Menelek
or MENELIK, II., King or Negus of Abyssinia; son of Hailo Menelek, King of Shoa; born in 1842; succeeded Johannes II. in 1889, and was crowned in 1890. He was of Negro blood with a strain of Jew, Arab and Galla and claimed descent from Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. Menelek united the territories of many lesser chiefs, whom he kept tributary by force and by virtue of the new feudal system, which he substituted for the old feudalism. He was charged with depending, secretly, on the slave trade for the larger part of his revenue. He had considerable intelligence and attempted to keep in touch with European affairs. At the battle of dowa, in the spring of 1896, his troops inflicted an overwhelming defeat on the Italian army, thus securing the independence of his territories. He practically ceased to rule in 1910, and died in 1913.
He was succeeded by his grandson Lidj Jeassu. The latter was deposed in 1916 and was succeeded by his aunt Waizeru Zauditi. See ABYSINNIA MENNONITES MENES (mēnēz), the conductor, the first king of the first Egyptian dynasty, who built Memphis, made foreign conquests, introduced luxury, and was devoured by a hippopotamus. His name marks a great chronological epoch, being placed by chronologists 3643, 3892 в. c., or even 5702 B. C. Stricter chronologists make his accession 2717 в. c.
MENHADEN (-hā'-) (Indian name), Alosa Menhaden, one of the Clupeidæ, abounding in the waters of New England and as far S. as Chesapeake Bay. It is also called bony-fish, white-fish, hardhead, moss-bunker, and pauhagen Massachusetts and Rhode Island they are known by their native name; in New York as moss-bunkers and skippaugs.
In more MENINGITIS (-ji'tis), the term applied generally to the inflammation of the membranes enveloping the brain. Acute simple meningitis as a rule involves the membranes extensively, but is marked over the convexity of the cerebral hemisphere than at the base or any localized spot. The premonitory symptoms are usually well marked, as headache, gradually getting worse, heaviness, giddiness, irritability, and frequently sickness and vomiting. When the disease is established, it presents the following stages: (1) Excitement; (2) Transition; (3) Depression. The extent of the inflammation and its position on the brain determine the symptoms. There are acute and chronic forms of the malady. Cerebral meningitis, rare in acute form, is due to injuries, sunstroke, alcoholism and is very dangerous. Acute tubercular meningitis is due to inflammation of pia mater caused by deposit of miliary granules in the surface. Spinal meningitis is uncommon, due to injuries and generally fatal. Epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis, or spotted fever due to a special organism. How transmitted is unknown. The use of a serum first obtained from the monkey, but now from the horse, has reduced mortality 30 per cent. except in chronic cases.
MENNONITES (men'non-itz), the followers of Menno Simons (1492-1559), a priest at Witmarsum, in Friesland, who resigned his position from religious convictions. His teaching was ascetic rather than dogmatic, except that he was antipædobaptist. The discipline of the Mennonites involved separation from the world, to the extent of refusing to bear arms or to fill any civil office. There was no hierarchy, but exhorters were chosen by the congregations, each of which was independent of all the rest, and from these exhorters elders were selected to MENOBRANCHUS MENOMONIE administer the sacraments. The Men- in 1916, and when the United States denonites spread over Switzerland, Ger-clared war served with the American many, Holland, and even to France. Expeditionary Forces in France, being Their chief home now is in the United States and Canada. There are also some German Mennonite colonies in southern Russia. The Mennonites in the United States are divided into seven branches, as follows: Mennonite (proper), Amish, Reformed, General Conference, Bundes Conference, Defenseless, and Brethren In Christ, of which the Mennonite proper, the Amish, and the General Conference are the most numerous. In all branches there are about 60,000 communicants, 1,400 ministers, and 735 churches.
MENOBRANCHUS (-brang'kus), a genus of tailed amphibians, of the family Proteidæ.