Collier's New Encyclopedia

A complete general encyclopedia of 1921 — the world as it was understood just after the Great War, from Aachen to Zwingli, across twelve volumes and six thousand pages.

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Raphe – Rathenow

Raphe

in botany, the vascular cord communicating between the nucleus of an ovule and the placenta, when the base of the former is removed from the base of the ovulum.

Raphides

needle-shaped transparent bodies, lying either singly or in bundles among the tissue of plants; any crystalline formation in a vegetable cell.

The former commonly consist of oxalate of lime.

Rapier

a light, highly-tempered, edgeless, and finely-pointed weapon of the sword kind used for thrusting. It is about three feet in length, and was long a favorite weapon for duels. Its

Rappee

a strong kind of snuff of either a black or brown color; it is made from the darker and tobacco leaves. from the darker and ranker kinds of

Raratonga

or RAROTONGA, an island in the South Pacific Ocean, belonging to Great longing to Great Britain, of the group miles in circumference. It consists of a mass of mountains, becomes visible at a great distance, and has a very romantic appearance.

The inhabitants have been converted to Christianity. Pop . about 3,000.

Raritan

a river of New Jersey, formed by two branches which unitedly flow S. E., and fall into Raritan Bay di" near Perth Amboy. It is navigable as far as New Brunswick.

Rasp

a coarse file having, instead of separate protruding teeth, formed by the indentations of a pointed punch. It is used almost exclusively on comparatively RASPBERRY soft substances, as wood, horn, and the softer metals. Also a raspberry.

Rat-Bite Fever

an infection arising probably from a spirochete, present in the blood of about 3 per cent. of house rats , and consequently called spirochæta morsusmuris by Japanese specialists.

The spirochetal theory is supported by the efficacy in the fever of salvarsan, which is known to have a remedial effect in spirochete cases.

Ratchet

in machinery, the detent a racket wheel. which prevents the backward motion of inclined teeth for receiving a ratchet or

Ratchet Wrench

a wrench operwrench opermay be may be turned continuously without refrom the bolt or nut to which it is applied, by a backward and forward movement of the handle.

Ratchment

in architecture, a kind of flying buttress which springs from the flying buttress which principals of a herse, and meets against ich the central or chief principal. species are usually distinguished, M.

Rathenow

a town of Prussia, on the right bank of the Havel (here crossed by a stone bridge), 43 miles W. by N. of Berlin. Optical instruments, wooden wares, machinery, bricks and tiles, are made. Pop. about 25,000.

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