BLACKWELL'S ISLAND. A narrow, rocky
island in the East River, t'orminfr part of Xcw
York City, between Jlanhattan Island and Long
Island, about l^i miles long; by one-eiphth of a
mile wide (Map: Xew York City, (J S). It is
used exclusively for the penal institutions and
hospitals under" charge of the city of New York.
See Xew York City.
BLACKWOOD. See Acacia; Kixgwood.
BLACK'WOOD, Fredebick Temple Hamil- tonTemple (lS-^'J-1902). See Dufferin and AvA, ^Iarquis of.
BLACKWOOD, Villi.m (1776-1834). A distinguished Edinburgh publisher, the origina- tor of Blackirood's Magazine. He was bom in Edinburgh, Xovember 20, 1776. After serving his apprenticeship to the bookselling business in liis native city, and prosecuting his calling in Glasgow and London, he settled in Edinburgh as a bookseller — principally of old books — in 1804. On April 1, 1817, at which time he had become a publisher on his own account, he issued the lirst number of Rlarkirood's Magazine. The literary abilitv displayed in this periodical was so much in advance of" the monthly magazines then exist- ing that, after a little disappointment at first, it soon became a great success. Its renuirkable popularity was sustained by the papers of John AVilson, J. G. Lockhart, James Hogg, and other writers, whom Blackwood had the liberality and tact to attract to his standard. Overwlielming its political and literaiy opponents, now with the most farcical humor, and now with the bit- terest sarcasm — sometimes with reckless injus- tiee — the magazine secured for itself a prodigious reputation, more particularly among the Tories, of whose political creed it has always been a resolute adherent. Yilliam Blackwood him- self, who added literary tastes and acquirements to his profession of bookseller, was the chief manager of his magazine, and conducted the whole of the correspondence connected with it until his death, which took place September 16, 18.S4. The publishing business has been greatly extended 1)- the descendants of the founder. Con- sult (lliphant, William Blackivood and His Sons (Edinburgh. 1807-98).
BLACKWOOD RIVER. A river in West Australia, which enters Flinders Bay, just east of Cape Leeuwin. in latitude 34° 14' S. and longi- tude 115° 12' E. (Map: Australia, B .t). It Jlows through the counties of Durham and Nel- son, first to the west, and then to the south, traversing a district of wood and pasture. It is navigable for boats to a distance of 25 miles from the s<"a.
BLACKWOOD'S MAGAZINE. A famous magazine founded by the Edinburgh publisher, William Blackwood, in 1817, subsequently con- ducted bv his son, John Blackwood, and still one of the important English periodicals in lit- erature, )))iiU)s()phy, and politics.
BLADDER, Urinary (probably akin to the verb to hloic). A bag which receives the urine in man and animals after it is secreted by the kidneys. The bladder-wall consists of three coats— a lining mucous membrane, a middle mus- cular coat, and an outer coat which is serous, where the organ is covered over by peritoneum and fibrous throughout the rest of its extent. The mucous membrane of the bladder is lined with stratified squamous epithelium (see Epi- thelium), and contains small racemose glands (see Gl.vxd) and Iymi>hnodules. The muscle of the middle coat is of the involuntary type, and consists of inner and outer layers which are lon- gitudinal, and a middle circular layer. The serous coat consists of a connective-tissue layer covered by a layer of flat endothelial cells. Where the serous coat is wanting, a fibrous layer covers the muscular coat and blends with the surrounding connective tissue.
The average capacit.y of the bladder is one pint. The shape of the bladder is somewhat conical, the apex being upward, and the anterior part of the base constricted at the commencement of the urethra, forming the neck of the bladder. On each side, rather below its middle, open the two ducts from the kidneys (the ureters); an imaginary line drawn between them, and from each end of this line others drawn to the neck of the bladder, form an equilateral triangle. In this space, which is called the triffoniim, the mucous membrane is not thrown into folds, but is smooth and very sensitive: the slightest pres- sure ujjon it gives rise to a desire for micturi- tion. Children's habits of emptying their blad- ders when sleeping on their backs are supposed to be due to the urine accumulating in this part, as is also the distressing pain of stone. "The bladder is situated in the pelvis, in adults, behind tile pubcs, in front of the rectum in the male and the uterus in the female, but much higher in the young. It is kept in position by four true or membranous ligaments, and false ligaments formed of folds of the peritoneum. In the male in front of the neck of the bladder lies the pros- tate gland, surrounding the first part of the ure- thra (q.v.). Like all cavities lined by mucous membrane, the bladder is subject to catarrhal inflammation, accompanied by an increased se- cretion of mucus, with fermentation, render- ing the urine turbid, causing a frequent and painful desire to micturate, and constitutional disturbances. The symptoms may be relieved by hot applications, along with opiates, antacids, and diuretics. If there is unich mucus or blood or decomposed urine in the bladder, it may be washed out with a solution of boric acid, or of creolin. or a weak mineral acid, in some cases. If there is any known cause for this inflamma- tion, as a stone, it must be removed.
Some persons are freeiuently troubled with a desire to pass water: and many in this condition never efl'ectually emiity their irritable bladders, always leaving' a portion which keeps up the irritation. This condition frequently arises from the habit of retaining the urine so long as to over-distend and weaken the muscular walls of the bladder; but it may be induced by general debilitv. the irritation of worms, cold, or an irri- tating "state of the urine itself, or by nervousness, as in candidates for examination, etc. The best treatment is tonics, and soothing tlic irritability with sedatives. When this irritability is noc- turnal, it mav be from the patient lying on the back, as explained above; it generally occurs in delicate children, and is more a habit than a disease.
Paralysis of the bladder may be the result ot accident", or disease of the nervous centres, or over-distention. In this condition the urine accumulates and dribbles away, and must be drawn off' by the catheter (q.v.). This dribbling, or in-
