痧症有紧、有慢,人多不识。幸迩来南方砭刺有人,略晓痧症一二,然亦不克逐症详明,深可叹惜。故有云痧当
砭刺,刺即救之;有云痧不可刺,刺即多犯,此语一出,遂致误人不浅。然亦有可辨者,盖痧症之初犯者,邪气胜夫元
气,虽人壮实而不免。痧症多犯者,由元气虚,则易感触夫邪气,是以有数患痧症之人,或有十日半月一发,或有一月
二月一发,常患痧痛,非刮则放,所以有痧不可刺,刺即多犯之说尔。不知痧之易感,必由于胃气本虚,遂乃数犯。予
尝用“绝痧方”充其胃气,则痧自断,又用参、 大补之味以实之,痧未有不断者矣。然必痧症已痊之日,全无些须痧
毒,然后可服,以绝其根。否则稍有痧气未除,此等之药,断不可服,恐其中有甘辛温热大补之味,反益助其邪毒尔。
杂症若重,或至昏迷,均可以延时日,独痧症之昏迷,则有不容少待者,何也?夫杂症昏迷,不过痰、气、血涌,
或虚极而发晕已也,故可以延时日。至于痧而昏迷不醒,仅是痧气冲心,尤有可解,若为痧毒所攻,则毒血一冲,势必
攻坏脏腑,未有少延者矣。故痧胀昏迷不醒者,须防立死。其毒血与食积、痰、气必结聚心腹胸膈之间,而经络不转,
气血不运,虽欲放而血不流,欲刮而痧不显,此所以救之者,又必急用药以治之也。其治之之法,惟视其食、积、痰、
血、气阻及暑热、伏热、秽气之类以治之。有食消食,有积消积,有痰血气阻,即散其痰血气阻,有暑热、伏热、秽气
所触,即散其暑热、伏热、秽气,则胸膈一松,昏迷自醒,然后验其紫筋青筋以刺之,而或刮或药,惟其症之所发,以
施其救人之术欤。
痧症有急发型的,也有缓发型,人们大多不能识别。幸好近来南方有人使用砭石刺法,对痧症略知一二,但也不能逐条详细阐明,实在令人叹息。因此有人说:痧症应当用砭石刺法,刺了就能救治;也有人说:痧症不可用砭石刺,刺了就会多次发作。这种说法一出,便导致误人甚深。然而这也是可以辨别的。大概痧症初次发作时,邪气胜过元气,即使人体质壮实也难免患病。痧症反复发作,是因为元气虚弱,容易感受邪气,所以有些人经常患痧症,有的十天半月发作一次,有的一个月或两个月发作一次,常患痧痛,如果不刮痧或放血,就无法缓解,因此就有了“痧症不可刺,刺了就会多犯”的说法。却不知道痧症之所以容易感染且反复发作,必定是由于胃气本来虚弱,所以才多次发作。我曾经用“绝痧方”来充实胃气,痧症自然就会断根,又用人参等大补的药物来巩固,痧症没有不断根的。但是必须在痧症已经痊愈之日,完全没有丝毫痧毒残留,然后才可以服用,以绝除病根。否则如果稍有痧气未除,这类药物绝对不可服用,恐怕其中甘辛温热的大补之味,反而助长邪毒。
杂症如果严重,或许还能拖延时日,唯独痧症引起的昏迷,是容不得片刻等待的,为什么呢?杂症导致的昏迷,不过是痰、气、血上涌,或者极度虚弱而晕厥罢了,所以可以拖延时日。至于因痧症而昏迷不醒,仅仅是痧气冲心,还有解救的可能;如果被痧毒所攻,那么毒血一冲,势必会攻坏脏腑,没有片刻拖延的余地。所以痧胀昏迷不醒的人,必须防止立即死亡。其毒血与食积、痰、气必然结聚在心腹胸膈之间,导致经络不通转,气血不运行,虽然想放血却血流不出,想刮痧却痧象不显,这就是为什么救治时必须紧急用药治疗的原因。治疗的方法,只是视其被食、积、痰、血、气阻滞,以及暑热、伏热、秽气等所致而分别治疗。有食滞就消食,有积滞就消积,有痰血气阻滞,就消散这些阻滞;有暑热、伏热、秽气触犯,就散发这些邪气,这样胸膈就会宽松,昏迷自然苏醒,然后再查验紫筋青筋进行刺络,或者刮痧或者用药,完全根据病症的表现,来施行救人的医术吧。
Sha disease (Sha syndrome) presents in both acute and chronic forms, yet most people fail to recognize them. Fortunately, in recent times, some practitioners in the southern regions have employed scarification (Bianci), acquiring a rudimentary understanding of Sha disease; however, they are unable to elucidate each symptom in detail, which is deeply regrettable. Consequently, there are claims that "Sha disease should be treated with scarification, and immediate treatment saves lives," while others assert that "Sha disease must not be scarified, as doing so leads to frequent recurrences." Once such statements circulate, they cause significant harm to patients. Nevertheless, these views can be distinguished. Generally, when Sha disease first occurs, pathogenic factors overwhelm the healthy Qi (Vital Energy); even robust individuals are susceptible. Recurrent Sha disease arises from deficiency of healthy Qi, making one easily susceptible to pathogens. Thus, some individuals suffer from recurrent Sha, experiencing attacks every ten days or half a month, or once every one or two months, often enduring Sha pain. Without scraping (Gua Sha) or bloodletting, relief is impossible, giving rise to the notion that "Sha disease should not be scarified, for it causes frequent recurrence." They fail to realize that the susceptibility and recurrence of Sha are inevitably due to inherent weakness of Stomach Qi (Stomach's functional activity). I have previously used the "Jue Sha Fang" (Absolute Sha Decoction) to tonify Stomach Qi, after which Sha naturally ceases. Furthermore, by using Ren Shen (Radix Ginseng) and other strongly tonifying herbs to consolidate the body, Sha has invariably been eradicated. However, this treatment is only permissible on days when Sha symptoms have completely resolved and no trace of Sha toxin remains, thereby eliminating the root cause. Otherwise, if any Sha Qi (Sha pathogenic factor) remains, such medications must absolutely not be taken, as their sweet, pungent, warm, and hot strongly tonifying properties might instead exacerbate the pathogenic toxins.
In miscellaneous diseases (Za Zheng), severe conditions may allow time to pass, but coma caused by Sha disease admits no delay. Why? Coma resulting from miscellaneous diseases is merely due to the surging of Phlegm (Tan), Qi (Energy), or Blood (Xue), or fainting due to extreme deficiency; thus, time can be spared. In contrast, coma from Sha disease is solely due to Sha Qi rushing to the Heart, which is still resolvable. However, if attacked by Sha toxins, the toxic blood will surge, inevitably damaging the Zang-Fu organs (Viscera), leaving no room for delay. Therefore, patients suffering from Sha distension and coma must be guarded against sudden death. The toxic blood, along with Food Retention (Shi Ji), Phlegm, and Qi stagnation, must accumulate between the heart, abdomen, chest, and diaphragm, causing the meridians to cease circulation and Qi and Blood to stop moving. Although one wishes to perform bloodletting, blood does not flow; although one wishes to scrape, Sha signs do not appear. This is why emergency medication is required for treatment. The therapeutic method involves addressing the specific obstruction: if obstructed by food, resolve the food retention; if by accumulation, resolve the accumulation; if by phlegm, blood, or Qi stagnation, dissipate these obstructions; if triggered by Summerheat-Heat (Shu Re), latent heat (Fu Re), or turbid Qi (Hui Qi), dissipate these pathogens. Once the chest and diaphragm relax, consciousness returns. Subsequently, inspect the purple and cyan veins for scarification, and apply either scraping or medication according to the manifestation of the symptoms to execute the art of saving lives.