Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 06.djvu/493

LEFT NEURITIS 419 NEUTRAL TINT but it is not necessarily confined to them. The symptoms are headache, mental depression, and gastro-intestinal distress. In the latter stages of the disease cardiac palpitation, feebleness of circulation, and nervous indigestion appear. On the mental side the weak- ness of the nerves causes loss of memory, while the attempt to concentrate causes painful headaches and complete exhaus- tion. Sleep is broken and unrefreshlng, and the patient suffers almost as much from imaginary as from genuine dis- tresses. Neurasthenia is a disease which comes slowly and has a protractel course, the patient never being brought to com- plete recovery. The best remedy to cause a cessation of some of the symptoms is complete rest and freedom from worry. In many cases the patient is forced to change his occupation and an entire change of scene is often beneficial. Much is dependent on the mental attitude of the patient toward the doctor, as com- plete confidence in the doctor is essential to recovery. NEURITIS, a term applied to inflam- mation of the nerves. The symptoms are those of neuralgia, with impairment of sensation, or localized paralysis, accord- ing as sensory or motor nerves are af- fected. NEUROPTERA, in entomology, an order of the class Insecta, In which the older entomologists included all insects possessing four membranous wings, more or less elaborately veined, but without the peculiar arrangement of cells which occurs in the Hymenoptera. NEUROSIS, a name common to dis- eases of the nervous system unac- companied by any discoverable alteration in structure, that is to say, functional diseases of the nervous system. Hysteria, for example, is a neurosis; catalepsy, some forms of mental disease, such as melancholia, various forms of neuralgia and spasm, are called neuroses. NEUROTIC, a term introduced into medicine to indicate some relationship to the nervous system. Thus a neurotic dis- ease is a nervous disease. Medicines that affect the nervous system, as opium, strychnine, etc., are called neurotics. NEUSS (nois), an ancient manufactur- ing town of Germany, near the left bank of the Rhine, 4 miles W. of Dusseldorf. Its church of St. Quirinus, a notable specimen of the transition from the Round to the Pointed style, was founded in 1209. Neuss has flourishing iron- works, foundries, flour and iron mills, and manufactures of cottons, woolens. leather, paper, chemicals, etc. Pop. about 40,000. NEUSTADT, or WIENER-NEU- STADT, a town of Austria; 32 miles S. of Vienna. It is overlooked by the large old castle of the Dukes of Babenberg, now a military academy. The castle con- tains a fine Gothic chapel (1460) rich in painted windows; and is the burial- place of the Emperor Maximilian I. Prior to the World War locomotives and machinery, wire, bells, pottery, starch, leather, and ribbons were among the manufactures. The city, called "the Ever-faithful," was founded in 1192, and was rebuilt after a great fire in 1834. Pop. about 40,000. NEUSTRIA (noies'-), or WEST FRANCE, the name given in the times of the Merovingians and Carlovingians to the W. portion of the Frank empire, after the quadruple division of it which took place in 511. Neustria contained three of these divisions. It extended originally from the mouth of the Scheldt to the Loire, and was bounded by Aqui- tanja on the S., and by Burgundy and Austrasia on the E. The principal cities were Soissons, Paris, Orleans, and Tours. Bretagne was always loosely attached to Neustria, of which the strength lay in the duchy of France. After the cession of the territory afterward called Nor- mandy to the Normans in 912, the name Neustria soon fell into disuse. NEUTER, in botany, a flower having neither stamens nor pistils; as in those occupsring the outermost flowers of the head of Centaurea cyaniis, the margin of the cymes in garlen plants of Viburnum, Hydrangea, or in the whole C3ane of Vi- burnum opulus. In grammar, a noun of neuter gender. In entomology, a sterile female, a worker. NEUTRALITY, in chemistry, pofl- sessing the neutral condition. In international law, that condition or attitude of a country or state in which it does not take part, directly or indi- rectly, in a war between other countries. A neutral state is allowed to supply to either of the belligerents any supplies or stores which are not contraband of war. It may also enter into treaties or engagements with either side, pro- vided such treaties or engagements are unconnected with the subject of the war. Armed neutrality, the state of a country or nation which holds itself armed in readiness to resist any aggression of either of the belligerents between whom it is neutral. See Belligerent. NEUTRAL TINT, a dull grayish hue, having the character of none of the