歙俗信神，无知之徒，将神庙签诗，混编药名，乡愚患病，辄往求之，呼为神药，贻害
甚多
。靖兄外贸，幼女在襁褓中，时值冬寒，感冒外邪，发热咳嗽。其妻误听人言，往求神签。
药用贝母三钱，女流不谙药性，即市煎灌，咳嗽顿止，以为神验。少顷忽痰涌气促，头仰胸
高，彻夜搅扰。次早迓予，视其儿身热肢冷，口张鼻扇，啼声如鸦，乃姑告其所以。予曰∶
此肺痹大证，危期甚速。夫肺主皮毛，皮毛受邪，肺气闭塞，因而发热咳嗽，不为疏解，反
投寒敛之品，且单味重用，为害更烈。经云∶风寒客于人，使人毫毛毕直，皮肤闭而为热，
病入舍于肺，名曰肺痹。孩提弱质，焉能堪乎?辞不举方。友人谭萃升翁，代恳试施一匕，
以图侥幸。予思病既濒危，药非精锐，料难应效。方用麻黄、桂枝、杏仁、桔梗、橘红、半
夏、姜汁，并嘱服药竖抱，旋走，勿令卧倒。如此一昼夜，始得咳嗽出声，痰喘略定。知其
痹象稍宽，但病势过重，药虽见效，未便骤松，麻黄昨用三分，令其减半，余照原制，再进
一剂，汗出肤润，热退喘平。更用六安煎，加桔梗，卧稳嗽稀。予曰∶痹开病去，大局无虞
。古云小儿勿多服药，盖儿质薄弱，脏腑娇嫩，药多恐伤真气，今可停药，乳哺调之，自然
恢复。果如予言，识此为乡愚信求神药者戒。
安波按∶神药胎害，不可胜道。余见病伤寒服签内人乳毙者两人，可不戒哉?
歙县的风俗迷信神灵，无知的百姓将神庙中的签诗与药名混杂编排。乡间愚昧之人患病后，便前往求取签文，称之为“神药”，由此造成的危害非常多。
我的靖兄从事外贸工作，他年幼的女儿尚在襁褓之中。当时正值冬季严寒，孩子感冒了外邪，出现发热、咳嗽的症状。他的妻子误听信他人的话，去求取神签。签上开出的药物是贝母三钱。这位妇人不懂药性，直接去市场煎煮喂给孩子服用，结果孩子的咳嗽立刻停止了，家人以为这是灵验的神效。
过了一会儿，孩子突然痰液涌出、气息急促，头部后仰、胸部高耸，整夜哭闹不安。第二天早上，靖兄迎接我去诊治。我看那孩子身体发热但四肢冰冷，嘴巴张开、鼻翼扇动，啼哭声像乌鸦一样嘶哑。于是向孩子的母亲询问了前因后果。我说：“这是肺痹（肺气闭塞不通的严重病证）的大证，病情危重且发展迅速。肺主皮毛，皮毛受邪气侵袭，导致肺气闭塞，从而引起发热和咳嗽。此时如果不进行疏解发散，反而投用寒凉收敛的药物，而且单味药重用，危害更加剧烈。《内经》说：风寒客居人体，使人毫毛竖立，皮肤闭合而发热，病邪深入舍于肺，就叫做肺痹。幼童体质柔弱，怎么能承受得住呢？”我推辞不处方剂。
我的朋友谭萃升老先生代为恳请我尝试施治，以求侥幸一线生机。我想既然病情已经濒危，如果不用精锐猛药，料想难以见效。方子用了麻黄、桂枝、杏仁、桔梗、橘红、半夏、姜汁，并嘱咐服药后要竖着抱持孩子，让她走动，不要让她躺下。这样经过一昼夜，孩子才开始能发出咳嗽声，痰喘症状略微平息。我知道痹阻之象稍微宽松了一些，但病势依然过重，虽然药物见效，但不敢轻易松懈。麻黄昨天用了三分，令其减半，其余药物照原方制法，再进服一剂。结果孩子出汗、皮肤润泽，热退喘平。接着改用六安煎（一种化痰止咳方剂），加入桔梗，孩子睡眠安稳，咳嗽减少。我说：“痹阻已开，病邪去除，大局没有危险了。”古人说小儿不要多服药，大概是因为小儿体质薄弱，脏腑娇嫩，药物过多恐怕会损伤真气，现在可以停药，通过哺乳和饮食调理，自然就能恢复。果然如我所言，写下此案例作为那些乡间愚昧之人迷信求取神药的警戒。
The local custom in She County involves belief in deities. Ignorant people mix names of medicinal herbs with poems from temple fortune sticks. When villagers fall ill, they go to seek these sticks, calling the results "divine medicine," causing much harm.
My friend Jing engaged in foreign trade; his young daughter was still in swaddling clothes. At that time, it was winter cold. The child caught external pathogens, presenting with fever and coughing. His wife, misled by hearsay, went to seek a divine stick. The prescription indicated three qian of Fritillariae Bulbus (Beimu, 贝母). Unfamiliar with herbal properties, she simply purchased and decocted it at the market for the infant to drink. The cough stopped abruptly, and the family considered it a miraculous effect.
Shortly after, phlegm surged, breathing became rapid, the head tilted back, and the chest elevated. The child tossed and turned all night. The next morning, Jing invited me to examine the child. I observed body heat with cold limbs, open mouth, flaring nostrils, and a croaking cry like a crow. After being informed of the circumstances by the mother, I said: "This is a severe case of Feibi (Lung Bi - obstruction of lung qi), with a rapidly critical prognosis. The Lung governs the skin and hair. When pathogens invade the skin and hair, Lung Qi becomes obstructed, leading to fever and cough. Instead of dispersing and resolving the pathogen, cold and astringent herbs were administered, particularly in high single doses, exacerbating the harm. The Classics state: 'When wind-cold invades the person, it causes all fine hairs to stand erect, the skin pores close, and heat ensues. If the disease enters and resides in the Lung, it is named Lung Bi.' How could a toddler with weak constitution endure this?" I declined to prescribe.
My friend, Mr. Tan Cuisheng, pleaded on my behalf to attempt treatment, hoping for a lucky break. Considering the patient was near death, I reasoned that without potent remedies, efficacy would be unlikely. The formula consisted of Ephedrae Herba (Mahuang, 麻黄), Cinnamomi Ramulus (Guizhi, 桂枝), Armeniacae Semen Amarum (Xingren, 杏仁), Platycodonis Radix (Jiegeng, 桔梗), Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium (Juhong, 橘红), Pinelliae Rhizoma Preparatum (Banxia, 半夏), and Ginger Juice (Jiangzhi, 姜汁). I instructed that the child be held upright and walked around after medication, preventing her from lying down. After one day and night, the child began to produce cough sounds, and the phlegm-wheezing slightly stabilized. Recognizing that the obstruction had somewhat loosened, but noting the severity of the condition, I dared not relax immediately despite the initial response. The dose of Mahuang used yesterday was 3 fen; I ordered it halved, while other ingredients remained as originally formulated, to be taken for another dose. Subsequently, sweating occurred, the skin became moist, fever subsided, and wheezing ceased. Then, Liu'an Decoction (Liu'an Jian, 六安煎) was prescribed with added Jiegeng. The child slept steadily, and coughing decreased. I stated: "The obstruction has opened, the disease is departing; the major situation is secure." As the ancients said, children should not take excessive medication because their constitutions are weak and zang-fu organs are delicate; too many drugs may damage true qi. Medication can now be stopped; nursing and dietary regulation will facilitate natural recovery. Indeed, it recovered as predicted. This record serves as a warning to ignorant villagers who blindly seek divine medicines.
Note by Anbo: The disasters caused by so-called "divine medicines" are countless. I have witnessed two cases where patients suffering from Shanghan (Cold Damage) died after consuming human milk prescribed in the fortune sticks. Should we not be vigilant?