齿如黄熟豆。骨气绝。一日死。面青目陷。肝气绝。二日死。面白鼻入奇轮。肺气绝。三日死。面黑耳黄呻吟。肾
气绝。四日死。面上死筋。心气绝。五日死。口张唇青尾枯。脉绝。六日死。面目四肢肿。脾绝。九日死。大凡病儿足
跌耳肿。大小便不禁。皆死候也。忽作鸦声者。是大肠绝也。不治。鱼口气粗。出而不返者。是肺绝也。不治。肝藏血
目乃肝之外应。爪甲青黑。血脉不荫。及目无光彩。筋缩则两手抱头。是肝绝。不治。眼青属肾。肾有两筋。自背脊直
至脑门。贯其二睛。肾绝。两目向上。目不动者。不治。肾乃骨之主。肾绝则齿痒。切牙咬人者。不治。鼻乃肺之外应。
孔干黑燥。是肺绝。不治。面色黑黔者。不治。唇乃脾之外应。唇缩而不盖齿者。是脾绝。不治。胃主肌肤四肢。胃绝
则毛发竖。手足不能收管者。不治。四肢汗出如油。是荣卫俱绝。阴阳离。津液散于四肢。如粘胶者。不治。
头偃于后。天柱骨痿。心绝。颈骨不载。不治。或以为五软。非也。心主血。舌乃心之外应。舌短则语言
不明。心绝则血不流行。身不温暖。及囟门凸起。或陷作坑。目多直视。是皆必死。不治。饮水不歇。是肺
胃俱绝。其水直下大肠中去。必死。痢如死鹅鸭血者。是心绝。或臭秽如糟汤血水者。不治。
凡有顽涎退场门鼻者。是风痰塞关窍。血脉不行。不纳汤药者。不治。心寒者。脉绝也。故令肺胀。不治。
喉中拽锯。口吐白沫。是风痰闭窍。面色青黑。五孔干燥。不治。
以上诸症。是脏腑俱败。荣卫相离。气脉不生。皆不治之症。向有其症而救之。十或一二者也。
牙齿像黄熟的大豆一样。这是骨气断绝的表现，一天内就会死亡。面色青黑、双目凹陷，这是肝气断绝的表现，两天内就会死亡。面色苍白、鼻孔内缩如奇轮状，这是肺气断绝的表现，三天内就会死亡。面色发黑、耳朵发黄且伴有呻吟声，这是肾气断绝的表现，四天内就会死亡。面上出现死筋（僵硬不活的筋脉），这是心气断绝的表现，五天内就会死亡。口张不开、嘴唇发青、尾闾枯槁，这是脉气断绝的表现，六天内就会死亡。面目及四肢浮肿，这是脾气断绝的表现，九天内就会死亡。大凡患病的小儿如果足踝和耳部肿胀，且大小便失禁，都是死亡的征候。突然发出类似乌鸦叫声的，是大肠气绝的表现，无法救治。鱼口气粗，吸气后不能呼出或气息短促不回返的，是肺气断绝的表现，无法救治。肝藏血，眼睛是肝的外在表现。指甲青黑，血脉不能滋养，以及眼神无光彩，筋脉拘挛导致双手抱头，这是肝气断绝的表现，无法救治。眼周发青属于肾，肾有两根筋脉，从背脊一直延伸到脑门，贯穿双眼。肾气断绝时，两眼向上翻且固定不动，无法救治。肾是骨骼的主宰，肾气断绝则牙齿发痒，磨牙咬人，无法救治。鼻子是肺的外在表现，鼻孔干燥发黑，这是肺气断绝的表现，无法救治。面色黑黝黑的，无法救治。嘴唇是脾的外在表现，嘴唇收缩不能覆盖牙齿，这是脾气断绝的表现，无法救治。胃主管肌肤和四肢，胃气断绝则毛发竖起，手足不能自主收放，无法救治。四肢出汗如油，这是营卫之气俱断绝，阴阳分离，津液散溢于四肢，粘稠如胶，无法救治。头部向后仰倒，天柱骨（颈部脊柱）痿软无力，这是心气断绝的表现，颈骨无法支撑头部，无法救治。有人将其认为是“五软”症，其实不是。心主血，舌头是心的外在表现。舌体短缩则语言不清，心气断绝则血液运行停滞，身体不温暖，以及囟门凸起或凹陷成坑，眼睛多直视不动，这些都是必死的征候，无法救治。饮水不止，这是肺胃之气俱断绝，水液直下大肠，必然死亡。痢疾排出像死鹅鸭血一样的东西，这是心气断绝。或者排泄物臭秽如糟汤血水，无法救治。凡是顽固的痰涎堵塞肛门、鼻窍的，这是风痰阻塞关窍，血脉不通，不能接受汤药治疗的，无法救治。心脏寒冷，这是脉气断绝的表现，因此导致肺胀，无法救治。喉中发出拉锯般的声响，口吐白沫，这是风痰闭阻清窍，面色青黑，五官孔窍干燥，无法救治。以上各种症状，是脏腑功能全部败坏，营卫之气分离，气脉不再产生，都是无法救治的死症。以往遇到这些症状而进行抢救的，十个人中或许只有一两个人能救活。
The teeth resemble yellow, ripe beans. This indicates the exhaustion of Bone Qi (Gu Qi), and death will occur within one day. The face is cyanotic with sunken eyes, indicating the exhaustion of Liver Qi (Gan Qi), and death will occur within two days. The face is pale with nostrils retracted like a strange wheel, indicating the exhaustion of Lung Qi (Fei Qi), and death will occur within three days. The face is black, ears are yellow, accompanied by groaning, indicating the exhaustion of Kidney Qi (Shen Qi), and death will occur within four days. Dead sinews appear on the face, indicating the exhaustion of Heart Qi (Xin Qi), and death will occur within five days. The mouth remains open, lips are cyanotic, and the tailbone area is withered, indicating the exhaustion of Pulse Qi (Mai Qi), and death will occur within six days. Swelling of the face, eyes, and four limbs indicates the exhaustion of Spleen Qi (Pi Qi), and death will occur within nine days. Generally, if a sick child has swollen ankles and ears, along with incontinence of urine and feces, these are all signs of impending death. A sudden crow-like cry indicates the exhaustion of Large Intestine Qi (Da Chang Qi); this is incurable. Breathing resembling that of a fish, where inhalation occurs but exhalation does not return or is short and shallow, indicates the exhaustion of Lung Qi (Fei Qi); this is incurable. The Liver stores Blood (Xue), and the eyes are the external manifestation of the Liver. Cyanotic and black fingernails, blood vessels failing to nourish, lackluster eyes, and tendon contraction causing the hands to clutch the head indicate the exhaustion of Liver Qi (Gan Qi); this is incurable. Cyanosis around the eyes belongs to the Kidney. The Kidney has two tendons extending from the spine to the forehead, penetrating both eyeballs. When Kidney Qi (Shen Qi) is exhausted, the eyes roll upward and remain fixed; this is incurable. The Kidney is the master of bones. When Kidney Qi (Shen Qi) is exhausted, the teeth itch, and grinding of teeth or biting occurs; this is incurable. The nose is the external manifestation of the Lung. Dry, black, and cracked nasal passages indicate the exhaustion of Lung Qi (Fei Qi); this is incurable. A dark, blackened complexion is incurable. The lips are the external manifestation of the Spleen. Lips that retract and fail to cover the teeth indicate the exhaustion of Spleen Qi (Pi Qi); this is incurable. The Stomach governs the skin, muscles, and four limbs. When Stomach Qi (Wei Qi) is exhausted, hair stands erect, and the hands and feet cannot be controlled voluntarily; this is incurable. Sweating on the four limbs like oil indicates the exhaustion of Ying Qi (Nutritive Qi) and Wei Qi (Defensive Qi), separation of Yin and Yang, and leakage of body fluids into the limbs, becoming sticky like glue; this is incurable. The head tilts backward due to flaccidity of the Tian Zhu Gu (Heavenly Pillar Bone, cervical spine), indicating the exhaustion of Heart Qi (Xin Qi). The neck bone fails to support the head; this is incurable. Some may mistake this for "Five Flaccidities" (Wu Ruan), but it is not. The Heart governs Blood (Xue), and the tongue is the external manifestation of the Heart. A short tongue results in unclear speech. When Heart Qi (Xin Qi) is exhausted, blood circulation ceases, the body becomes cold, and the fontanelle bulges or sinks into a pit. Fixed staring of the eyes are all signs of certain death; this is incurable. Unquenchable thirst indicates the joint exhaustion of Lung Qi (Fei Qi) and Stomach Qi (Wei Qi), with water flowing directly into the Large Intestine; death is inevitable. Dysentery producing stool resembling the blood of dead geese or ducks indicates the exhaustion of Heart Qi (Xin Qi). Or, if the discharge is foul-smelling like dregs soup mixed with blood and water, it is incurable. Whenever stubborn phlegm blocks the anus or nasal orifices, this indicates Wind-Phlegm obstructing the orifices, blocking blood vessels, and preventing the intake of herbal decoctions; this is incurable. Coldness of the heart indicates the exhaustion of Pulse Qi (Mai Qi), leading to Lung distension; this is incurable. A sawing sound in the throat, foaming at the mouth, cyanotic and black complexion, and dryness of the five orifices indicate Wind-Phlegm closing the orifices; this is incurable. All the above symptoms indicate the total failure of the Zang-Fu organs, separation of Ying Qi (Nutritive Qi) and Wei Qi (Defensive Qi), and cessation of Qi and pulse generation. These are all incurable conditions. In the past, among those treated for such symptoms, only one or two out of ten might have been saved.