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III. Ohfervat'wns on the Economical Ufe of the Ranunculus aqua tills : with 

 Jntroduclory Remarks on the acrimoniom and poifonous S^ualily of fame 

 of the Englif} Species of that Genus. By Richard Pulleney, M. D. 

 F. R. S. and L. S.' 



Read May i, 1798. 



BOTH antient and modern writers on Botany, and the Mater/a 

 Medica, agree, pretty uniformly, in attributing to many fpecics 

 of the genus Ranunculus a corrofive and poifonous quahty. In 

 leveral it abounds in fuch a degree as, when applied externally, in 

 a recent ftate, to excite vefications, and ulceration of the parts, fre- 

 quently of a malignant and gangrenous nature ; and, when taken 

 inwardly, to prove poifonous and fatal, by inducing vomiting, in^ 

 flammation of the ftomach, with the ufual confequences of acrid 

 poifons. Thefe qualities are particularly manifeft in the recent 

 plant, while in its higheft vigour before flowering; and more in- 

 tenfely in the germen of the flower itfelf, and in the petals of fome. 



The poifonous fpecies, that are indigenous, and common in Eng- 

 land, are, the Ranunculus Flammida^ or Lefler Spearwort ; R. bulbofus, 

 bulbous rooted Crowfoot; R. acris, upright Crowfoot; R. fceleratus, 

 MarlTi Crowfoot ; R. arvcnfs. Corn Crowfoot ; and the R. aquatilis, 

 or Water Crowfoot, according to the report of various authors. 

 Of thefe the Flammula, bulbofui, wwA feeler atus, are judged to be the 

 moft acrimonious. 



Before 



