明灸者，着肉灸也。患人勿畏痛楚而失之，能耐一时之痛，免多日之大痛苦也。人年四十以
上，患发背等毒，急宜早治。为治之要，莫过灼艾之功，胜于用药。使毒瓦斯外泄，而有行散之力
；使热气内攻，而有消逐之能，则凝血滞气由此而解矣。若处乡居僻境，深山穷谷，及游宦行商
，舟车驿邸，无医药之处，尤宜行此灸法，其效甚捷。明灸之法，亦施于阴毒、顽木不痛恶疮。
在阳证疮疡肿毒，隔蒜可也。最胜者，独蒜大颗，切片三分浓；次赤皮蒜捣烂作饼，或切片。古
有豆豉、椒、姜、盐、葱，相和捣烂捻饼灸法。其硫黄灸，豆豉饼灸，净土灸，皆良法也，取其
便而用之。初起攻散，已溃接补阳气。如疮不开大，肉不败坏，疮口易敛，皆一灸之神力也。灸
后根据次采取方法，随证而治之，庶几可云十全矣。
发背不起，或瘀肉不溃，乃阳气虚。用桑枝燃火吹息稍近肉，取其火气，灸患处片时。日三
、五次，助肿溃。若已腐溃，新肉生迟，宜四畔灸之。瘰 、流注、 疮、恶疮、久不愈者，亦
宜此法。未溃，解毒止痛消瘀；已溃，补气、散余毒，生肌肉。阳证初起，用此即出毒水内消；
日久用之，虽溃亦浅，大有神功。勿以平易而贱忽之。
\r竹马灸图\ps46a15.bmp\r
治一切痈疽肿毒，按诸项灸法皆好，惟此尤能消患于未形。诸师首取，惜乎近世少用，是不
知其妙也。其法令患人以肘凭几案竖臂腕，腰直，用篾一条，自臂腕中曲纹尽处，男左女右，贴
臂肉量起，直至中指尖，不连指甲。用竹杠一条，患人脱衣骑定，身正直前行，二人扛起，令脚
不着地，使二人扶定，勿令仰覆。将量臂腕篾，从竹杠坐处尾 骨尽边，直竖竹杠上，贴脊背量
至篾尽为则，用墨点记，此只是取中，非灸穴也。另用薄篾量病患中指中节，相去两横纹尖为则，
截为一寸，就前所点记处，两边各量开指篾尽处，乃是灸处。两穴各
灸五壮或七壮，不可多灸。不问痈生何处，及乳痈，并用此法灸之，无不愈者。如疽发身左，灸
左；发身右，灸右；甚者，左右皆灸。盖此二穴，心脉所过。经曰∶诸痛痒疮疡，皆属心火。又
云∶心主血，心气滞则血不行，故逆于肉理而生痈。灸此使心火调畅、血脉流通，即能奏效，起
死回生。
明灸，是指艾炷直接接触皮肤施灸的方法。患者不要因为畏惧疼痛而放弃治疗，能够忍受一时的疼痛，就能免除日后多日的巨大痛苦。人到了四十岁以上，如果患上发背等毒疮，应当急于尽早治疗。治疗的关键，没有比艾灸灼烧的功效更好的了，它胜过药物治疗。艾灸能使毒邪向外发散，具有行气散结的作用；能使热气向内攻逐，具有消除驱除病邪的能力，这样凝结的血和停滞的气就能由此得到化解。如果居住在乡间僻静之地、深山穷谷，或者是外出做官经商，在舟车驿站旅馆中，没有医生医药的地方，尤其适宜采用这种灸法，其疗效非常迅速快捷。明灸这种方法，也适用于阴毒、顽固麻木不痛的恶疮。对于阳证疮疡肿毒，可以使用隔蒜灸。效果最好的是用独头大蒜，切成三分厚的片；其次是赤皮蒜捣烂做成饼，或者切片。古代有用豆豉、花椒、生姜、盐、葱混合捣烂捏成饼进行灸治的方法。还有硫黄灸、豆豉饼灸、净土灸，都是很好的方法，取其方便而使用。在疮疡初起时，用于攻散毒邪；已经溃破后，用于接续补充阳气。如果疮口不能开得很大，肌肉没有败坏，疮口容易愈合，这都是艾灸的神奇力量。灸之后根据具体情况采取相应的方法，随证治疗，差不多就可以说是十全十美了。
发背不起发，或者瘀肉不溃烂，是因为阳气虚弱。用桑枝点燃吹灭明火后稍靠近皮肤，利用其火气，灸患处片刻。每天三到五次，帮助肿胀消退并促使化脓。如果已经腐烂溃破，新肉生长缓慢，适宜在疮口四周进行灸治。瘰疬、流注、恶疮、久不愈合的疮疡，也适宜用这种方法。未溃破时，能解毒止痛、消散瘀血；已溃破后，能补气、散除余毒、生肌长肉。阳证初起，用此法能使毒水排出并在体内消散；日久使用后，即使溃破也会较浅，大有神奇功效。不要因为方法平易而轻视忽略它。
竹马灸图（图片文件）
治疗一切痈疽肿毒，按照各项灸法都很好，只有这种方法尤其能在祸患尚未形成时就将其消除。各位医家首选此法，可惜近代很少使用，这是不知道它的奥妙所在。其操作方法是让患者手肘支撑在几案上，竖起手臂手腕，取一条篾条，从手臂腕部弯曲纹理的最尽头处开始，男性取左手，女性取右手，贴着臂肉量起，一直量到中指尖，不包括指甲。取一根竹杠，让患者脱去衣服骑在上面，身体正直向前，由两人抬起，使脚不着地，让两人扶稳，不要让患者仰面或俯卧。将刚才量手臂的篾条，从竹杠坐处的尾骨最边缘处，竖直贴在竹杠上，沿着脊背量到篾条尽头作为标准，用墨点做记号，这只是为了取中点，并不是灸穴。另用薄篾条量取患者中指中间一节，以相距两个横纹尖端为标准，截取为一寸长，就在之前做的墨点记号处，向两边各量开直到指篾的尽头处，那就是灸的位置。左右两穴各灸五壮或七壮，不可多灸。不问痈生在何处，以及乳痈，都用这种方法灸治，没有不痊愈的。如果疽发在身体左侧，就灸左侧；发在右侧，就灸右侧；严重的，左右都灸。因为这两个穴位是心脉经过的地方。经书说：各种痛痒疮疡，都属于心火。又说：心主血脉，心气滞涩则血液不行，所以逆乱于肌肉纹理之间而生痈。灸这些穴位能使心火调畅、血脉流通，就能奏效，甚至起死回生。
Ming Jiu (Direct Moxibustion) refers to the method where the moxa cone is applied directly to the skin. Patients should not abandon treatment due to fear of pain; enduring momentary pain can spare them from severe suffering over many days. For individuals aged forty and above who suffer from toxic sores such as "Fa Bei" (Back Carbuncle), early treatment is urgent. The key to treatment lies in the efficacy of burning moxibustion, which surpasses that of herbal medicine. It allows toxic pathogens to dissipate outward, possessing the power to move Qi and scatter stagnation; it directs heat inward to attack pathogens, possessing the ability to eliminate and expel them, thereby resolving coagulated blood and stagnant Qi. If residing in remote rural areas, deep mountains, or valleys, or traveling for official duties or commerce in boats, vehicles, inns, and post stations where medical care is unavailable, this moxibustion method is particularly suitable, yielding very rapid effects. Ming Jiu is also applicable to Yin toxins and stubborn, numb, non-painful malignant sores. For Yang syndrome sores and swellings, garlic-slice moxibustion is appropriate. The most effective method uses a large single-clove garlic, sliced three fen thick; alternatively, red-skinned garlic mashed into a cake or sliced. Ancient texts mention methods using fermented soybean (Dou Chi), pepper, ginger, salt, and green onion mixed and mashed into cakes for moxibustion. Sulfur moxibustion, fermented soybean cake moxibustion, and pure earth moxibustion are all excellent methods, chosen for their convenience. In the initial stage, it is used to attack and disperse pathogens; after ulceration, it is used to replenish Yang Qi. If the sore does not open widely and the flesh is not necrotic, the wound heals easily, demonstrating the miraculous power of moxibustion. After moxibustion, appropriate treatments should be administered according to the specific condition, which can lead to complete recovery.
When Fa Bei fails to rise or pus-filled tissue fails to ulcerate, it indicates deficiency of Yang Qi. Burn mulberry branches (Sang Zhi), extinguish the open flame, and hold it close to the skin to apply its heat to the affected area for a short time. Perform this three to five times daily to help reduce swelling and promote suppuration. If already ulcerated with slow new flesh growth, moxibustion around the periphery of the wound is suitable. This method is also suitable for scrofula (Luo Li), flowing abscesses (Liu Zhu), malignant sores, and chronic non-healing ulcers. Before ulceration, it detoxifies, relieves pain, and resolves stasis; after ulceration, it tonifies Qi, disperses residual toxins, and generates muscle tissue. For Yang syndrome in its initial stage, this method causes toxic fluids to discharge and resolve internally; if used for long-standing conditions, even if ulcerated, the depth will be shallow, achieving great miraculous results. Do not disregard it because it seems simple.
Zhu Ma Jiu Diagram [Image File]
To treat all types of carbuncles, furuncles, swellings, and toxins, while various moxibustion methods are effective, this method is particularly capable of eliminating disasters before they manifest. Physicians prioritize this method, yet it is rarely used in modern times, indicating a lack of understanding of its subtleties. The procedure requires the patient to rest their elbow on a table, raising the arm and wrist. Take a strip of bamboo splint, starting from the end of the crease at the wrist joint, measuring along the arm flesh to the tip of the middle finger, excluding the nail. For males, use the left hand; for females, the right hand. Take a bamboo pole, have the patient disrobe and straddle it upright, supported by two people lifting it so the feet do not touch the ground. Ensure the patient remains straight forward, supported by two people to prevent falling backward or forward. Place the measured bamboo splint vertically on the bamboo pole, starting from the edge of the coccyx under the sitting position, measuring along the spine to the end of the splint. Mark this point with ink; this is merely to find the midpoint, not an acupoint. Use another thin bamboo splint to measure the middle segment of the patient's middle finger, taking the distance between the tips of two transverse creases as one cun. At the previously marked ink point, measure laterally to both sides until the end of the finger-width splint; these are the moxibustion sites. Apply five or seven moxa cones (Zhuang) to each of the two points; do not apply too many. Regardless of where the carbuncle appears, including breast carbuncles, applying this method ensures recovery. If the carbuncle appears on the left side of the body, moxicate the left side; if on the right, moxicate the right; if severe, moxicate both sides. These two points lie along the pathway of the Heart Meridian. The Classics state: "All pain, itching, sores, and ulcers belong to Heart Fire." It also states: "The Heart governs Blood; when Heart Qi stagnates, Blood cannot flow, leading to counter-flow in the muscle tissue and generating carbuncles." Moxibustion here regulates Heart Fire and unblocks the Blood vessels, ensuring efficacy and potentially restoring life from death.