亦误。盖女子二七，男子二八，而天癸至。天癸者，阴气也。阴气未至，故曰：纯阳，原非谓阳气有余之论，特稚阳耳。稚阳之阳，其阳几何？使阳本非实，而误用寒凉，则阴既不足，又伐其阳，多致阴阳两败脾肾俱伤，又将何所倚赖，而望其生长耶？！故贵宜审其禀赋，阴阳偏盛，而济之以平，斯无弊矣。
急惊多在初病，尚为实症。或因惊触，或因风热，或因痰热，或因食郁，随所因而施治，佐以惊门类药，从标清理。至于慢惊、慢脾，用投治未当，由客病而累及本病，客邪之去期难定，根据希之元气无几，苟罔顾本却邪，犹徒宅而忘身矣。此时绝不可用惊门类药。脾虚者，力补脾元；阴虚者，力滋真水；虚火旺者，甘温退之；虚寒甚者，温补保之。正气得力，微邪自解。治客病者，以其元气未甚虚，不必便为瞻顾，去病以保命也。扶正气者，以其元气既甚虚，不容再有迁延，以致命也。治病而罔顾人元气，徒存治病之名，而无保命之实，噫嘻。
The syndromes of convulsions and tremors have been fully discussed previously. Furthermore, there are convulsions occurring within the first hundred days after birth. For true convulsions, death will occur if they manifest only two or three times; for false convulsions, although frequent, they are not severe. True convulsions arise from internal wind-phlegm epilepsy (Fengxian), while false convulsions result from external contraction of wind-cold. This is because the infant's Qi and Blood are not yet substantial and cannot withstand the pathogen, leading to convulsions. To identify false convulsions, look for signs such as hot breath from the mouth, a surging pulse that is neither deep nor fine, and a red complexion rather than a cyanotic or dark one. Treatment may employ dispersing methods.
Manpi Feng (Slow Spleen Wind) occurs when acute fright-convulsion transmits to slow fright-convulsion, which then develops into spleen wind. Thus, spleen wind is a syndrome of pure Yin deficiency. It often arises because, during slow fright-convulsion, there may be deficient heat causing constipation, with phlegm obstruction and Qi stagnation. If mistakenly diagnosed as excess heat, harsh purgatives like Radix Euphorbiae Humifusae (Badozi) and Rhizoma Rhei (Dahuang) might be used to promote defecation and resolve phlegm, or aromatic opening agents like Moschus (Shexiang) and Calculus Bovis (Niuhuang) might be administered to clear orifices and cool the viscera. This causes Yin to become even more excessive and Yang to become even more deficient. Fortunately, the patient does not die immediately but instead falls into this condition. Another name for this is "Deficient Wind," caused by prolonged vomiting and diarrhea allowing wind pathogens to enter the intestines and stomach, resulting in fecal incontinence, a sallow complexion, exhaustion of Spleen Qi, and depletion of True Yuan. Subsequent fever indicates slow spleen wind. Therefore, it does not necessarily always transmit from acute fright-convulsion. In males, obtaining this via diarrhea is heavier; in females, obtaining it via vomiting is heavier. Symptoms include a cyanotic face, short tongue, head drooping with eyes closed, protruding tongue and grinding teeth, low voice, head shaking during sleep, slight tremors in the four limbs that are cold and flaccid, alternating cold and hot sensations in the body, stagnant saliva and phlegm, coma, aimless hand movements, heavy drowsiness. At this stage, expelling wind finds no wind to expel, and treating fright finds no fright to treat. This is an extremely critical condition, with fewer than one in ten recoveries. The pulse is deep, faint, and slow. If the fingerprint on the Wind Gate shows red-purple threads, the condition is mild. If green, purple, and black threads are indistinctly mixed at the Wind Gate, it is severe; if at the Qi Gate, it is even more severe. The general treatment principle is to generate Stomach Qi and nourish the Spleen, restore Yang and benefit Willpower, settle the Heart and stabilize the Spirit, resolve phlegm, and regulate Qi. If the eyes are half-open and half-closed, hands and feet are not cold, and both urination and defecation are difficult, there is still a Yang syndrome. One must gently resolve phlegm and regulate Qi, without immediately using Yang-restoring methods. However, one should not use cooling agents just because there appears to be a Yang syndrome; this is merely fluctuating deficient fire mimicking a Yang syndrome. If sweating on the forehead is profuse, frequent vomiting of foul-smelling contents occurs, black stool is passed, and breathing is extremely rapid, this indicates the exhaustion of Spleen and Stomach Qi. If the Life Gate shows indistinctly mixed green-black-purple threads, or if the thread extends to the nail bed and is purely black, these are all incurable.
For children over three years old, diagnosis requires examining the Tiger's Mouth Three Gates (fingerprint) on the left for males and right for females. The left hand's pattern corresponds to the Heart and Liver, while the right hand's corresponds to the Spleen and Lungs. Green indicates Fright. Purple indicates Wind Pathogen at the Exterior. Pale red indicates Cold-Heat at the Exterior. Deep red indicates Cold Damage or Smallpox/Rubella. Green combined with red indicates Fright-Heat. A chaotic pattern suggests a long-standing disease. A fine pattern indicates frequent crying due to abdominal pain and undigested milk/food. A thick pattern extending straight to the nail indicates a malignant state of Fright-Wind. A black pattern indicates incurability. Appearance at the Wind Gate is mild; at the Qi Gate, it is severe; exceeding the Life Gate makes it difficult to treat. However, Jiebin stated: The Three Gates are merely superficial collaterals of the Hand-Yangming Meridian and are insufficient to observe Zang-Fu Qi. Moreover, the presence and color of patterns are common regardless of health status, making it hard to distinguish between Thunder Fright, Water Fright, Wind, or Food Stagnation accurately. Recently, people have taken this as routine, completely ignoring pulse diagnosis. Examining the *Neijing* reveals no mention of the Three Gates; only the *Maijing* mentions observing the color of the Thenar Eminence (Hand Fish), which is a general diagnostic method applicable to all, not just children. Therefore, diagnosing children requires observing the Qi Kou pulse, facial color, respiration sounds, and optionally the Thenar Eminence. However, children under three are of Pure Yang constitution. Their pulses move rapidly around the circumference and respond quickly to touch; seven beats per respiration cycle is the norm. More than seven is a Rapid Pulse, less than seven is a Slow Pulse. Since children are prone to both Deficiency and Excess, and pulses change with movement and rest, relying solely on pulse rate is unreliable. One must combine observation of color and the Thenar Eminence. (The Cun Kou is the great convergence of pulses, but since children's Qi and Blood are unsettled, their pulses are often large or small, constant or slippery, making the Cun Kou difficult to rely upon. Hence, the Three Gates are used for assessment, considered here as residual Qi dispersed from the Hand-Taiyin Lung Meridian.)
Trembling during sleep in infants is due to delicate Zang-Fu organs, unconsolidated Qi and Blood, floating Shen (Spirit), and often stems from Heart and Kidney deficiency. Heaven's Shen resides in the sun and moon (eyes); human Shen resides in the eyes. When awake, Shen resides in the Heart; when asleep, it returns to the Stomach. With Heart and Kidney deficiency, Shen has no foundation, Qi has no return, and cannot be stabilized, causing trembling during sleep. If startle-jerking occurs upon hearing noise, or crying out in fear during sleep, it is due to Liver and Lung deficiency, injury to Hun and Po spirits, and loss of spiritual control. Treatment should tonify the Liver and Lung, avoiding Fright-Wind medicines. Even though Fright-Wind is often a Heat syndrome, it arises because Heart Heat and Liver Wind interact. These two organs are Yang within Yang. When two Yangs stimulate each other, Wind and Fire clash, causing Liver Hun and Heart Shen to float. One should guide away Heart meridian pathogenic heat, and the fright will dissipate. Each Zang has Yin and Yang. For example, Liver Qi is Yang/Fire, Liver Blood is Yin/Water. When Liver Qi is hyperactive, Liver Blood declines further; wild Fire boils Water excessively. Fire flourishing and Yin consuming is inevitable. Moreover, infants often have congenital Kidney Yin deficiency, causing internal movement of deficient fire. Extreme heat generates wind; wind emerges from fire. This is not an external syndrome. Therefore, nourishing Water (Kidney Yin) is especially appropriate. This is why Wind-dispersing herbs are strictly contraindicated: Pungent flavors assist Heat, and Wind dries Blood. Pungent drugs are avoided because they scatter True Yin. Fright-settling drugs (often heavy/cold minerals) are avoided because Cold damages Stomach Qi. Lung-draining drugs are avoided because if the "Son" (Metal/Lung) is deficient, the "Mother" (Earth/Spleen) becomes even weaker (or vice versa depending on interpretation, generally implying mutual damage). Liver-suppressing drugs are avoided because if the Liver is not pacified, the Spleen suffers first. Medicines that are too warm consume Yang; medicines that are too cold damage True Qi. Attempting to stop fright and convulsions without addressing the root cause, or using mild attacking/purging methods, is inferior to fundamental strengthening formulas. "Excess" refers to pathogenic Qi; "Deficiency" refers to Healthy Qi. When pathogenic Qi is abundant, it is Excess; when Healthy Qi is depleted, it is Deficiency. Thus, one must recognize the condition and prevent deterioration to minimize errors. If blood issues from the mouth, or black bloody stool is passed, accompanied by two or three cries of distress, this is Heart Exhaustion. Eyes rolling back and cyanotic/black nails indicate Liver Exhaustion. Unstopping diarrhea indicates Spleen Exhaustion. Vomiting that stops and resumes indicates Stomach Exhaustion. Eyes unable to open or close, suddenly making crow-like sounds, indicates Lung Exhaustion. Foaming at the mouth indicates Kidney Exhaustion. Combined with flaccid limbs, coma, shortness of breath, and failure to sneeze after stimulating the Tongue-Gate acupoint, all are incurable.
Slow Fright belongs to Wood, Fire, and Earth deficiency. Before full deficiency, tremors are weak, appearing as tremors but not severe. The *Classic* states: "Wood is insufficient." It describes symptoms as wobbling, diarrhea, and fear—meaning hand-foot tremors, abdominal diarrhea, and mental fear. Fire deficiency leads to cold body and breath; Earth deficiency leads to vomiting, diarrhea, and loose stools. Therefore, treatment should suit warming and tonifying. As for Manpi Feng, Yin is extremely excessive, Stomach Qi is extremely deficient, the disease has progressed to its extreme, returning to deficiency. Pushing this to what the Spleen receives, it is called Spleen Wind. It is simply the extreme deficiency state resulting from the transmission of Slow Fright, not originally a separate name.
When Acute Fright causes hand and foot convulsions, one must absolutely avoid pressing down or restraining them. Wait for them to settle naturally. Wind power travels through the meridians and will cease naturally without injury. Tendons are the alliance of the Liver. If forced restraint is applied, the meridians become blocked by Wind Pathogens, Phlegm, and Qi. Qi and Blood become imbalanced, leading to chronic stubborn diseases that are difficult to cure until old age.
Fright, Gan Syndrome (Infantile Malnutrition), Vomiting, and Diarrhea present four different syndromes but share one underlying principle. Fright is Fire overcoming Liver Wood. Gan is Heat overcoming Spleen Wet Earth. Vomiting is Fire overcoming the Stomach/Diaphragm and moving upward. Diarrhea is Fire overcoming the Spleen and Large Intestine and flowing downward. Milk transforms from Metal (Lung Qi) and is very cold. Infants eating it gain muscle mass, but its nature is Water. Overconsumption leads to transformation into Dampness. Hot soup and cold milk mix, causing vomiting and diarrhea. Physicians who overuse drying-hot and harsh attacking drugs remove Dampness but retain Heat, generating Heat diseases. Some say infants are Pure Yang bodies and should mostly be treated with cooling agents; this view is also mistaken. Girls reach menarche at 14 (2x7), boys at 16 (2x8), when Tian Gui arrives. Tian Gui is Yin Qi. Since Yin Qi has not yet arrived, they are called "Pure Yang." This originally did not mean Yang Qi is in excess, but rather that they possess "Young/Tender Yang." How much Yang can Tender Yang have? If Yang is inherently not solid, and Cold/Cooling agents are mistakenly used, Yin is already insufficient, and Yang is further attacked. This often leads to the failure of both Yin and Yang, damaging Spleen and Kidneys. What can they rely on to grow? Therefore, it is crucial to assess constitutional endowment, balance Yin and Yang excesses, and achieve equilibrium to avoid弊端.
Acute Fright usually occurs early in the disease and is an Excess syndrome. It may be caused by Fright shock, Wind-Heat, Phlegm-Heat, or Food Stagnation. Treatment follows the cause, assisted by Fright-category medicines, clearing from the branch level. As for Slow Fright and Slow Spleen, improper treatment allows the exogenous disease to affect the root disease. The departure of exogenous pathogens is uncertain, and the remaining Healthy Qi is scant. If one ignores the root to attack the pathogen, it is like abandoning one's body to save a house. At this time, Fright-category medicines must absolutely not be used. For Spleen Deficiency, strongly tonify Spleen Yuan; for Yin Deficiency, strongly nourish True Water; for Hyperactive Deficient Fire, use Sweet-Warm to retreat it; for Severe Deficient Cold, use Warm Tonification to protect it. When Healthy Qi gains strength, minor pathogens resolve themselves. Treating the exogenous disease assumes Healthy Qi is not severely deficient, so one need not hesitate to eliminate disease to preserve life. Supporting Healthy Qi assumes Healthy Qi is already severely deficient, allowing no delay that could lead to death. Treating disease while ignoring Human Healthy Qi preserves only the name of treating disease, lacking the reality of preserving life. Alas!
For infantile Fright-Wind and diarrhea, Wuling San (Five-Ling Powder) is suitable to drain Bing Fire (Gallbladder/San Jiao Fire) and leach out Earth Dampness, containing Rougui (Cinnamon Bark) which suppresses Liver Wind and supports Spleen Earth.