Poitou
a former province of S. W. France, coincident with the present departments of Deux Sèvres, Vendée, and Vienne. It was divided into Upper and Lower Poitou, and had for its capital Poitiers. Its early history is the same as that of AQUITANIA (q. v.). Poitou became a possession of the English crown when Eleanor, Countess of Poitou and Duchess of Aquitaine, after her divorce from Louis VII. VII. of France, married (1152) Henry of Anjou, afterward Henry I. of England. Philip Augustus reconquered the province in 1205. By the peace of Bretigny, in 1360, it again reverted to England, but nine years later was retaken by Charles V.
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Poker
a game played with a full pack of cards, five being dealt, one at a time, to each player in rotation, beginning at the left of the dealer. The player winning the "pool," or "pot," always deals. An exposed card may be accepted or rejected; in the latter case it must be placed at the bottom of the pack. The cards rank in value as at WHIST (q. v.). The game admits of a number of players, from 2 to 10.
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Pokeweed
Important: Safety Warning This page states that certain wild plants are safe to eat. Its identifications and edibility claims are more than a century old and in some cases simply wrong, and deadly look-alikes exist for many edible species. Never eat a wild plant on the strength of this text. 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. This information has been left in for historical purposes but should not be acted upon. the Phytolacca decandra, a North American branching herbaceous plant, order Phytolaccaceæ, which is naturalized in some parts of Europe and Asia. Its root acts as a powerful emetic and cathartic, but its use is attended with narcotic effects. Its berries are said to possess the same quality; they are employed as a remedy for chronic and syphilitic rheumatism, and for allaying syphiloid pains. The leaves are extremely acrid, but the young shoots, which lose this quality by boiling in water, are sometimes eaten in the United States as asparagus.
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Polar Bear
ursus maritimus, the largest individual of the family Ursidæ , and one of the best known. It is found over the whole of Greenland but its numbers are decreasing, as it is regularly hunted for the sake of its skin. The polar bear is from seven to eight feet long, with a narrow head, and the forehead in a line with the elongated muzzle , short ears, and long neck . It is quite white when young, changing to a creamy POLAR BEAR tint in maturity. Unlike most of its congeners, it is carnivorous , attacks by biting, and only pregnant females hibernate.
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Polar Circles
two imaginary circles of the earth parallel to the equator , the one N. and the other S. distant 23 28' from either pole.
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Polar Distance
the angular distance of any point on a sphere from one of its poles; more especially , the angular distance of a heavenly body from the elevated pole of the heavens. It is measured by the intercepted arc of the circle passing through it and through the pole , or by the corresponding angle at the center of the sphere. Ac According as the N. or S. pole is elevated we have the "north polar distance " or the "south polar distance."
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Polar Forces
in physics, forces that are developed and act in pairs with opposite tendencies, as in magnetism , electricity, etc.
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Polarity
in physics, the disposition in a body, or an elementary molecule, to place its mathematical axis in a particular direction. Also, the disposition in a body to exhibit opposite or contrasted properties or powers in opposite or contrasted directions, specifically the existence of two points, called poles , possessing contrary tendencies. Examples , attraction and repulsion at the opposite ends of a magnet, opposite tendencies in Polarized light, etc. In biology Prof. Edward Forbes, considering that the relation between the palæozoic and neozoic life assemblages is one of development in opposite directions, called it polarity .
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Polder
in Holland and Belgium a tract of land below the level of the sea, or nearest river, which, being originally a morass or lake, has been drained and brought under cultivation.
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Polderhoek
a village near Ypres, Belgium, which figured prominently in the fighting during the third battle of Ypres in the autumn of 1917. The British Fifth Division reached its borders during the first British attack and the 13th Brigade actually occupied it, but was driven out again by the Germans. This operation was repeated more than once during the battle. On Oct. 26 the British Fifth Division captured the Wood and Château of Polderhoek, taking 200 men who formed the garrison. The château was lost and was vainly stormed again by the Fifth Division on Nov. 6. New Zea landers again made an attempt on it in December, but it finally remained in German hands till the general advance that closed the war.
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Pole
in astronomy, one of the two points in which the axis of the earth is supposed to meet the sphere of the heavens; one of the fixed points about which the stars appear to revolve.
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Pole
MAGNETIC. See MAGNETISM.
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Pole
PERCH, or ROD, a measure of length containing 16½ feet or 5½ yards. Sometimes the term is used as a superficial measure, a square pole denoting 5½ × 5½ yards, or 304 square yards.
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Pole
REGINALD, CARDINAL, a British statesman, and Archbishop of Canterbury in the reign of Queen Mary, descended from the blood royal of England; born in Stourton Castle, in Staffordshire, in 1500. He was educated at after obtaining preferment Oxford; an and in the Church, went to Italy, where he long resided. On his return to England he so strongly opposed the divorce of Henry VIII. from Catherine of Aragon, that the king drove him from his presence, and never saw him more. He again left England, was made a cardinal in December, 1536, and had the offer of the popedom on the death of Paul III. Henry put to death his mother, and other members of his family, for corresponding with him. He found protection at Rome, was employed as nuncio, and was named president of the Council of Trent. When Mary ascended the throne, Pole returned to England as legate, in which capacity he absolved the Parliament from their sin of heresy, and reconciled the nation See. The day after the burnto the Holy Ioly of Cranmer, the cardinal was consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury; later he was elected chancellor of Oxford and Cambridge, and died Nov. 18, 1558.
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