To suit the medicine to the illness; metaphorically, to address a problem by applying specific, effective measures tailored to its root cause or specific symptoms; to prescribe the right remedy for the particular case.
Era:
Early Modern
Frequency:
Story:
Hua Tuo was a renowned physician in the late Eastern Han Dynasty. He was proficient in internal medicine, surgery, gynecology, pediatrics, and acupuncture. His medical skills were superb, and his diagnoses were accurate, earning him a high status in China's medical history.
When treating patients, Hua Tuo was able to prescribe different remedies according to varying conditions. Once, two officials, Ni Xun and Li Yan, went to Hua Tuo for treatment. Both described the same symptoms: headache and fever. After taking their pulses separately, Hua Tuo prescribed a laxative for Ni Xun and a diaphoretic (sweat-inducing) medicine for Li Yan.
Seeing the prescriptions, both men were very puzzled and asked, "Our symptoms are the same, and our conditions appear identical, so why are the medicines different?" Hua Tuo explained, "What is similar between you two is merely the superficial manifestation of the illness. Ni Xun's condition was caused by internal food stagnation, while Li Yan's illness was brought on by exposure to cold and wind. Since the root causes of your illnesses differ, I naturally had to 'suit the medicine to the illness' ( ) and treat you with different medications."
After taking the medicine, Ni Xun and Li Yan recovered completely in a short time.