微寒。主五邪惊啼悲伤，烧之作灰，以酒或水和方寸匕，疗蚁 。
其形似鼍而短小，又似鲤鱼，有四足，能陆能水。出岸开鳞甲，伏如死，令蚁入中，忽
闭而入水，开甲，蚁皆浮出，
于是食之。故主蚁 ，方用亦稀，惟疗疮癞及诸疰疾尔。
微寒。主大人小儿溃。七月七日取其网，疗喜忘。
蜘蛛类数十种，《尔雅》止载七、八种尔，今此用悬网状如鱼曾者，亦名 。蜂及蜈
蚣螫
又以断疟及干呕霍乱。术家取其网着衣领中辟忘。
有赤斑者，俗名络新妇，亦入方术用之。其余杂种，并不入药。《诗》云∶“ 蛸在户”。正
谓此也。
〔谨案〕《别录》云∶
疗小儿大
疮中出丝，屡有死者。其网
缠赘疣，七日消烂，有验矣。
微寒。强阴，止精。
此有五、六种，今用青色大眼者，一名诸乘，俗呼胡蜊，道家用以止精。眼可化为青珠。
其
用，一名蜻蜓。
味咸，寒，有毒。主五癃，破石淋，堕胎。肉，解结气，利水道，除热。一名沙虱。生
江汉池泽。
李云江左无识此者，谓为草根，其实类虫，形如老蚕，生附石。伧人得而食之，味咸而
微辛。李之所言有理，但江
汉非伧地尔，大都应是生气物，犹如海中蛎蛤辈，附石生不动，亦皆活物也。今俗用草根黑
色多角节，亦似蚕，恐未是
实。方家不用沙虱，自是东间水中细虫。人入水浴，着人略不可见，痛如针刺，挑亦得之。
今此名或同尔，非其所称也。
〔谨案〕石
采者遂绝尔。今陇州采送
之。
Nature: Slightly cold. Indications: Primary indications include convulsive crying and sorrow caused by the "five pathogenic factors" (五邪). When burned to ash, mixed with wine or water, and administered in a dose of one square-inch spoonful (方寸匕), it treats ant-fistula (蚁瘘, a fistulous tract often associated with parasitic infection or insect bites).
Morphology: Its shape resembles that of an alligator (鼍) but is shorter and smaller, similar to a carp. It has four feet and can live both on land and in water. It climbs onto the bank, opens its scaly shell, and lies motionless as if dead, allowing ants to enter. Suddenly, it closes its shell and submerges in water. Upon opening the shell again, the ants float to the surface, whereupon the creature consumes them. Therefore, it is primarily used for treating ant-fistula, and its use in prescriptions is rare, limited mainly to treating sores, leprosy-like conditions (疮癞), and various infectious or lingering diseases (注疾).
Nature: Slightly cold. Indications: Treats ulcers in adults and children. On the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, its web is collected to treat forgetfulness (喜忘).
Classification: There are dozens of species of spiders; *Erya* (*尔雅*) records only seven or eight. The spider currently used in medicine is one whose hanging web resembles a fish net, also known as "Luo Xin Fu" (络新妇, likely referring to *Nephila* or similar orb-weavers). Bites from bees and centipedes can also be treated with spider webs to stop malaria and dry vomiting associated with cholera-like syndromes. Practitioners of Daoism place spider webs in their collars to ward off forgetfulness.
Varieties: Those with red spots are commonly called "Luo Xin Fu" and are also used in medical formulas. Other miscellaneous species are not used in medicine. The *Classic of Poetry* (*Shi Jing*) states: "The small spider is in the door," which refers precisely to this creature.
[Commentary]: *Ben Cao Jing Jiu Ben* (*Bie Lu*) states:
It treats pediatric bubonic plague sores where silk-like threads emerge from the wound, with frequent fatalities. Wrapping the web around skin tags (verrucae) causes them to rot and disappear within seven days, which has been verified.
Nature: Slightly cold. Actions: Strengthens Yin and arrests seminal emission (止精).
Species: There are five or six species of dragonflies. The one currently used is the large-eyed green variety, also named "Zhu Cheng" (诸乘), commonly called "Hu La" (胡蜊). Daoists use it to arrest seminal emission. Its eyes can be processed into green pearls.
Life Stage: Its larva (naiad), also referred to as dragonfly.
Nature: Salty, cold, toxic. Indications: Treats five types of strangury (五癃, difficult urination), breaks down urinary calculi (stone strangury/石淋), and induces abortion. Flesh: Resolves stagnant Qi, promotes diuresis, and clears heat. Alternate name: Sand louse (沙虱). Habitat: Ponds and marshes in the Jianghan region.
Historical Note: Li Yun stated that people in the Jiangzuo region did not recognize this organism, mistaking it for a root. In fact, it is an insect-like creature, resembling an old silkworm, growing attached to stones. Vulgar people harvest and eat it; it tastes salty and slightly pungent. Li’s statement is reasonable, although the Jianghan region is not the habitat of such vulgar people. Generally, it should be considered a living organism, similar to oysters and clams in the sea, which attach to rocks and remain immobile yet alive. Currently, black, multi-segmented roots used by the common people resemble silkworms but are likely not the true sand louse. Medical practitioners do not use the sand louse described here; rather, they refer to tiny insects in the waters of the eastern regions. When people bathe in water, these insects adhere to the body, invisible to the naked eye, causing pain like needle pricks, which can be removed by picking. The current name may be the same, but it does not refer to what Li described.
[Commentary]: Collectors of stone silkworms have ceased to exist. They are now sourced from Longzhou and sent to the court.