Explanation on “Xue Bi” syndrome in Jin Kui Yao Lue

‘Xue Bi’ syndrome was first described in the book ‘Jin Kui Yao Lue’ (Synopsis of Prescriptions of the Golden Chamber’), originally a part of ‘Shang Han Za Bing Lun’ (Treatise on Febrile and Miscellaneous Diseases) written by Dr Zhang Zhong-jing in the East Han Dynasty.
In Chapter 6 “On Pulse and Symptoms and Treatments of Xue Bi 血痹’ and Xu Lao 虚劳” Dr Zhang Zhong-jing said that, “the patient suffering from ‘xue bi’ syndrome with weak pulse palpable both superficially and deeply on the ‘cun’ and ‘guan’ positions, a thin and tense pulse on the ‘chi’ position, and an external symptom is numbness of the limbs like that of ‘feng bi’ ( wind paralysis), ….’.
On the reason of ‘Xue Bi’, Dr Zhang Zhong-jing said that, “powerful and wealthy people generally have weak bone and fat muscle. If they slept without cover after being exhausted with sweating, they could be attacked by slight wind; as a result, Xue Bi may occur.”
Today, most of scholars believe that ‘Xue Bi’ belongs to categories of symptoms of peripheral neuritis and other conditions.