Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Guangzhou Zhongxing Sports Trauma Hospital, Guangzhou 510405, China.
Institute of Basic Theory in Chinese Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China.
J Integr Med. 2018 May;16(3):141-146. doi: 10.1016/j.joim.2018.04.001. Epub 2018 Apr 12.
Chinese tongue diagnosis was initially developed to quickly and efficiently diagnose and prescribe medicine, while at the same time allowing the doctor to have minimal contact with the patient. At the time of its compiling, the spread of Yersinia pestis, often causing septicaemia and gangrene of the extremities, may have discouraged doctors to come in direct contact with their patients and take the pulse. However, in recent decades, modern developments in the field of traditional Chinese medicine, as well as the spread of antibiotics in conjunction with the advancements of microbiology, have overshadowed the original purpose of this methodology. Nevertheless, the fast approaching post-antibiotic era and the development of artificial intelligence may hold new applications for tongue diagnosis. This article focuses on the historical development of what is the world's earliest tongue diagnosis monograph, and discusses the directions that such knowledge may be used in future clinical research.
中医舌诊最初是为了快速有效地诊断和开方，同时尽量减少医生与患者的接触而发展起来的。在编写时，鼠疫耶尔森菌的传播，常导致败血病和四肢坏疽，可能使医生不愿意直接接触他们的病人并切脉。然而，近几十年来，传统中医领域的现代发展，以及抗生素的传播与微生物学的进步，使这种方法的初衷黯然失色。然而，即将到来的后抗生素时代和人工智能的发展可能为舌诊提供新的应用。本文重点介绍了世界上最早的舌诊专著的历史发展，并探讨了未来临床研究中可能应用的方向。
