药之治病。不得已也。古人以不服药为中医。厥有旨哉。尝闻古圣垂诲。靡不反复详慎。至
立方之下。每云中病即止。不必尽剂。其郑重有如此者。近世丰裕之家。略有小病。即从事于医
药。元气坚固者。无论治之中 与否。但得开通病气。元神自复。若禀质素弱。及病后产后。亡
血脱泻之后。不能即愈。日以汤药为务。多致轻者重而重者剧。病气日
增。饮食日减。以致寒热咳嗽。吐痰吐血。诸证百出。而犹以为药力未逮。邪热未除。日以清火
消痰为务。遂成药蛊之病矣。夫人之胃气。全赖水谷滋养。胃气旺。则诸病不生。纵有贼邪侵犯。
气复自已。原无急于调治也。尝见世人不得尽其天年者。大都皆医药之误耳。今既病之胃。转为
药力所侵。不至四大分崩不已。末流之挽。虽日事参、苓、 、术。如以漏器承浆。漫无盈满之
期。况堪克任偏胜性味乎。凡虚羸之疾。治之不能即应。当暂为休息。以俟胃气之复。不特药蛊
为然也。其药蛊之患有三。一者胃气为药所汨。饮食不为肌屑。而骨不支床。一者药毒流于坎陷。
少火不能五内。而烦蒸髓极。一者脾伤不能收精。脏气固结不舒而羸瘦腹大。虽有脾胃之分。所
重全在胃气。胃为五脏之本也。此性膏粱豢养者有之。在藜藿劳 之人。未之见也。其治药蛊之
病。当屏绝一切苦寒降泄。辛热升发。气味浓烈之药。只宜小剂参、 。甘温养胃之品。庶为合
宜。如独参、保元之类。以图阳生阴长之功。若虚火僭逆。稍加秋石以引参、 之力入于阴分。
为止逆下气之首药。无寒凉伤胃。夺食作泻之虞。若晡热自汗不止。当归补血、六味地黄。少少
与之。一为血虚发热。一为阴虚发热之专剂。勿以迂缓而忽诸。若贪功而妄行杂治。则与抱薪救
焚不殊也。况有中气久为药惫。畏食泄泻。或下利脓血。无论寒热补泻。即独参、理中。下咽必
增烦剧。即宜屏除药石。但与稀糜养其胃气。次以肴核助其气血。五谷为养。五肉为助。未尝不
为轩岐要旨也。当知乐蛊伤胃。则胃之畏药。所不待言。惟使谷神敷布。日渐向安。经云。安谷
者昌。安谷者过期。未闻服药得以长生也。操司命之权者。何不思之甚耶。
药物用来治疗疾病，是出于无奈之举。古人认为“不服药”才是最高明的中医（指不依赖药物而通过调养恢复健康），这确实是有深意的啊。我曾听说古代圣人的教诲，无不反复详尽且谨慎小心。到了制定方剂时，常常说“中病即止”，不需要服完全部药剂。他们的郑重态度就像这样。近代富裕人家，稍微有点小病，就立刻寻求医药治疗。元气坚固的人，无论治疗是否对症，只要能够疏通病气，元神自然就会恢复；如果是禀赋体质素来虚弱，以及病后、产后，或者失血、脱泻之后，不能立即痊愈的，却每天以喝汤药为务，大多导致轻病变重，重病加剧，病气日益增加，饮食日渐减少，从而导致寒热往来、咳嗽、吐痰、吐血等各种病症百出，而他们仍然认为药力不够，邪热未除，每天以清热泻火、消除痰浊为务，于是形成了“药蛊”这种病症。
人的胃气，完全依靠水谷精微的滋养。胃气旺盛，各种疾病就不会产生。即使有贼邪侵犯，正气也能自行恢复，原本就没有急于调治的必要。我曾见过世人未能享尽天年而早逝的，大多都是被医药所误。现在既然已经生病的胃，又转为被药力所侵害，不到身体四大（地、水、火、风）崩解死亡的地步是不会停止的。到了病势末流难以挽回的时候，虽然每天从事于人参、茯苓、白术等药物的使用，就像用漏底的容器承接浆液一样，永远没有盈满的时候，更何况还能承受那些偏性强烈的药味吗？凡是虚损羸弱的疾病，治疗不能立即见效，应当暂时停药休息，以等待胃气的恢复。不仅仅是药蛊这种情况如此。
药蛊这种病患有三种情况：一是胃气被药物扰乱，饮食无法转化为肌肉营养，导致骨弱不能支撑床铺；二是药毒流注于下焦陷处，少火（命门之火）不能温煦五脏，导致烦热蒸腾、骨髓枯竭；三是脾脏受伤不能收摄精气，脏气固结不畅而导致身体消瘦、腹部胀大。虽然涉及脾胃的区别，但重点全在于胃气，因为胃是五脏的根本。这种病多见于享受膏粱厚味供养的人，在吃粗茶淡饭、辛勤劳作的人身上，还未曾见过。
治疗药蛊的病，应当摒弃一切苦寒降泄、辛热升发、气味浓烈的药物。只适宜用小剂量的人参、甘草等甘温养胃的药物，这才算是合宜。比如独参汤、保元汤之类，以求达到阳生阴长的功效。如果有虚火僭逆上冲的情况，稍加秋石，以引导参、草之力进入阴分，这是为止逆下气的首选药物，没有寒凉伤胃、夺食作泻的忧虑。如果出现傍晚发热、自汗不止的情况，给予当归补血汤、六味地黄丸，少量多次服用，一个是针对血虚发热的专方，一个是针对阴虚发热的专方，不要因为见效缓慢而忽视它们。如果贪求功效而妄行杂乱治疗，那就和抱着柴草去救火没有什么区别了。况且如果中气长久被药物疲惫不堪，出现畏食、泄泻，或者下利脓血，无论寒证热证、补法泻法，即使是独参汤、理中汤，咽下去也一定会增加烦躁和病情严重。这时就应该屏除药物治疗，只给稀粥糜食来养护胃气，其次用肉菜谷物来辅助气血。五谷作为主食来滋养，五畜肉类作为辅助，这未曾不是黄帝内经（轩岐）的重要宗旨啊。应当知道乐蛊（此处疑为药蛊之误或特指某种因药致病的状态）损伤胃气，那么胃对药物的畏惧是不言而喻的。只有让胃神（消化功能）敷布运行，日渐趋向安宁。经书说：“能安谷者昌，能安谷者过期（指预后良好）”，从未听说过靠服药就能长生不老。掌握生命大权的人，为什么不深思这一点呢？
The use of drugs to treat diseases is a measure of last resort. The ancients considered "not taking medicine" as the highest level of Chinese medicine (referring to restoring health through regulation rather than reliance on drugs), which indeed holds profound significance. I have heard that the teachings of ancient sages were always repeated, detailed, and cautious. When formulating prescriptions, it was often stated that one should stop once the disease is cured ("Zhong Bing Ji Zhi"), without needing to finish the entire dose. Their seriousness was such as this. In recent times, wealthy families, upon having slight illnesses, immediately seek medical treatment and drugs. For those with robust Yuan Qi (Primordial Qi), regardless of whether the treatment is appropriate or not, as long as the pathogenic qi is unblocked, the Shen Yuan (Spiritual Origin) will naturally recover. However, for those with inherently weak constitutions, or after illness, postpartum, or following blood loss and severe diarrhea who cannot recover immediately, yet insist on taking decoctions daily, it often leads to mild conditions becoming severe and severe ones worsening. Pathogenic qi increases day by day, dietary intake decreases, leading to various symptoms such as alternating chills and fever, coughing, expectoration, hemoptysis, etc., emerging in abundance. Yet they still believe the medicinal power is insufficient and pathogenic heat remains, focusing daily on clearing fire and eliminating phlegm, thus resulting in the condition known as "Yao Gu" (Medicine Poison/Drug-induced Disorder).
Human Wei Qi (Stomach Qi) relies entirely on nourishment from food and water. When Wei Qi is vigorous, various diseases do not arise. Even if hostile pathogens invade, the righteous qi can restore itself; there is originally no need for urgent treatment. I have observed that most people who fail to live out their natural lifespan are largely misled by medicines and treatments. Now, if the stomach, already diseased, is further invaded by the force of drugs, it will not cease until the Four Elements (Earth, Water, Fire, Wind) collapse. At this late stage, even if one engages daily in using herbs like Renshen (Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma), Puling (Poria), Baizhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma), it is like trying to fill a leaky vessel with liquid, never reaching fullness. How could it withstand the strong, biased properties of these drugs? For chronic deficiency and emaciation, if treatment does not yield immediate results, one should temporarily rest and abstain from medication, waiting for the recovery of Wei Qi. This applies not only to Yao Gu but generally.
There are three types of Yao Gu disorders: First, Wei Qi is disturbed by drugs, preventing food from transforming into muscle nourishment, leading to bone weakness unable to support the body. Second, drug toxicity flows into the lower jiao depressions, where Shao Huo (Ministerial Fire) fails to warm the five zang organs, causing vexation, steaming heat, and exhaustion of the marrow. Third, Spleen injury prevents the consolidation of essence, causing organ qi to become knotted and uncomfortable, resulting in emaciation and abdominal distension. Although there are distinctions between Spleen and Stomach, the emphasis lies entirely on Wei Qi, as the Stomach is the root of the five zang organs. This condition occurs in those raised on rich, fatty foods; it has not been seen in those eating coarse grains and performing hard labor.
To treat Yao Gu, one must avoid all bitter-cold draining herbs, pungent-warm ascending herbs, and those with strong flavors. Only small doses of sweet-warm, Wei-nourishing items like Renshen (Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma) and Gancao (Licorice Root) are suitable. Formulas such as Dushen Tang (Single Ginseng Decoction) or Baoyuan Tang (Preserve the Origin Decoction) can be used to achieve the effect of Yang generating Yin. If deficient fire rebels upward, adding Qishi (Lithii Carbonas) in small amounts can guide the power of Ginseng and Licorice into the Yin aspect. Qishi is the premier herb for directing rebellious qi downward without the risk of cold damaging the Stomach or causing anorexia and diarrhea. If afternoon fever and spontaneous sweating persist, Xiaodang Bu Xue Tang (Minor Danggui Tonify Blood Decoction) and Liuwei Dihuang Wan (Six-Ingredient Pill with Rehmannia) should be given in small quantities. These are specific formulas for heat due to blood deficiency and heat due to yin deficiency, respectively. Do not neglect them because their action is slow. If one seeks quick success and resorts to miscellaneous treatments, it is no different from carrying firewood to put out a fire.
Moreover, if the Middle Qi has been exhausted by drugs for a long time, manifesting as aversion to food, diarrhea, or dysentery with pus and blood, regardless of whether the pattern is cold or hot, deficiency or excess, even Dushen Tang or Lizhong Tang will increase vexation and severity upon ingestion. In such cases, all medications should be discontinued. One should provide thin rice gruel to nourish Wei Qi, followed by meat and vegetables to assist Qi and Blood. Grains serve as the primary nourishment, and meats as assistance. This is undoubtedly a key principle of Xuanyuan and Qibo (Yellow Emperor and Qibo). It must be understood that since Yao Gu damages the Stomach, the Stomach's fear of drugs is self-evident. Only by allowing the "Grain Spirit" (digestive function) to circulate and gradually bringing the body toward peace can recovery occur. The Classics state: "Those who can digest grain prosper; those who can digest grain survive longer." It has never been heard that taking medicine leads to immortality. Those wielding the authority over life and death, why do they not reflect deeply on this?