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(Compendium of Materia Medica)
[Collected Explanations] Li Shizhen said: According to the *Book of Tang*, the Kingdom of Bin paid tribute to "snake-eating rats" (Shishe Shu). These rats have pointed beaks and red tails, and they can eat snakes. If someone is bitten by a snake, applying the urine of this rat after it has sniffed the wound will cure it immediately. Although this is no longer heard of today, there may occasionally still be tributes, so this record is preserved for verification.

Urine
[Indications] Treats snake and venomous snake bites (Li Shizhen).

(Classified as Middle Grade in the *Shennong Bencao Jing*)
[Correction] Previously classified in the Insect and Fish section, it is now moved to the Beast section based on the *Erya*.
[Names] (Ancient character, or written as ),
Li Shizhen said: According to the *Shuowen Jiezi*, the seal script of this character is pictographic; its head and feet resemble a rat, hence the name "rat".
Su Song said: The skin of this animal treats rebellious stomach Qi and is effective in opening stomach Qi. Its character consists of the radicals "insect" and "stomach", which holds deep reasoning.
[Collected Explanations] The *Mingyi Bielu* states: This animal grows in the mountains, rivers, fields, and countryside of Chu. It can be collected at any time, but care must be taken not to let it become damp.
Tao Hongjing said: This beast is sometimes found in the wild everywhere. When touched by humans, it hides its head and feet, and its spines prick people, making it difficult to catch. It can jump into a tiger's ear, and when it sees a magpie, it exposes its belly to be pecked. Such is the mutual restraint among things. Its fat melts iron; if a small amount of mercury is added, it becomes soft like lead and tin. The *Shu Tujing* says: It resembles [character missing] and pigs. Large ones are like pigs, small ones like melons. Its legs are short and spiny, its tail is over an inch long, and it is only pale white. Those with hooves resembling pig trotters are best; those with rat-like feet are inferior. Remove the flesh and dry the skin over fire. There is also the "mountain zhi rat," whose skin is very similar, distinguished only by a forked tail tip; there is also the "tiger rat," with similar skin, distinguished by a sour taste; and there is the "mountain pig," which is quite similar but has rabbit-like brown skin and a very bitter taste, none of which are suitable for use.
Li Shizhen said: The head and snout of [the animal] resemble a rat, and its spines resemble those of a hedgehog. When curled up, it looks like the husks of chestnuts or water caltrops, with spines pointing outward; its urine causes it to uncurl. The *Zhi Gu Zi* states: Those with bifurcated spine tips are called [character], while those with spine tips like thorns are called KT. This differs from the Shu description. The *Guangyun* states: Those resembling [character] with red tails are named Ji Ju.
[Correction of Errors] Gong said: [The animal] is extremely fierce yet dull. Large ones are like pigs, small ones like melons. It dislikes the sound of magpies, hence it exposes its belly to be pecked, attempting to ambush them, much like the snipe and clam. A tiger's ear does not accept chicken eggs, and since it is three feet off the ground, how could [the animal] jump into it? This is vulgar folklore mistakenly recorded in elegant texts, which is deeply strange.
Su Song said: The commentary in the *Tang Bencao* rejecting Tao Hongjing is logically appropriate.
Li Shizhen said: According to the *Huainanzi*: "[The animal] makes tigers extend their bodies, and snakes make leopards stop." It also states: "Magpie droppings contain [the animal]." The *Wei Shu* states: "Fire melts metal, therefore magpies peck [the animal]." Based on these records, Tao's statement is not baseless. Su's criticism and Kou's agreement are incorrect. Centipedes control dragons and snakes, and slugs/snails control centipedes; is this due to size or sharpness? It is merely that creatures fear their natural predators. The "tiger rat" mentioned in the *Shu Tujing* is indeed a type of [the animal].
Sun Simiao said: [The animal] belongs to the rat family, can fly, and eats tigers and leopards. The *Tansou* states: Tigers do not dare enter forests but dwell in grass because they fear the [rat] in the trees. When a [rat] sees a tiger pass, it roars and throws shed hairs; the tiger will inevitably develop parasitic sores, ulcerate, and die. The characters for [animal] and [rat] are phonetically similar. [The animal] can control tigers; this evidence further confirms it. I hereby correct this error.

Skin
[Preparation] Finely chop, stir-fry until black, then use in prescriptions.
[Properties and Flavor] Bitter, neutral, non-toxic.
Zhen Quan said: Sweet, slightly toxic. Enhanced by wine. Adversely affected by Platycodon Root (Jiegeng) and Ophiopogon Tuber (Mendong).
[Indications] Treats five types of hemorrhoids with genital erosion, bloody leukorrhea, continuous bleeding of five colors, genital swelling, pain radiating to the lower back. Boil in wine to kill toxicity before use (*Shennong Bencao Jing*).
Treats abdominal pain and hernia masses; burn to ash and take with wine (*Mingyi Bielu*). Treats wind-intestinal bleeding and hemorrhoids with protruding heads that have persisted for years; roast, powder, and take one cun-bi with plain water. Burn to ash and insufflate into the nose to stop epistaxis. Greatly resolves the potency of all other drugs (*Yaoxing Lun*).
[Attached Prescriptions] Five old, eight new.
Hemorrhoidal bleeding (Five Hemorrhoids): The *Yanyi* states: Use equal parts of [animal] skin and Pangolin Scales, calcined to retain property, mixed with half the amount of Nutmeg, powdered. Take two qian with hot rice water on an empty stomach; excellent. The *Waitai Mi Yao*: Use [animal] skin about three finger-widths large, Xionghuang (Realgar) the size of a date, and cooked mugwort one qian. Dig a pit, mix ingredients, and fumigate over the pit; aim for smoke to enter the mouth. Stop when fire subsides; rest for three days, then fumigate again. After three times, it is permanently cured. Avoid wind and cold; nourish with soups; strictly avoid chicken, fish, pork, and raw/cold foods; supplement diet after twenty days.
Intestinal hemorrhoids with parasites: Powder the [animal] skin, mix with raw oil, and apply (*Jianyao Jizhong Fang*).
Wind-intestinal bleeding: One piece of White Thorn [animal] skin (roasted in a pot until charred, skin removed, spines kept), half liang of Equisetum Ramulum (Mu Zei, stir-fried black), powdered. Take two qian each time, mixed with hot wine (*Yang Shi Jiacang Fang*).
Gu poison bleeding: Powder the [animal] skin, take one cun-bi with water; poison should be vomited out (*Qianjin Yifang*).
Dysentery of five colors: Burn [animal] skin to ash, take two qian with wine (*Shouyu Fang*).
Rectal prolapse: One jin of [animal] skin (calcined), five qian of Magnetite (Ci Shi, prepared), five qian of Cinnamon Heart (Guixin), powdered. Take two qian each time with rice water (Ye Shi *Zhai Xuan Fang*).
Nasal packing to stop epistaxis: One piece of [animal] skin, burned to powder. Use half a qian, wrapped in cotton, pack into the nose; change frequently until healed (*Shenghui Fang*).
Nasal polyps: Roast [animal] skin to powder, wrap in cotton, pack for three days (*Qianjin Fang*).
Inverted eyelashes: Powder the spines of [animal], Zaozhen (Jujube Spine), Angelica Dahurica (Baizhi), and Indigo Naturalis (Qingdai) in equal parts. Insufflate into the nostril corresponding to the affected eye while holding cold water in the mouth (*Ruizhutang Fang*).
Rebellious stomach and vomiting: Burn [animal] skin to ash, take with wine. Or boil in water, or marinate with five flavors and roast/eat (*Puji Fang*).
Infantile fright crying, feeling like being pricked: Burn three cun of [animal] skin to powder, apply to nipple for infant to suckle (*Zimu Milu*).
Dog bite: Equal parts of [animal] skin and human hair, burned to ash, taken with water (*Waitai Fang*).

Flesh
[Properties and Flavor] Sweet, neutral, non-toxic.
Chen Zangqi said: Eating it removes bones. Accidental ingestion causes emaciation and gradual shrinking of joints.
[Indications] Treats rebellious stomach; roast until yellow and eat. Can also be boiled for drinking. Also treats [condition] (Chen Zangqi). Roasted consumption fattens the lower jiao, regulates stomach Qi, and promotes appetite (Meng Shen).

Fat
[Properties and Flavor] Same as flesh. Meng Shen said: Can melt the five metals and eight minerals, subdue Realgar (Xionghuang), and soften iron.
[Indications] Wind-intestinal bleeding (*Rihuazi Bencao*). Melt and drip into ears to treat deafness.
[Attached Prescriptions] One new.
Tiger claw injury: Apply [animal] fat daily. Internally take sesame oil.

Brain
[Indications] Treats wolf bites (Li Shizhen).

Heart and Liver
[Indications] Treats ant stings, bee stings, scrofula, and malignant sores; burn to ash, take one qian with wine (Li Shizhen).

Gallbladder
[Indications] Drip into eyes to stop tearing. Dilute with water and apply to hemorrhoids (Li Shizhen). Treats hawk-eating disease (Kou Zongshi).
[Attached Prescriptions] One new.
Post-smallpox wind-eye: Onset presents with red, ulcerated eyelids and tearing. Use [animal] gallbladder bile, apply with an hairpin; itching is intense, heals in two or three applications. Superior to crow gallbladder (Dong Bing *Jiyian Fang*).