【方歌】肿疡涩脉属毒滞，有力为实无力虚，溃后脉涩为伤血，
急补气血莫迟疑。
【注】涩主滞涩。肿疡初起脉涩者，乃气血为毒滞之征。若按
之有力，毒滞为实；按之无力，正损为虚，不可不辨。
若溃后脉涩，为伤血不足之象，急当大补气血，莫迟疑
也。
【方歌】肿疡脉虚宜内托，溃后内虚大补甯，肿疡脉实宜消散，
溃后如实毒未清。
【注】肿疡未溃脉虚者，不须攻毒，惟宜内托；已溃脉应虚者
，急当以大补收功。如肿疡未溃，脉实者，当消毒散毒
；已溃脉实者，乃毒气犹未清也。
【方歌】肿疡长脉为有余，消散之方任所施，溃后得之为气治，
条然和畅不须医。
【注】肿疡见脉长者，乃气血有余，消散之方，任意施治。溃
后脉长者，乃气之畅也，故曰气治，不待医药自能愈也
。
【方歌】肿疡短脉元气虚，大加补剂如相宜，溃后脉短为虚甚，
补之仍短决死期。
【注】肿疡脉短者，元气虚也，非大加补益之剂不可。溃后脉
短者，虚之甚也，若补之而脉仍短者，则为败证，其死
必矣。
【方歌】肿疡洪脉阳热盛，宣热攻毒必有功，溃后洪脉毒留内，
治之不退自然凶。
【注】肿疡未溃，脉洪者热盛也，宣热攻毒之法可施；若溃后
脉洪者，邪盛也服药而脉洪不退者，为正虚邪盛，其凶
不免。
【方歌】肿疡出现涩脉属于毒邪阻滞，脉象有力为实证，无力为虚证；溃疡后期出现涩脉是耗伤血液的表现，应当紧急补益气血，不要迟疑。
【注】涩脉主气滞血瘀、运行不畅。肿疡初起时若见涩脉，是气血被毒邪阻滞的征象。如果按之有力，说明毒邪阻滞属实证；如果按之无力，说明正气受损属虚证，不可不加以辨别。若溃疡溃破后出现涩脉，是阴血亏虚不足的征象，应当紧急大补气血，不要迟疑。
【方歌】肿疡脉象虚弱适宜采用内托法治疗，溃疡后期内部虚弱应大补元气；肿疡脉象实大适宜采用消散法治疗，溃疡后期脉象如实大，说明毒邪尚未清除。
【注】肿疡未溃破而脉象虚弱的，不需要攻伐毒邪，只适宜使用内托法；已经溃破而脉象应当表现为虚弱的，应当紧急以大补之法来收功。如果是肿疡未溃破而脉象实大的，应当消毒散毒；已经溃破而脉象仍实大的，说明毒气仍然没有清除干净。
【方歌】肿疡出现长脉表示正气有余，消散类的方剂可以随意施用；溃疡后期出现长脉表示气机调和，条达顺畅，不需要治疗。
【注】肿疡见到长脉的，是气血充盛有余的表现，消散类的方剂可以任意施治。溃疡后期出现长脉的，是气机通畅的表现，所以称为“气治”，不需要等待医药干预也能自然痊愈。
【方歌】肿疡出现短脉表示元气虚弱，加大补益药剂比较适宜；溃疡后期出现短脉表示虚损严重，经过补益后脉象仍然短小的，预示死亡日期不远。
【注】肿疡脉象短小的，是元气虚弱所致，非加大补益的药剂不可。溃疡后期脉象短小的，是虚损非常严重的表现，如果经过补益治疗后脉象仍然短小，则属于败证，必然导致死亡。
【方歌】肿疡出现洪脉表示阳热亢盛，宣散热邪、攻解毒邪必定有效；溃疡后期出现洪脉表示毒邪留滞体内，治疗无效不退者，病情自然凶险。
【注】肿疡未溃破，脉象洪大的，是热势亢盛，可以使用宣散热邪、攻解毒邪的方法；如果溃疡溃破后脉象洪大的，是邪气亢盛，服药后脉象洪大不退的，是正气虚弱而邪气亢盛，其凶险结局不可避免。
[Verse] A choppy pulse (Se Mai, 涩脉) in a swelling and ulceration indicates toxin stagnation; if forceful it is excess, if weak it is deficiency. After ulceration, a choppy pulse indicates blood injury; urgently tonify Qi and Blood without hesitation.
[Note] Choppy pulse signifies stagnation. If a choppy pulse appears at the onset of a swelling/ulcer, it is a sign that Qi and Blood are stagnated by toxins. If palpable with force, the toxin stagnation is an Excess pattern; if palpable without force, the righteous Qi is damaged, indicating a Deficiency pattern. This must be distinguished. If a choppy pulse appears after ulceration, it is a manifestation of insufficient injured Blood. One should urgently employ major tonification of Qi and Blood without hesitation.
[Verse] For a swelling/ulcer with a deficient pulse, internal support (Nei Tuo, 内托) is appropriate; after ulceration, for internal deficiency, major tonification is necessary. For a swelling/ulcer with an excess pulse, resolution (Xiao San, 消散) is appropriate; after ulceration, if the pulse remains excess, the toxin has not cleared.
[Note] If the pulse is deficient before ulceration, attacking the toxin is unnecessary; only internal support is suitable. If the pulse is appropriately deficient after ulceration, urgent major tonification should be used to conclude treatment. If the pulse is excess before ulceration, detoxification and resolving toxins should be applied; if the pulse is excess after ulceration, it means the toxic Qi has not yet cleared.
[Verse] A long pulse (Chang Mai, 长脉) in a swelling/ulcer indicates surplus; resolution formulas may be applied as desired. If a long pulse appears after ulceration, it indicates harmonious Qi; smooth and unobstructed, no treatment is needed.
[Note] When a long pulse appears in a swelling/ulcer, it indicates abundant Qi and Blood; resolution formulas can be applied freely. When a long pulse appears after ulceration, it indicates free-flowing Qi, hence termed "Qi Harmonized"; it will heal spontaneously without waiting for medical intervention.
[Verse] A short pulse (Duan Mai, 短脉) in a swelling/ulcer indicates deficiency of Yuan Qi (Original Qi); adding large doses of tonifying agents is appropriate. If a short pulse appears after ulceration, it indicates severe deficiency; if the pulse remains short after tonification, the time of death is determined.
[Note] A short pulse in a swelling/ulcer indicates deficiency of Yuan Qi; only large doses of tonifying agents will suffice. A short pulse after ulceration indicates severe deficiency; if the pulse remains short despite tonification, it constitutes a failure syndrome (Bai Zheng, 败证), and death is inevitable.
[Verse] A surging pulse (Hong Mai, 洪脉) in a swelling/ulcer indicates excessive Yang-Heat; dispersing heat and attacking toxins will surely succeed. If a surging pulse appears after ulceration, the toxin remains inside; if treatment fails to reduce it, the prognosis is naturally ominous.
[Note] In a swelling/ulcer that has not ulcerated, a surging pulse indicates excessive Heat; methods of dispersing heat and attacking toxins can be applied. If a surging pulse appears after ulceration, it indicates flourishing pathogenic factors. If the surging pulse does not recede after taking medicine, it indicates deficiency of Righteous Qi and flourishing pathogens, making the ominous outcome unavoidable.