劉完素의 「三消論」에 대한 硏究

A Study on the Liu Wansu's 「Theory on the three wasting-thirst」

Wasting-thirst(消渴) occurs due mainly to dryness-heat(燥熱) which by depleting 'Fluid and Humor'(津液) make symptoms of thirst(口渴)ㆍswift digestion with rapid hungering(消穀善饑)ㆍfrequent urination(小便頻數) according to 『Internal Classic』(內經). However, the doctors of those days had a tendency to manage wasting-thirst with herbal drugs of dryness-heat or with drugs that tonifies the kidney. Liu Wansu(劉完素) thought that those kinds of drugs intensify gatro-intestinal dryness-heat and consequently could not be suitable for the patients with wasting-thirst. He said that they had mistaken about the relation between five viscera(五臟) and six climate condition(六氣) and that they did not know thoroughly on the theory of branch and root(標本). For preventing the disease of wasting-thirst, Liu Wansu(劉完素) recommended avoiding gatro-intestinal drying caused by the intake of dryness-heat diet, and warned not to deplete 'Fluid and Humor' due to stress-induced fire(火), not to damage yin qi(陰氣) through severe diseases.