DELHI. 93 DELIRIUM. peaiis were mercilessly cut down, ami the large powder-magazine was exploded by the British olficcrs, wlio were unable to defend it against the attacks of the natives. Europeans and friendly native troops began to arrive at the beginning of June, hut it was not before September that the army of relief was strong enough for an assault on the city. On September 14 Delhi was entered by the iiritisli, but it was only after six days' lighting within the walls that the city was retaken. The British losses during the siege amounted to over 1000 killed and nearly 4000 wounded. The old Bahadur Shah, who was pro- claimed Emperor by the mutineers, was exiled to Rangoon, and his death in 1802 marked the end of the Mogul d^^lasty. Consult: Brown. Tlw Punjab and Delhi in lS-'>7 (London, 1801); Chambers, The History of the Indian Revolt (Edinburgh, 1859); Ilodson, Tirelie Years of a Soldier's Life in India (Lon- don, 1859). DELHI. A village and the county-seat of Delaware Coimty, X. Y., 60 miles west by south of Albany: on the Delaware River, and on a branch of the Xew York, Ontario and Western Railroad (Map: Xew York, F 3). It is the centre of an agricultural and dairving region. Population, in 1890, 1,504; in 1900, 2078. DE'LIA. See Orekk Festivals. DETLIAN PROBLEM. See Cibe. DELIBES, de-leb', Cl^mext Phiubebt L^o (1830-91). A French composer, born at Saint Germain du Val. Sarthe. ,He studied at the Paris Conservatory, where he won many prizes, and in 18.)3 became accompanist at the Theatre Ly- rique, and organist at Saint- Jean et Saint-Fran- Cois. In 18(5.5 he became second chorus-master at the Opera, and in 1880 was made professor of composition in the Conservatory. In 1884 he became a member of the Institute, succeeding Victor Mass^. Delibes became popular with his first operetta, Deux saes de eharbon (1855), and then wrote a number of comic operas and bal- lets, of which the most famous are: Le roi I'a dit (1873) and Lakme (1883), operas: Coppelia (1870) and Sylvia (1876), ballets. They are famous for delicacy and brilliant, fairy-like orchestral effects. DELIGHT OF MANKIND ( Lat. deliciw generis hiimnni). A title given to the Roman Emperor Titus, in admiration of his mildness and virtues. DELIXAH (Heb., delicate). The name of a Philistine woman whom Samson loved. Her home was in the valley of .Sorek. By her flatter- ing blandishments, she obtained from him the secret that his great strength lay in his locks: and having cut these off while he lay asleep, she then treacherously betrayed the warrior, shorn of his strength, into the hands of his enemies. (Judges xvi., 4-31). See S.^MSON. DELILLE, de-liM'. .Tacqi-es (17.38-1813). A French didactic poet and translator, born at .■igueperse, .June 22, 1738. He achieved extraor- dinary popularity in the eighteendi century, but is now hardly read or thought readaV)le, save as he is typical of the lack of poetic inspiration in his generation. His translation of Vergil's Oenrqies (1760) was esteemed at least equal to the original, and Les jardins ou I'art d'cmhellir les paijsagcs (1782, enlarged ed, 1801) was deemed immortal. He was elected to the Acad- emy in 1772, but not admitted until 1774. After the outbreak of the Revolution he followed the Emigration, lie lived for a time in Switzer- land, where he published L'hoinnie des champs, ou Ics Gvoryiques fran^aises (1800). In 1801 he went to England, wlieie he translated I'aradise Lost. France could not spare him. and in that year requested him to return to his seat in the Academy and his professorship of Latin and belles-lettres in the University of Paris and the ('oll&ge de France, which he held till blindness intervened. This, however, did not check the stream of his ])oetic production, which in these last years included La pitie, in four cantos (18031: Vergil's Eneide (1805); L'imagination, in eight cantos (1806) ; Les trois rc^gnes de la nature (1809) ; and La eomersation (1812). He died in Paris, May 1, 1813, Consult Sainte- Beuve. I'or/riiils lillrrnircs, vol, ii, (Paris, 1804), DELIQTJES'CENCE (Lat. deliquescere, to melt away, dissolve, from de, down, away + liquere, to be lluid, liquid). The term applied to the property which certain substances have of absorbing moisture from the air and becom- ing damp, and even running into liquid. The substances possessing this propertj- are said to be deliquescent. Caustic potash and the chlorides of calcium and magnesium are examples of deli- quescent substances. DELIR'IUM (Lat., literally, being off- the straight line, or furrow, from de. off, away + lira, furrow). A derangement of mind during illness, in which the intellect and the judgment are perverted or lost, while the imagination and the passions are often excited, or at least left without control. The result is an incoherent or totally disordered course of action and speech, frequently attended by delusions, or unreason- ing beliefs, which the sound mind at once per- ceives to have no foundation in fact. The pa- tient is generally suffering from an acute dis- ease, such as fever. Delirium may occur during the invasion of pneumonia, scarlet fever, small- pox, bubonic plague, or during ur<eniia, chorea, hysteria, epilepsy, etc. Delirium tremens (Lat., shaking delirium) is the result of long continued alcoholic intoxication, and may attack a 'mod- erate drinker' during a single excessive indul- gence. Contrary to a very conunon belief, it is probably never caused by sudden withdrawal of liquor from one who is constantly indulging in drink. Delirium tremens is characterized by a restless, irritable state of the nervous system, rather than by furious paroxysms of excitement (though these are not rare) ; by constant though ill-regulated and ineffectual attempts of the patient to occupy himself; by spectral illusions of horrible, terrifying, or very rarely amusing objects, such as animals, snakes, goblins, etc., or hallucinations of vision and hearing; by tremors of the hands and tongue: by loss of ap|)etite, nausea, and vcmiiling: and by great wakefulness, the want of sleep being often protracted over many days and nights, with constant excitement of the senses, and the prostration of the vital powers from deficient nourishment. In treating delirium tremens, bromides, chloral, rarely opium, strychnine, and other powerful drugs are used, with purgatives. Stimulants other than alcohol are frequently needed. The condition is very dangerous, as about 17 per cent, of the patients
