（《素问·评热病论》《奇病论》 附∶中风治法）
帝曰∶有病肾风者，面 然，壅害于言，可刺不？（《素问·评热病论》）。 ，浮肿也。 然，失色貌。壅，重浊
不清也。肾脉循喉咙挟舌本，病风则肾脉不利，故壅害于言语。 音附。 音芒。）岐伯曰∶虚不当刺，不当刺而刺，后
五日其气必至。（虚者本不当刺，若为肿为实，以针泻之，则真气愈虚，邪必乘虚而至。后五日者，脏气一周而复至其所
伤之藏，病气因而甚矣。）帝曰∶其至何如？岐伯曰∶至必少气时热，时热从胸背上至头，汗出手热，口干苦渴，小便黄，
目下肿，腹中鸣，身重难以行，月事不来，烦而不能食，不能正偃，正偃则咳，病名曰风水，论在刺法中。（肾主水，风
在肾经，即名风水。论在刺法中，即《水热穴论》也，详针刺类三十八。此节诸释，俱如下文∶惟热从胸背上至头及手
热等义未之及，或脱简也。此病以肾阴不足而复刺之，则重伤真阴，乃成是病。盖肾与膀胱为表里，肾经自足上注胸中，
膀胱经自头项下行肩背，阴虚则阳胜，故热从肩背上至头而汗出也。手心主之脉入掌中，肾水不足则心火有余，故又为
手热。《平人气象论》曰∶面肿曰风。足胫肿曰水。详本类后五十九。）帝曰∶愿闻其说。岐伯曰∶邪之所凑，其气必虚，
（邪必因虚而入，故邪之所凑，其气必虚。经文止此二句，奈何后人有续之者曰∶留而不去，其病则实。此言大有不通。
夫凑即邪之实也，又何必留而后实耶？留而实者，固然有之，愈留而愈虚者，尤为不少。倘执前言为成训，则未免虚实
误用。斯言也，不惟为赘，且为害矣，当察之。）阴虚者阳必凑之，故少气时热而汗出也。（阴虚则无气，故为少气时热。
阳主散而凑于阴分，故汗出。）小便黄者，少腹中有热也。（少腹有热，邪在阴也，故小便黄。）不能正偃者，胃中不和也。
正偃则咳甚，上迫肺也。（正偃，仰卧也。肾脉贯肝膈入肺中，其支者注胸中，肾邪自下而上，则胃气逆而不和，故正偃
则咳甚而上迫于肺。）诸有水气者，微肿先见于目下也。帝曰∶何以言？岐伯曰∶水者阴也，目下亦阴也，腹者至阴之所
居，故水在腹者，必使目下肿也。（目下肿如卧蚕者，其腹必有水气也。）真气上逆，故口苦舌干，卧不得正偃，正偃则
咳出清水也。诸水病者，故不得卧，卧则惊，惊则咳甚也。（水邪留滞于脏，故为气逆。气逆则不得正卧，故惊而咳甚。）
腹中鸣者，病本于胃也。薄脾则烦不能食，食不能下者，胃脘隔也。身重难以行者，胃脉在足也。（脾胃属土，所以制水，
土弱则寒水反侮之，故腹中鸣而食不下。胃主肌肉，其脉行于足，水气居于肉中，故身重不能行。）月事不来者，胞脉闭
也，胞脉者属心而络于胞中，今气上迫肺，心气不得下通，故月事不来也。（胞即子宫，相火之所在也。心主血脉，君火
之所居也。阳气上下交通，故胞脉属心而络于胞中以通月事。今气上迫肺，则阴邪遏绝阳道，心气不得下行，故胞脉闭
而月事断矣。凡如上文者，皆虚不当刺之病，可见误刺之害为不小也。）帝曰∶善。
帝曰∶有病 然如有水状，切其脉大紧，身无痛者，形不瘦，不能食，食少，名为何病？
（《素问·奇病论》。）如有水状，谓其 然浮肿，似水而实非水也。脉大者、阴虚也。脉紧者，寒气也。身无痛形不瘦者，
邪气在脏不在表也。风挟肾邪，反伤脾胃，故不能食。）岐伯曰∶病生在肾，名为肾风。（病生在肾，名为肾风，其非外
感之风可知，然则五风有由内生者，皆此义也，所以风有内外之分，不可不辨。愚按∶风之为病，最多误治者，在不明
其表里耳。盖外风者，八方之所中也；内风者，五脏之本病也。八风自外而入，必先有发热恶寒头疼身痛等证，此因于
外者，显然有可察也；五风由内而病，则绝无外证，而忽病如风，其由内伤可知也。然既非外感，而经曰诸暴强直皆属
于风，诸风掉眩皆属于肝，何也？盖肝为东方之脏，其藏血，其主风，血病则无以养筋，筋病则掉眩强直之类，诸变百
出，此皆肝木之化，故云皆属于风。谓之属者，以五气各有所主，如诸湿肿满皆属于脾之类，其义同也。盖有所中者谓
之中，外感也；无所中者谓之属，内伤也。故王安道有真中类中之辨，所当察也。后世不明此义，不惟以类风者认为真
风，而且以内夺暴厥等证俱认为风，误亦甚矣。夫外感者，邪袭肌表，故多阳实；内伤者，由于酒色劳倦，七情口腹，
致伤脏气，故由阴虚。凡脏气受伤，脾败者病在肢体，或多痰饮；肾病者，或在骨髓，或在二阴；心病者，或在血脉，
或在神志；肺病者，或在营卫，或在声音；肝病者，或在筋爪，或在胁肋，此五脏之类风，未有不由阴虚而然者。惟东
垣独得其义曰∶有中风者，卒然昏愦，不省人事，此非外来风邪，乃本气自病也。人年逾四旬，气衰者，多有此疾。盖
人年四十而阴气自半，故多犯之，岂非阴虚之病乎？夫人生于阳而根于阴，根本衰则人必病，根本败则人必危矣。所谓
根本者，即真阴也。人知阴虚唯一，而不知阴虚有二。如阴中之水虚，则病在精血；阴中之火虚，则病在神气。盖阳衰
则气去，故神志为之昏乱，非火虚乎？阴亏则形坏，故肢体为之废弛，非水虚乎？今以神离形坏之证，乃不求水火之源，
而犹以风治，鲜不危矣。试以天道言之，其象亦然。凡旱则多燥，燥则多风，是风木之化从乎燥，燥即阴虚之候也。故
凡治类风者，专宜培补真阴，以救根本，使阴气复则风燥自除矣。然外感者非曰绝无虚证，气虚则虚也。内伤者非曰必
无实证，有滞则实也。治虚者当察其在阴在阳而直补之，治实者但察其因痰因气而暂开之，此于内伤外感及虚实攻补之
间，最当察其有无微甚而酌其治也。甚至有元气素亏，猝然仆倒，上无痰，下失禁，瞑目昏沉，此厥竭之证，尤与风邪
无涉，使非大剂参熟或七年之艾破格挽回，又安望其复真气于将绝之顷哉？倘不能察其表里，又不能辨其虚实，但以风
之为名，多用风药。不知风药皆燥，燥复伤阴；风药皆散，散复伤气。以内伤作外感，以不足为有余，是促人之死也。
班氏云不服药为中医者，正为此辈而发耳。）肾风而不能食，善惊，惊已心气痿者死。（风生于肾，则反克脾土，故不能
食。肾邪犯心，则神气失守，故善惊。惊后而心气痿弱不能复者，心肾俱败，水火俱困也，故死。）帝曰∶善。
（出自《素问·评热病论》和《奇病论》，附：中风治法）
黄帝问道：有一种患肾风的病人，面部浮肿，面色晦暗，言语重浊不清，可以用针刺治疗吗？（《素问·评热病论》）。 然，指浮肿。 然，指面色失去光泽的样子。壅，指声音重浊不清。肾脉循行经过喉咙并夹持舌根，患病风邪则肾脉不利，所以导致言语重浊不清。（“ ”音同“附”，“ ”音同“芒”。）岐伯回答说：虚证不应当针刺，如果不应当针刺而误刺了，五天后正气必然再次受损。（虚证本来就不当针刺，如果因为肿胀而当作实证，用针泻法，那么真气会更加虚弱，邪气必定乘虚而入。所谓五天后，是指脏气运行一周后重新回到它所受伤的部位，病气因此加重。）黄帝问道：正气受损后会怎样呢？岐伯说：到来时一定感到气短、时常发热，热气从胸背向上冲到头部，手心发热，口干口苦且渴，小便黄，眼下浮肿，腹中肠鸣，身体沉重难以行走，月经停止，心中烦闷不能进食，不能仰卧，仰卧则咳嗽加剧，这种病名叫风水，相关论述在《水热穴论》中。（肾主水，风邪侵犯肾经，所以叫风水。相关论述在《水热穴论》中，详见针刺类第三十八节。这一节的各种解释，都如下文所述：只有热气从胸背上至头及手心热等含义未涉及，可能是简牍脱漏。此病是因为肾阴不足又误施针刺，从而重伤真阴，才形成这种病。因为肾与膀胱互为表里，肾经自足部上行注入胸中，膀胱经自头项下行经过肩背，阴虚则阳胜，所以热气从肩背向上至头而出汗。手厥阴心包经的脉入掌中，肾水不足则心火有余，所以又出现手心热。《平人气象论》说：面部浮肿叫风。小腿浮肿叫水。详见本类第五十九节。）黄帝道：我想听听其中的道理。岐伯说：邪气聚集的地方，正气必定虚弱，（邪气必定因正气虚而入侵，所以说邪气聚集的地方，正气必定虚弱。经文只有这两句，为什么后人续接说：邪气停留不去，病气就会变成实证。这种说法大有不通之处。夫“凑”就是邪气的实盛，又何必停留后才变实呢？邪气停留而变实的，固然有这种情况，但越停留正气越虚的情况，尤其不少。如果固执前人的话作为定论，未免会导致虚实误用。这句话，不仅是多余的，而且有害，应当仔细考察。）阴虚者阳气必会凑集，所以气短、时常发热并且出汗。（阴虚则无气，所以气短、时常发热。阳主发散而凑集于阴分，所以出汗。）小便黄，是下腹部有热。（下腹有热，邪气在阴分，所以小便黄。）不能仰卧，是胃中不和。仰卧则咳嗽加剧，是因为气上迫肺。（正偃，即仰卧。肾脉贯穿肝脏和膈肌进入肺中，其支脉注入胸中，肾邪自下而上，则胃气逆乱而不和，所以仰卧则咳嗽加剧而上迫于肺。）所有有水气病的，轻微浮肿先出现在眼下。黄帝道：为什么说这样呢？岐伯说：水是阴邪，眼下也是阴位，腹部是至阴所在，所以水在腹中，必然使眼下浮肿。（眼下浮肿像卧蚕一样，说明腹中必有水气。）真气上逆，所以口苦舌干，卧床不能仰卧，仰卧则咳出清水。所有水病患者，所以不能安卧，卧则惊悸，惊悸则咳嗽加剧。（水邪留滞于脏腑，所以气机逆乱。气逆则不能仰卧，所以惊悸而咳嗽加剧。）腹中肠鸣，病本在于胃。邪气薄迫脾脏则心烦不能进食，食物不能下行，是胃脘阻隔。身体沉重难以行走，是因为胃脉在足。（脾胃属土，所以能制水，土弱则寒水反侮之，所以腹中肠鸣且食物不下。胃主肌肉，其脉行于足，水气居于肌肉之中，所以身体沉重不能行走。）月经不来，是胞脉闭塞。胞脉属于心并联络子宫，现在气上迫肺，心气不得下行通达，所以月经不来。（胞即子宫，是相火所在之处。心主血脉，是君火所居之处。阳气上下交通，所以胞脉属心并联络子宫以通调月经。现在气上迫肺，则阴邪遏绝阳道，心气不得下行，所以胞脉闭塞而月经断绝。凡是像上文所说的，都是虚证不当针刺的病，可见误刺的危害不小啊。）黄帝道：好。
黄帝道：有一种病，面部浮肿好像有水状，切其脉搏大且紧，身体没有疼痛，形体不消瘦，不能进食，吃得很少，这叫什么病？（《素问·奇病论》。）如有水状，是说面部浮肿，似水而非水。脉大，是阴虚。脉紧，是寒气。身体无痛、形体不瘦，说明邪气在脏不在表。风挟带肾邪，反而损伤脾胃，所以不能进食。）岐伯说：病生在肾，名叫肾风。（病生在肾，名叫肾风，这就不是外感的风邪，可知五风中有由内生的，都是这个意思，所以风有内外之分，不可不辨别。我按语：风之为病，最容易误治的，在于不明其表里罢了。外风，是八方之风中人；内风，是五脏的本病。八风自外而入，必先有发热恶寒头疼身痛等症状，这是因于外感的，显然可以察觉；五风由内而生病，则绝无外证，忽然发病如风，这是由内伤所致，可知也。既然不是外感，而经文说诸暴强直皆属于风，诸风掉眩皆属于肝，为什么呢？盖肝为东方之脏，藏血，主风，血病则无法养筋，筋病则出现掉眩强直之类，诸变百出，这都是肝木的化生，所以说皆属于风。称为“属”，是因为五气各有所主，如诸湿肿满皆属于脾之类，意义相同。盖有所中的叫“中”，是外感；无所中的叫“属”，是内伤。所以王安道有真中与类中的辨别，应当考察。后世不明白这个道理，不仅把类风者认为是真风，而且把内夺暴厥等证都认为是风，错误也很严重了。夫外感者，邪袭肌表，所以多阳实；内伤者，由于酒色劳倦，七情口腹，导致损伤脏气，所以由阴虚引起。凡脏气受伤，脾败者病在肢体，或多痰饮；肾病者，或在骨髓，或在二阴；心病者，或在血脉，或在神志；肺病者，或在营卫，或在声音；肝病者，或在筋爪，或在胁肋，这些五脏的类风病，没有不由阴虚引起的。只有李东垣独自得其义理说：有中风者，突然昏愦，不省人事，这不是外来风邪，而是本气自病。人年过四十，气衰者，多有此疾。盖人年四十而阴气自半，所以多犯此病，难道不是阴虚之病吗？人生于阳而根于阴，根本衰则人必病，根本败则人必危。所谓根本，即真阴。人们知道阴虚只有一种，而不知阴虚有两种。如阴中之水虚，则病在精血；阴中之火虚，则病在神气。盖阳衰则气去，所以神志为之昏乱，不是火虚吗？阴亏则形坏，所以肢体为之废弛，不是水虚吗？现在把神离形坏的证候，却不求水火之源，还用治风的方法，很少有不危险的。试以天道而言，其象也是如此。凡干旱则多燥，燥则多风，这是风木的化生从乎燥，燥即阴虚的征候。所以凡是治疗类风者，专门宜培补真阴，以救根本，使阴气恢复则风燥自然消除。然而外感者并非绝无虚证，气虚则为虚。内伤者并非必无实证，有滞则为实。治虚者应当察其在阴在阳而直接补之，治实者只要察其因痰因气而暂时开之，这在内外感及虚实攻补之间，最应当考察有无微甚而斟酌治疗。甚至有元气素亏，突然仆倒，上无痰，下失禁，闭目昏沉，这是厥竭之证，尤其与风邪无关，如果不是大剂量的参、熟地或七年之艾破格挽回，又怎能期望在真气将绝之时恢复真气呢？如果不能察其表里，又不能辨其虚实，仅仅以风为名，多用风药。不知道风药皆燥，燥复伤阴；风药皆散，散复伤气。以内伤作外感，以不足为有余，这是促使人死亡。班固说不服药为中医的，正是为了这类医生而发的。）肾风而不能食，容易惊恐，惊恐后心气痿弱不能恢复的会死亡。（风生于肾，则反克脾土，所以不能进食。肾邪犯心，则神气失守，所以容易惊恐。惊恐后心气痿弱不能恢复的，心肾俱败，水火俱困，所以死亡。）黄帝道：好。
(From *Suwen: Ping Re Bing Lun* and *Qi Bing Lun*, with an appendix on the treatment of wind stroke)
The Yellow Emperor asked: There is a condition called Kidney Wind (Shen Feng, a disease pattern characterized by wind pathogen affecting the Kidney system), where the patient presents with facial edema (swelling due to fluid retention), a dull complexion, and heavy, unclear speech. Can this be treated with acupuncture? (*Suwen: Ping Re Bing Lun*). "Ran" refers to edema. "Mang ran" refers to the loss of luster in the complexion. "Yong" refers to speech that is heavy and unclear. The Kidney meridian passes through the throat and flanks the root of the tongue. When afflicted by wind pathogen, the Kidney meridian becomes obstructed, leading to unclear speech. (" " sounds like "Fu", " " sounds like "Mang".) Qibo replied: Deficiency patterns should not be needled. If needled when inappropriate, after five days the healthy Qi will inevitably be further compromised. (Deficiency patterns are inherently unsuitable for needling. If one treats swelling as an Excess pattern and uses draining needle techniques, the True Qi will become even more deficient, allowing the pathogen to enter via the deficiency. The mention of "five days" refers to the cycle of Zang Qi returning to the injured organ, causing the pathogenic factor to intensify.) The Yellow Emperor asked: What happens when it arrives? Qibo said: Upon arrival, there will certainly be shortness of breath, intermittent fever, heat rising from the chest and back to the head, hot palms, dry mouth with a bitter taste and thirst, yellow urine, edema under the eyes, borborygmus (rumbling in the abdomen), heaviness of the body making movement difficult, amenorrhea (absence of menstruation), irritability with inability to eat, inability to lie flat on the back, and coughing when lying flat. This disease is named Feng Shui (Wind Water, a type of edema caused by wind pathogen). The discussion is found in the section on acupuncture methods. (The Kidney governs water; when wind pathogen affects the Kidney meridian, it is named Feng Shui. The discussion is in *Shui Re Xue Lun*, detailed in Acupuncture Category 38. The explanations in this section follow the text below: meanings such as heat rising from chest/back to head and hot palms were omitted, possibly due to lost bamboo slips. This illness arises because Kidney Yin deficiency is compounded by erroneous needling, severely damaging True Yin. Since the Kidney and Bladder are exterior-interior pairs, the Kidney meridian ascends from the foot to the chest, while the Bladder meridian descends from the head/neck through the shoulders and back. Yin deficiency leads to Yang hyperactivity, so heat rises from the shoulders/back to the head causing sweating. The Pericardium meridian enters the palm; insufficient Kidney Water leads to excess Heart Fire, hence hot palms. *Ping Ren Qi Xiang Lun* states: Facial swelling is called Wind. Calf swelling is called Water. See Category 59.) The Yellow Emperor said: I wish to hear the reasoning. Qibo said: Wherever pathogenic factors gather, Healthy Qi must be deficient. (Pathogens enter due to deficiency, hence where pathogens gather, Healthy Qi is deficient. The classic text only has these two sentences. Why did later authors add: "If it remains and does not depart, the disease becomes Excess"? This statement is logically flawed. "Gathering" implies pathogenic excess; why wait for it to remain to become excess? While remaining can lead to excess, remaining often leads to greater deficiency. Clinging to previous statements as absolute truth leads to misapplication of tonification and drainage. This remark is not only superfluous but harmful; it must be examined carefully.) In cases of Yin deficiency, Yang must gather, resulting in shortness of breath, intermittent fever, and sweating. (Yin deficiency leads to lack of Qi, causing shortness of breath and intermittent fever. Yang tends to disperse and gathers in the Yin aspect, causing sweating.) Yellow urine indicates heat in the lower abdomen. (Heat in the lower abdomen means the pathogen is in the Yin aspect, hence yellow urine.) Inability to lie flat indicates disharmony in the Stomach. Lying flat exacerbates coughing because Qi presses upward against the Lung. ("Zheng yan" means lying flat on the back. The Kidney meridian penetrates the Liver and Diaphragm into the Lung, with a branch entering the chest. Kidney pathogenic factors rise from below, causing Stomach Qi to rebel and become disharmonious, thus exacerbating coughing and pressing against the Lung when lying flat.) In all cases of water-dampness, slight edema first appears under the eyes. The Yellow Emperor asked: Why say this? Qibo said: Water is Yin, and the area under the eyes is also Yin. The abdomen is the residence of Supreme Yin. Therefore, when water accumulates in the abdomen, it necessarily causes edema under the eyes. (Edema under the eyes resembling a sleeping silkworm indicates water-dampness in the abdomen.) Rebellion of True Qi causes bitter taste in the mouth and dry tongue. One cannot lie flat; lying flat causes coughing up clear fluid. All patients with water diseases cannot lie comfortably; lying down causes palpitations/fright, which exacerbates coughing. (Water pathogen stagnates in the Zang organs, causing Qi rebellion. Qi rebellion prevents comfortable lying, causing fright and severe coughing.) Borborygmus originates in the Stomach. Pressure on the Spleen causes irritability and anorexia; inability to swallow food is due to obstruction in the epigastrium. Heaviness of the body and difficulty walking relate to the Stomach meridian in the feet. (Spleen and Stomach belong to Earth, which controls Water. If Earth is weak, Cold Water insults it, causing borborygmus and food retention. The Stomach governs muscles, and its meridian runs along the feet. Water-dampness residing in the muscles causes heaviness and immobility.) Amenorrhea is due to closure of the Bao Mai (Uterine Vessels). The Bao Mai belongs to the Heart and connects to the Bao (Uterus). Now, Qi presses upward against the Lung, preventing Heart Qi from descending, hence amenorrhea. (The Bao is the Uterus, the seat of Ministerial Fire. The Heart governs Blood vessels and is the seat of Sovereign Fire. Yang Qi circulates up and down, so the Bao Mai belongs to the Heart and connects to the Uterus to regulate menstruation. Now, Qi presses against the Lung, blocking the Yang pathway; Heart Qi cannot descend, closing the Bao Mai and stopping menstruation. As mentioned above, these are conditions where deficiency makes needling inappropriate, showing the great harm of erroneous needling.) The Yellow Emperor said: Excellent.
The Yellow Emperor asked: There is a condition where the face is swollen as if there were water, the pulse is large and tight, the body has no pain, the form is not emaciated, and the patient cannot eat or eats very little. What is this disease called? (*Suwen: Qi Bing Lun*.) "As if there were water" means facial edema that resembles water but is not true water accumulation. A large pulse indicates Yin deficiency. A tight pulse indicates Cold pathogen. Absence of body pain and non-emaciated form indicate the pathogen is in the Zang, not the Exterior. Wind carrying Kidney pathogen damages the Spleen and Stomach, hence anorexia. Qibo said: The disease originates in the Kidney and is named Kidney Wind. (Since the disease originates in the Kidney and is named Kidney Wind, it is clearly not external wind. Thus, among the Five Winds, some arise internally, illustrating that wind has internal and external distinctions that must be differentiated. My commentary: Diseases named Wind are most prone to misdiagnosis because their interior/exterior nature is unclear. External wind comes from the eight directions; Internal wind is the primary disease of the Zang. Eight winds entering from outside must present with fever, aversion to cold, headache, and body pain—clearly external. Five winds arising internally have no external signs but suddenly manifest like wind, indicating internal injury. Yet, since it is not external, why does the Classic state "All sudden stiffness belongs to Wind" and "All wind tremors and dizziness belong to the Liver"? The Liver is the Eastern Zang, stores Blood, and governs Wind. Blood disease fails to nourish sinews; Sinew disease causes tremors, dizziness, and stiffness. These variations stem from Liver Wood transformation, hence "belong to Wind." The term "belong" implies that the Five Qi each have their domains, e.g., "All dampness, swelling, and fullness belong to the Spleen." To be "struck" is External; to "belong" is Internal. Wang Andao distinguished between True Stroke and Similar Stroke, which must be observed. Later generations misunderstood this, mistaking Similar Stroke for True Stroke, and even attributing internal collapse and sudden syncope to Wind, a grave error. External pathogens attack the muscle-surface, leading mostly to Yang Excess. Internal injury results from wine, sex, fatigue, emotions, and diet, damaging Zang Qi, leading to Yin deficiency. Damage to Zang Qi: Spleen failure affects limbs and phlegm-fluids; Kidney disease affects marrow and two orifices; Heart disease affects blood vessels and spirit; Lung disease affects Ying-Wei and voice; Liver disease affects sinews/claws and hypochondrium. All these Zang-related "Wind" diseases stem from Yin deficiency. Only Li Donggan grasped this: Stroke involves sudden coma and unconsciousness, not external wind, but self-disease of original Qi. People over forty with declining Qi often suffer this. At forty, Yin Qi halves, making them susceptible—is this not Yin deficiency? Humans are born of Yang but rooted in Yin. If the root declines, illness ensues; if it fails, danger looms. The root is True Yin. People know Yin deficiency exists but fail to distinguish two types: deficiency of Water within Yin affects Essence and Blood; deficiency of Fire within Yin affects Spirit and Qi. Yang decline leads to Qi loss, causing mental confusion (Fire deficiency?). Yin depletion leads to physical decay, causing limb flaccidity (Water deficiency?). Treating spiritual detachment and physical decay without addressing Water/Fire sources, using Wind treatments, is perilous. Consider nature: drought brings dryness, dryness brings wind. Wind-Wood transformation follows Dryness, which is a sign of Yin deficiency. Thus, treating Similar Stroke requires tonifying True Yin to save the root; restoring Yin eliminates wind and dryness. However, external pathogens are not devoid of deficiency (Qi deficiency is deficiency). Internal injuries are not devoid of excess (stagnation is excess). Treat deficiency by identifying Yin/Yang and directly tonifying; treat excess by identifying Phlegm/Qi and temporarily resolving. One must weigh the severity of interior/exterior and excess/deficiency to adjust treatment. Even those with chronic Yuan Qi deficiency may suddenly collapse without phlegm, with incontinence and deep coma—this is Jue exhaustion, unrelated to Wind. Without large doses of Ginseng and Rehmannia or seven-year-old moxa to rescue the nearly extinct Qi, recovery is impossible. Failing to distinguish interior/exterior and excess/deficiency, and merely using Wind herbs because of the name "Wind," is fatal. Wind herbs are drying and damage Yin; they are dispersing and damage Qi. Treating internal injury as external excess accelerates death. Ban Gu's saying that "not taking medicine is the best medical practice" was directed at such practitioners.) Kidney Wind with anorexia, frequent fright, and subsequent heart Qi atrophy leading to death. (Wind originating in the Kidney insults Spleen Earth, causing anorexia. Kidney pathogen attacks the Heart, causing loss of Shen protection, hence fright. If Heart Qi atrophies and cannot recover after fright, both Heart and Kidney fail, and Water and Fire are trapped, leading to death.) The Yellow Emperor said: Excellent.