Page 969 : JENA — JEROME
called medusæ and acalephæ. The body is composed of a clear jelly-like substance, often highly colored in parts during the breeding-season. When taken from the water, they soon dry and shrivel in shreds. The bell-shaped swimming discs vary in curvature from that of a thimble to that of a saucer. The animal swims by the contraction of the swimming bell — the water contained inside being thrown out through a circular opening in the membrane. Tentacles and long contractile lines hang suspended from the disc. Jellyfish are provided with numerous thread-cells or nettle-cells, from which thread-like darts can be discharged, and some larger forms can inflict very severe stings by means of these darts. See Romanes’ Jellyfish, Starfish and Sea Urchins.
Jena (yā́′nȧ), Battle of. This name is applied to two engagements fought on the same day, Oct. 14, 1806 — one at Auerstadt, 14 miles north, between 30,000 French under Davoust and 48,000 Prussians under the duke of Brunswick; the other on the heights around Jena between 70,000 Prussians under the prince of Hohenlohe and 90,000 French under Napoleon. In both the Prussians were badly defeated, leaving the fatherland at the mercy of Napoleon.
Jena (yā́′nȧ) University was founded about 1547 at Jena, in the grandduchy of Saxe-Weimar, by John Frederic of Saxony. It soon acquired a high reputation as a seat of learning. It is the university of the smaller Saxon states, and is supported by taxes from all. The library is large, numbering 200,000 volumes. The university has graduated many men who have become famous professors in other institutions of learning. In its schools of law, medicine and theology there have been many distinguished names. There are 112 professors and 1,362 students.
Jen′ner, Edward, the discoverer of vaccination, was born at Berkeley, England, May 17, 1749. He went to London in his 21st year and studied under the celebrated John Hunter. The discovery which has made Jenner famous was the result of a long series of experiments. His attention was attracted to the nature of cowpox by a young woman who had remarked: “I cannot take the smallpox, for I have had the cowpox.” Many investigations delayed the discovery for 16 years, when, at length, the final experiment was made on May 14, 1796, on James Phipps, who was vaccinated with perfect success. The practice met with great opposition at first; but finally honors were showered upon Jenner, and he was elected a member of all the learned societies of Europe. He died of apoplexy at Berkeley on Jan. 26, 1823. See his Life and Correspondence by Dr. J. Baron.
Jephthah (jef′thä), one of the “judges” (B. C. 1336–1037) of the Israelites. He led in the war against the Ammonites, defeated them with great slaughter, and was chosen ruler in reward. He vowed that whoever came to him out of his house should be sacrificed to Jehovah. His own daughter met him and “he did with her according to his vow.” The story is much like that of Iphigenia in Greek mythology, and both are grouped together by Tennyson in his poem The Dream of Fair Women. See Judges 11 and 12.
Jeremi′ah the prophet, son of Hilkiah the priest, was a native of Anathoth, in the territory of Benjamin. While still young he received a call to be a prophet (B. C. 627–6), and lived as a prophet, mainly in Jerusalem, for at least 40 years. Jeremiah had been a prophet five years when the lost book of the law was found and an important reformation began under Josiah. The prophet was in sympathy with this reformation, and most of his prophetic teaching had reference to it. Jehoiakim had not been long on the throne before Jeremiah began to foretell the doom of Judah. He was the first of the writing prophets and the first to declare that religion is an individual and personal relation between the soul and God. Jeremiah is believed to have met a martyr’s death about B. C. 585 at Tahpanes, the border-city of Egypt, but rabbinical tradition says that he escaped when Nebuchadrezzar conquered Egypt. See Cheyne’s Jeremiah and the Bible-book of the same name.
Jer′icho, once one of the most flourishing cities of Palestine, was situated northeast trom Jerusalem a journey of six hours. Westward from Jericho lies a waste tract of limestone mountains; but the town stands on a well-watered and fruitful plain, yielding dates, raisins, balsam and honey. The capture of Jericho by the Israelites on their first entrance into Canaan, is recorded in Joshua 6. Herod the Great resided at Jericho, and erected many beautiful buildings. It was destroyed in the reign of Vespasian, and rebuilt under Hadrian. In the time of the crusades it was captured, and at last completely destroyed. At the present time its place is occupied by a miserable village, called Riha or Ariha, with barely 200 inhabitants.
Jero′me, William Travers, was born in New York City in 1863, of wealthy parents, and was educated at Amherst College and Columbia Law School, from which he graduated in 1884. He was appointed assistant district-attorney, under Tammany rule, but turned against that organization, assisted in the famous Lexow investigation, which revealed the corrupt condition of the New York police, and was appointed justice of the court of special sessions New York City. He was elected district attorney in 1901, and showed courage and determination in the prosecution of gamblers
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