COUGH 173 COXTNCIL BLUFFS It extended formerly throughout a great part of both North and South America; but it has been destroyed through a great part of the former, except its most south- erly portions. It is the Felis concolor or the Puma concolor of naturalists. COUGH, a spasmodic effort, attended with noise, to expel from the air pas- sages of the lungs some foreign body or irritating matter, which else would injure the delicate respiratory apparatus. Prop- erly speaking it is not a disease; it is the effort of nature to remove what, if it be allowed to remain, may generate one; or it may be the symptoms of a disease of the lungs, the liver, the stomach, or the intestines; or may be produced by the over-excitability of the system in the nervous temperament. At the same time, when itself violent, it may produce mor- bid effects. COULTEE, JOHN LEE, an Ameri- can statistician, born in Mallory, Minn., in 1881. He graduated from the Univer- sity of North Dakota in 1904 and took post-graduate courses at the University of Wisconsin and the University of Min- nesota. He served on the faculties of sev- eral colleges and universities, becoming, in 1909, professor of rural economics at the University of Minnesota. In 1910- 1912 he was expert special agent of the United States Census Bureau and was in charge of the Division of Agriculture from 1912 to 1914, From 1915 he was dean of the West Virginia College of Agriculture and director of the experi- mental station. He served as lecturer on agricultural subjects in several col- leges and was on the editorial staff of several statistical and economic journals. In 1918-1919 he was a member of the American Overseas Educational Commis- sion. He was a member of many eco- nomic societies and was the author of "Economic History of Red Valley of the North" (1910) ; and "Co-operation Among Farmers" (1911). COUMAHIN, in chemistry (CsHaO^, or /CH = CH] C«H4 y occurs in the tonka- Xq — CO. J bean, the fruit of Coumarouna odorata, in small white crystals, between the seed- coating ana the kernel ; also in Woodruff, Asperula odorata, and in the leaves and flowers of sweet-scented vernal grass, an- thoxanthum odoratum, and other plants. It has been prepared synthetically by heating salicylic sodium aldehydes with acetic anhydride, sodium acetate being produced at the same time. Coumarin is extracted from the tonka-bean by strong alcohol ; it crystallizes in colorless rectan- gular plates, melting at 67°. It is nearly insoluble in water, has an aromatic odor and a burning taste, and is soluble in alcohol and ether. COUNCIL, an assembly met for de- liberation, or to give advice. The term specially applies to an assembly of the representatives of independent Churches, convened for deliberation and the enact- ments of canons or eccleciastical laws. The four general or oecumenical councils recognized by all Churches are: 1, the Council of Nice, in 325, by which the dogma respecting the Son of God was set- tled; 2, that of Constantinople, 381. by which the doctrine concerning the Holy Ghost was decided; 3, that of Ephesus, 431; and 4, that of Chalcedon, 451; in which two last the doctrine of the union of the divine and human nature in Christ was more precisely determined. Among the principal Latin councils are that of Clermont (1096), in the reign of Ur- ban II., in which the first crusade was resolved upon; the Council of Constance, the niost numerous of all the councils, held in 1414, which pronounced the con- demnation of John Huss (1415), and of Jerome of Prague (1416) ; the Council of Basel, in 1431, which intended a reforma- tion, if not in the doctrines, yet in the constitution and discipline of the Church ; and the Council of Trent, which began its session in 1545, and labored chiefly to confirm the doctrines of the Catholic Church against the Protestants. On Dec. 8, 1869, an oecumenical council, sum- moned by a bull of Pope Pius IX., assem- bled at Rome. This council adopted a dogmatic Decree or Constitutio de Fide, and a Constitutio de Ecclesia, the most important article of which latter declares the infallibility of the Pope when speak- ing ex cathedra. COUNCIL BLUFFS, a city and county- seat of Pottawattamie co., la.; on the Missouri river, opposite Omaha, Neb., with which it is connected by bridges. The city is the E. terminus of the Union Pacific railroad and the converging point of all E. railroads which join the Union Pacific. It is situated at the foot of the bluffs, four miles from the river. The city is the farming trade center of southern Iowa. It contains several rail- way repair shops, stock yards, grain elevators, and other interests. The prin- cipal industries are carpentering, ma- sonry, printing and publishing, plumb- ing and gas fitting, flour and grist mill- ing, and brick and tile making. In 1919 there were 3 National banks, with $420,- 000 capital, and several private banking houses. The city is well lighted by gas and electricity, is connected with Omaha by electric railways, and has several fine parks. The most noteworthy buildings 12— Vol. Ill— Cyc
