病之有本，犹草之有根也。去叶不去根，草犹在也。治病犹去草。病在脏而治腑，病在表而攻里，非惟戕贼胃气，
抑且资助病邪，医云乎哉！族叔祖年七十，禀甚壮，形甚瘦，夏末患泄利，至深秋百方不应。予视之日，病虽久而神不
悴，小便涩少而不赤，两手脉俱涩而颇弦，自言鬲微闷，食亦减。因悟曰∶此必多年沉积，僻在胃肠。询其平生喜食何
物？曰∶我喜食鲤鱼，三年无一日缺。予曰∶积痰在肺。肺为大肠之脏，宜大肠之本不固也。当与澄其源而流自清。以
茱萸、陈皮、青葱、 苜根、生姜，煎浓汤和以沙糖饮一碗许，自以指探喉中，至半时辰，吐痰半升许如胶，是夜减半。
次早又饮又吐半升而利止。又与平胃散加白术、黄连，旬日而安。
东阳王仲延遇诸途，来告曰∶我每日食物必屈曲自鬲而下，且硬涩作微痛，它无所苦，此何病？脉之右甚涩而关尤
沉，左却和。予曰∶污血在胃脘之口，气因郁而为痰，此必食物所致，明以告我。彼亦不自觉。予又曰∶汝去腊食何物
为多？曰∶我每日必早饮点剁酒二三盏逼寒气。为制一方，用韭汁半银盏，冷冻饮料细呷之，尽韭菜半斤而病安。已而果然。
又一邻人年三十余，性狡而躁，素患下疳疮，或作或止。夏初患自利，鬲上微闷，医与治中汤二帖，昏闷若死，片
时而苏。予脉之两手皆涩，重取略弦似数。予曰∶此下疳疮之深重者。与当归龙荟丸去麝，四帖而利减；又与小柴胡去
半夏，加黄连、芍药、川芎、生姜，煎五六帖而安。
彼三人者，俱是涩脉，或弦或不弦，而治法迥别。不求其本，何以议药？
疾病有根本，就像草有根一样。只去除枝叶而不除根，草依然存活。治病就如同除草。病位在脏却治疗腑，病位在表却攻伐里，这不仅会伤害胃气，还会资助病邪，这算什么医生呢！
我的族叔祖七十岁，体质很强壮，身形很消瘦，夏末患泄泻痢疾，直到深秋用各种方法治疗都无效。我诊视后说：病虽然时间长但精神没有憔悴，小便涩少且颜色不红，两手脉象都涩且略微弦，他自己说胸膈微感闷塞，食欲也减退。于是领悟到：这一定是多年沉积的痰浊，偏结在胃肠。询问他平生喜欢吃什么食物？他说：我喜欢吃鲤鱼，三年中没有一天间断。我说：这是积痰在肺。肺是大肠的表里脏腑（相为表里），所以大肠的根本不固。应当澄清源头，水流自然清澈。用茱萸、陈皮、青葱、苜蓿根、生姜，煎煮浓汤调和砂糖饮用约一碗，用手指探喉催吐，过了半个时辰，吐出半升左右的胶状痰液，当晚症状减半。次日早晨又喝又吐了半升，腹泻就停止了。随后给予平胃散加白术、黄连，十天就好了。
东阳人王仲延在路上遇到我，告诉我说：我每天吃的食物必须曲折地从胸膈下行，而且感觉硬涩伴有轻微疼痛，没有其他不适，这是什么病？诊脉发现右手脉象非常涩，关部尤其沉，左手脉象却平和。我说：这是瘀血在胃脘入口处，气机因郁滞而化为痰，这一定是由食物引起的，请如实告诉我。他自己也没有察觉。我又问：你去年腊月吃了什么最多？他说：我每天早晨必饮点剁酒二三杯以驱寒气。为此制定一方，用韭菜汁半银盏，冷冻饮料细细呷服，吃完半斤韭菜后病就好了。后来果然如此。
另一个邻居三十多岁，性格狡猾急躁，素来患有下疳疮，时发时止。夏初患自发性腹泻，胸膈上微感闷塞，医生给予治中汤两帖，导致昏闷如死，片刻后才苏醒。我诊脉两手皆涩，重按略微弦且似数。我说：这是严重的下疳疮引发的病症。给予当归龙荟丸去掉麝香，服用四帖后腹泻减轻；又给予小柴胡汤去掉半夏，加入黄连、芍药、川芎、生姜，煎服五六帖后痊愈。
Diseases have their root, just as grass has its root. If one removes the leaves but not the root, the grass remains. Treating a disease is like removing weeds. If the disease is in the Zang organs but treated by addressing the Fu organs, or if the disease is at the Exterior but attacked by treating the Interior, this not only damages the Stomach Qi (Stomach Energy) but also aids the pathogenic factors. What kind of physician is this?
My clan uncle-grandfather was seventy years old, with a robust constitution but a thin physique. In late summer, he suffered from diarrhea and dysentery. By deep autumn, hundreds of remedies had failed. Upon examination, I said: Although the illness has persisted for a long time, his spirit is not exhausted; his urination is scanty and difficult but not red; both radial pulses are choppy (Se) and slightly wiry (Xian). He reported slight fullness in the chest and diaphragm and reduced appetite. I realized: This must be phlegm-turbidity accumulated over many years, lodged in the stomach and intestines. I asked what food he preferred in his life. He replied: I enjoy eating carp; there was not a single day in three years that I missed it. I said: This is accumulated phlegm in the Lung. The Lung is the interior-exterior pair of the Large Intestine; thus, the root of the Large Intestine is insecure. One must clarify the source, and the flow will naturally become clear. I prescribed a decoction of Corni Fructus (Shanzhuyu), Tangerine Peel (Chenpi), Green Onion (Qingcong), Alfalfa Root (Mugen), and Fresh Ginger (Shengjiang), mixed with brown sugar. He drank about one bowl and induced vomiting by stimulating the throat with his finger. After half an hour, he vomited approximately half a sheng of gelatinous phlegm. That night, symptoms halved. The next morning, after drinking again and vomiting another half sheng, the diarrhea stopped. Subsequently, I administered Pingwei San (Calm the Stomach Powder) augmented with Atractylodis Rhizoma (Baizhu) and Coptidis Rhizoma (Huanglian). Within ten days, he recovered.
Wang Zhongyan from Dongyang met me on the road and told me: "Every day, the food I eat must twist and turn to descend from the diaphragm, feeling hard, rough, and causing slight pain. I have no other discomfort. What disease is this?" Upon pulse diagnosis, the right radial pulse was very choppy (Se), especially at the Guan position, while the left pulse was harmonious. I said: There is stagnant blood at the entrance of the epigastrium. Qi is constrained and transforms into phlegm; this must be caused by food. Please tell me truthfully. He was unaware himself. I asked again: "What did you eat most of last December?" He replied: "I drink two or three cups of Dian Duo Jiu (a type of wine) every morning to drive out cold." I formulated a prescription using half a silver cup of Chinese Chive Juice (Jiu Zhi), taken slowly with chilled beverage. After consuming half a jin (approx. 500g) of chives, the illness resolved. It proved true later.
Another neighbor, in his thirties, was cunning and irritable. He had long suffered from chancre (lower genital ulcer), which came and went. In early summer, he developed spontaneous diarrhea and slight chest fullness. A physician administered Zhi Zhong Tang (Regulate the Middle Decoction) for two doses, causing him to fall into a coma-like state, recovering only after a short while. I diagnosed his pulses: both were choppy (Se); upon heavy pressure, they were slightly wiry (Xian) and seemed rapid (Shu). I said: This is a severe manifestation of the chancre. I prescribed Danggui Longhui Wan (Angelica and Gardenia Pill) without Moschus (She Xiang). After four doses, diarrhea decreased. Then, I prescribed Xiao Chai Hu Tang (Minor Bupleurum Decoction) without Pinelliae Rhizoma (Banxia), augmented with Coptidis Rhizoma (Huanglian), Paeoniae Radix Alba (Shaoyao), Ligusticum Chuanxiong Rhizoma (Chuanxiong), and Fresh Ginger (Shengjiang). After five or six doses, he recovered.
These three patients all presented with a choppy (Se) pulse, some wiry and some not, yet their treatment methods were completely different. Without seeking the root, how can one discuss medication?