Deaconess
a female deacon in the early Christian Church. The term is sometimes applied to a sister of mercy, or those ladies who live in community and follow the rule of the Lutheran deaconesses. Deaconesses existed in the 1st century. The office has been revived in the United States, in Germany, and to a certain extent in England.
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Dead
BOOK OF THE, the great funerary work of the ancient Egyptians, who themselves entitled it "Per-em-Hru," "to go forth from (or by) day." It is a collection of prayers and exorcisms composed at various periods for the benefit of the Pilgrim-soul in his journey through Amenti (the Egyptian Hades); and it was in order to provide him with a safe conduct through the perils of that terrible valley that copies of the work, or portions of it, were buried with the mummy in his tomb. Such copies constitute fully one-half of the thousands of extant papyri. A pure text has been published by Edouard Naville in "The Egyptian Deadbook of the 18th and 20th Dynasties" (Berlin, 1886). Dr. Birch's English translation ("Egypt's Place in Universal History," vol. v. 1867), is based on Lepsius' imperfect Turin text (1842).
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Dead Beat Escapement
An escapement in which, except during the actual impulsion, the escape wheel remains stationary and does not recoil. See Graham Escapement.
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Dead Center Chuck
By the use of this chuck, shown in Fig. 75, the work can be run on dead centers as well as by the bow or verge lathe, and the motion will be continuous.
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Dead Man's Hill
an elevation near Verdun, on the Meuse, called Le Mort Homme, which was the scene of fierce fighting during the German effort, from February to July, 1916, to take Verdun. During the entire attack the French held with extraordinary bravery to the northern slopes of the hill, to which on the first surprise they had been driven. Three hundred thousand Germans are held to have been killed or wounded as the price of the gains made in the vicinity. Positions did not change much during the greater part of 1917, though there was much fighting. In August, however, the French by a quick thrust took Le Mort Homme (Dead Man's Hill), Avocourt Wood, Corbeaux and Cumières Woods and other territory with 19,000 prisoners. By the middle of September the French had recovered 100 of the 120 square miles around the hill, seized by the Germans in 1916.
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Dead-Men's Fingers
a popular name for the Alcyonium, a genus of polypes, the typical one of the family alcyonidæ. It contains many well-known species, such as A. digitatum, or seafinger, and A. glomeratum.
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Dead-metal
Metal that has lost heat to such extent as to have become too sluggish to flow smoothly and give a sharp impression of the mould. See FAINT-RUN.
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Dead-Nettle
the common name of the species of plants of the genus Lamium, natural order Labiatæ, from the resemblance of their leaves to those of the nettle, though they have no stinging property. There are several species found in Great Britain (and now also in North America), as the white deadnettle (L. album), the red (L. purpurĕum), and the yellow (L. Galeobdolon).
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Deadly Nightshade
Important: Safety Warning This page gives first-aid or emergency advice that predates modern medicine and can make an emergency worse. Do not follow it. In any medical emergency, call emergency services and follow current first-aid guidance. In addition, this page prescribes plants as medicine according to pre-modern medical theory. Several of the plants named are toxic, correct identification is difficult, and the doses given have no scientific basis. Do not ingest or apply any preparation described here. In addition, this page presents medical treatment from an era before modern medicine. The remedies described are ineffective against the conditions named, and some of the ingredients or doses are harmful. Do not use them to treat any illness; consult a qualified medical professional. This information has been left in for historical purposes but should not be acted upon. a plant botanically known as belladonna, yielding an extract of much utility in ophthalmic investigation. The "beauty" implied by the name is in the berries, which are shining black, but are poisonous. The best known antidote to them is vinegar. The leaves of the plant are useful as a medicine, being given in intermittent fevers, palsy, pertussis, amaurosis, cachexia, epilepsy, and ticdouloureux. A remedy much used in homœopathic pharmacy. The name is also given to a subdivision of the genus Amaryllis, containing the belladonna lily, a fine flower found in the West Indies.
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Deadwood
a city of South Dakota, the county-seat of Lawrence co. It is on the Chicago and Northwestern, and Burlington and Quincy railthe Chicago, Burlington roads. It is the financial and commercial center for the mining region of the Black Hills. There are smelting and reduction works, planing mills, foundry, lime works, etc. The city contains a United States assay office, a public library, and a museum. or DEAF-
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Deakin
ALFRED, an Australian statesman; born in Melbourne in 1856. After studying at the University of Melbourne he was elected to the Parliament of Victoria in 1879, and in 1883 he was Minister of Public Works. In 1887 he represented Victoria at the Imperial Conference in London. After the Commonwealth of Australia was founded, Deakin was Attorney-General and later Premier, when the Protectionist party was in control of the Government. He served as Premier from 1905-1908, and again during 1909 and 1910. Fol lowing that date, he was leader of the opposition until his retirement from public life in 1913. He died in 1919.
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Deal (Municipal borough)
a municipal borough and seabathing place of Englandoutd Kent, on a bold open beach. It has been one of the Cinque Ports since the 13th century. Of the three castles built by Henry VIII. in 1539, Deal Castle is the residence of its "captain"; Sandown Castle, to the N., has been blown up as dangerous through the encroachment of the sea; and to the S., Walmer Castle is now the residence of the Warden of the Cinque Ports. Some maintain that it was near Deal that Julius Cæsar landed in 55 b. c. Pop. (1891) 8,898; (1901) 10,557.
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