东垣曰膈消者以白虎加人参汤治之中消者善食而瘦自汗大便硬小便数叔和云口干饮水多
食饥
虚瘅成消中者调胃承气三黄丸治之下消者烦躁引饮耳叶焦干小便如膏叔和云焦烦水易亏此肾
消也六味地黄丸治之总录所谓末敷能食者必发脑疽背疮不能食者必敷中满鼓胀皆谓不治之证
洁古老人分而治之能食而渴者白虎加人参汤不能食而渴者钱氏方白术散倍加葛根治之上中既
平
不复敷下消矣前人用药厥有旨哉或曰末敷疮疽者何也此火邪胜也其疮痛甚而不溃或赤水者是
也经云有形而不痛阳之类也急攻其阳无攻其阴治在下焦元气得强者生失强者死末敷中满者何
也以寒治热虽方士不能废其绳墨而更其道也然脏腑有远近心肺位近宜制小其服肾肝位远宜制
大其服皆适其至所为故如过与不及皆诛罚无过之地也如高消中消制之太急速过病所久而成中
满之病正谓上热未除中寒复生者也非药之罪失其缓急之制也处方之治宜加意焉
按以上所论三消传变可谓发病机之旨比与陈氏三因论消中复有三证皆病敷所异大抵末敷
发疮
疽者为敷外发胀满强中为敷内亢极之甚也但三因所出治强中一方然未见其肯綮今姑存之以备
其旨且传胀满皆不治之证况强中乎
局方清心莲子饮
调胃承气汤治消中热在胃而能饮食小便赤黄
方并见热门
三因真珠丸治心虚烦闷积热烦渴口干舌燥引饮无度小便或利或不利
知母(一两一分) 黄连 苦参 玄参 铁粉 牡蛎(各一两) 朱砂(二两) 麦门冬(去
心) 天花粉(各半两) 金箔 银箔(二百片)
上为末炼蜜入生栝蒌汁少许丸如梧子大用金银箔为衣每二三十丸先用栝蒌根汁下一服次
用麦门冬熟水下病退日二服
按此心胃经药也以上三方有轻重之殊宜选使
李东垣说:膈消证,用白虎加人参汤治疗。中消证,表现为食欲旺盛但身体消瘦,自汗出,大便干硬,小便频数。王叔和说:口干、饮水多,进食后易饥,因虚热内盛而发展为消中证,用调胃承气汤和三黄丸治疗。下消证,表现为烦躁、引水自救,耳廓干枯焦黑,小便像膏脂一样浑浊。王叔和说:焦躁烦渴,水液容易枯竭,这是肾消证,用六味地黄丸治疗。《总录》中说:病势末期的患者,如果能进食,必定会发脑疽或背疮;如果不能进食,必定会出现中满鼓胀。这些都是所说的不治之证。
洁古老人将其分开治疗:能进食且口渴的,用白虎加人参汤;不能进食且口渴的,用钱氏方中的白术散,并加倍加入葛根治疗。上消和中消既然已经平复,就不再出现下消的症状了。前人在用药方面确实有着深刻的用意。
有人问:为什么病势末期会出现疮疽呢?这是因为火邪亢盛所致。这种疮疡疼痛剧烈且不溃破,或者流出赤色脓水的,就是这种情况。医经说:形体有病变但不疼痛的,属于阳证一类。应当紧急攻治其阳分,不要攻治其阴分。如果病位在下焦,元气强盛的就能生存,元气衰弱的就会死亡。
有人问:为什么病势末期会出现中满(腹部胀满)呢?用寒凉药治疗热证,虽然是方士也不能废弃其法度而改变其道。然而脏腑有远近之分,心肺位置近,宜制成小剂量的服法;肝肾位置远,宜制成大剂量的服法。这都是为了使药力恰好到达病所。如果剂量过大或过小,都会诛伐无过之地(即损伤正常组织)。例如上消、中消,如果制方太急太快,超过了病所,久而久之就会形成中满的病证。这正是所谓的“上部的热邪尚未清除,中部的寒邪又已产生”。这不是药物的过错,而是失去了缓急适度的法度。所以在处方治疗时,应当格外留意。
按语:以上所论述的三消传变,可以说是揭示了发病机理的要旨。这与陈氏《三因方》中关于消中的论述相比,又有三种证候,都是病在肌肤腠理,只是表现不同。大抵来说,病在肌肤表面并发疮疽的,是病邪向外发散;出现腹胀满、强中(阴茎异常勃起)的,是病邪向内亢极到了极点。虽然《三因方》中提出了治疗强中的一方,但我未见其关键所在,现在姑且保存它以备参考其意旨。况且传变导致的腹胀满都是不治之证,何况是强中呢?
局方清心莲子饮
调胃承气汤:治疗消中证,热邪在胃,能饮食,小便赤黄。(方剂详见热门章节)
三因真珠丸:治疗心虚烦闷,积热烦渴,口干舌燥,饮水无度,小便或通利或不通利。
组成:知母(一两一分)、黄连、苦参、玄参、铁粉、牡蛎(各一两)、朱砂(二两)、麦门冬(去心)、天花粉(各半两)、金箔、银箔(二百片)。
制法与用法:将上述药物研为细末,炼蜜为丸,加入少许生栝蒌汁,制成梧桐子大小的丸药,用金银箔包裹衣面。每次服用二三十丸,先用栝蒌根汁送服一次,再用麦门冬熟水送服。病退后改为每日两次服用。
Li Dongyuan stated: For Ge Xiao (Diabetes Mellitus affecting the chest/diaphragm), treat with Baihu Jia Renshen Tang (White Tiger Decoction plus Ginseng). For Zhong Xiao (Diabetes Mellitus affecting the middle jiao/stomach), symptoms include polyphagia with emaciation, spontaneous sweating, hard stools, and frequent urination. Wang Shuhe stated: Dry mouth, excessive drinking, and hunger after eating, developing into Xiao Zhong due to deficiency heat, should be treated with Tiaowei Chengqi Tang (Regulate the Stomach Purging Decoction) and Sanhuang Wan (Three Yellow Pill). For Xia Xiao (Diabetes Mellitus affecting the lower jiao/kidney), symptoms include irritability, thirst for water, dry and scorched earlobes, and urine resembling paste. Wang Shuhe stated: Scorched irritability and easy depletion of fluids indicate Kidney Xiao, which should be treated with Liuwei Dihuang Wan (Six-Ingredient Rehmannia Pill). The *Zonglu* states: In the late stage of the disease, if the patient can eat, they will inevitably develop brain carbuncles or back sores; if they cannot eat, they will inevitably develop abdominal fullness and distension. These are all considered intractable conditions.
Jiegu Laoren (Elder Jiegu, i.e., Zhang Congzheng) treated them separately: For those who can eat and feel thirsty, use Baihu Jianshen Tang (White Tiger Decoction plus Ginseng); for those who cannot eat and feel thirsty, use Baizhu San (Atractylodes Macrocephala Powder) from Qian's formula, with doubled amounts of Gegen (Kudzu Root). Once Shang Xiao (Upper Xiao) and Zhong Xiao are stabilized, Xia Xiao will no longer occur. The ancients indeed had profound intentions in their medication strategies.
Someone asked: Why do sores and carbuncles appear in the late stage? This is due to the predominance of fire pathogenic factors. These sores are extremely painful but do not ulcerate, or they discharge red pus. The Classics state: "Organic lesions without pain belong to the Yang category." One should urgently attack the Yang aspect, not the Yin aspect. If the pathology is in the Lower Jiao, survival depends on strong Yuan Qi (Original Qi), while death results from weak Yuan Qi.
Someone asked: Why does abdominal fullness occur in the late stage? Using cold medicines to treat heat is a principle that even herbalists cannot abandon or alter. However, Zang-Fu organs have distances relative to the surface. The Heart and Lung are located proximally, so small doses should be prepared; the Liver and Kidney are located distally, so large doses should be prepared. This ensures the medicinal force reaches the target precisely. Both excess and deficiency in dosage punish areas that are not at fault. For example, in Shang Xiao and Zhong Xiao, if the prescription is too rapid and intense, exceeding the pathological site, it may lead over time to abdominal fullness. This refers to the situation where upper heat has not been cleared, yet middle cold arises. This is not the fault of the medicine, but the loss of proper moderation in urgency and slowness. Therefore, great attention must be paid to prescription formulation.
Commentary: The above discussion on the transmission of the Three Xiao diseases reveals the essence of disease mechanisms. Compared with Chen Shi’s *San Yin Fang*’s discussion on Xiao Zhong, there are three additional syndromes. All involve the skin and muscles, differing only in manifestation. Generally, sores and carbuncles appearing on the surface indicate the pathogen moving outward; abdominal fullness and Qiang Zhong (priapism/excessive sexual arousal) indicate the pathogen moving inward to an extreme hyperactive state. Although *San Yin Fang* provides a formula for treating Qiang Zhong, I have not seen its key efficacy. I preserve it here for reference. Moreover, since abdominal distension resulting from transmission is considered intractable, how much more so is Qiang Zhong?
Ju Fang Qingxin Lianzi Yin (Official Bureau Clearing the Heart Lotus Seed Decoction)
Tiaowei Chengqi Tang (Regulate the Stomach Purging Decoction): Treats Xiao Zhong with heat in the Stomach, ability to eat, and dark yellow urine. (Formulas see Hot Pathogens section)
Sanyin Zhenzhu Wan (Three Causes Pearl Pill): Treats Heart deficiency with irritability and oppression, accumulated heat causing vexation and thirst, dry mouth and tongue, excessive drinking, and urination that is either free or obstructed.
Ingredients: Zhi Mu (Anemarrhenae Rhizoma, 1 liang 1 fen), Huanglian (Coptidis Rhizoma), Kushen (Sophorae Flavescentis Radix), Xuanshen (Scrophulariae Radix), Tie Fen (Ferrum), Muli (Ostreae Concha, each 1 liang), Zhusha (Cinnabar, 2 liang), Maimendong (Ophiopogonis Radix, heart removed), Tianhuafen (Trichosanthis Radix, each half liang), Jinbo (Folium Aurum), Yinbo (Folium Argenti, 200 pieces).
Preparation and Administration: Grind the above herbs into powder. Use refined honey and a little fresh Trichosanthis Radix juice to form pills the size of wutong seeds. Coat with gold and silver leaf. Take 20–30 pills per dose. First, administer with Trichosanthis Radix juice once, then follow with Ophiopogon decoction cooked with water. After symptoms subside, take twice daily.
Commentary: This is a medicine for the Heart and Stomach meridians. Among the above three formulas, there are differences in potency; select appropriately.