370 CHINESF. MATERIA MKDICA. 



R. 



RANUNCULUS ACRIS.— ^ ;g (Mao-ken). It is also 

 called ^ §^ (Mao-chin), because it resembles aconite or CEji- 

 antJie^ but is hairy. This grows by water courses and is 

 said to be eaten by crabs. If men eat it by mistake, it pro- 

 duces a sort of maniacal delirium. The leaves and seeds are 

 used externally as blisters and counter-irritants, in foul sores, 

 caucer, and as a derivative in inflammation. It is applied as an 

 epispastic to the back in ague, in men to the left of the spine 

 and in women to the right, as the "door of life" (-^ P^) is 

 supposed to vary in this way in the sexes. It is bruised with 

 ginger root, and the juice applied to the abdomen in colic. 

 It does not seem to be used internally. 



RANUNCULUS SCLERATUS.— ;5 f| ^ (Shih-lung- 

 jui). Also called ^ g (K'u-chin), "bitter aconite." It grows 

 in hilly country to the height of about one foot, is usually 

 found by water courses, has ternate, dissected, glabrous leaves, 

 and bears small yellow flowers. The fruit is green, as large 

 as a bean, and resembles an unripe mulberry. For this reason 

 it is called % |i (Ti-shen), "ground mulberry." The young 

 leaves of the plant are sometimes eaten as a vegetable. The 

 seeds are used in medicine, and are considered to be tonic. 

 They are prescribed in colds, rheumatism, spermatorrhoea, and 

 general debility. 



RANUNCULUS Sp.— |^ j^ % (Yeh-ch'iu-ts'ai), ^ % 

 (Lang-tu). Different genera of ranuuculaceous plants are often 

 confounded by the Chinese, and we see these terms applied to 

 Aconitum^ Actea^ Heleborus^ and Rammciilus^ as well as to 

 solonaceous plants, Apium, and Cicuta. The first is also iden- 

 tified as Cardamine hirsiita. See Apium graveoleus^ Cory- 

 dalis incisa^ and Mandragora. 



RAPHANUS SATIVUS.— M il (Lo-po). This is the 

 common name for the radish, but includes all napiform roots, 

 including beet root. The old name is ^ jjg (Lai-fu). The 



