Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 01.djvu/250

ANTISCORBUTICS 198 ANTI-TRADE principle, utterly inconsistent with the purpose of enlightened government, and in practice a protection to a traffic which is inherently criminal in its nature." ANTISCORBUTICS, remedies against scurvy. Lemon juice, ripe fruit, milk, salts of potash, green vegetables, pota- toes, fresh meat, and raw or lightly boiled eggs, are some of the principal antiscorbutics, ANTI-SEMITES, the modern oppo- nents of the Jews in Russia, Rumania, Hungary, and eastern Germany. An Anti-Semitic League was formed in Ber- lin in 1881 to restrict the liberty of Jews in Germany. The Emperor inter- fered to stop the cowardly persecution, but not before thousands of Jews had left the country. The persecution in Rus- sia assumed a more brutal character than in Germany, and thousands of Jews fled to the United States, Spain, and else- where. In Hungary violent anti-Jewish riots occurred at Pesth, Zala, and else- where, which were not brought to an end until martial law was proclaimed. There is a strong anti-Semitic party feel- ing in France which the Dreyfus affair served to foster, and it is growing in some quarters in England. Anti-Semi- tism has come to the fore again in the form of riots and attacks on Jews and their property as a result of the World War. This Avas especially true in Poland, Austria, Hungary, Rumania', and certain sections of Germany. ANTISEPSIS, the exclusion of mi- crobes or bacteria from wounds, etc., by the use of antiseptics or other means in order to prevent putrefaction, infection, or blood-poisoning. ANTISEPTIC, a substance which has the effect of counteracting the tendency to putrefaction. Chemical agents used for other than their medicinal properties. Antiseptics prevent chemical change by destroying the putrefactive microbes or bacteria, the chemical composition of the body still in many cases remaining the same; while disinfectants decompose and remove the infectious matter itself. ANTISEPTIC SURGERY, treatment to kill germs in accidental wounds, and surgical operations. The use of anti- septic dressings in surgery has become universal. The deaths caused by wounds of all kinds have greatly decreased. In wounds received on the battle-field, the treatment has been especially successful. As is known, the danger lies in inflam- mation and pus formation, which is caused chiefly by two varieties of germs, the staphylococcus pyogenes. The germ itself does not do the harm, but it secretes a poison which causes inflammation and suppuration. By preventing the entrance of these germs into bullet wounds by the application of first-aid dressings, which soldiers carry with them and use as soon as they are wounded, and by the thor- ough antiseptic treatment of such wounds by surgeons, the inflammation and sup- puration which formerly took so many lives have been most effectively pre- vented. In the World War the Carrel- irrigating method, by which a wound was constantly laved by an antiseptic fluid, met with extraordinary success. ANTISPASMODICS, medicines which prevent or allay spasms. Among them may be mentioned valerian, asafoetida, camphor, ammonia, alcohol, ether, chloro- form, etc. In all spasmodic diseases, cold baths or sponging, sun-baths, moderate exercise, and a plain but nutritious diet should be employed. ANTISTHENES (an-tis'the-nez), a Greek philosopher and the founder of the school of Cynics, born at Athens about B. C. 444. He was first a disciple of Gorgias and then of Socrates. He held virtue to consist in complete self-denial and disregard of riches, honor, or pleas- ure of every kind. He himself lived as a beggar. He died in Athens at an ad- vanced age. ANTITHESIS, a sharp opposition of contrast between word and word, clause and clause, sentence and sentence, or sentiment and sentiment, especially de- signed to impress the listener or reader. ANTITOXINE, the name given to a remedy for diphtheria. The diphtheritic toxine produced by cultivating the bacil- lus of diphtheria in broth, in the presence of air, is injected in increasing amounts into an animal, preferably the horse, until it is immunized, or rendered insus- ceptible to diphtheria. The serum of the animal thus rendered immune may then be injected into the system of a person suffering from diphtheria, vdth generally successful results. The decrease of deaths from this disease since the intro- duction of this remedy is remarkable, and in most large cities it is provided free to all unable to pay for the medicine. Among other antitoxines the most important are the antitoxine of tetanus and the anti- toxine of snake poison. ANTI-TRADE, a name given to any of the upper tropical winds which move northward or southward in the same manner as the trade-winds which blow beneath them in the opposite direction. These great aerial currents descend to