The Yin Shang Oracle has a bu asking the shang king whether he is infected with the "epidemic" and whether he can be cured. This shows that in the Shang Dynasty more than 3,000 years ago, there was a simple understanding of epidemic infection.
The yellow emperor's inner classic, a medical classic of the pre-Qin period, has clearly pointed out that "epidemic" and "furuncle" are extremely contagious diseases with similar symptoms. The Yellow Emperor's Neijing Suqin and Thorn Theory says: "The five plagues are all easy to infect, regardless of size, and similar symptoms." The "Su Qing Liu Yuan Zheng Qi Great Treatise" also said: "His illness is warm and boiling, and he is salty and bitter near and far." "The people are so great that the people die violently." This, in turn, describes the contagious nature and deadly hazards of epidemics.
Zhang Zhongjing's indignant "Treatise on Typhoid Fever" is actually a monograph on the treatment of infectious diseases and epidemics. "On Typhoid Fever" discusses in detail the symptoms and pulses of patients with infectious diseases, analyzes and synthesizes the various symptoms reflected by the human body under the action of pathogenic factors such as "cold" and "wind", and obtains an understanding of the evolution of various infectious diseases. The book has greatly improved the level of care in epidemiological medicine and is a medical classic for febrile infectious diseases.
The Jin Dynasty physician Ge Hong first used "furunculosis" as the cause of infectious diseases and the characteristics of mutual infection in "Elbow Reserve Emergency", which set a precedent for future generations of Wen Disease. His account of infectious diseases covers typhoid fever, malaria, plague, plague (acute infectious disease), rabies (rabies), food poisoning, etc., and describes the epidemic and symptoms of smallpox in particular. In the treatment of epidemic diseases, Ge Hong creatively proposed the treatment of malaria with artemisia annua, which pointed out the direction for future generations to defeat malaria.
Sui Dynasty physician Chao Yuanfang's "Theory of the Origin of Diseases" is the first monograph on etiology and phenology in China, in which the "obedient qi" proposed is a new exploration of the causes of infectious diseases. The book also explores the causative agents of epidemic infection, so that the cause of infectious diseases is close to the discovery of bacteria.
At the end of the Ming Dynasty, the medical scientist Wu Youke (name Yousheng), personally participated in the treatment of epidemics during the Chongzhen period, and he wrote the book "On the Wen Epidemic" in 1642, which became the crowning work of infectious diseases in China. He believes that the cause of infectious diseases is "there is a different kind of strange qi between heaven and earth", and "different qi" is "hostile qi". In the middle of the 17th century, when there was no microscope, it was a major breakthrough in the etiology of infectious diseases to have such a superb insight into the causes of infectious diseases. In terms of the routes and modes of infection caused by the disease of the disease, it has been recognized that there are two routes of airborne transmission and contact transmission of infectious diseases. Wu Youke's theory of wen disease has excellent insights in terms of pathogens, routes of infection, and specificity.
Prevention and treatment of epidemics in ancient China
Epidemic diseases have the characteristics of rapid transmission, strong contagiousness, rapid transmission, high fatality rate, easy to cause social panic, etc. Ancient doctors and ancestors actively responded to resist the epidemic, protect lives and reduce damage, leaving rich experience and lessons, which are worthy of our serious summary and study.
Prevent the disease before it is found, and cultivate healthy qi. For acute infectious diseases, the ancients placed great emphasis on early prevention and treatment of diseases. The Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic, Su Qing, and the Great Treatise on the Four Qi Tones clearly states that "the saints do not cure the disease, and the cure is not chaotic." "But how can we effectively avoid and resist the invasion and spread of epidemics to people?" The Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic, Su Qing, Testament, and Theory of the Thorn Law has this question: "The five plagues of Yuwen are all easy to infect, no matter the size, the symptoms are similar, and if there is no rescue treatment, how can we get those who do not change hands?" The answer is: "Those who are not contaminated, the righteous qi is stored in the inside, and the evil must not be interfered with, avoid its poisonous gas." It advocates cultivating one's own "righteous qi" to resist the intrusion of "evil qi." The Ming Dynasty's "Jingyue Quanshu, Plague, and Epidemic Avoidance Law" also pointed out: "The plague is the evil qi of heaven and earth, and if the righteous qi of the human body is solidified, then the evil cannot be dried, and it will not be contaminated." "Chinese medicine believes that righteous qi refers to the human body's functional activities and ability to resist evil, including its own ability to resist diseases and recover. People who are vigorous and physically strong have strong resistance to disease and a greater chance of survival. It can be seen that adhering to physical exercise, cultivating healthy qi, maintaining a healthy and strong physique, and enhancing the ability to resist diseases are the fundamentals of pre-epidemic disease invasion.
Detect early and strictly isolate. Epidemics often germinate quietly, and once they spread, the momentum is unstoppable. Early detection is therefore important. The Idea of "Working to Save the Embryo" put forward in the "Yellow Emperor's Neijing, Suqin, and Eight True Gods" is to require early detection of the signs of the epidemic and timely prevention and control, so as not to expand the epidemic and make it difficult to contain. "Yellow Emperor Neijing Lingshu Guanneng": "In the midst of evil qi, people also sprinkle and move. In the midst of good and evil, there are also people who are small, who see in the color before, do not know their bodies, if there is nothing, if they are dead, if they are invisible, they do not know their feelings. It is the breath of the work, but the germ of it. Yang Shangshan of the Tang Dynasty explained: "The evil qi is the first guest, the disease that is not sick, the name is sprouted, and the shanggong knows it." From this, it can be seen that the "disease of the disease" refers to the stage when the disease has not yet revealed its symptoms. Skilled healers can detect the signs of disease in advance, give warnings and take effective preventive measures.
A reporting system has been established for patients with suspected infectious diseases. The Bamboo Jane of the Tomb of the Sleeping Tiger Of Qin records: "The Book of The Book of Qi: The Fifth (Wu) C of a Certain Li Dian Jia Li, the Confession: 'Suspected Boils.' 'Come on. ...... Let the doctor diagnose it. This means that the commander of a certain village sent soldier C to the inside, and reported: "Suspect that C has leprosy, so he is sent to him for examination by the doctor." This shows that the Qin Dynasty already had a strict reporting system for patients with suspected infectious diseases. If an epidemic is discovered, isolation and quarantine measures should be taken in time to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. This was already stipulated by law in the Qin Dynasty. The "Sleeping Tiger Di Qin Tomb Bamboo Jane Legal Answers" records: "Chengdan, ghost salary boils, can (what) be discussed? When the furuncle is relocated. "This means: Chengdan and Ghost Salary have leprosy, how should they deal with it?" It should be moved to the leprosy isolation area "relocation of the furuncle". This shows that in the Qin Dynasty, the isolation system for infectious diseases was implemented and determined in the form of law. The Book of Han and the Chronicle of the Ping Emperor also says: "For those who are sick and sick, set up an empty residence for medical treatment." "It is clearly stipulated that isolation wards are set up for treatment to immune disease transmission. The famous Eastern Han Dynasty general Emperor Fugui was in Longyou when "there was a great epidemic in the army, the dead were thirteen or fourteen, and the rules personally entered the nunnery to inspect." It shows that the Eastern Han Dynasty also set up "Anlu" in the army as an epidemic isolation area. During the Eastern Jin Dynasty, it also promulgated the stipulation that if the family members of officials suffered from epidemic diseases, they should take leave and isolate themselves: "At the end of Yonghe, there are many diseases, the old system, the courtiers' families are sometimes sick, and those who are infected with more than three people are not allowed to enter the palace for 100 days, although they are not sick." "This is a very clear system for officials to take leave and quarantine to prevent contagion, and it can last for up to a hundred days. In the early years of the Tang Dynasty, the monk Shi Zhiyan lived in the Leprosy Hospital (Leprosy Hospital) under Shicheng (present-day Qingliangshan, Xiqingliangshan, Nanjing, Jiangsu), where he "sucked pus and washed his pus and did everything ... On February 27, 654, the fifth year of Yonghui, he finally died of the furuncle. "This is a clearly documented folk infectious disease isolation and treatment place, and it is also the earliest record of caring for people with infectious diseases." Timely isolation and quarantine of epidemic patients is still an effective guarantee to prevent cross-infection today.
For the corpses that died of epidemics, successive dynasties also made provisions for timely burial. For example, the Northern Wei Xuanwu Emperor Jingming's third year (502) edict said: "Shenxia Prefecture, there are exposed skeletons can be buried." Emperor Xuanwu also issued an edict in the third year of the first year (506): "Bury the skull, the ancient order code, the Shunchen cultivation order, and the constant style of the dynasty." Now the sun has not yet fallen, and the spring crops have been dry. Or there are orphans and old people who are sick, no one to help them, because they die, and those who expose the trenches are buried in a coffin according to law. "This shows that the burial of the bones of helpless people has become the responsibility of the government." The timely and proper handling of the unowned corpses can avoid the exposure of dead bodies to the barren suburbs to spread diseases, and is also conducive to maintaining the environmental health of urban and rural areas.
Purify the environment and pay attention to hygiene. Only by creating good public health conditions, paying attention to personal hygiene, and maintaining internal and external cleanliness can we effectively prevent the breeding and spread of epidemic prevention and disease. Ancient urban water supply and sewage treatment facilities in China appeared very early. Ceramic drainage pipes have been found in the ruins of the Neolithic ancient city of Pingliangtai in Huaiyang, Henan, more than 4,300 years ago. Ceramic drainage pipes have also been found at the ruins of Zhengzhou Shangcheng, which are connected to stone reservoirs, and there are multiple wells in the city, forming a complete water supply and drainage system throughout the capital. This not only ensures the sanitation of the city's drinking water, but also solves the problem of sewage treatment in the city. Ancient cities also attached great importance to the cleanliness and hygiene of streets. In the Zhou Dynasty, there was an official position responsible for road cleaning and cleaning, the "Tiao Wolf Clan". During the Eastern Han Dynasty, Bi Lan also invented a machine for sprinkling water on the streets of Luoyang, the capital city of Luoyang, and Shi Zai: "Also made a car of thirsty wu, swirled in the west of the bridge, sprinkled on the north and south suburban roads, and sprinkled the cost of the provincial people to sprinkle the road." "These measures are really good for the cleanliness of the air and the health of the citizens." In ancient times, attention was also paid to the construction of public toilets in cities. The Zhou Li Tianguan records: "The palace people, who are in charge of the cultivation of the six beds of the king, are the wells, and they remove their evil smells." Zheng Xuanshi "匽" is a road toilet, and it can be seen that the Zhou Dynasty had a "palace person" to manage the cleaning of the toilet on the street. "Mozi" calls the toilet "溷", and he also puts forward the standard for building public toilets: "Outside the road is a screen, thirty steps and a circle, high." For the people, the height of the wall is more than twelve feet. "This is a requirement to build tall public toilets to ensure urban hygiene.
Personal hygiene is also important for preventing the spread of diseases and ensuring good health. The words "foam" and "bath" are already in the oracle bone, indicating that people have the habit of washing their faces, washing their hands and bathing. "Li Ji Qu Li" said: "Let the food not spit." "It means not to spit when eating. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty had a special person to "hold the imperial spit pot", which is a spittoon, indicating that the requirement not to spit on the ground has a long history. The ancients already knew the truth of "disease from the mouth". Sun Simiao said in "Thousand Golden Fang Cholera": "The original cholera is also a disease, all because of diet. "This clearly points to the relationship between unclean diets and infectious diseases." Confucius pointed out: "Fish are hungry and meat is defeated, and they do not eat; they are evil and do not eat; they are smelly and do not eat." "Sacrifice meat for three days, three days, no food." (Analects of the Township Party) This all requires that you not eat food that spoils when you eat it, in order to prevent disease. Marco Polo, an Italian who came to China in the Yuan Dynasty, once said that in the Palace of the Yuan Dynasty, "many subordinates who served the emperor's meal had to cover their noses and mouths with elegant masks or silk scarves, so that their breathing would not contaminate the sweaty food and drink." "This kind of mask and silk scarf covering the mouth and nose can be described as a primitive mask. The introduction of medical masks in China is the "Wu's mask" created by the medical scientist Wu Liande in the late Qing Dynasty in 1910 when he successfully conquered the "pneumonic plague" in the northeast. The use of masks has made an important contribution to human epidemic prevention and health.
Yu Botao, a famous doctor in the late Qing Dynasty, pointed out in "Plague Selection and Epidemic Avoidance" that indoor ventilation and light transmission are conducive to epidemic prevention: "The method of avoidance, the hall and room, sprinkle the light, the kitchen ditch, tidy up, the window in the room, ventilation and ventilation." "Even today, ventilation and light transmission are the basic requirements of epidemic prevention.
Medical prevention and treatment, the courage to innovate. In the fight against the epidemic, successive generations of doctors have dared to study and innovate to form new medical theories and methods. At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, when the plague was prevalent, Zhang Zhongjing indignantly wrote "On Typhoid Fever", which laid the foundation for "dialectical treatment"; in the last years of the Jin Dynasty, Li Gao wrote the "Theory of Internal and External Injury Discernment" and founded the theory of "internal injury" and the idea of "removing heat from Ganwen"; during the chongzhen years of the late Ming Dynasty, when the epidemic was raging, Wu ke could also create the "Theory of Wen Epidemic", which pioneered the theory of Wen disease. Physicians throughout the ages have also created many prescriptions for the prevention and treatment of epidemics. For example, Ge Hong used Bai ZhiShan to pre-prevent the epidemic; Sun Simiao developed Xionghuang Pills to avoid epidemic diseases; Liu Guansu's Huanglian Detoxification Dispersion in the Jin Dynasty, Li Gao's Tonic And Beneficial Qi Soup, Wu Youke's Dayuan Drink, Three Elimination Drinks, and Juban Soup in the Ming Dynasty, and Wu Jutong's Mulberry Drink and Silver WarpEd Powder in the Qing Dynasty have all played a significant role in epidemic prevention and control.