A Guide to Reading Medical Case Records

Name: A Guide to Reading Medical Case Records
ISBN: 9787524708629

黄煌China Press of Traditional Chinese Medicine2026

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Word count: 355K words
Chapters: 11
Series: Huang Huang Medical Series
ISBN: 9787524708629

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Summary

A Guide to Reading Medical Case Records is a textbook written by Professor Huang Huang of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine for his elective course on reading medical case records. It was first published in 1987 by China Medical Science and Technology Press, reissued in a revised edition by People's Medical Publishing House in 2001, and brought out in a traditional-character edition by Taiwan's Zhiyin Publishing House in 2004. In 2026, China Press of Traditional Chinese Medicine will reissue the book as part of the Huang Huang Medical Series. The book focuses on two questions: how medical case records should be read, and how they should be organized and studied. It has eight chapters. The first seven discuss in turn the concept and role of medical case records, the three types of records (transcribed, recollected and case-history style), the angles from which to observe a case (keys to identifying the pattern, methods of changing treatment, use of ancient formulas, methods of switching formulas, records of experience, dosage forms and administration, drug dosages, causes of mistreatment, single and proven remedies, medical discussions and maxims, and annotations to cases), and seven methods of reading cases—sequential, reverse, principled, comparative, statistical, inferential and critical reading—along with the content and forms of case commentary, five ways of writing reading notes, and the aims, principles, steps and methods of organizing case records. Chapter 8, "Selected Case Readings," is divided by era into a Qing section and a modern section, selecting fine cases from more than twenty famous physicians including You Zaijing, Ye Tianshi, Xu Lingtai, Wang Mengying, Zhang Yuqing, Zhang Xichun, Cao Yingfu, Zhu Weiju, Pu Fuzhou and Yue Meizhong, each with an editor's note. The appendix is a synopsis of medical case records through the ages, arranged in six categories—combined compilations, co-issued works, individual collections, specialty collections, thematic collections and teaching and research—and the book ends with a table of ancient and modern weights and measures.

Editor's review

读医案是中医传统的学习方式，也是最容易“读进去却读不出来”的一种方式：字都认识，症状、舌脉、方药也都齐备，合上书却说不清这则医案到底在讲什么。黄煌这本书处理的正是这个卡点。它不是又一本医案汇编，而是教人读案的书——先告诉你医案分几类、每类的写法各有何偏向，再指点你应该在哪里停下来细看（识证关键、转方之法、剂量与服法、误治之因），然后给出七条可操作的读案路径：顺读得规矩，逆读以方测证得巧思，比较与统计则在多家医案之间找规律。本书初版于1987年，是作者的第一部著作，源自南京中医学院选修课讲义，首印一万二千册，其后由人民卫生出版社再版，影响延续近四十年。2026年新版保持原貌而有所增补：医案选读增加温存厚、萧琢如、陈会心三家，历代医案提要由145种扩充至两百余种，并补入珍贵书影。对于已经背过方剂、却仍在医案面前无从下手的读者，这是一本可以当作“读案说明书”反复翻查的工具书。

Who it's for

A good fit for

中医院校高年级本科生、研究生，尤其是正在上医案课或准备临床实习的人
已掌握方剂与诊断基础、但读医案常觉不得要领的青年中医师
希望系统整理名家经验、做医案研究与写作的中医文献、临床研究者
喜爱经方、想通过历代验案加深方证理解的经方学习者

Not a good fit for

完全没有中医基础、尚未学过中药方剂与辨证的零起点读者
只想找现成处方对症照搬、不打算学习方法与思路的读者
期待通俗养生读物或科普读物的普通大众读者

Reading tips

先通读前四章建立框架，把三种医案类型和七种读案方法记熟，再进入第八章的选案。
读选案时先遮住编者按语，自己用顺读或逆读试一遍，再对照按语检查着眼点是否找对。
把第三章的读案视点做成清单，每读一则医案就逐项自查，逐渐内化为读案习惯。
附篇提要可当工具书用，遇到某家医案集时先查提要，了解体例与版本，再决定精读还是浏览。

About the publisher

China Press of Traditional Chinese Medicine China · Founded in 1989

China Press of Traditional Chinese Medicine focuses on publishing books in traditional Chinese medicine, covering Chinese medical classics, clinical medicine, acupuncture and tuina, materia medica and formulae, and medical history and literature; its catalogue includes 3,277 titles. Representative books include Xiao Er Yao Zheng Zhi Jue, Shang Han Lun, Yi Xue Zhong Zhong Can Xi Lu, Zhen Jiu Da Cheng, Yi Zong Jin Jian, and Guo Aichun's Annotated Huangdi Neijing Suwen (Second Edition). These works involve writings by historical physicians such as Qian Yi, Zhang Zhongjing, Wang Shuhe, and Zhang Xichun, as well as documentary studies compiled by contemporary authors including Zhao Xin, Zhen Xueyan, Zhang Yongtai, and Wang Xiangang. In terms of publishing characteristics, the press emphasizes collation and annotation of original Chinese medical classics and the systematic presentation of famous physicians' works, balancing the transmission of ancient editions with reference for clinical application. Public information is limited, and no other publishing fields are covered here.

Chapter 1 Overview of Medical Case Records (concept, role, history of use)
Chapter 2 Types of Case Records (transcribed, recollected, case-history style)
Chapter 3 Viewpoints for Reading Cases (keys to identifying the pattern, methods of changing treatment, use of ancient formulas, methods of switching formulas, records of experience, dosage forms and administration, drug dosages, causes of mistreatment, single and proven remedies, medical discussions and maxims, annotations to cases)
Chapter 4 Methods of Reading Cases (sequential, reverse, principled, comparative, statistical, inferential, critical)
Chapter 5 Commentary on Case Records (role and characteristics, content, forms)
Chapter 6 Reading Notes on Cases (review style, argumentative style, survey style, miscellany style, annotation style)
Chapter 7 Organizing Case Records (aims and principles, steps and methods)
Chapter 8 Selected Readings: Qing Dynasty Physicians' Cases (You Zaijing, Ye Tianshi, Xu Lingtai, Wang Mengying, Wang Xugao, Cao Renbo, Zhang Daxi, Zhang Yuqing, Wen Cunhou, Yu Tinghong)
Chapter 8 Selected Readings: Modern and Contemporary Physicians' Cases (Xiao Zhuoru, Zhang Xichun, Ding Ganren, Cao Yingfu, He Jiheng, Fan Wenhu, Zhu Weiju, Xu Xiaopu, Zhang Cigong, Wu Peiheng, Pu Fuzhou, Chen Huixin, Yue Meizhong, Fan Zhonglin)
Appendix Synopsis of Medical Case Records Through the Ages (combined compilations, co-issued works, individual collections, specialty collections, thematic collections, teaching and research)
Appendix Table of Ancient and Modern Weights and Measures

FAQ

这本书和一般的医案选集有什么区别？

一般医案选集重在汇集案例，本书重在教方法：它系统讲医案的类型、读案的观察角度、七种读案法、评注与笔记写法以及整理研究的步骤，选案是为示范方法服务的，因此更接近一本读案教材与工具书。

没有任何中医基础能读吗？

不太适合。书中大量讨论辨证识证、方证对应、药物剂量与剂型服法，默认读者已具备中药、方剂与中医诊断的基本知识，零基础读者会读得很吃力。

2026年新版与人民卫生出版社2001年版有何不同？

据作者序言，新版基本保持原貌，医案选读增补温存厚、萧琢如、陈会心三家，附篇历代医案提要由145种增至两百余种，并新增若干医案书影，正文结构与读案方法一仍其旧。

书中的方药内容可以直接照方使用吗？

不建议。本书是学习与研究医案的教材，所选医案针对具体病证与个体，剂量、煎服法均有特定背景，临床用药须由执业医师辨证后决定，不可据书自服。

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About the author

黄煌 Author

Huang Huang is a well-known author in the field of classical formula (jingfang) studies in China. Public information about him is limited, and no clear records of his biography or nationality are available. Judging from the ten works held in the collection, his writing consistently centers on classical formulas, covering formula patterns, medical case records, applications across various specialties, and clinical insights. Huang Huang's Handbook of Classical Formula Usage has reached its fourth edition and is accompanied by a mnemonic handbook, reflecting a practical, tool-oriented approach designed for quick reference. My University: Huang Huang's Life with Classical Formulas records his journey of learning and applying these formulas from a personal perspective, giving the academic material a strong narrative warmth. Other titles, such as clinical talks and records of clinical practice, fall between monographs and essays; their language is plain and they focus on explaining formula-pattern correspondences clearly and systematically. The works commonly appear in medicine and examination categories, indicating that they serve both as clinical references and as study aids, making a practical contribution to the popularization and transmission of classical formula knowledge.