鼻者肺之外窍也,水苗种法,以苗塞鼻中,其气先传于肺,肺主皮毛,肺传于心
,心主血脉,心传于脾,脾主肌肉,脾传于肝,肝主筋,肝传于肾,肾主骨,痘毒藏
骨髓之内,感苗气而发,其毒自骨髓尽达于筋,肾藏之毒解矣,自筋尽达于肌肉,肝
藏之毒解矣,自肌肉尽达于血脉,脾藏之毒解矣,自血脉尽达于皮毛,心藏之毒解矣
,自皮毛尽达于颗粒,肺藏之毒解矣,五藏之毒层递而解,然后毒化浆成,收靥落痂
,此种痘传送之次序也,不可不知。
旱苗种法,用银管约长五六寸,曲其颈,碾痘痂极细,纳于管端,接男左女右,
对准鼻孔吹入之,至七日而亦发热,今时多用此法,盖取其简便捷入,不致脱落而有
透泄苗气之患也,第恐后人用之不善,轻吹之则不骤入,重吹之则迅烈难当,且恐流
涕过多,苗随涕去,往往不验,今欲垂法后世,当取其法之和平稳当万全者,而则效
之,此所以独取于水苖也。
小儿出痘者,当长浆浆足之时,则彼痘气充盛,取其贴身裹衣,与未出痘之儿女
服之,服二三日夜间亦不脱下,至九日十一日始发热,此乃衣传,然恐气薄不透,多
有不热不出,其法不灵,故不可用。
择小儿 出痘之顺者,取其痘浆以棉拭之,分男左女右,塞入鼻中,亦能发痘,但
取痘浆之时,不令本家知觉,捏破痘浆,盗以作种,使彼真气宣拽,毒不能解,如忍
心害理不仁之事也,同志者切宜深恶而痛绝之,又岂可尤而效之也哉。
鼻子是肺脏在体表的开窍。水苗种痘法,是将痘苗塞入鼻中,其药气首先传入肺脏;肺主司皮毛,肺气传于心;心主司血脉,心气传于脾;脾主司肌肉,脾气传于肝;肝主司筋脉,肝气传于肾;肾主司骨骼。痘毒潜藏于骨髓之内,感受了痘苗之气而发作,其毒性便从骨髓逐渐通达于筋脉,肾所藏的毒性得以解除;再从筋脉逐渐通达于肌肉,肝所藏的毒性得以解除;再从肌肉逐渐通达于血脉,脾所藏的毒性得以解除;再从血脉逐渐通达于皮毛,心所藏的毒性得以解除;再从皮毛逐渐通达于痘疹颗粒,肺所藏的毒性得以解除。五脏的毒性层层递进地解除,然后痘毒化为脓浆,结痂脱落,这就是种痘时毒气在体内传送的次序,不可不知道。
旱苗种痘法,使用长约五六寸的银管,弯曲其颈部,将痘痂碾磨成极细的粉末,放入管端,根据“男左女右”的原则,对准鼻孔吹入。到了第七天也会发热,现在人们多采用这种方法,大概是取其简便快捷、易于进入,且不会因脱落而导致痘苗之气透泄的隐患。只是担心后人使用不当,轻吹则不能迅速进入,重吹则猛烈难以承受,而且恐怕流涕过多,痘苗随鼻涕流出,往往无效。如今想要为后世留下规范的方法,应当选取平和稳妥、万无一失的方法作为效法的标准,这就是为什么单独选用“水苗”的原因。
小儿出痘时,当痘浆充盈饱满的时候,此时痘气充盛,取他们贴身穿着的衣服,给尚未出痘的儿童服用(穿在身上),连续穿两三天,夜间也不脱下,到了第九日或第十一日开始发热,这叫做“衣传”。然而恐怕这样气息薄弱而不能透彻,大多出现不发热、不出痘的情况,此法不灵验,所以不可采用。
选择那些出痘顺症的小儿,用棉拭子蘸取他们的痘浆,按照“男左女右”的原则,塞入未出痘儿童的鼻中,也能引发出痘。但在取痘浆的时候,不让患儿家属知晓,捏破痘浆,偷偷拿来作为种痘材料,致使患儿真气被牵引耗散,毒素无法化解,这是残忍违背伦理的不仁行为,志同道合者务必深恶痛绝,又怎么能再效仿这种行为呢?
The nose is the external orifice of the Lung. In the "Water Miao" variolation method, the vaccine material is inserted into the nose; its qi first transmits to the Lung. The Lung governs the skin and hair (pí máo), and Lung qi transmits to the Heart. The Heart governs the blood vessels (xuè mài), and Heart qi transmits to the Spleen. The Spleen governs the muscles (jī ròu), and Spleen qi transmits to the Liver. The Liver governs the sinews (jīn), and Liver qi transmits to the Kidney. The Kidney governs the bones (gǔ). The smallpox toxin resides within the bone marrow. Upon sensing the qi of the vaccine material, it erupts. Its toxicity then extends from the bone marrow to the sinews, resolving the toxin stored in the Kidney. It then extends from the sinews to the muscles, resolving the toxin stored in the Liver. It then extends from the muscles to the blood vessels, resolving the toxin stored in the Spleen. It then extends from the blood vessels to the skin and hair, resolving the toxin stored in the Heart. Finally, it extends from the skin and hair to the pustules (kē lì), resolving the toxin stored in the Lung. The toxins of the Five Zang organs are resolved layer by layer. Only then does the toxin transform into pus, forming crusts that eventually fall off. This is the sequence of transmission during variolation, which must not be ignored.
In the "Dry Miao" variolation method, a silver tube approximately five to six cun long, with a curved neck, is used. The smallpox scabs are ground into an extremely fine powder and placed at the end of the tube. According to the principle of "left for males, right for females," the powder is blown into the nostril. Fever also occurs on the seventh day. Currently, this method is widely used because it is simple, convenient, and avoids the risk of the vaccine qi leaking due to falling out. However, there is concern that future practitioners may use it improperly: blowing lightly prevents rapid entry, while blowing heavily makes it too fierce and difficult to bear. Moreover, excessive runny nose may cause the vaccine material to exit with the mucus, often resulting in failure. To establish a standard for posterity, one should adopt a method that is mild, stable, and foolproof. This is why only the "Water Miao" method is selected.
When children develop smallpox, at the time when the pustules are full and mature, their smallpox qi is abundant. One might take their close-fitting garments and have uninfected children wear them. After wearing them for two or three days without removing them at night, fever begins on the ninth or eleventh day. This is called "garment transmission." However, the qi transmitted this way is likely too weak to penetrate effectively, often resulting in no fever and no eruption. Since this method is ineffective, it should not be used.
Select children who have had a smooth course of smallpox. Use cotton swabs to collect their pustule fluid. Following the "left for males, right for females" rule, insert it into the nose of uninfected children to induce smallpox. However, obtaining the pustule fluid without the family's knowledge involves rupturing the pustules and stealing the material for vaccination. This causes the child's true qi to be drained and the toxin unable to resolve. Such acts are cruel and unethical. Those with shared moral principles should detest and reject this behavior utterly; how could anyone imitate it?