Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 01.djvu/195

LEFT AMPHIOXXTS Balaji 153 AMPUTATION AMPHIOXUS, a genus of fishes of an organization so humble, that the first specimen discovered was believed by Pal- las to be a slug, and was described by him as the Umax lanceolatus. It is now called amphioxus lanceolatus. AMPHIPOD, in zoology, an animal belonging to the crustaceous order am- phipoda, AMPHITHEATER, a double theater. The ancient theaters were nearly semi- circular in shape; or, more accurately, they were half ovals, so that an amphi- theater, theoretically, consisting of two theaters, placed with their concavities meeting each other, was, loosely speak- ing, a nearly circular, or, more precisely, an oval building. Amphitheaters were •first constructed of wood, but in the time of Augustus stone began to be employed. The place where the exhibitions took place was called the arena (Lat.=sand), and Doris. Neptune wished to make her his wife, and, as she hid herself from him, he sent a dolphin to find her, which brought her to him, and received as a re- ward a place among the stars. AMPHORA, a two-handled vessel, generally made of clay, and used for holding wine, oil, honey, or even the skeletons or ashes of the dead. It is also a liquid measure, containing 48 sectari, or nearly six gallons. The Greek amphoreus held nearly nine. The capacity of the Saxon ambra is un- known. AMPUTATION, the cutting off of a part which, by its injured or diseased condition, endangers, or may endanger, the safety of the whole body. The am- putation of a limb was in ancient times attended with great danger of the pa- tient's dying during its performance, as surgeons had no efficient means of re- AMPHITHEATER IN THE NATIONAL CEMETERY AT ARLINGTON because it was covered with sand or saw- dust. The part next the arena was called podium, and was assigned to the enij)eror, the senators, aryi the ambassa- dors of foreign nations. Among the sights were combats of wild beasts and gladiator fights. The Romans built am- phitheaters wherever they went. Re- mains of them are still to be found in various parts of Europe but the most splendid ruins existing are those of the Coliseum at Rome. In recent years numerous elaborate amphitheaters have been built by some of the larger universi- ties in the United States. These are used chiefly for athletic contests. Elaborate amphitheaters have also been erected as memorials, of which one of the finest ex- amples is the amphitheater in the Na- tional Cemetery at Arlington. AMPHITRITE (am-fe-tri'te),adaugh. ter of Oceanus and Tethys, or of Nereus straining the bleeding. The desired power of controlling the hemorrhage was obtained by the invention of the tourni- quet in 1674, by a French surgeon, Morel, and its improvement early in the next century by his countryman Petit. The ancient surgeons endeavored to save a covering of skin for the stump, by hav- ing the skin drawn upward by an assist- ant, pi'eviously using the knife. In 1679 Lowdham of Exeter suggested cutting semicircular flaps on one or both sides of a limb, so as to preserve a fleshy cushion to cover the end of the bone. Both these methods are now in use, and are known as the "circular" and the "flap" operations; the latter is most fre- quently used in this country. The question when amputation of a limb is necessary, is often, especially after an accident, one of the most diffi- cult in surgery. The chief indications