Page:Cyclopaedia, Chambers - Volume 2.djvu/791

 S T R

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STR

New Beer, and other Liquors not well fermented, are ufed to occafion the Strangury.

The extreme Sharpnefs of rhe Urine, fometimes produces an Ulcer in the Bladder.

The Word is form'd from the Greek sjwjf, Gutta, Drop, and apse, Urine.

Some Authors confound the Strangury, which the Latins call Vrims Stillicidiwn, with the Urhne Incontinentia.

The Difference between them, confifls in this, that in the former, the Urine comes away with Pain, in the latter, without. The former proceeds from the Acrimony of the Urine ; and the latter from a Relaxation or Palfy of the Sphinfter of the Bladder, which cannot keep the Neck there- of clofe fhut. See Urine.

STRAP, among Surgeons, a Sort of Band to ffretch out Members in the fetting of broken, or disjointed Bones. See Bandage.

STRAP ADO, a kind of Military Punifhmcnt, wherein the Criminal's Hands being tied behind him, he is hoifled up with a Rope, to the Top of a long Piece of Wood, and let fill again almofl to the Ground ; fo that by the Weight of his Body in the Shock, his Arms are diflocated.

Sometimes he is to undergo three Strap ado's, or more.

The Word is form'd from the French, Lflrapade, which fignifies the fame Thing, and which is fuppofed to come from the old Verb Ejlreper, to break, extirpate.

STRATA, in Natural Hiflory, the feveral Beds or Layers of different Matter, whereof the Body of the Earth is com- pofed. Sec Earth.

The Strata, include all the Layers of Earths, Minerals, Metals, Stones, £$c. lying under that upper Tegument or Stratum, the Turf or Mould. See Fossil.

The Time when thole feveral Strata were laid, was, doubtlefs,at the Creation ; unlefs, with fome great Naturalifls, as Stem, Dr. Woodward, Sic we fuppofe the Globe of Earth to have been diflblved by the Flood. See Deluge.

At that Time, fays Mr. Derham, whenever it was that the Terraqueous Globe was in a Chaotic State, and the earthy Particles fubfided, then thefe feveral Beds were re- ported in that commodious Order, wherein they are now found ; and that, as is afferted, according to the Laws of Gravity ; the lower flill heavier than the upper.

But Dr. Leigh, in his Natural Hiflory of LancaJIrire, speaking of the Coal-pits, denies the Strata to lie according to the Laws of Gravitation ; obferving that the Strata there, are fitfl a Bed of Marie, then Free-ffone, next Iron-Aone, then Coal or Channel Mire, then fome other Strata, then Coal again, &c.

This determined Mr. Tjerham to make a nicer Enquiry into the Matter; accordingly, in 1712, he caufed divers Places to be bored, laying the feveral Strata by themfelves ; and afterwards determined very carefully their fpecific Gravity. The Refult was, that in his Yard, the Strata were gradually fpecifically heavier and heavier, the lower and lower they went ; but in another Place in his Fields, he could not perceive any Difference in the fpecific Gravities.

Acquainting the Royal Society therewith, their Operator Mr. Hauksbee, was order'd to try the Strata of a Coal-pit, which he did to the Depth of 30 Strata : The Thicknefs and fpecific Gravity of each whereof, he gives us in a Table in the 'Philofophical TranfaBions ; and from the whole make this Inference, that it evidently appears, the Gravities of the feveral Strata are in no manner of Order ; but purely Cafual, as if mix'd by Chance. See Vein and Coal-'jPzV.

STRATAGEM, a Military Wile ; or a Device in War, for the furprizing or deceiving an Enemy.

The Ancients dealt mightily in Stratagems 5 the Moderns wage War more openly, and on the Square.

Frontinus has made a Collection of the ancient Stratagems of War.

The Word is form'd from the Greek ^a.ny.11, 1 lead an Army.

STRATAR1THMETRY, in War, tfc. the Art of drawing up an Army or any Part of it, in any given Geome- trical Figure ; and of expreffing the Number of Men con- tain'd in fuch a Figure, as they ftand in Array, either near at Hand, or at any Diflance affign'd. Harris.

The Word is form'd from the Greek, rpar©-, Army, dfAt*°!> Number, and imtsw, Meafure.

STRATEGUS, in Antiquity, an Office among the Athenians. whereof there were two chofen yearly, to com- mand the Troops of the State.

"Plutarch fays, there was one chofe from out of each Tribe ; but "Pollux feems to fpy, they were chofe indifferently out of the People. 'Twas the People themfelves made the Choice ; and that on the laft Day of the Year, in a Place call'd Payee.

The two Strategi did not command together ; but took their Turns, Day by Day ; as we find from Herodotus and Cornelius Nepcs. Some times, indeed, as when a Perfon was found of Merit vailiy fuperior, and exceedingly fam'd in "ar, the Command was given to him alone : But it was ever a Rule, never to put any Perfon in the Office, but who had his Lands in Attica, and who had Children, that there

might be fome Hoftages, and Securities for his Conduct and Fidelity.-

STRATIFICATION, in Chymiftry, an Arrangement of diffeient Matters, in r everal Strata or Layers, alternately - call'd by the Latins, Stratum fitper Stratum ; and mark'd in Books of Chymiflry with S S S.

This Operation is ufed in calcining of Minerals or Metals with Salts or other Matters. See Calcination.

To purify Gold by Cementation, they Stratify Lamina;, or Plates of Gold in a Crucible, with a dry Pafle call'd Cement. See Gold and Purification.

STRAY. SeeEsTRAV.

STREAM- Anchor, is a fmall one, made faft to a Stream Cable ; for a Ship to ride by in gentle Streams, and in fair Weather. See Anchor.

Stream-W<jj"£s, are certain Works in the Tin-Mines, when the Miners follow the Veins of Metal, bv cuttinu Trenches, S$c..

STRENjE, in Antiquity, Prefents made, out of Refpeft, on New-year's Day ; and as a happy Augury for the enfuing Year.

The ancient Lawyers derive the Origin of the Word hence, That thefe Prefents were only given viris flrenuis, as Symma- chvs obferv'd ; who adds further. That the Ufe hereof was' firft introduced by King Tatius, Romulus's Collegue, upon his giving, firft together the happy Branches, which were the Prefages of a New Year, in the facred Grove of the Goddefs Stroma.

Anciently, a Pound of Gold was given to the Emperors every New-year's Day, by way of Strata. Z)a Cange obferves, that Strina or Struma was ufed for a kind of Tribute the People of Dalmatia and Croatia pay'd to the Venetians i or to the Kings of Hungary, whom they obey'd voluntarily.

STRENGTH, as it concerns the Animal Oeconomy. The Strengths of different Animals of the fame Species, or of the fame Animal at different Times, are demonftrated to be in a triplicate Proportion of the Quantities of the Mafs of their Blood : The whole Strength oT an Animal, is the Force of all the Mufcles taken together 5 therefore, whatfoever in- creafeth Strength, increafes the Force of all the Mufcles, and of thofe ferving Digeftion, as well as others. See Muscle.

Yet notwithftanding the Truth of this, the Quantity of Blood may be increafed in fuch Circumftances, as to abate the Strength. The Equilibrium between the Blood and Veffels being deflroy'd, wonderfully leffens the Strength. The fudden Supprefuon of Perfpiration, though it increafes the Quantity of the Blood, as it mull confiderably do, by SanSorius's Calculation, yet it leffens the Strength ; becaufe the retained Matter, being what ought to be evacuated, fo alters the Texture of the Blood, as to make it unfit for rnufcular Motion. Suppofe the increafed Quantity to be joined by an extraordinary Vifcidity, the Quantity of fmall feparable Parts decreafing, as the Vifcidity increafes, the Quantity of animal Spirits feparated in the Brain, will be lefs ; and the Tenfity of the Fibres being in Proportion to the animal Spirits forced into them, they will not be able to countcrpoife the greatWeight of the Blood, and fo the Strength will be diminifhed.

Bellini proves, that if the Blood be fo vitiated, as to increafe or diminifli Strength ; it amounts to the fame as if the Blood were in a natural State, but its Quantity increafed or dimi- nifhed in the fame Proportion : So that the Blood, when vitiated, may fo impair the Strength of the Mufcles, as even to fpoil Digeftion ; and yet in fome Cafes, it may be fo vitiated, as to help Digeftion, and increafe Strength.

M. de la Hire, in a Calculation of the Strength of a Man in drawing and bearing, fhews, that an ordinary Man walking in a horizontal Direction, and with his Body inclining for- wards, is only equal toTwenty-feven Pounds ; which is much lefs than one would have imagined.

He adds, That this Force would be much greater, if the Man were to walk backwards ; and that 'tis for this Reafon, the Watermen fetch their Oars from before, backwards : And though he obferves, the Gondoliers of Venice fetch them the contrary Way, yet this is, becaufe they chufe to lofe the Advantage of Strength, to have that of feeing the Place they are going to, in the numerous Turns and Canals they there meet withal.

'Tis known by Expetience, that a Horfe draws, ho- rizontally, as much as Seven Men ; confequently, his Strength will be 180 Pounds. A Horfe, as to pufhing for- wards, has a great advantage over a Man, both in the Strength of its Mufcles, and the Difpofition of the whole Body ; but the Man has the Advantage over the Horfe in afcending. M. de la Hire fhews, that three Men loaden with 100 Pounds apiece, will afcend a prcrty fleep Hill with more Eafeand Expedition, than a Horfe loaden with 300 Pounds.

Hakeivill iurnifhes us with abundance of Inftances of ex- traordinary Strength : Klunher, Provoft of the great Church of Mefnia in 1529, carried a Pipe of Wine out of the

Cellar, and laid it in the Cart. Mayoliis faw one hold a

marble Pillar in his Hand three Foot long, and one in Dia- meter,