凡疮初起，除项之以上，余皆用艾火。随疮势大小，灸艾壮之多少，用蒜切成薄片，安
于疮顶上，着艾炷点火三壮，一换蒜片。初灸觉痛，以不痛似痒为止；初灸不痛，以知
痛痒为住。如初灸全然不觉痛痒，宜去蒜，当明灸之。又阴疮日数多者，艾炷不及其事，以
蒜捣烂铺于疮上，艾亦铺蒜上，点火灸之，必知痛甚为效。此为火气方得入里，知痛处方
是好肉。盖艾火拔引郁毒，透通疮窍，使内毒有路而外发，诚为疮科第一法也。贵在乎
早灸为佳，又有禁灸数症。头乃诸阳之首，纯阳无阴之处。凡生疮肿，俱是亢阳热极所致，
如再加艾火，使毒瓦斯炽甚，随后反加大肿，最能引动内痰，发之必死。面生疔毒亦然。又
有肾俞一穴，在于两腰脊傍，系内肾命根所系之处，此穴发疮，多因房劳素亏，肾水枯
竭而成。若再加艾灸，以烁其源，必致内外干涸，多成黑陷，昏闷而死。又有患者元气
素虚，发疮多不高肿，其人体必倦怠，精神必短而昏，脉必浮散空虚，数而不鼓，此内
无真气抵当火气。如灸之，其人必致昏愦而死。常谓艾火不亏人，此言误之多矣，医者
亦宜详察之。
初生如粟，里可容谷；外面如麻，里面如瓜；外面如钱，里可容拳，起势大，终无
害。未老先白头，无脓软陷休，疮从疙瘩起，
有脓方肿溃，气昂昂，不治自安康。根高顶又高，八十寿还饶， 肿易腐烂，任大终无
恙。疮高热 疼，虽苦必然生。疮软无神气，痈补方为益。肉肿疮不肿，毕竟生疑恐，脓
秽不进食，泄泻黄泉客。疮色猪肝紫，无脓必定死。绵溃不腐烂，内怕葡萄嵌。仰卧不
知疼，阴症命难生。腐尽有败气，笑里终生戾。散根疮平塌，神仙无治法。久病目露神，
必定命难存。面忽似涂脂，十日后分离。败中有红肉，虽重生门路。新肉如板片，不食
终须变。手足皮枯槁，血败身难保。唇白眼无神，腹胀泻将倾。 气不 气，虽重多生
意。眼眶黑气浓，痈疽怕此逢。房中香馥馥，是病终为福。疮热身微热，轻病何须说。生
死此中求，片言一可决。
凡是疮疡初起，除了颈部以上的部位外，其余部位都使用艾火灸治。根据疮势的大小，决定艾灸壮数的多少。将大蒜切成薄片，放置在疮顶之上，放上艾炷点燃三壮，每换一次蒜片。初次施灸时感觉疼痛，以不再感到疼痛、似有痒感为停止标准；初次施灸若不痛，以感觉到痛痒为停止标准。如果初次施灸完全感觉不到痛痒，应当去掉蒜片，直接进行明灸（直接在皮肤上施灸）。另外，对于阴疮且病程较长的情况，单用艾炷难以奏效，可将大蒜捣烂铺在疮上，再将艾绒铺在蒜上，点火灸治，必须感到剧烈疼痛才算有效。这是因为只有火气才能深入体内，感觉到疼痛说明是生肌长肉的好现象。因为艾火能拔引郁结的毒邪，透通疮窍，使体内的毒邪有出路而向外发散，这确实是外科治疗的第一妙法。贵在尽早施灸为佳，但也有几种禁止施灸的情况。头部是诸阳经汇聚之首，是纯阳无阴的部位。凡是头面生疮肿，都是亢盛的阳热极盛所致，如果再施加艾火，会使毒气炽盛，随后反而导致更加严重的肿胀，最能引动体内的痰浊，一旦发作必然致死。面部生疔毒也是同样的道理。又有肾俞这一穴位，位于两侧腰脊旁边，是肾脏和生命根本所系之处，此穴发生疮疡，多因房事过度、素体亏虚，导致肾水枯竭而成。如果再施加艾灸，以灼烧其本源，必然导致内外干涸，多变成黑陷证，导致昏闷而死。又有患者元气素来虚弱，发疮时疮形多不高肿，其人身体必定倦怠，精神必定短少而昏沉，脉象必定浮散空虚，数急但按之无力不鼓指，这是体内没有真气来抵御火气。如果对此类患者施灸，此人必然导致昏愦而死。常说艾火不损伤人体，这种说法错误太多了，医生也应当详细考察这些禁忌。
初生时像粟米大小，里面可以容纳谷粒；外面像麻子一样小，里面却像瓜一样大；外面像铜钱大小，里面可以容纳拳头，虽然起势很大，但最终没有危害。疮疡未成熟就先变白，没有脓液且软陷的不可治，疮从疙瘩状开始，有脓才会肿胀溃破，若气息昂扬，不治也能自愈。疮根高、疮顶也高的，即使八十岁也能长寿，虽然容易腐烂，任其发展最终也无恙。疮色高热且疼痛，虽然痛苦但必然能生还。疮形软而无神气的，用补法治疗才有益。肌肉肿胀但疮口不肿的，终究要产生疑虑恐惧，若脓液秽臭且不进食，出现泄泻则是死期将至（黄泉客）。疮色如猪肝紫暗，没有脓液必定死亡。绵软溃烂但不腐烂的，内部恐怕有葡萄串样的坏死组织。仰卧不知疼痛的，属阴症，性命难保。腐肉排尽后有败臭气，即便笑着也终归凶险。疮根散漫平塌的，神仙也无法医治。久病之人眼神外露，必定性命难存。面色忽然像涂了脂粉一样红润，十日后就会分离（死亡）。败疮中有红肉生出，虽然还有生的门路。新肉像板片一样僵硬，不吃东西终究会变化（恶化）。手足皮肤枯槁，血败则身难保。嘴唇发白、眼睛无神、腹胀且即将腹泻的，病情危重。若气虽弱但未断绝，虽重多有生机。眼眶黑气浓重的，痈疽最怕遇到这种情况。房中香气馥馥的，是病终将为福（吉兆）。疮身热而身体微热的，轻病不必多说。生死在此中寻求，片言即可决断。
Whenever a sore or carbuncle first appears, except for those on the neck and above, moxibustion with mugwort fire is used throughout the rest of the body. Depending on the size and severity of the lesion, the number of moxa cones (Moxa Zhuang) is determined. A slice of garlic is placed on top of the sore, followed by a moxa cone which is ignited for three Zhuang; the garlic slice is replaced each time. If pain is felt initially, stop when it ceases to hurt and feels somewhat itchy; if no pain is felt initially, stop when pain and itchiness are perceived. If there is absolutely no sensation of pain or itchiness during initial moxibustion, remove the garlic and perform direct moxibustion (Ming Jiu). Furthermore, for yin sores that have persisted for many days, using moxa cones alone may be ineffective. In such cases, mash garlic and spread it over the sore, then place moxa wool on top of the garlic and ignite it; intense pain must be felt for it to be effective. This is because only when the fire energy penetrates deeply can one feel pain, indicating that healthy flesh is growing. Moxa fire draws out stagnant toxins, opens the pores of the sore, and provides an exit for internal toxins to manifest externally, making it truly the primary method in surgery. It is best to apply moxibustion early, but there are several contraindications. The head is the summit of all yang meridians, a region purely yang without yin. Any swelling or sore here is caused by extreme hyperactive yang heat. Adding moxa fire would intensify the toxic qi, leading to severe swelling and potentially stirring up internal phlegm, which would inevitably lead to death. The same applies to ding sores (hard, deep-rooted boils) on the face. Another point is Shenshu (BL-23), located beside the lumbar spine, where the kidneys and life root reside. Sores at this point often result from excessive sexual activity and constitutional deficiency, leading to exhaustion of kidney water. Applying moxibustion here would scorch the source, causing internal and external dryness, often resulting in black sinking lesions, coma, and death. Additionally, patients with constitutionally deficient yuan qi often present with sores that do not swell significantly. These patients exhibit fatigue, shortness of spirit and lethargy, and a pulse that is floating, scattered, empty, rapid but weak upon pressure, indicating a lack of true qi to resist the fire. Moxibustion on such patients will likely cause fatal coma. The saying that "moxa fire does not harm people" is largely erroneous; physicians must carefully examine these conditions.
A sore starting like millet grain, containing grain-sized pus inside; appearing small like hemp seeds outside but large like a melon inside; appearing as large as a coin outside but containing a fist-sized cavity inside: although the onset is severe, it ultimately causes no harm. If it turns white prematurely without pus and sinks softly, it is untreatable. If the sore starts as a nodule and swells/ulcerates only after pus forms, and the patient's breath is strong, they will recover even without treatment. If the root is high and the crown is high, longevity is possible even at eighty years old; although it may rot easily, it remains safe regardless of size. If the sore is hot and painful, survival is certain despite the suffering. If the sore is soft and lacks vitality, tonification therapy is beneficial. If the surrounding muscle swells but the sore itself does not, suspicion should arise; if the pus is foul, the patient refuses food, and diarrhea occurs, death is imminent. If the sore color is purple like pig liver and lacks pus, death is certain. If it ulcerates slowly without rotting, internal grape-like necrosis may be feared. If lying supine without feeling pain, it indicates a yin syndrome with poor prognosis. If foul smell persists after decay is exhausted, death is inevitable. If the root is scattered and flat, even immortals cannot treat it. If eyes protrude due to chronic illness, survival is unlikely. If the face suddenly looks flushed like applied rouge, death follows within ten days. If red meat appears in the decay, there is still hope for recovery. If new flesh resembles hard plates and the patient does not eat, deterioration is inevitable. Withered skin on hands and feet indicates blood failure and danger to life. White lips, spiritless eyes, abdominal distension, and impending diarrhea indicate critical condition. If qi is weak but not absent, there is much chance of survival. Thick black qi around the eye sockets is dreaded in carbuncles and sores. Fragrance in the genital area is a auspicious sign for disease resolution. If the sore is hot but the body temperature is only slightly elevated, it is a mild case. Life and death can be determined by these signs in just a few words.