The New International Encyclopædia/Reiss, Wilhelm

REISS, rïs, Wilhelm (1838— ). A German traveler and naturalist, born at Mannheim. He traveled in the Azores, Madeira, and Canary Islands in 1858-()0, in Greece in 180(i, and with Stiibel in 18C8-7U explored Soutli America. In particular he visited Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, and Hulivia, and he and Stiibel wvw the (irst to ascend Mount C'otopaxi. The seientilie results of this journev were of nuieh value. Rciss was president of the Herlin Gesellschaft fiir Erdkunde in 1885-87, and of the Anthropological Society in 1888. In addition to contributions to the publications of the Gesellschaft fiir Krdkundc au<l various scientific journals, he wrote: Dutt Tulcnfcld von Ancon in Peru ( 1880-80); Gcoloyische Htudicn in del- Keiiublik Columhia ( 18!)2-9'J); and Oas }liirhiirbir(jr iter Ucpublilc Ecuador (1892-1902). REISSIGER, ris'sig-er, Karl Gottheib (1798ISfiO). A German musician, born at Wittenberg. He studied under Schicht at the Thomasschule at Leipzig, anil dramatic comjiosition under Winter at Munich. He taught at the IScrlin Koyal Institute, and in I82G <'nt to The Hague, wlicre he organized a conservatory which is still prosperous. This same year he succeeilcd Marschner as musical director of the (Jcrnian Gpcra at Dresden, and later was appointed Kapellmeister, as Weber's successor. He wrote: Didone ahbandonnta (182.3); Die Felsenmiihle von Etali&rcs (1829), the overture of which is still played at concerts; Turandot (1835); Adele de Foix (1841); masses, psalms, .sym]ihonies, overtures, sonatas for violin and 'cello, and the oratorio David. . W'rber's Last T^houyht, a waltz, is his most popular piece.

REISSMANN, ris'mim, August (1825-1903). A Geniian w ritci iin music, l]orn at Frankenstein, Silesia. lie studied at Breslau under Mosewius, Bauuigart, Kichtcr. I..iistncr. and Kahl. From 18C(i to 1874 he Icctureil on the history of music at the Stern Conservatory in Berlin, from 1880 at Leipzig, and later at Wiesbaden. Das deutsche Lied in seiner historisclwn Entimckeluvg (1861) is his best and most original work. His other historical works, mostly clever collections or extracts from original studies made by others, include: }'on Huch bis Wagner (1861); AUgemeine Geschiclile der Musih (1863-65); Illustrirrte Gcschiehte der deutschen Musik (2d ed. 1892); and the biographies of various composers. He also composed an oratorio, Widekind, two operas, symphonies, chamber nmsie, and songs. Reitbok ## REITBOK (from Dutch rietbok. reedhuck, from riet. reed -j- bok. buck). One of the small antelo])es, called by English sportsmen in Africa 'reedbucks.' Sec Reedbuck.

REJ, ra'y', Mikola.j (1505-69). A Polish poet and prose writer, born in the Ukraine. He was more than sixty years of age before he produced his principal poem, Ziricreindlo ("The Mirror," 1567, reprinted in 1829). Nine years previously his Wizerwiek wlasmj sywota czlomicka poczciwego ('^Picture of an Honorable Man," 1558, reprinted at Warsaw, 1881-88) had appeared, and Wsides metrical Polish translations of the Psalms (1533), Postt/lla Polska ((iospel Commentaries, 1556), and a catechism, he published Zi/irot Jdzefa (1545). Zirierzi/niec (1.562), and Figliki (1.568). A stout Calvinist, he wrote niuch in defense of his chosen creed and was one of the first to use Polish as a literary language. His prose shows the language in its i RELAPSING FEVER. purity, before the introduction of foreign words and forms.

REJANE, rfi'zhan',:Madame (1857—). The stage name of Gabrielle Keju. a French actress, born in Paris. She made her debut at the Vaudeville in 1875. and soon gained a rejiutation for her witty imjjersonations. In 1892 she married M. I'orel, then lier manager. In 1893 she created her best-known riii: of Madame »S'ohs Gene, written for her by Sardou. She ajipeared w'ith it in London in 1894, and in the United States in 1895. Afterwards she ai)i)eared in La douloureuse and Zata.

REJECTED ADDRESSES. Burlesque poems by James and Horace Smith, published anonymously in 1812. Ostensibly unsuccessful efforts in the competition for the opening of the new Drury Lane Theatre at that time, they were amusing piirodies on the poems of Wordsworth, Southey. Coleridge, Byron, Scott and others.

REJOINDER (OF., F. rejoindre, to rejoin, from Lat. re-, back again, anew -)- jiiiu/erc, to join). In connnon-law pleading, the answer of a defendant to a plaintitT's replication to his (defendant's) plea. See PLi:AmxG.

REJUVENATION, or Rejuvenescence. It is supposed by Manpas and others that the process of conjugation in the Infusoria (q.v.) results in increased vigor and vitality, and is thus advantageous to those organisms in which the most primitive form of reproduction is by simple selfdivision. Indeed it has been obsered that conjugation results in increased activity in multiplication by fission. So also sexual reproduction is a rejuvenizing process, and tends to prevent both the individual and the species from deteriorating or running out. It mav be said to correspond in its effects to cross-fertilization, which is the antidote to too close in-breeding and tends to enhance the vitality of the species and prevent degeneration. In botany, a transformation of one cell into another, i.e. into a primordial cell, which afterwards secretes a new cell-wall, and forms the starting-point of the life of a new individual. Examples occur in numerous algae (CEdogonium), and also in certain diatoms. See Growth.

RELAPSE, The; or Virtue in Danger. A comedy by Sir John Vanbrugh. produced in 1697. It was written as a sequel to Gibber's Love's Last Shift, and was very popular throughout the eighteenth century. It was imitated by Lee in A Alan of Quality (1776), and recast by Sheridan as A Trip to Scarborough (1777). Voltaire used it as the basis of Le-Vomte de Boursoufie (1734). Later versions were made by Hollingshead in Man of Quality (1870) and Buchanan in Miss Tomboy (1890).

RELAPSING FEVER (from Lat. relapsus, p.p. of relabi, to fall back, from re-, back again, anew' + labi, to slip). Famine Fever, or Ferris Eecubrens. A specific infectious and contagious disease, generally occurring in epidemics, and due to a micro-organism, the spirochcetw Obermeieri. This organism is a spirillum, about t^J^ of an inch in length, and undergoing constant movements of a rotary or lashing character. The disease occurs in times of famine and nourishes under conditions of overcrowding, dirt, and poverty. Individuals in constant contact with the disease, as physicians, nurses, and clergymen, are often