人两跗忽然红肿，因而发热，两胫俱浮，作疼作痛，人以为伤寒之病，谁知是香港脚之
症乎。夫伤寒症中原有香港脚之门，然而香港脚非伤寒也。香港脚感染湿热，先从下受；伤寒感冒
风寒，先从上受，故伤寒乃阳症，而香港脚乃阴病也。夫湿热下感，宜从下治，若用风药散
之，湿邪反致上犯，以风药多阳升之药也。阳升阴邪，一至
犯心即死，非阴变阳之谓也。所以治香港脚之病，断不可以伤寒法治之，宜下消其湿热，湿从
下行，身热自解。方用消跗散∶
茯苓（一两） 茵陈（一钱） 防己（一钱） 炒栀子（一钱） 薏仁（一两） 泽
泻（三钱） 木瓜（一钱）水煎服。一剂小便利，二剂身热解，再用二剂而脚肿消，再服二
剂全愈。
此方利小便之水，使湿热之气尽从膀胱下泄，总有邪气，无不尽散，不必又去散邪也。
夫膀胱者，太阳之经也，风邪初入，多在膀胱，膀胱大利，邪又何居。况香港脚原无风邪，不过
膀胱气壅，下不行而上发热。今治下而下通，上何不通之有。上下气通，身热自解，一用风
药，则引阴湿而入于阳分，反成不可治之症矣。散邪之药，断断不可用也。是以香港脚之病，
即生于冬月，尚不可用散邪之药，矧春、夏、秋之令哉。
此症用顺导汤亦佳。
茯苓 泽泻（各五钱） 肉桂（三分） 木瓜（一钱） 龙胆草（一钱） 车前子（三
钱）水煎服。
人的双脚背突然红肿，随之出现发热症状，两条小腿也都浮肿并感到疼痛。人们误以为是伤寒病，却不知这其实是香港脚的症状。在伤寒病症中确实包含香港脚这一门类，然而香港脚并非伤寒。香港脚是由于感染了湿热之邪，病邪首先从下部侵入；而伤寒则是感受了风寒之邪，病邪首先从上部侵入。因此，伤寒属于阳证，而香港脚则属于阴病。
对于湿热下注的病症，应当从下部进行治疗。如果错误地使用祛风药物来发散，湿邪反而会向上侵犯人体，因为祛风药多具有升发阳气的特性。阳气上升带动阴邪上行，一旦侵犯心脏就会导致死亡，这并不是指阴证转化为阳证的情况。所以治疗香港脚，绝对不可以用治疗伤寒的方法来对待，应当采用通利下焦的方法消除湿热，使湿气向下排出，身体发热自然就会解除。方剂选用消跗散：茯苓（一两）、茵陈（一钱）、防己（一钱）、炒栀子（一钱）、薏苡仁（一两）、泽泻（三钱）、木瓜（一钱），用水煎服。服用一剂后小便通畅，两剂后身热解除，再服用两剂脚部肿胀消退，继续服用两剂即可痊愈。
这个方剂通过利小便的作用，使湿热之气全部从膀胱向下排泄，即使有邪气存在，也会随着湿气尽数散去，不需要再去专门驱散邪气。膀胱是足太阳膀胱经所属的脏腑，风邪初入时，多停留在膀胱，只要膀胱气化功能正常、水道通利，邪气又能在哪里存留呢？况且香港脚原本就没有风邪，不过是膀胱气机壅滞，导致下部不通而上部发热。现在通过治疗下部使气机通畅，上部怎么会不通呢？上下气机通畅，身体发热自然解除。一旦使用祛风药物，就会引导阴湿之邪进入阳分，反而变成不可治疗的病症。因此，驱散邪气的药物绝对不能使用。即使是香港脚在冬季发作，也不可以使用驱散邪气的药物，更何况是在春、夏、秋三个季节呢？
这种病症使用顺导汤效果也很好。
茯苓、泽泻（各五钱）、肉桂（三分）、木瓜（一钱）、龙胆草（一钱）、车前子（三钱），用水煎服。
The dorsum of both feet suddenly becomes red and swollen, accompanied by fever. Both shins exhibit edema and pain. People mistakenly believe this to be a disease of Cold Damage (Shanghan), but who would know that it is actually a manifestation of Hong Kong Foot (Gouty Arthritis/Damp-Heat Bi)? Although the category of Hong Kong Foot exists within the scope of Cold Damage syndromes, Hong Kong Foot is not Cold Damage. Hong Kong Foot results from the infection of Damp-Heat pathogens, which first invade from the lower part; whereas Cold Damage is caused by Wind-Cold pathogens invading first from the upper part. Therefore, Cold Damage is a Yang syndrome, while Hong Kong Foot is a Yin disease.
For conditions where Damp-Heat descends, treatment should focus on the lower body. If Wind-dispelling herbs are used to dissipate the pathogen, the Dampness evil will instead invade upwards, because Wind-dispelling herbs are mostly ascending in nature. When Yang ascends with Yin pathogens, once they reach the Heart, death ensues; this is not what is meant by Yin transforming into Yang. Therefore, when treating Hong Kong Foot, one must absolutely not use methods for Cold Damage. Instead, one should drain Damp-Heat downwards; as Dampness flows downward, the bodily heat will naturally resolve. The formula prescribed is Xiao Fu San (Dorsum-Reducing Powder): Poria (Fu Ling) [1 liang], Artemisiae Scopariae Herba (Yin Chen) [1 qian], Stephaniae Tetrandrae Radix (Fang Ji) [1 qian], Gardeniae Fructus Preparatus (Chao Zhizi) [1 qian], Coicis Semen (Yi Yi Ren) [1 liang], Alismatis Rhizoma (Ze Xie) [3 qian], Chaenomelis Fructus (Mu Gua) [1 qian]. Decoct in water and take orally. After one dose, urination becomes smooth; after two doses, bodily heat resolves; after another two doses, foot swelling subsides; continuing for two more doses leads to complete recovery.
This formula promotes diuresis, causing all Damp-Heat Qi to excrete downward through the Bladder. Even if pathogenic factors exist, they will be entirely dispersed along with the dampness, eliminating the need for separate pathogen-dispersing measures. The Bladder belongs to the Taiyang (Greater Yang) channel. When Wind pathogens initially invade, they often reside in the Bladder. If the Bladder’s function is well-promoted and fluids flow freely, where can the pathogen remain? Moreover, Hong Kong Foot originally lacks Wind pathogens; it is merely an obstruction of Qi in the Bladder, preventing downward flow and causing heat in the upper body. By treating the lower body to restore flow, how could the upper body fail to open? With free flow of Qi between the upper and lower, bodily heat resolves spontaneously. Using Wind-dispersing herbs would guide Yin-Dampness into the Yang aspect, resulting in an incurable condition. Thus, pathogen-dispersing herbs must absolutely not be used. Even if Hong Kong Foot occurs in winter, dispersing herbs are contraindicated, let alone during spring, summer, or autumn.
For this syndrome, Shun Dao Tang (Smooth-Guiding Decoction) is also effective.
Poria (Fu Ling), Alismatis Rhizoma (Ze Xie) [5 qian each], Cinnamomi Cortex (Rou Gui) [3 fen], Chaenomelis Fructus (Mu Gua) [1 qian], Gentianae Radix (Long Dan Cao) [1 qian], Plantaginis Semen (Che Qian Zi) [3 qian]. Decoct in water and take orally.