痢有数种，误治则生死立判。凡脾气不实，饮食
不化，昼夜无度，无红白积者，此为脾泻，其方不一，
当随症施治。若伤寒传入阴经，下痢清谷，脉微厥冷，
此为纯阴之危症，非参、附、干姜不治，患此者绝少。
若夫夏秋之月，暑邪入腑，脓血无度，此名滞下；全
属暑热之毒，蒸肠烂胃，与阴寒之痢，判若水火。仲
景以黄芩汤为主而因症加减，此千古不易之法。今乃
以暑毒热痢，俱用附、桂、姜、茸，始则目赤、舌焦，
号痛欲绝，其色或变如豆汁，或如败肝，热深厥深，
手足逆冷，不知其为热厥，反信为真寒，益加桂、附，
以至胃烂肠裂，哀号宛转，如受炮烙之刑而死。我
见甚多，惟有对之流涕。更有用六味汤及参、 等
补药者，于久痢虚乏之人，或有幸中，若邪气未清，非
成痼疾，即至不救。盖治痢之方甚多，博考古书，自
能穷其变化，何得以不入痢症之药，每投必误也。
六淫之邪，不但暑、燥、火固属乎热，即风、寒、湿
亦变为热。经云∶“热病者，皆伤寒之类也。”又云∶
“人之伤于寒也，则为病热。”故外感总以散热为
治；惟直中阴经之伤寒，必现脉紧便青，畏寒倦卧，
不喜饮，舌无胎，种种寒象，当用温散，此千不得一
者也。何近日之医，举天下寒热杂感，病势稍重者，
皆指为阴症，即用参、附、姜、桂，服后而热更甚，
并不疑为热药之故，即用熟地、麦冬等，以为补阴配
阳之法，竟忘其为外感矣！要知阴症无发热之理，间有
寒极似阳而外现热症者，其内症必现种种寒象，然亦
当驱散其寒，如麻黄附子细辛汤之类，亦并无补寒之
法也。乃以温热之邪，硬派作阴症而全用温补，真千古
之奇闻也。又有以梦泄、房劳之后而得外感者为阴症，
更属笑谈。夫邪果入阴经，即无房劳等事，亦属阴症；
如邪不入阴经，则自有本症治法，与阴何干？若云外
邪乘虚入肾，则尤当急驱肾中之邪，岂可留邪烁肾？又
有用热药之后，其热势益增，忽转而改用大寒，乃是
以药试病矣。要知一病有一病之方，岂无对病和平之
药，乃始投之火即转而投之水何也？然其死也，病家不
咎热药之误，而咎寒药之误何也？盖人之死也必渐冷，
服热药而反冷，则信以为非药之故；若服寒药而冷，
则明明以药使之冷矣。故热药之杀人不觉，而寒药之
杀人显然，所以医者宁可用补用热，虽死而犹可免咎也。
痢疾有多种类型，如果误治，生死立见分晓。凡是脾气虚弱不实，饮食无法消化，日夜无节制地腹泻，大便中没有红白脓血积滞的，这叫做脾泻，其治疗方法不一，应当根据症状灵活施治。如果是伤寒病邪传入阴经，出现下利清谷（排出未消化的食物），脉象微弱，四肢厥冷，这是纯阴寒的危重证候，非用人参、附子、干姜等温热药物不能治愈，但患这种病的人极少。至于夏秋季节，暑热病邪侵入脏腑，导致脓血便无度，这叫做“滞下”；这完全属于暑热毒邪，熏蒸肠道腐蚀胃腑，与阴寒性质的痢疾截然不同，如同水火不容。张仲景以黄芩汤为主方，并根据症状进行加减，这是千古不变的正确法则。如今却对暑热毒邪引起的热痢，全部使用附子、肉桂、干姜、鹿茸等温热药物，起初患者会出现眼睛发红、舌苔焦黑，痛苦号叫近乎昏厥，大便颜色或变成豆汁样，或像腐烂的肝脏，热邪深入导致四肢厥冷（热厥），手足逆冷，医生不知道这是热厥，反而相信是真寒证，更加重用桂枝、附子，以至于胃烂肠裂，患者哀号翻滚，如同遭受炮烙酷刑而死。我见过很多这样的案例，只能对着他们流泪叹息。更有甚者，使用六味地黄汤及人参、麦冬等补益药物，对于久痢导致虚乏的患者，或许偶尔侥幸有效，但如果邪气没有清除干净，不是形成顽固性疾病，就是导致死亡。大概治疗痢疾的方剂很多，广泛考证古代医书，自然能通晓其变化规律，为什么一定要用不属于治疗痢疾范畴的药物，每次投药必然出错呢？
六淫（风、寒、暑、湿、燥、火六种外感病邪）之邪，不仅仅是暑、燥、火属于热邪，即使是风、寒、湿也会转化为热邪。《内经》说：“热病，都属于伤寒的类别。”又说：“人感受寒邪，就会表现为热病。”所以外感病总应以散热为治疗原则；只有直中阴经的伤寒，必然出现脉象紧、大便青色、畏寒倦卧、不喜欢喝水、舌苔薄白等各种寒象，才应当使用温散法，这种情况千中无一。为什么近代的医生，把天下所有寒热夹杂、病情稍重的感冒，都指认为阴症，就立即使用人参、附子、干姜、肉桂，服药后热势更重，并不怀疑是热药造成的原因，甚至使用熟地黄、麦冬等，认为是补阴配阳的方法，竟然忘记了这是外感病！要知道阴症是没有发热道理的，间或有寒极似阳而外部表现热症的情况，其内部症状必然呈现各种寒象，但也应当驱散其寒邪，如麻黄附子细辛汤之类，也并没有用补法来治疗寒证的方法。竟然把温热性质的病邪，强行归类为阴症而全用温补，真是千古奇闻。又有把因梦遗、房劳之后患上外感的人称为阴症的，更是可笑。如果邪气真的进入阴经，即使没有房劳等情况，也属于阴症；如果邪气不进入阴经，则自有本证的治疗方法，与阴症有什么关系？如果说外邪乘虚侵入肾脏，则更应当紧急驱除肾中的邪气，怎么可以留邪灼伤肾脏？还有在使用热药之后，热势更加增加，忽然转而改用大寒药物，这是拿病人试药啊。要知道一种病有一种病的方剂，难道没有对症平和的药物吗？为什么开始投用热药，转而投用寒药呢？然而病人死了，家属不责怪热药的错误，反而责怪寒药的错误，为什么呢？因为人死后身体必然逐渐变冷，服用热药后反而变冷，家属就相信这不是药物的缘故；如果服用寒药后变冷，那就明明是药物使其变冷的。所以热药杀人不知不觉，而寒药杀人显而易见，因此医生宁愿使用补药和热药，即使病人死了也可以免除责备。
Dysentery has several types; misdiagnosis and mistreatment can lead to immediate death or survival. Whenever the Spleen Qi is deficient and unstable, food is not digested, and there is uncontrolled diarrhea day and night without red and white purulent exudates (pus and blood in stool), this is called Spleen Diarrhea (Pi Xie). Its treatment methods vary, and one must treat according to specific symptoms. If Taiyang disease (Exterior Syndrome) transmits into the Yin meridians, presenting with diarrhea of undigested food, a faint pulse, and cold extremities, this is a critical pure-Yin syndrome. It cannot be treated without Ren Shen (Ginseng Root), Fu Zi (Aconite Lateral Root), and Gan Jiang (Dried Ginger). However, patients suffering from this are extremely rare. In contrast, during summer and autumn months, when Summerheat pathogenic factors enter the Fu organs, causing excessive purulent bloody stools, this is named "Zhi Xia" (Stagnant Downward Dysentery); it belongs entirely to the toxicity of Summerheat-Heat, steaming the intestines and rotting the stomach. This is as different from Yin-Cold dysentery as water differs from fire. Zhang Zhongjing used Huang Qin Tang (Scutellaria Decoction) as the main formula, modifying it according to symptoms; this is an unchangeable method for all ages. Nowadays, however, for heat dysentery caused by Summerheat toxicity, practitioners use Fu Zi (Aconite Lateral Root), Gui Zhi (Cinnamon Twig), Gan Jiang (Dried Ginger), and Lu Rong (Deer Antler Velvet). Initially, patients experience red eyes and scorched tongue coating, wailing in extreme pain. The stool color may change to resemble bean curd residue or rotten liver. As the heat penetrates deeply, it causes Jue Ni (Reversal Cold), where hands and feet become cold. Physicians fail to recognize this as Heat Jue (Cold Extremities due to Heat) and instead believe it is True Cold, further increasing the dosage of Gui Zhi (Cinnamon Twig) and Fu Zi (Aconite Lateral Root). This leads to gastric ulceration and intestinal perforation. Patients writhe in agony, dying as if subjected to the punishment of roasting on iron spits. I have seen many such cases and can only shed tears. Even worse, some use Liu Wei Di Huang Wan (Six-Ingredient Rehmannia Pill) along with Bu Yao (Tonifying Medicines) like Ren Shen (Ginseng Root) and Mai Dong (Ophiopogon Tuber). For patients with chronic dysentery and deficiency-fatigue, this might occasionally hit the mark. However, if the pathogenic factor is not cleared, it will either become a stubborn disease or lead to death. There are many formulas for treating dysentery; by extensively consulting ancient texts, one can master their variations. Why insist on using medicines that do not belong to dysentery treatment, ensuring every prescription is erroneous?
The Six Excesses (Wind, Cold, Summerheat, Dampness, Dryness, Fire) are not only Summerheat, Dryness, and Fire that belong to Heat; even Wind, Cold, and Dampness can transform into Heat. The Classics state: "All Heat diseases belong to the category of Shang Han (Cold Damage)." It also states: "When humans are injured by Cold, they develop Heat diseases." Therefore, the general treatment for exterior infections should focus on dissipating Heat. Only in cases of Shang Han directly entering the Yin meridians, presenting with a tight pulse, greenish stools, aversion to cold, fatigue, lying curled up, dislike for drinking, and a thin white tongue coating—various signs of Cold—should Warm-Dissipating methods be used. Such cases are less than one in a thousand. Why do modern physicians label almost all mixed Cold-Heat exterior conditions with slightly severe progression as Yin Syndromes, immediately administering Ren Shen (Ginseng Root), Fu Zi (Aconite Lateral Root), Gan Jiang (Dried Ginger), and Gui Zhi (Cinnamon Twig)? After ingestion, the heat worsens, yet they do not suspect the cause lies in Hot Medicines. Instead, they use Shu Di Huang (Prepared Rehmannia Root) and Mai Dong (Ophiopogon Tuber), claiming it is a method of Tonifying Yin to balance Yang, completely forgetting that this is an exterior infection! One must know that Yin Syndromes do not involve fever. Occasionally, extreme Cold may mimic Yang, presenting external Heat symptoms, but internal symptoms must show various Cold signs. Even then, the treatment should be to dispel the Cold, such as using Ma Huang Fu Zi Xi Xin Tang (Ephedra, Aconite, and Asarum Decoction); there is no method of "Tonifying Cold." To forcibly classify Heat pathogens as Yin Syndromes and use full-scale Warm-Tonification is truly a bizarre anomaly of the ages. Furthermore, labeling exterior infections acquired after nocturnal emissions or sexual exhaustion as Yin Syndromes is laughable. If the pathogen truly enters the Yin meridians, it constitutes a Yin Syndrome regardless of sexual activity; if it does not enter the Yin meridians, there is its own standard treatment, unrelated to Yin Syndromes. If one claims the exterior pathogen invades the Kidney due to deficiency, one must urgently expel the pathogen from the Kidney. How can one allow the pathogen to linger and consume the Kidney Yin? Additionally, after using Hot Medicines, if the heat intensifies and the physician suddenly switches to Great Cold Medicines, this is testing the disease with drugs. One must know that each disease has its specific formula. Are there no balanced, appropriate medicines for the disease? Why start with Fire (Hot) medicines and switch to Water (Cold) medicines? Yet, when the patient dies, the family blames the error of Cold Medicines rather than Hot Medicines. Why? Because upon death, the body inevitably becomes cold. If the body becomes cold after taking Hot Medicines, families believe it is not due to the medicine; if it becomes cold after taking Cold Medicines, it is clearly caused by the drug. Thus, Hot Medicines kill imperceptibly, while Cold Medicines kill visibly. Therefore, physicians prefer using Tonics and Hot Medicines, so that even if the patient dies, they can avoid blame.