of the inflammation, or their action may be im- peded bv the pressure of false membrane in croup. Again, in eases of lead or phosphorus poisoning, there is aphonia due to fatty degen- eration of the muscles. Xot infrequently aph- onia may be traced to compression of the re- current or inferior laryngeal nerve, which is the nerve-supplving motor" power to all the muscles of the larvnx, "with one trifling exception. Such pressure is not infrequently caused by aneurism, abscess, tumor, etc. In the same way, a wound or contusion of the pneumogastric nerve, or one of the recurrent branches, will cause aphonia or, more commonly, an extremely hoarse modifica- tion of the voice, in consequence of the laryngeal muscles being paralyzed on one side and re- maining active on the other. There are cases of direct nervous action being interfered with ; but there are manv eases of what may be termed reflex aphonia,' as when the voice is often more or less lost in the course of pregnancy when ac- companied by convulsions, or in consequence of the presence of intestinal worms, or after the rapid suppression of an exanthematous rash, or of a long - continued hemorrhagic discharge. Aphonia is, moreover, very commonly associated (-ith hvsteria.
When aphonia is not due to irremovable causes, as tumors, fatty degeneration of the laryngeal muscles, etc., it generally disappears after an interval. It occasionally assumes remarkable intermittent shapes.
In those cases which are amenable to treatment, emetics, electricity, strychnine, leeching, blistering and local application of nitrate of silver, have been found to be the most useful remedies.
APH'ORISM {Gk. d^opicr^is, aphorismos, a limitation, d<>tinition, fr.jm dni, apo, away + ipl^civ, horizein, to bound, divide). A maxim or any short and signiticant saying; such as, "Custom is a second nature." A complete work is sometimes written in the form of a series of aphorisms, arranged in due order, and leav- ing their connection to be traced by the reader's reflection.
APHRAATES, 4-fra'tez. A Persian Chris- tian of the Fourth Century, who. after his con- version from heathenism, took the name of Jacob, and ^as known as the "Persian Sage." He is said to have been an opponent of Arianism, and after his conversion lived at Edessa, .and later at Antioch. According to Professor William Wright, he was bishop of the convent of Mar Matthew near JIosul, and composed his works in .'?44, 34.5, and .377. His writings consist of twen- ty-two alphabetical homilies (ed. W. Wright, London, 1860; Grathn, Paris, 1894), and the sepa- rate homilv On tlw Cluster, the text of which has been recovered lately. In the De Viris lUus- tribus (written before 490) of Gennadius of Mar- seilles, and in the ancient Armenian version, pub- lished bv N. Antonelli (Rome, 1756), the homilies were ascribed to .Jacob of Nisibis, who died in .338. The real author, however, is cited by name by Abhdisho, and by Elias of Nisibis (Eleventh Century), in his r'Aro)iic(e.
Consult: W. Wright, Si/nnc IM.. p. 32 (Lon- don 1894) ; Duval, LUtcrature Syriaque, p. 226 (Paris 1899); J. Forget, De Vita et Scrtptis Aphraatis (Louvain, 1882) ; and Thalhofer. BibU- othek der Kirchenviitcr (Kempen, 1809-86), where eight of the homilies are translated. Germ. tians. by Bert in Von Gebhardt and Harnack, Tcxtc idid Untersuchiinfien (Leipzig, 1888); Frencli bv Parisot in ed. GrafRn.
APRODISIA, af'r6-dlz'i-a. The name given to the festival celebrated in honor of Venus.
APHRODISIAC, af'ro-diz'i-ak (Gk. (i0po-SicruiKdt, aplirodisidkos, pertaining to Aphrodite, or Venus, goddess of love). A name generally used in medicine for drugs that excite erotic desire, though the name, strictly used, may also include any pliysical or mechanical means employed for the same "purpose. All drugs that are tonic in their eft'ects and which promote the health of the body are indirectly aphrodisiac in their tendency. Such are strychnine, iron, quinine, etc. True aphrodisiacs are very rare, and it is in fact doubtful if there be any whose use is not injurious if given in effective doses. Such are hashish i^Cannahis Indica, cantharides, a violent and dangerous irritant), Blatta Orientalis, and Damiana, a preparation made from a species of Turnera found in Mexico. Drugs which have the contrary effect are called anaphrodis- iacs. See anaphrodisiac.
APHRODITE, nfro-dl'te. See Venus.
APH'RODITOP'OLIS (Aphrodite + Gk. ir6Xis, ;k//i.5. city). The name of several cities in ancient Egypt under the Greeks.
APH'THÆ (Gk. &4>ea, aphtha, eruption, ul- ceration). An .nffection of the mucous mem- branes of the gastro-intestinal tract, occurring chiefly in infants, sometimes serious, and due to the growth of minute fungus parasites. Aphthous patches generally appear in the mouth, and are usually whitish in the early stages, but later the areas may coalesce or ulcers may form. Loss of appetite," diminution in weight, and general ill-health are common symptoms. Aphthse is the result of nursery neglect. Nipples, bottles, etc., used in feeding, should be kept clean and thoroughly sterilized by solutions of boric acid. See TiiursH.
APH'THOUS FE'VER. See Foot and Mouth Disease.
APH'YDROT'ROPISM, or Negatr-e Hydrotropism. That form of sensitiveness by virtue of which a plant organ turns its axis away from the source of diffusing moisture. The "phenomenon is seen in the fruiting bodies of many fungi. .The vegetative filaments remain in the 'moist substratum (being positively hydrotropic), but the reproductive filaments, which bear the spores, grow out into the much drier air. See HYnROTROPiSM.
APIA, ii'pe-a. The principal town in the
Samoan Islands, South Pacific Ocean. It is
situated on the northern coast of the German
island of ITpolu, in lat. 13° 49' S., long. 171°
48' W. It has an open harbor, and is the
chief commercial centre of the Samoan group.
It consists chiellv of one long street running
alon" the harbor. There is a Roman Catholic
church and several schools. On March 15, 1889,
Apia was visited by a disastrous hurricane, m
which several vessels, including an American and
two German warships, were destroyed, and 146
lives lost. Apia was constituted a municipality
in 1879, and was for a time under the joint
supervision of the British, American, and Ger-
man consuls. Its population is estimated at
3750, of whom about 250 are Europeans. Apia
is the seat of a United States consulate.
