Zodiac, The, is the name given by the ancients to an imaginary band extending around the celestial sphere, having as its mesial line the ecliptic or apparent path of the sun. The signs of the zodiac embrace the twelve important constellations which, owing to the motions of the earth, appear to revolve through the heavens within a belt extending nine degrees on each side of the sun's apparent annual path, and within or near which all the planets revolve. Since the sun appears successively in each of these constellations during the year, the zodiac was divided into twelve equal parts, corresponding to the months. These signs and their subdivisions were used in measuring time, and as a basis of astronomical and astrological calculations and predictions. Astronomers now, for convenience, use these signs, giving to each constellation an extent of thirty degrees, although the constellations vary in size. These signs are Aries, representing the ram; Taurus, the bull; Gemini, the twins; Cancer, the crab; Leo, the lion; Virgo, the virgin; Libra, the balance; Scorpio, the scorpion; Sagittarius, the archer; Capricornus, the goat; Aquarius, the water-bearer, and Pisces, the fishes. On the 20th of March the sun enters Aries, and at midnight Virgo, the opposite constellation, will be overhead. During the month of April the sun will pass into Taurus, and at midnight Libra will be overhead. The early astronomers were astrologers, and claimed to be able to predict the future careers of individuals and nations by observing the positions and movements of the planets and the condition of the weather at the most important periods of men's lives. A man born when the sun was in the constellation Scorpio was believed to be naturally bent toward excessive indulgence of the animal passions; one born when the sun was in Aries was destined to be a great scholar or ruler; one born when the sun was in Pisces was predestined to grovel or be a servant, and so on. The porticoes of the temples of Denderah and Esne, in Egypt, have representations of the zodiacal constellations which are of great antiquity and have formed a fruitful theme of discussion; but the truth seems to be that nothing is as yet known respecting these ancient representations, for the manner in which the investigations have been mixed up with the Biblical question of the antiquity of man has prevented any truly scientific research. The Greeks would seem to have borrowed their constellations from the Egyptians and Babylonians, and this is corroborated to some extent by occasional remarks of Greek writers as to the positions of various constellations at certain times, which positions are inconsistent with the supposition of the observer being in Greece. The zodiacal figures of the Hindus, ancien: Persians, Chinese and Japanese have such a remarkable resemblance to those of the Egyptians that there can be little doubt as to their common origin.

Zoological Gardens.-The greatest Zoological Garden in the world is that in London, being situated in the very heart of the city, and a public street running through it which divides it into

two sections. Walls are erected along the street, and visitors go from one section to another by means of a tunnel passing under the street. The grounds comprise about sixty acres, and are well filled with buildings, ponds, etc. There are real beaver ponds, aviaries, bear pits, monkey houses-in short, a place for everything in the animal line. This park was opened in 1828, and during the last five years the annual number of visitors has averaged about 700,000, while in 1886 there were added to the collection of animals 1,538. The Berlin Park is ranked by naturalists next to that of London; and the two in Paris, if combined, would make one as extensive as any in the world. In the United States the Philadelphia "Zoo" is the most extensive so far as buildings and collections go, and the enclosure comprises thirty-three acres of Fairmount Park. The Cincinnati Zoological Park embraces sixty-five acres of suburban land, and was opened in 1875. The Chicago gardens are in the central part of the city, and have one of the finest herds of buffalo to be seen. In New York the collection of animals are kept in Central Park. There are in all forty-eight zoological gardens in the world, six of them being in the United States.

Zululand is situated on the eastern coast of Africa, north of Natal. Its area is about 10,000 square miles, and its population before the war with England in 1879 was about 250,000. This war, which brought the Zulus and their King, Cetewayo, into prominent notice, was forced upon them by the representatives of the British Government in Natal, who had long been anxious to annex the country. In order to have some pretense for a forcible occupation of the land, Sir Bartle Frere demanded of Cetewayo that large fines in cattle should be paid for offenses of the Zulus on the border; that he should disband his army, and not attempt to form it again; and that he should allow a British officer to live in Zululand and assist him in administering the government. This naturally brought about the desired war. At first the Zulu army, which numbered about 42,000 men, was successful in every battle, and had Cetewayo desired to push his advantage after the battle at Isandlwana he could have crossed the border and completely annihilated the English; but from the first he insisted that he was fighting on the defensive only, and his soldiers were under strict orders not to go over into Natal to fight. The final battle in the war was fought on July 4, 1879, resulting in a total defeat of the Zulu army, and on August 13th Cetewayo was taken to Cape Town as a prisoner. Subsequently he was taken to England, but in December, 1882, he was reinstated King of Zululand, to rule it as a vassal of England. In 1883 he was wounded in a battle with one of the subordinate chiefs, who had been left in possession of a large tract of country at the north, and died in Natal in March, 1884. It was in the Zulu War that the young Prince Imperial of France was killed, he having joined the English army in search of renown.

MEDICAL DICTIONARY.

ABATEMENT, Decrease of fever.

Abdomen. The belly.

Abnormal. Unnatural, irregular.

Abscess. A collection of purulent matter.

Absorption, absorptive. Taking up or soaking up.

Acephalous. Without a head.

Acid. Sour; a substance which neutralizes alkalies.

Adhesive strips, adhesive plaster. Cloth or other material coated on one side with sticking composition.

Afterbirth. A body attached to the womb and by a cord to the child, supplying blood and nourishment before birth.

Albumen, albuminous. One of the elements of the body that hardens with heat. The white of an egg.

Aliment, alimentary. Food. The alimentary canal begins with the mouth and ends with the rectum.

Alkali. Caustic; a substance which neutralizes acids.

Alterative Altering or purifying the blood.

Alternating. One medicine following another after an interval.

Altruism. Regard for another.

Alveoli. The bony sockets to the teeth.

Alvine. Pertaining to the intestines.

Anæmia. Deficiency in blood. The want of red corpuscles gives the pallid appearanco to the skin.

Anæsthesia. Deprived of sensation.

Anaphrodisiac. An agent to blunt sexual appetite.

Anastomosis. Communication between blood-vessels.

Anatomy. A description of the organs of the body.

Anodyne. Relieving pain.

Antacid. Neutralizing acid.

Antibilious. A term applied to active cathartics.

Antidote. Medicines counteracting poisons and rendering them inert.

Anti-malarial. Preventing an attack of malaria.

Antiperiodic. Breaking up periodicity or appearance at regular intervals.

Antiperistaltic. Forcing the contents of the bowels backward into the stomach.
Antiseptic. Destroying poison.

Antispasmodic. Stopping spasms.

Antrum. A cavity in superior maxillary bone, connected with the nose.

Anus. The lower opening of the bowel.

Aörta. A large artery arising from the heart.

Aperient. A gentle laxative or purge.

Aphonia. Loss of voice.

Aphthous Affected with aphthæ; a curd-like covered sore.

Areola, areolar. The connecting tissue between fibres and vessels. Pertaining to areolas. Artery. A blood-vessel which (with one exception) carries the red blood.

Asphyxia. Suspended animation.

Aspirator. A pumping apparatus with a long, fine, sharp-pointed tube for removing fluids from internal parts.

Assimilation. The act of transforming the food into the various parts of the body.
Asthenic. Debilitated.

Atrophy, atrophied. Wasting away. Withered.

Auscultation. Discovering chest diseases by listening.

Axillary. Arising from a depression between the stem and leaf-stock.

BANDAGE. A long piece of cloth. of variable width, used for binding.

Benumb. To deprive of sensibility.

Bicuspid teeth. The fourth and fifth teeth from the centre of the lips.
Bile, bilious. A fluid secreted by the liver.

Blastema. A germ.

Pertaining to bile: a peculiar temperament.

Bloodletting. Opening a vein in the arm to let out blood.

Bolus. A large pill or anything of its size.

Bougie. A flexible instrument for dilating the urethra.

Bronchial tubes. Vessels carrying air to the lungs. Bronchi.
Bronchus, bronchi. The lower air-passage.

Buccal walls. Inner surface of the cheeks.

CACOPLASM. Bad or low form of organization.

A part of the intestines emptying into the colon; the blind gut.

Oalcareous. Of the nature of lime.

Calculus, calculous. A stony formation. Pertaining to calculus.
Oapillary. Blood-vessels, hair-like in size.

Capsule. A covering or case.

Carbon, One of the elementary bodies or metalloids.

Cardiac. Pertaining to the heart.

Carnivora. Flesh-eating animals.

Cartilage, cartilaginous. A white, elastic, solid part of the body. Gristle. Cristly. Caseous. Like cheese.

Castration. Removing the testicles.

Catamenial. Relating to the monthly flow.

Cathartics. Agents that produce evacuation of the bowels.

Oatheter. A tube with an eyelet near its end, used for conveying fluids.

Caustics. Corrosive or burning substances.
Celibato. A ba helor.

Cell. The smallest particle of living matter.

of cells.

The body and all of its parts are made up

Cellular tissue. The tissue uniting all parts of the body.
Cerebellum. The small or lower brain.

Cerebrum. The great or upper brain.

Cerumen, ceruminous. Ear-wax. Waxy.

Cholesterine. A crystallizable substance formed in the bile.

Chronic. Long-standing, seated.

Chyle. The milky fluid formed from digested food, and which is emptied directly into

the blood-vessels.

Chyme. Digested food.

Cicatrix, cicatrices.

The scar from a wound.

Scars.

Circulation. The flow of blood from the heart to the extremities and back again.
Circumcision. The act of cutting off the foreskin or prepuce of males.

Clonic. Rigid, with occasional relaxation of the muscles.

Coagulate. To harden, as the white of an egg, by boiling.

Coitus. Sexual connection.

Collapse. Complete prostration or inaction.

Colliquative. Exhaustive.

Coma. Comatose, profound sleep.

Conception. Being with child in the womb.

Congenital. Dating from birth.

Congestion. The flow of blood to a part. Stagnant circulation.

Conjunctiva. The membrane covering the ball of the eye and inner surface of the eye

lids.

Contagion. Communication of disease from one to another by touch, food, drink, of the atmosphere.

Continence. Abstinence from sexual congress.

Convalesce, convalescence. To recover health and strength. Period of recovery.
Convulsions. Spasms,

Cornea. The tough transparent membrane in the front of the eyeoall,

Corpuscle. A minute body.

A particle.

Corroborant. A remedy which gives strength; tonic.

Corrosive. Burning.