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distemper

(Encyclopedia)distemper, in veterinary medicine, highly contagious, catarrhal, often fatal disease of dogs. It also affects wolves, foxes, mink, raccoons, and ferrets. Distemper is caused by a filtrable virus that ...

serum sickness

(Encyclopedia)serum sickness, hypersensitive response that occurs after injection of a large amount of foreign protein. The condition is named for the serum taken from horses or other animals immunized against a pa...

nitric oxide

(Encyclopedia)nitric oxide or nitrogen monoxide, a colorless gas formed by the combustion of nitrogen and oxygen as given by the reaction: energy + N2 + O2 → 2NO; m.p. −163.6℃; b.p. −151.8℃. Nitric oxide ...

Nashoba

(Encyclopedia)Nashoba năshōˈbə [key], former community, Shelby co., SW Tenn., on the Wolf River just E of Memphis. It was established (1825) by Frances Wright and others, influenced by the model of New Harmony,...

Vineland

(Encyclopedia)Vineland, city (1990 pop. 54,780), Cumberland co., S N.J., in a poultry and fruit area; settled 1861, inc. 1952 when combined with Landis township. The growing city has cooperative markets, large glas...

fungal infection

(Encyclopedia)fungal infection, infection caused by a fungus (see Fungi), some affecting animals, others plants. Serious damage is done to crops each year by fungal infections of plants such as smuts, rusts, ergo...

Pinel, Philippe

(Encyclopedia)Pinel, Philippe fēlēpˈ pēnĕlˈ [key], 1745–1826, French physician, M.D. Univ. of Toulouse, 1773. After moving to Paris in 1778, he was appointed (1793) director of the Bicêtre hospital and sho...

Sydenham, Thomas

(Encyclopedia)Sydenham, Thomas, 1624–89, English physician, called “the English Hippocrates.” He studied at Oxford and Montpellier, and practiced in London. His conceptions of the causes and treatments of epi...

abracadabra

(Encyclopedia)abracadabra ăbˌrəkədăbˈrə [key], magical formula used by the Gnostics (see Gnosticism) to invoke the aid of benevolent spirits to ward off disease and affliction. It is supposed to be derived f...

Shafter, William Rufus

(Encyclopedia)Shafter, William Rufus, 1835–1906, American general, b. Galesburg, Mich. He served in the Union army during the Civil War and in 1867 joined the regular army, rising to become brigadier general (189...