Tongue Diagnosis in Oriental Medicine

PROFESSOR DREW'S CLASSROOM This is the first in a series of articles explaining the theories, the herbal formulas and diagnostic tools used in Oriental Medicine to heal. The medical application of tongue diagnosis is very old. The earliest records are inscriptions on bones and tortoise shells unearthed during the Yi Dynasty; the first dynasty of the Bronze Age. Ancient Chinese physicians developed a special way of approaching the diagnosis of diseases through four types pf physical examination: inspection, questioning, smelling, and listening. In addition to taking the pulse, palpation of the abdomen, and tongue diagnosis an inspection of the features of the tongue to aid in disease diagnosis were very important.