self. 4. Landscape, Ruysdael. 5. Landscape with cattle, Potter. 6. Landscape, Claude Lorraine.

at Hampton court; "The Transfiguration," and all the Vatican frescoes, except "Theology; or, the Dispute on the Sacrament," the first he executed on his arrival from Florence, are in his third manner, or that which peculiarly marks the Roman school in its highest development. Raphael died at Rome on April 6th, 1520, the anniversary of his birthday. See PAINTING; and late works on R. by Müntz, Crowe, etc.

RA'PHALL, MORRIS JACOB, PH.D., 1798-1868; b. at Stockholm, Sweden, of Jewish parentage; educated in the Jewish college of Copenhagen; received in his 13th year the Hebrew academic degree which procured for him the title of rabbi. In 1812 he went to England, where he spent six years studying the English language; then traveled, and studied at the university of Giessen 1821-24. In 1825 he settled in London; gave lectures in 1832 on the Biblical poetry of the Hebrews; in 1834 published the Hebrew Review, in 1841 was appointed rabbi preacher of the synagogue at Birmingham. In 1849 he was invited as rabbi preacher to the Anglo-German congregation of the "great synagogue" B'nai Jeshuran in New York. His principal published works are the PostBiblical History of the Jews, 2 vols.; translations of Eighteen Treatises of the Mishna jointly with D. A. de Sola; and other translations from Hebrew writers.

RAPHA'NIA, or ERGOTISM, is a disease which was much more prevalent some centuries ago than it is at present. It is defined as "a train of morbid symptoms, produced by the slow and cumulative action of a specific poison peculiar to wheat and rye, and which gives rise to convulsions, gangrene of the extremities, and death” (Aitken's Science and Practice of Medicine, 1858, p. 332). It has been described under various names. From the 10th to the 14th centuries it was known as St. Anthony's fire, a title which has been since associated with erysipelas. It was then described as epidemic gangrene. The name raphania was first given to it by Linné, who thought the morbid symptoms were dependent upon the mixture of raphanus raphanistrum, or jointed charlock, with the wheat used as food. It was suspected as early as the end of the 16th c. that the dis ease was due to the development of a fungus on the grain, and this fact is now established beyond doubt, although some writers hold (like Linné) that this morbid state is also produced by the admixture of poisonous plants, especially lolium temulentum or darnel being mingled with the grain. Although rye is the ordinary seat of the poisonous fungus, wheat, rice, and other grains are liable to be similarly affected, and to produce similar results. For an account of the fungus see ERGOT.

There are two forms of the disease-the spasmodic and the gangrenous. The spasmodic form begins with tingling or itching of the feet and hands and sometimes of the head. Violent contractions of the hands and feet, giving rise to intense pain in the joints, are a common symptom. The head is much affected, the patient complaining of drowsiness, giddiness, and indistinct vision. If coma or epileptic convulsions supervene there is little hope of recovery. The appetite is usually enormous; spots like those of purpura appear on the face, and there are seldom any signs of improvement for some weeks. The gangrenous form begins with extreme lassitude, and is accompanied by some febrile disturbance. The extremities are painful, cold, almost insensible, and not readily moved; and after a varying time gangrene supervenes.

With regard to treatment, the first thing to do is to replace the poisonous flour by easily digested, nourishing, wholesome food. The pain must be relieved by opiates, the blood purified by the administration of chlorate of potash, and the general tone of the system improved by tonics, such as the preparations of iron, bark, etc. In the spasmodic form warm baths and gentle friction would probably prove serviceable. Whatever be the form of treatment adopted the mortality in the gangrenous form is usually 90 per cent. The spasmodic form is much less destructive to life.

RA'PHIDES are crystals found in the interior of the cells of plants. The word is the plural of the Greek raphis, a needle, and was originally used to denominate crystals of an acicular form, which are often collected together in bundles. But crystals of various forms are found in the cells of plants, consisting chiefly of phosphate or of oxalate of lime. In many kinds of plants they very much abound, and often in a particular manner in particular parts of plants. They are very minute and are found in such delicate tissues as the petals of the pelargonium.

RAP'IDAN. See RAPPAHANNOCK.

RAPIDES', a parish in central Louisiana, on the Calcasieu and Red rivers; bounded n.e. by Saline bayou; traversed by the New Orleans and Texas Pacific railroad; 1400 sq.m.; pop. '80, 23,597-23,237 of American birth: 14,071 colored. The surface is level and there are extensive pine forests; cotton, sugar, corn, and pork are the staples. Chief town, Alexandria.

RA'PIER is said to have had distinct meanings at different times, and in ancient fencing to have been a long cutting broadsword; but for the last century at least the rapier has been a light, highly-tempered, edgeless, thrusting weapon, finely pointed and about 3 ft. in length. It was for long the favorite weapon in dueling, and was worn by every gentleman. At present it is worn only on occasions of court ceremonial, and answers no other purpose than to incommode the wearer. In war a rapier could never have been of any service.