Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 07.djvu/286

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PHIPPS 228 PHOCION PHIPPS, HENRY, an American manufacturer and philanthropist. Born in Philadelphia in 1839; educated in the public schools of Allegheny City, Pa. In the early years of his life he worked in stores in Pittsburgh and later became partner in a small iron mill. Some years afterward he became associated with Andrew Carnegie in the steel busi- ness and built up an enormous fortune. Interested in the fight on tuberculosis he donated the Phipps Institution with ap- proximately a million dollars to the Uni- versity of Pennsylvania. To Johns Hop- kins University he gave a psychiatric clinic and endowment for maintenance. PHIPS, or PHIPPS, SIR WILLIAM, governor of Massachusetts; born in Pem- maquid (Bristol), Me., Feb. 2, 1651. He was successively a shepherd, a carpenter, and a trader, and in 1687 recovered from a wrecked Spanish ship off the Bahamas bullion, plate, and treasure valued at $1,500,000; this gained him a knighthood and the appointment of sheriff of New England. In 1690 he captured Port Royal (now Annapolis) in Nova Scotia, but failed in the same year in a naval attack on Quebec. In 1692, through the influence of Increase Mather, he was ap- pointed governor of Massachusetts. He at once put a stop to the witchcraft per- secutions by appointing a commission of seven magistrates to try all such cases. He died Feb. 18, 1694, in London, Eng- land, whither he had been summoned to answer certain charges of arbitrary conduct. PHIZ. See Knight. Browne, Hablot PHLEBITIS, inflammation of the veins. Though seldom an original or "idiopathic" disease, it is a frequent se- quence of wounds, and is not uncommon after delivery. The disease is indicated by great tenderness and pain along the course of the affected vessel, which feels like a hard knotted cord, and rolls under the fingers. PHLEBOTOMY, or VENESECTION, the act of letting blood by opening a vein; a method of treatment formerly applied to almost all diseases, but now chiefly confined to cases of general or local plethora. Another mode of letting blood is by cupping or by the application of leeches. It has been one of the proc- esses of the medical profession from the earliest times. PHLOGISTON, a substance supposed by the earlier chemists to exist in all combustible matters, and to the escape of this principle from any compound the phenomenon of fire was attributed. The views held regarding it were, however, abandoned by chemists some time aftei the researches of Lavoisier on combusi tion were made. PHLOX, a genus of plants of the natural order Polemoniacex, distin- guished by a prismatic calyx, salver- shaped corolla, and unequal filaments. The species are pretty numerous, mostly perennial plants with simple leaves, and mostly natives of North America. A number of species are common in British flower-gardens. PHOCffiA, an Ionian city, in Asia Minor, originally a colony from Athens. It stood on a peninsula between the gulfs of Elais and Smyrna, and had an ex- cellent harbor; and the Phocaeans were distinguished among the Greeks for their nautical enterprise. When the city was besieged by the Persians in the time of Cyrus, many of its inhabitants emigrated to Corsica; Massilia (Marseilles) was a Phoc£ean colony. The ruins of Phocsea are still known as Karadscha Tokia. PHOCAS, Emperor of the East, at first a centurion in the army of the Emperor Maurice. In 602 he took ad- vantage of the grievances and discontent of the soldiers to get himself elected em- peror; a revolt at Constantinople fol- lowed, and Maurice and his five sons were murdered at Chalcedon. Phocas was of low origin; ignorant, cowardly, and cruel. The Empress Constantina, accused of conspiracy, was tortured, and with her three daughters beheaded at Chalcedon; and numberless meaner vic- tims perished. Yet Phocas was acknowl- edged both in the East and West. Chosroes, King of Persia, declared war on him, and at length the tyrant was over- thrown and the empire delivered by Her- aclius, son of the Exarch of Africa, who led an expedition to Constantinople in 610. Phocas was seized, put in chains, tortured, and beheaded, and his body burned. PHOCION, an Athenian general and statesman; born about 400 B. c. He was a disciple of Plato and Xenocrates, served under Chabrias at the naval battle of Naxos, and became subsequently head of the peace party at Athens, steadily opposing Demosthenes and all bold pa- triots who were ready to fight for the independence of their country against the Macedonian invaders. He was a brave and successful soldier; his private char- acter was above suspicion, which saved him from the infamy which his political course deserved. He was twice sent on embassies to Alexander the Great, and acquired his friendship. When Athens was occupied by Polysperchon, Phocion