Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XII.djvu/660

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64:6 OPIE OPITZ take place. The treatment may be commenced by an emetic of antimony or ipecacuanha (vini antimonii ii., or ipecacuanhas 3 i. - 3 ii., every ten minutes until vomiting is produced ; after- ward a purgative dose of calomel and rhubarb, or of calomel followed by a rhubarb and soda mixture, may be given. The bowels should be kept open and their secretions regulated by minute doses of hydrargyrum cum creta or cal- omel with rhubarb, soda, and ipecacuanha; and finally sulphate of quinia may be given in doses of from one to two grains three times a day. This last in many cases seems to act like a specific. Iron, in the form of lactate, pyro- phosphate, or ammonio-citrate, is often useful in conjunction with the quinine. An infusion of belladonna applied as a wash is frequently of service in relieving the photophobia. Fi- nally, in some cases, counter-irritation by small blisters, applied behind the ears, may be neces- sary. 5. Sclerotitis Rheumatic Ophthalmia. Here the inflammation in pure cases is confined to the sclerotic coat, though it is apt to extend to the cornea or iris, or to be complicated with conjunctivitis (catarrh o-rheumatic ophthalmia). The redness of the eye is of a pink tint, form- ing a zone around the cornea when it is most marked, and gradually shading off toward the circumference of the eye, the vessels being minute and disposed in radiating straight lines. The cornea becomes dim, and vessels may be seen encroaching upon its margin to the extent of ^ or T ^ of an inch, and then sud- denly stopping. The iris becomes discolored and the pupil contracted and sluggish, and sometimes hazy ; there is intolerance of light, lachrymation, and dimness of vision. The patient suffers from pain, compared to that of rheumatism, in the temple or around the orbit, which is increased at night and remits toward morning; and there is also deep-seated pul- satile pain in the eyeball. There is constitu- tional fever, the appetite is destroyed, and the rest broken. One eye alone is commonly affect- ed, or if both are attacked one is much worse than the other. In mild cases a full dose of calomel and opium may be given at bedtime, followed by a purgative on the following morn- ing; afterward nitrate of potash, in doses of from gr. x. to gr. xx., may be given three times a day dissolved in barley water. In severe instances recourse must be had to the abstrac- tion of blood, and small doses of calomel and opium are to be given every night until the gums are slightly affected. Counter-irritation by means of blisters is often decidedly useful ; occasionally colchicum has seemed to be of service ; the iodide of potassium has likewise been given with success. OPIE. I. John, an English painter, born at St. Agnes, near Truro, Cornwall, in 1761, died in London, April 9, 1807. He pursued his studies without instruction, and had acquired some skill when he attracted the notice of Dr. Wolcott of Truro (Peter Pindar), who in 1781 brought him to London. There he was named the " Cornish wonder," and frequently the street in front of his residence was blocked up by the carriages of his visitors, and hardly a year had passed before he had painted the prin- cipal nobility. His portraits, remarkable for vigor and truth, lacked elegance and refine- ment, and his popularity sank almost as sud- denly as it had risen. He had, however, already earned a handsome competence, and sought to increase it by marrying the daughter of a wealthy pawnbroker. The match proving un- happy, they were divorced, and Opie married again in 1798. He set about correcting his de- fects, and applied himself to historical paint- ing, in which he produced several popular pic- tures, as " The Murder of James I. of Scotland," "The Death of Rizzio," "Arthur taken Pris- oner," "Hubert and Arthur," " Belisarius," and "Juliet in the Garden." In 1806 Opie was elected professor of painting at the royal academy, and as such he delivered in February and March, 1807, four lectures on design, in- vention, chiaroscuro, and coloring, but died before he had completed the course. His lec- tures, with a memoir, were published in 1809 by his widow. His pictures, though wanting in dignity and grace, are distinguished for their reality and homely truth, and for their purity of color. II. Amelia (ALDERSON), an English authoress, second wife of the preceding, born in Norwich, Nov. 12, 1769, died there, Dec. 2, 1853. In 1798 she was married to Mr. Opie. Previously she had written much, but pub- lished nothing except a novel which attracted no attention. On the death of her husband she returned to her father's home in Norwich, where she spent the rest of her life. In 1825 she joined the society of Friends, and in a great measure gave up literary pursuits. Her princi- pal publications are : " Father and Daughter " (1801); "Poems" (1802); " Adeline Mo wbray, or Mother and Daughter" (1804); "Simple Tales" (1805); "The Warrior's Eeturn, and other Poems " (1808) ; " Tales of Real Life " (1813); "Illustrations of Lying "(1825); "De- traction Displayed " (1828) ; and " Lays for the Dead" (1833). Her life has been written by Miss 0. L. Brightwell (8vo, London, 1854). OPITZ, Martin, a German poet, founder of the first Silesian school, born in Bunzlau, Silesia, Dec. 23, 1597, died in Dantzic, Aug. 20, 1639. He studied at Frankfort-on-the Oder and Hei- delberg, travelled with a rich Danish friend, and lived subsequently at various petty courts of Germany, officiating also for a time as pro- fessor of philosophy and belles-lettres at Weis- senburg in Transylvania (now Carlsburg). He was ennobled by the emperor Ferdinand II. in 1627 under the name of Opitz von Bober- feld ; and having fled before the horrors of the thirty years' war to Poland, he there be- came historiographer of King Ladislas IV., and fell a victim to the plague. Owing to the fear of contagion, his papers and manuscripts were put away and lost. He rendered impor- tant service to German literature, especially in