典藏书目

Any infant within one hundred days of birth presenting with phlegm and cough is termed "Bai Nei Sou" (Cough within the first hundred days). Some cases arise from sudden exposure to wind-cold shortly after birth, or invasion by wind during bathing, or chilling when changing swaddling clothes, or exposure to wind while being held for feeding; thus, wind-cold takes advantage of these vulnerabilities. These diseases are caused by external factors. Other cases result from choking due to excessive milk flow that cannot be swallowed in time, or coughing induced by qi rebellion after feeding while the infant is still crying; these diseases are caused by internal factors. All can lead to cough. However, diaphoretic (sweating-inducing) and purgative (draining-down) formulas are difficult to use because the stomach qi is just beginning to form and cannot withstand strong medication; hence it is said that "Bai Nei Sou" is hard to treat. Yet, although difficult, it is never said to be untreatable. I have treated this condition frequently; specific medicinal cases follow later. There is also a method of "treating by not treating," which is even more rapid and effective, often resulting in complete recovery, provided the nursing mother observes dietary restrictions, making treatment straightforward. For any case of Bai Nei Sou, initially administer two small doses of Jingfang Baidu San (Astragalus and Saposhnikovia Decoction), taken by both mother and child simultaneously, then stop medication. The only requirement is that the nursing mother avoids certain foods: all meat, alcohol, greasy items, salty, sour, or pungent flavors, ginger, pepper, spicy foods, green vegetables, and wheat-based foods must be strictly avoided. She should consume only fragrant tea and white rice, with a small addition of tangerine peel and orange peel to purify the milk. Even if the infant's cough is severe, within eight to ten days, upon consuming this purified milk, the cough will heal spontaneously. If dietary restrictions are ignored and proper medical advice is not sought, merely taking medicine without addressing the root cause is futile and beneficial to no one!

Gao Zuomei, a gentleman of the Yangming lineage, and his younger brother Yunxuan, both had sons born in the fifth month of the Jia Yin year. Both infants possessed constitutions accustomed to rich food and were weak in fetal origin. In the seventh month, both infants simultaneously developed Bai Nei Sou. I told Master Yunxuan: "Your son has a pale complexion and light lips, with bluish-white sclerae, and continuous coughing without corresponding phlegm sounds. This indicates excess Liver Wind and deficiency of Lung Qi. Although there is wheezing and coughing, it cannot be treated with standard methods. If you administer wind-dispersing and lung-clearing herbs, you will only increase dryness and damage Yin. Not only will the cough not resolve, but the condition will surely worsen." Master Yunxuan deeply agreed and administered Renshen Wuweizi Tang (Ginseng and Schisandra Decoction). The response was immediate, and he was fully cured after four doses. A total of 2.8 qian of Renshen (Panax Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma) was used.

Master Zuomei’s infant was even weaker. External signs included a pale face, bluish-white sclerae, spontaneous sweating, frequent coughing, prominent blue veins on the head, and a wide fontanelle. I told him: "Your nephew has the same syndrome and has already recovered with spleen-tonifying and lung-preserving formulas. Your son’s Middle Qi is even more deficient; you must use Renshen promptly to achieve an easy cure." At this time, an old woman specializing in removing "horse teeth" (natal teeth/Epstein pearls) obstructed the treatment from within, and another physician obstructed it from outside, vehemently arguing against the use of Renshen, claiming it would make the condition incurable, and stating that no one dares to use Renshen for a hundred-day-old infant. The old woman further instructed the mother: "Do not take Dao Weng’s [my] pills under any circumstances; they contain much Renshen, and taking them causes significant harm." The mother believed this to be true and regarded my medicine as arsenic poison. Master Zuomei, having struggled to conceive, could not decide based on my advice, showing outward agreement but inward hesitation. Seeing his indecision, I did not force the issue and allowed it to proceed otherwise. That physician visited once daily. From late July until early October, while Master Zuomei went to the prefecture for the Gongsheng examination, the child’s condition deteriorated despite treatment, eventually reaching a critical state with faint breathing, numerous adverse syndromes, and no hope of rescue. The physician was at a loss, the old woman remained silent, and both disappeared. The mother, having no one else to rely on, pleaded with me again. I sighed, "If you had listened to me earlier, how could we be here today?" I entered to examine the child and saw a blueish complexion, a body reduced to skin and bone, hoarse voice with no sound, coughing with shortness of breath, profuse cold sweat, and convulsions of the four limbs. All adverse signs were present, with no vitality remaining. Reluctant to give up, I examined carefully and noticed only the spirit light in the eyes remained. I said, "Perhaps the vital energy lies here!" I then prepared a decoction of one large piece of Renshen (Panax Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma) and five pieces of Tianyuan Rou (Seed of Euryale Ferox), steamed and given to the infant. Initially, half a small bowl was consumed. I held the infant and walked around the room, observing his respiration. The breath did not decrease nor increase significantly. After finishing the dose, after a long while, the breath seemed slightly smoother. I rejoiced, saying, "Success!" I then prescribed two qian of Renshen and seven pieces of Tianyuan Rou, steamed and administered, achieving great effect. That night, sweating and convulsions stopped, and wheezing/coughing slightly alleviated. However, due to the infant's small size and weakness, even two qian of ginseng decoction took all night to finish. Fortunately, I was calm and steady in movement, having not slept in bed for years, staying awake all night. I held the infant continuously, day and night, feeding him whenever he woke and letting him sleep after feeding. After several days, he snored loudly, slept deeply, and breathed very slowly. I knew this indicated the return of Qi and Spirit. This continued for ten days and nights. Most symptoms resolved by eighty to ninety percent, except for color/form and voice clarity. I said, "Although halfway through, I dare not pause; double the dosage of Renshen." Thus, daily, four qian of Renshen and fourteen pieces of Tianyuan Rou were used as before. Over twenty days and nights, more than six liang of Guan Jian Renshen (Imperial Selection Ginseng) were consumed in total, finally achieving full results. The voice became clear and bright, the complexion rosy, muscles regenerated, and spirit exceeded previous levels. He has now grown into a handsome man, intelligent and thorough in classics and history. His future prospects are limitless! Such a syndrome and such a treatment were unseen by the world, unheard by physicians, and unrecorded in books. Using six liang of Renshen for a six-month-old infant to save him from near-death requires firm insight; without it, success is unlikely. Therefore, I earnestly urge colleagues: as long as the syndrome is accurately identified, do not rigidly adhere to ancient formulas. Divine understanding depends on the practitioner.

Someone asked: "Both cases are Bai Nei Sou, why was different medication used for the former case, while the latter used only Renshen?" I replied: "There is a rationale. The former case occurred in the seventh month, when Lung Metal was prosperous. It was affected by wind pathogen attacking the Middle Qi, without involving other organs. Thus, Sijunzi Tang (Four Gentlemen Decoction) was used to tonify the Spleen, and Shengmai San (Generate the Pulse Powder) to preserve the Lung, gathering the scattered Metal Qi to restore its clear and descending function. Once Middle Qi returned, recovery was immediate. The latter case started in July and lasted until October. By then, Metal Qi had declined, and Water was prosperous while Wood was in a supporting phase. Due to insufficient Kidney Water, Liver Wood lost nourishment. Indeed, the mother organ disease harmed the child organ, causing bluish face and hands/feet, and convulsions. This is not Liver Excess, but Liver Failure. The *Neijing* states, 'Goodness is not seen, evil is manifested,' which clearly proves this. Common people, seeing convulsions, would typically use sedatives to calm fright, resolve phlegm, and stop wind-induced spasms. Who would protect the True Yuan and sustain the exhausted state? They do not know that in such cases, both Yin and Yang are damaged, and all Zang-Fu organs are injured. Without powerful substances, reversal is impossible. Therefore, discarding miscellaneous drugs, I used only the sweet-warm nature of Renshen and the sweet-moist nature of Tianyuan Rou. Their flavors are pure, pleasing to the infant. Moreover, Renshen benefits Yin by nourishing Yin and Yang by nourishing Yang, supplementing Ying-Wei, Qi-Blood, Spirit, and Intellect. Administered day and night without interruption, the True Yuan receives nurturing benefits. How could it fail? Another question arises: Why is there immediate effect upon initial administration, but full results only appear after twenty-one days (three sevens)? The answer is: Severe depletion has led to extreme dryness, like scorched seedlings and soil in drought; heavy rain helps little. Only gentle, continuous moistening can fill the depressions. After twenty-one days, the cycle of heaven and earth’s restoration has occurred three times. The body’s Ying-Wei has circulated fifteen hundred times, ascending and descending regularly, and Spirit-Qi is sufficient. The joy of non-medication follows naturally. This treatment does not imply that every infant with cough must use Renshen. It applies specifically to those with congenital deficiency and weak fetal origins, where usage is imperative. I regret that previous physicians were biased, refusing even a few fen of Renshen. Who knew that using up to six liang was necessary for full efficacy? This shows that inaccurate differentiation harms patients greatly. I write this to advise on choosing physicians."