典藏书目

For infants with Jie Lu (delayed closure of the fontanelle), it was once suggested to make a head covering to wrap and protect the area; over time, it would naturally heal, which is also a good method.

Infants invariably develop Chu Zhen (smallpox/rubella-like exanthems) after birth. From one year old up to ten, or even twelve or thirteen years old, they must experience an outbreak at least once. If a household has several children and one contracts this illness, the others will subsequently be infected in turn. Prevention and caution are necessary. The symptoms include fever, headache, resembling Shang Han (Cold Damage) but without aversion to wind, only aversion to heat. This differs from Shang Feng (Wind Strike) in that the lips are red, while the sacrum and ear tips are cold. Other symptoms may include abdominal pain, dry/irritated eyes, and pain in the mouth and tongue. Abdominal pain indicates symptoms appearing first in the abdomen; dry eyes indicate symptoms appearing first in the eyes; throat and mouth/tongue pain indicate sores appearing first. The lesions may resemble sand grains or millet seeds, or appear as hidden rashes similar to Wind Fan (wind-induced eruptions). These are all characteristic symptoms. Mild heat results in mild eruptions; severe heat results in severe eruptions. When the body is hot, the eruptions have not yet emerged; they only emerge when the body cools down. This fact must not be ignored. Medication must be administered before the eruptions emerge. Only by clearly identifying the syndrome can appropriate decoctions be prescribed, thereby avoiding fatal errors. Before emergence, only mild formulas such as Shengma Tang (Cimicifuga Decoction), Hongmian San (Red Cotton Powder), Dilong San (Earthworm Powder), and Xiaodu Yin (Detoxification Drink) should be used. If the child’s body heat is not severe, a small amount of wine may be given; if the heat is severe, wine must not be given.

Chu Zhen in infants presents with exterior and interior syndromes. If the rash skin is not thin, with a red base and white head, gradually becoming red, swollen, and purulent, with delayed healing, it is called Mudou (Wood Bean); this is an interior syndrome originating from the Zang organs. If the rash skin is thin like a water blister, drying easily after rupture, it is called Shuidou (Water Bean); this is an exterior syndrome originating from the Fu organs. Syndromes originating from Zang organs are severe; those from Fu organs are mild. Severe heat may lead to hallucinations (seeing spirits), upward deviation of the eyes, convulsions, and spasms resembling Jing Xian (Convulsive Epilepsy). Laypeople often misdiagnose this as Jing Xian and administer cold-natured medicines, causing harm. Caution is essential. If heat is excessive and phlegm-fluids are obstructing, and mild medicines cannot resolve the condition, Xionghuang Jiedu Wan (Realgar Detoxification Pill) should be used to promote bowel movement and reduce toxicity. One must carefully inspect the entire body using a lamp light. If no red spots have emerged, purgative treatment may be applied. Once the eruptions have emerged, purgatives must not be used, lest the pathogen become trapped and latent.

When infant Chu Zhen eruptions ulcerate and suppurate, sticking to clothing and bedding, causing restlessness during sleep, use cow dung from a yellow ox collected in the twelfth lunar month. Dry it thoroughly, burn it to ash, and spread it on the bed to a thickness of about one cun for the child to lie upon. For large patches of skin loss or formed pustules, apply the cow dung ash directly to the affected areas, leading to recovery.