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STKEPSIPTERA. ear STRIEGAU. but there appears to be no ileliiiite proof. The Stropsiptera are also sometimes called Riphip- tera. STREPTOCOCCUS. See Bacteria; Septi- cemia; I'Y-KMIA. STRET'FORD. A manufacturing town in Lancashire, England, Si> miles southwest of Manchester. Population, in 1891, 21,756; in 1901. 30,;!4(1. STRET'TO (It., bound). In music, a term which signifies that the movement to which it is prefixed is to be performed rapidly, with a gra:d- ual acceleration toward the close. The term strclto is also applied to the finale of a fugue, where the subject and answer enter so closely to- gether that they overlap. See Fugue. STRICK'LAND, Agnes (1790-1874). An English historian, daughter of Thomas Strick- land, of Reydon Hall, near Soutliwold, in Suf- folk, born in London. She was educated mostly at home under the direction of her father. After writing considerable verse and several historical tales for children, Miss Strickland planned a series of biographies of the Queens of England. In this undertaking she was much helped bv her sister Elizabeth (1794-1875). The Lives of the Querns of England appeared in sections between 1840 and 1848, and filled twelve volumes (re- vised edition, 6 vols., 18U4-G5). Meanwhile, be- sides much miscellaneous w'ork. Miss Strickland published Letters of Mary Queen of Scots (1842- 43; complete ed., 5 vols., 1804); Lives of the Queens of Scotland (1850-59); Bachelor Kings of England (1801) ; and Lives of thG Last Four Stuart I'rincesses (1872). Consult the Life by her sister Jane M. Strickland (Edinburgh, 1887), and Pearls and Pehhles, by another sister, Mrs. Catherine P. Traill (London, 1894). STRICKLAND, Hugh Enwix (1811-53). An English geologist. He studied at Oxford, and in 1850 became reader in geology at that uni- versity, succeeding Dr. Buckland, and retaining the post till his death. He was one of the found- ers of the Geological Society, and of the Ray Society, which on account of his representations undertook the publication of Agassiz's Biilio- graphia ZooJogice et Geologiee, three volumes of which he edited. He was associated with Sir Roderick I. Murchison in the recognition and study of the Sihirian system. STRICT CONSTRUCTIONISTS. A term in American politics applied to those who, for various reasons, have maintained that the Fed- eral Constitution should be construed strictly in accordance with its letter, as opjiosed to those, known as "broad constructionists,' who have be- lieved that the Constitution should be construed liberally, and have claimed for the General Gov- ernment more or less extensive powers, called 'indirect powers' or 'implied powers,' not granted specifically by the Fundamental Law. Conflicts between the adherents of the two views have re- curred frequently in the history of the United States, e.g. in the controversies over the charter- ing of a United States Bank, over the question of 'internal improvements,' and over the power of the General Government with regard to the restriction or prohibition of slavery in the Terri- tories; and it is upon this <|uestion that, directly or indirectly, party ditTerences in the United States have been largely based. In general, it may be said that the strict constructionist view lias been held, more or less consistently, by the Anti-Federalist and Democratic parties (qq.v.) ; and the broad constructionist view, more or less consistently, by the Federalist, National Kepubli- can. Whig, Free-Soil, and Republican parties (q(l.v. ) ; though there has been a tendency for the party iu power, irrespective of its platform, to lean to the side of broad or liberal construc- tion, and for the part}- in opposition, also irre- spective of its platform, to lean to the side of strict construction. A broad constructionist policy has always had for its effect the strength- ening of the Central Government as compared with the States; and a strict constructionist policy the strengthening of the States as com- pared with the Central Government. See CoN- .sTiTUTio.N : United St.ates, section on Ilistory. STRICTURE (Lat. strictura, from stringere, to draw tight). A contraction in the calibre of one of the mucous-membranelined tubular struc- tures of the body, such as the urethra, the rectum, the oesophagus, or the larynx. The must common form of stricture and the variety gen- erally referred to when the term stricture is used alone is stricture of the urethra. Three' varieties of stricture of theiurethral canal are recognized: (1) spasmodic; (2) inllannnatory ; and (3) organic. The first form is due simply to reflex muscular contraction caused by irritation of some portion of the urethra, as from an ulcer- ating spot or a sensitive organic stricture. The second form is due to simple inflammatory swell- ing of some portion of the urethral tract, such as occurs in acute gonorrhoea or after the internal administration of such drugs as cantharides and turpentine. The third, and by far the most fre- quent and important variety of stricture, is caused by permanent changes in the tissues of the urethra and those surrounding it. These changes usually consist either in inflammatory thickening of the urethral wall and periurethral tissues or else in actual cicatrizatiou and narrowing of the channel from the accompanying contraction; or both of these conditions may be present at the same time. The initial causes in bringing these changes about are chronic inflammation (gonor- rhoea) or injuries by caustic or irritant sub- stances. The results of stricture of the urethra if al- lowed to persist are often far-reaching and dis- astrous. The bladder, ureters, and kidneys may finally in turn become the seat of disease from the continued retention of urine unable to find free and regular exit throvigh the natural outlet, or rupture of the urethra from prcdongcd re- tention, allowing extravasation of urine into the surrounding tissues, with death resulting from ursemic poisoning. The treatment of organic stricture of the ure- thra is mainly mechanical. It consists in di- latation of the contracted area by means of sounds or bougies, and where this method is in- ai)plicable divulsion of the stricture by means of suitable cutting instruments is indicated. After division of the stricture tlie huiien of the urethra is kept open to the proper degree by the subsequent periodic passage of a sound. Consult Dennis, An^erican Text-Book of Surgery (Phila- delphia, 1892) . STRIEGAU, stre'gou. A town in the Prov- ince of Silesia, Prussia, 25 miles by rail south-