( 8 ) 
It is a native of meadows and moift paftures, flowering in June 
and July. re | 
_ The great acrimony of this, and many of the other, fpecies of 
Ranunculus, is fuch, that on being applied to the {kin they excite 
itching, rednefs, and inflammation, and even produce blifters, tum efac- 
tion, and ulceration of the part. On being chewed they corrode 
the tongue; and, if taken into the ftomach, bring on all the delete- 
rious effects of an acrid poifon. ; : 
Thecorrofive acrimony, which this family of plants poffeffes was not 
unknown to the ancients, as appears from the writings of Diofcorides; 
but its nature and extent had never been inveftigated by experiments 
before thofe inftituted by C. Krapf * at Vienna, by which we learn 
that the moft virulent of the Lirinean fpecies of Ranunculus are the 
bulbofus, i{celeratus, acris, arventis, thora, and illyricus: The effects 
of thefe were tried either upon himfelf, or upon dogs, and fhow, 
that the acrimony of the different fpecies is often confined to certain 
parts of the plant, manifefting itfelf either in the roots, {talks, leaves, 
flowers, or buds: the exprefled juice, extraét, decoction, and infufon © 
of. thefe plants were alfo fubjefted to experiments. | ‘m , 
In addition to thefe fpecies, mentioned by Krapf, we may alfo 
notice. the R. Fammula, and efpecially the R. Alpeftris, which, 
-according to Haller, is the moft acrid. of this genus: However, as 
the fpecies here delineated is a common Englith plant, and pofledles 
this active principle diffufed in a very confiderable degree throughout 
the whole herb, it has been judged proper to fele& it for this work 
as a fufficient example and repreientative of the whole tribe. 
Mr. Curtis obferves that even pulling up this plant, and carrying 
it to fome little diftance, excited a confiderable inflammation in the 
palm of the hand in which it was held. ~ . 
It is neceflary to remark, that the acrimonious quality of thefe 
_ plants is not of a fixed nature; for it may be completely diffipated by 
@ Vide Experimenta de nonnullorum Ranunculorum venenata qualitate, horum externo 
et interno ufu. 1766. ae : 3 
- The R: fceleratus feems more corrofive than the R. acris; and we are told by 
Dr, Withering, that “* beggars are faid to wfe it to ulcerate their feet, which they 
expofe in that {late to excite compaffion.”” 
No. 8.—Part II. - ; heat ; 
* 
