Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Azeglio, Massimo Taparelli, marchese d' mäsˈsēmō täpärĕlˈlē märkāˈzā dädzāˈlyō [key], 1798–1866, Italian premier and author, b. Turin. He studied painting, then turned to literature...

(Encyclopedia) Paneth, Friedrich Adolf frēˈdrĭkh äˈdôlf päˈnĕt [key], 1887–1958, Austrian chemist. He was educated at Vienna, Munich, and Glasgow. He held a number of teaching posts in Germany until he wa...

(Encyclopedia) Backus, John Warner, 1924–2007, American computer scientist, b. Philadelphia, grad. Columbia (M.A. 1950). Trained as a mathematician, he was hired (1950) by IBM Corp. as a computer programmer. From ...

(Encyclopedia) peritoneum pĕrətənēˈəm [key], multilayered membrane which lines the abdominal cavity, and supports and covers the organs within it. The part of the membrane that lines the abdominal cavity is ca...

(Encyclopedia) Molé, Louis Mathieu, Comte lwē mätyöˈ kôNt môlāˈ [key], 1781–1855, French politician. He was made a count and minister of justice by Emperor Napoleon I and later served in several cabinets ...

(Encyclopedia) starvation, condition in which deprivation of food has forced the body to feed on itself. Causes are famine, fasting, malnutrition, or abnormalities of the mucosal lining of the digestive system. Fami...

(Encyclopedia) delirium tremens trēˈmənz, trĕmˈənz [key], hallucinatory episodes that may occur during withdrawal from chronic alcoholism, popularly known as the DTs. An episode of delirium tremens is usually ...

(Encyclopedia) Dushanbe do͞oshănˈbə, –shänˈ– [key], city, capital of Tajikistan, W Tajikis...

(Encyclopedia) eczema ĕkˈsəmə [key], acute or chronic skin disease characterized by redness, itching, serum-filled blisters, crusting, and scaling. Predisposing factors are familial history of allergic disorders...

(Encyclopedia) caravel kärˈvəl [key], three-masted sailing vessel, generally square-rigged with the aftermast lateen-rigged. It had a roundish hull with a high bow and stern. The term “carvel-built” (see boat...