Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 08.djvu/363

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.
LEFT
307
RIGHT

SCURVY 307 SCYLLA Among modern German sculptors, Christian Rauch and Dannecker take high rank. Famous sculptors of more recent times are Schadow, Schilling, Begas, Stuck, Klinger, and Seffner. As Canova emancipated modern Italy from those false perceptions which had so long di- verted the current of pure taste, so Thor- waldsen, the Danish sculptor, was su- perior to all his contemporaries in the grandeur of his form and in strength of expression. John Gibson was the most distinguished pupil of both Canova and Thorwaldsen. Few American sculptures worthy of note were executed previous to Greenough's time, but since his day the names of Hiram Powers, Crawford, Brown, Clevenger, Palmer, Miss Hosmer, Story, Saint Gaudens, Ward, MacMon- nies, French, Hartley, Partridge, Man- ship, Herbert Adams, Bartlett, Bitter, Nichaus, Proctor, Barnard, Borglum, Lorado Taft, Akin, Aitken, French and Werneman have been added to the list of American sculptors. SCURVY, or SCORBUTUS, a disease characterized by a depraved condition of the blood. In consequence of this mor- bid state of the blood there is great de- bility of the system at large, with a ten- dency to congestion, hemorrhage, etc., in various parts of the body, and especially in the gums. The first effect of the disease is gen- erally a decline in the general health, and the patient becomes depressed, is easily fatigued, and has a peculiar sallow com- plexion. After a variable period, the more characteristic symptoms appear, the chief of which are hemorrhages and sponginess of the gums. The hemor- rhages closely resemble those of purpura and occur into and under the skin, where they give rise to red or purple discolora- tions which change color like the marks of bruises; into the muscles and other deeper tissues, where they cause brawny swellings; and into internal organs or cavities. Hemorrhage also frequently takes place from the mucous membranes of the nose and alimentary canal. The affection of the gums is still more char- acteristic, and is rarely absent, except in the very young or very old who are without teeth. The gums are swollen, discolored, detached from the teeth, and bleed very easily, while the breath be- comes very fetid. This combination some- times precedes but often follows the occurrence of hemorrhage in other sit- uations. The cause of scurvy is now well known to be an improper diet. The disease is never known to have occurred in any one who had eaten freely and habitually of fresh vegetable food. Even preserved vegetables, if kept in a juicy condition, prevent the occurrence of the disease. Fresh meat and, in a less degree, milk are antiscorbutic. An efficient protective is lemon or lime juice; and the constant use of the latter during long voyages un- doubtedly prevents the occurrence of scurvy when it would otherwise be inevi- table. SCUTARI (sko'ta-re), a town of Asi- atic Turkey, situated opposite Constan- tinople, on the banks of the Bosphorus, in Asia Minor. Its site is beautiful, and fine views of Constantinople and the sur- rounding scenery are obtained from the hills above. It has a palace and gardens belonging to the Sultan, a college of der- vishes, a college for girls (conducted by Americans), barracks, public baths, and extensive cemeteries, used by the Turks of Constantinople, from their belief that the soil of Asia is more sacred than that of Europe. There is also a densely filled English burial ground containing Maro- chetti's monument in honor of 8,000 name- less British soldiers of the Crimean War (1854-1856). Scutari was the scene of Florence Nightingale's labors during this war. It carries on a considerable trade, being a rendezvous for the caravans which come from the interior of Asia. Pop. about 100,000. SCUTARI, a town in Albania, capital of the province of the same name, situated on the river Drin, where it is joined by the Boyana, and on the Lake of Scutari, a sheet of water eight miles in length and six miles broad, connected with the Adriatic by the Boyana. Scutari was at- tacked by the Montenegrins in the Bal- kan War of 1912, and was by them be- sieged during the entire period of the war, but was heroically defended by Essad Pasha. Pop. about 32,000. SCYLLA (sil'la), in classical myth- ology, a daughter of Nisus, King of Me- gara. When Minos came from Crete to take vengeance for the death of his son, Androgeos, his efforts to take the city were fruitless as long as the purple lock on the head of Nisus remained unshorn. Urged by her love for Minos, Scylla cut off the fatal lock, and with it destroyed the life of her father and the safety of the city. According to one version Minos tied Scylla to the stern of his ship and drowned her; but another tale says that she was changed into a fish, which Nisus, transformed into an eagle, constantly pursued. The myth was localized in the names of the port of Nicaea and the promontory Scyllagum. The "Odyssey" (xii. 73) speaks of another Scylla, a daughter of Crataeis, as a monster with