幼科类萃者活幼之方脉也奚其类以方而附病也奚其萃集诸家之良也类其萃则方脉之筌蹄
备矣
忖肤亿也是故以哑称焉科果哑乎哉昔者扁鹊之过邯郸也闻其贵妇人于是称带下医过虽阳也
闻其爱老人于是称耳目痹医其入咸阳也闻秦人重小儿于是称小儿医随方异用因物显功幼非哑
科也已自夫神圣工巧之道丧而揣抹探取之术兴踵迹先贤契情往哲者虽代不乏人而一人不能周
一世一隅不可遍天壤虽慕名怀义人各有心而抱病裹粮势难遥就慈父孝子惟甘心于见闻之末而
爱子弱孤必委命于猜度之间也甚有泡浆婴孺投法水以除烦饥饱微伤假针石而取效辛楚之状睹
之不知淹 之害受之无二如斯之类不可具述而医媪师姑方且祷神眩术而鼓舞于襁褓之前自以
为得也类萃之书可无作乎是以原其受胎之始究其弥月之期察其浓薄之禀定其强弱之宜或视其
脉文之浅深或验其色相之衰肚无病不周无方不备凡先贤往哲之论议群书要方之收录关于小儿
试其应验者无不该戴使人因形色以知病症求脉理而识重轻天下后世之孩提者不横罗矣科复有
哑之者乎故曰类萃之书不可不作也古者妇人妊子不食邪味不视邪色不听淫声是古人之胎养也
凡生子择于诸母与可者使为子师是古人之乳养也子能食食以至出就外传饮食启居罔不有节是
古人之教养也非常之病何自而生乎呜呼世远人亡经残教弛恩养逾分饱暖失宜无怪乎其科之哑
也予故曰作类萃者其知道乎得活幼之筌蹄矣是书也同伤寒六书刊之开封公署亦松石刘公意也
公其幼吾幼以及人之幼者乎不然何举之笃而赞之同邪
《幼科类萃》是救治婴幼儿疾病的方剂与脉诊著作。为什么要称为“类”？是因为以病证分类来附载方剂；为什么要称为“萃”？是因为汇集了各家医术的精华。将各类方剂汇聚于此，那么治疗儿科疾病的要领便完备了。
我揣测肤浅地推测，因此称儿科为“哑科”。儿科真的是“哑科”吗？从前扁鹊经过邯郸，听说那里尊重妇女，于是自称“带下医”（妇科医生）；经过豳阳，听说那里爱护老人，于是自称“耳目痹医”（治疗耳目及痹症的医生）；他进入咸阳，听说秦地人重视小儿，于是自称“小儿医”。随病情不同而采取不同的治疗方法，凭借药物显现功效。可见儿科并非“哑科”。
自从神圣工巧（指医生诊断治疗的四种境界）之道丧失，而胡乱揣测、探取之术兴起以来，追随先贤足迹、契合往哲情怀的人，虽然代代不乏其人，但一个人不可能周全应对所有时代，一个角落也不可能遍察天地万物。虽然仰慕名声、怀抱大义的人各有其心，但患病者携带干粮、路途遥远，难以就近求医。慈爱的父亲、孝顺的儿子，只能甘心于见识浅薄之人手中，而疼爱子女的父母，必然将孩子的性命托付给猜度之间。
更有甚者，对于连浆水都难以吞咽的婴儿，投以法水以除烦渴；对于因饥饱轻微受伤的孩子，假借针石以求取效。那种痛苦的情状，旁观者不知晓，承受者却感同身受。像这样的例子，无法详尽叙述。而那些接生婆、师姑等人，还在神前祈祷、迷惑法术，在襁褓之前自我陶醉，自以为得法。《类萃》这本书难道可以不编写吗？
因此，追溯胎儿受胎之初，探究满月的时期，观察禀赋的浓薄，确定强弱适宜的护理。或者查看指纹脉络的深浅，或者验证面色形态的衰旺。无病不周详，无方不备全。凡是先贤往哲的议论、群书要方的收录，关于小儿且经试验应验的，无不涵盖其中。使人能通过形色了解病症，通过脉理识别轻重。天下后世的幼儿不再横遭不幸，儿科还有被称为“哑科”的吗？所以说，《类萃》这本书不可不编写。
古时候，妇女怀孕时不吃邪味食物，不看邪色景象，不听淫乱声音，这是古人的胎养方法。凡生子，选择诸母中合适的人作为乳母和教师，这是古人的乳养方法。孩子能进食后，直到外出求学，饮食起居都有节制，这是古人的教养方法。非常之病从何而生呢？唉！世道久远，古人已亡，经典残损，教化松弛，恩养超过分寸，饱暖失当，难怪儿科被称为“哑科”了。
所以我说道：编写《类萃》的人，是懂得大道的啊，得到了救治幼儿的要领。这本书，连同《伤寒六书》一起刊印在开封公署，也是松石刘公的意思。刘公大概是爱护自己的幼儿从而推己及人、爱护他人的幼儿吧？否则，为什么如此坚定地推崇并赞同它呢？
*Youke Leicui* (Collection of Pediatric Categories) is a work on formulas and pulse diagnosis for treating infants and children. Why is it called "Leicui" (Categories/Collection)? It is categorized by disease to attach formulas; why is it called "Cui" (Gathering)? Because it gathers the excellence of various schools of thought. By gathering these categories, the essentials of pediatric formulas and pulse diagnosis are fully prepared.
I speculate superficially, hence the term "Ya Ke" (Mute Department) is used for pediatrics. Is pediatrics truly a "mute department"? In the past, when Bian Que passed through Handan, hearing that they respected women, he called himself a "Daixia Yi" (Gynecologist). When he passed through Binyang, hearing that they cherished the elderly, he called himself an "Ermu Bi Yi" (Physician for ear, eye, and bi-syndrome). Upon entering Xianyang, hearing that the Qin people valued children, he called himself a "Xiao'er Yi" (Pediatrician). He applied different methods according to the condition and demonstrated efficacy through substances. Thus, pediatrics is not a "mute department."
Since the way of "Shen, Sheng, Gong, Qiao" (the four realms of medical skill: divine, sage, skilled, and clever) was lost, and the techniques of rash speculation and probing arose, although there were always people who followed the tracks of sages and aligned with ancient philosophers, no single person could cover all eras, nor could one corner encompass heaven and earth. Although those who admire fame and harbor righteousness have their own hearts, patients carrying provisions face difficulties in seeking distant care. Loving fathers and filial sons are forced to rely on those with limited knowledge, and parents doting on weak orphans must entrust their lives to guesswork.
Even worse, for infants too young to swallow even gruel, alkaline water is administered to relieve restlessness; for slight injuries due to improper feeding, needles and stones are falsely employed to seek results. The state of suffering is unknown to observers but identical to those enduring it. Such cases cannot be fully enumerated. Meanwhile, midwives and aunties pray to gods and bewitch with arts before the cradle, thinking themselves successful. Could the book *Leicui* remain unwritten?
Therefore, tracing from conception, investigating the period of full month, observing the thickness of innate constitution, and determining suitability for strength or weakness. One examines the depth of finger vein patterns or verifies the decline or vigor of facial features. No disease is left unexamined, no formula left unprepared. All discussions of former sages and essential formulas recorded in various books, regarding pediatrics and proven effective, are comprehensively included. This enables people to know diseases through appearance and color, and recognize severity through pulse principles. Children of the world and future generations will no longer suffer unjustly; can pediatrics still be called a "mute department"? Hence, it is said that the book *Leicui* must be written.
In ancient times, pregnant women did not eat unwholesome foods, did not look at indecent sights, and did not listen to licentious sounds; this was the prenatal nourishment of ancients. For childbirth, suitable women among the nurses were chosen as teachers for the child; this was the nursing care of ancients. Once children could eat, until they went out for schooling, diet and daily life had strict regulations; this was the upbringing and education of ancients. How do extraordinary diseases arise? Alas! Times are distant, ancients are gone, classics are damaged, teachings are slackened, nurturing exceeds bounds, and overindulgence leads to imbalance. No wonder pediatrics is called a "mute department."
Thus I say: The author of *Leicui* understands the Dao and has grasped the essentials of saving infants. This book, along with *Shanghan Liushu* (Six Books on Cold Damage), was published at the Kaifeng Public Office, also by the intention of Lord Liu Songshi. Was Lord Liu one who loved his own young and thereby extended that love to others' young? Otherwise, why would he promote it so firmly and endorse it so warmly?