夫潮热无时为外感，潮热有时为内伤。盖内伤发热，是阳气自伤，不能升达，降下阴分
而为内热，乃阳虚也，故其脉大而无力，属脾肺二经病。阴虚发热，是阴血自伤，不能制火
，以致阳气升腾，乃阳旺也，故其脉数而无力，属心肾二经病。总之不过七情色欲，饮食所
伤，而阴虚火动故也。治宜养血健脾，以治其本，降火清心，以治其标。若妄用银柴胡、胡
黄连之类，以消其肌肉，而死者必矣。诚可哀哉！
愚谓痰火之热，作于子午，而不爽其期者。盖火病至于发热，则相火四起，天君失令，
必有梦遗盗汗骨蒸等症。其心火一动，则移热于小肠，小肠乃丙火之腑，丙火旺在午，小肠
系络于肾，肾虚则便浊，乃小肠火动，故宜午后作热也。至子而退者，盖丙火绝在子，心经
之火，至此时而退，令患痰火者，多在二十以内，少年之士，血气虽亏，而日间饮食，尤易
生津液，津液乃注于膀胱者也，膀胱号为水曹，壬水又旺在子，水旺则火自灭，而热宜至此
时而退矣。明医于此，泻小肠之火，清心经之热，补肾之水，兼生膀胱津液，加以患者善于
保养，即重病可痊。苟医家不谙生旺经络，妄投退热之剂，患者不爱性命，如前消耗真精，
即以日间饮食所生津液，犹以杯水而救车薪之火也。热将日盛，病将日增，即再世岐黄，亦
难救矣，是可哀也。
潮热没有固定时间发作的，属于外感病；潮热有固定时间发作的，属于内伤。大概内伤发热，是阳气自我损伤，不能升发通达，下沉到阴分而成为内热，这是阳虚，所以脉象大而无力，属于脾、肺两经的病证。阴虚发热，是阴血自我损伤，不能制约火邪，导致阳气升腾，这是阳旺，所以脉象数而无力，属于心、肾两经的病证。总之，不过是七情（喜、怒、忧、思、悲、恐、惊）和色欲过度，以及饮食所伤，从而导致阴虚火动。治疗应当养血健脾，以治其本；降火清心，以治其标。如果胡乱使用银柴胡、胡黄连之类的药物，来消损肌肉，那么死者必矣。真是令人悲哀啊！
我认为痰火引起的发热，在子时和午时发作，且从不违背这个规律。大概火病到了发热的程度，相火（寄居于肝肾，具有生理功能的命门之火）四起，君主之官（心）失去职权，必然会有梦遗、盗汗、骨蒸（一种自觉骨节烦热、午后或夜间加重的虚劳症状）等症状。心火一动，就会将热邪转移给小肠，小肠是丙火的腑脏，丙火在午时旺盛，小肠系络于肾，肾虚则小便浑浊，这是小肠火动，所以在午后发热。到了子时而退热，是因为丙火在子时绝灭，心经的火气，在这个时候消退，所以患痰火病的人，多在二十岁以内。少年的士人，虽然气血亏损，但白天的饮食，容易生成津液，津液会注入膀胱。膀胱被称为“水曹”（掌管水液的机构），壬水（指代膀胱/肾中的水气）又在子时旺盛，水旺则火自然熄灭，所以热势应该在此时消退。明医在这个问题上，泻小肠的火，清心经的热，补肾的水，兼生膀胱的津液，加上患者善于保养，即使重病也可以痊愈。如果医生不懂经络的生旺规律，胡乱投用退热的药剂，患者不爱惜性命，像前面那样消耗真精，那么即使白天饮食生成的津液，也如同用一杯水去救一车柴草燃烧的大火一样。热势将会日益加重，病情将会日益增加，即使是再世的岐伯、黄帝，也难以救治了，这真是可悲啊。
Tidal fever (Chao Re) without a fixed time of onset is due to external contraction; tidal fever with a fixed time of onset is due to internal injury. Generally, fever due to internal injury results from self-injury of Yang Qi, which fails to ascend and reach the surface, sinking into the Yin aspect to become internal heat. This is deficiency of Yang, hence the pulse is large but forceless, and it belongs to diseases of the Spleen and Lung meridians. Fever due to Yin deficiency results from self-injury of Yin Blood, which fails to control Fire, causing Yang Qi to ascend vigorously. This is excess of Yang, hence the pulse is rapid but forceless, and it belongs to diseases of the Heart and Kidney meridians. In summary, this is merely caused by emotional disturbances (Seven Emotions), sexual indulgence, or dietary injury, leading to Yin deficiency and hyperactive Fire. Treatment should nourish Blood and strengthen the Spleen to treat the root, and descend Fire and clear the Heart to treat the branch. If one recklessly uses herbs such as *Radix Stellariae* (Yin Chai Hu) and *Rhizoma Coptidis* (Hu Huang Lian) to consume muscle tissue, death is inevitable. Truly lamentable!
I hold that the heat caused by Phlegm-Fire manifests at Zi (11 PM - 1 AM) and Wu (11 AM - 1 PM) hours, never deviating from this schedule. When Fire disease reaches the stage of fever, Ministerial Fire (Xiang Huo) arises in all directions, and the Sovereign Lord (Heart) loses its command. There must be symptoms such as nocturnal emission, night sweats, and bone-steaming consumption (Gu Zheng). When Heart Fire moves, it transmits heat to the Small Intestine. The Small Intestine is the Fu-organ of Bing Fire. Bing Fire is prosperous at Wu hour. The Small Intestine is connected to the Kidney. When the Kidney is deficient, turbid urine occurs. This indicates Small Intestine Fire movement, hence fever occurs in the afternoon. It subsides at Zi hour because Bing Fire perishes at Zi. The Fire of the Heart Meridian recedes at this time. Therefore, patients suffering from Phlegm-Fire are mostly under twenty years old. Although young scholars may have depleted Qi and Blood, their daytime diet easily generates Body Fluids (Jin Ye). These fluids are directed to the Bladder. The Bladder is termed the "Water Bureau" (Shui Cao). Ren Water (representing the water aspect of the Kidney/Bladder system) is also prosperous at Zi hour. When Water is prosperous, Fire naturally extinguishes, and the fever should recede at this time. A skilled physician, in this context, would drain the Fire of the Small Intestine, clear the Heat of the Heart Meridian, tonify the Water of the Kidney, and simultaneously generate fluids in the Bladder. Coupled with the patient's good self-care, even severe illness can be cured. However, if physicians are ignorant of the flourishing and perishing cycles of the meridians and recklessly administer antipyretic formulas, and if patients disregard their lives, consuming their True Essence as previously described, then even the Body Fluids generated from daytime diet would be like saving a burning cartload of firewood with a cup of water. The fever will intensify daily, and the disease will worsen daily. Even if Qibo or the Yellow Emperor were reborn, they would hardly be able to save them. This is truly pitiable.