Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XII.djvu/531

 NOSTEADAMUS NOTARY PUBLIC 517 the negro, and the American Indian have a greater development of the internal cavities of the nose than the white races. In man the nose projects heyond the level of the upper jaw, the opening of the nostrils being hori- zontal and downward ; but even in the highest apes this feature is flat, and the nasal orifice vertical and forward. The ethnological char- acters derived from the shape of the nose are given in the articles on the different races, and in ETHNOLOGY. In fishes, breathing by gills, there is no communication between the nose and the mouth or throat, except in the myxi- noids ; in batrachians and reptiles, all of which in the adult state breathe more or less by lungs, the nose and mouth communicate, by a short passage as in the frog, or by a long one as in the crocodile ; in birds the nostrils open on the back of the bill, generally nearest the base, and are frequently covered by bristly feathers to prevent the entrance of foreign bodies, and they communicate with the mouth behind. In mammals only are found the sinuses and cellular cavities in the frontal, sphenoid, eth- moid, and superior maxillary bones, larger in some than in others; the nasal cartilages are often widely different from those of man, as may be seen in the movable snout of the mole and hog, and in the proboscis of the tapir and elephant, which are only modified and largely developed noses ; in cetaceans the nasal open- ings are on the top of the head, constituting the blow-holes. There are many congenital defects in which the nose is concerned. It may be almost entirely deficient, partially developed, closed in front, or fissured below ; the septum may be distorted or absent ; or the organ may be monstrously developed. The skin of the nose is subject to cutaneous eruptions; the numerous small veins may be dilated, giving a red color to the tip, which, from the disturb- ance and retardation of a naturally slow circu- lation, is very difficult to remove. In common colds the mucous membrane is gorged with blood, and often so thickened as to interfere with respiration through the nose, aud even to close the posterior passage to the throat. Ab- scesses, chronic thickening, deep ulcerations, ozsena, lupus, polypus, and cancer are common in this organ, and can only be alluded to here. Some of the greatest triumphs of modern re- parative surgery may be found in the history of rhinoplastic operations. (See AUTOPLASTY.) NOSTRADAMUS (Fr. NOTKEDAME), Michel de, a French astrologer, born of Jewish parents at St. Eemy, Provence, Dec. 14, 1503, died at Sa- lon, July 2, 1566. He studied at Avignon and Montpellier, and travelled in the south of France for five years. He was successful in curing the plague in Provence, by means of a powder which he invented. About the year 1547 he began to believe in his own prophetic powers. In 1555 he published in Lyons seven " Centuries " of quatrains ; and in 1558 he published a new edition, 1,000 in number, ded- icated to King Henry II., whose death in a tournament the following year was found to be foretold therein. He was made physician in ordinary to Charles IX., and was consulted by all classes of persons for diseases and for the foretelling of fortunes and public events. He is said to have been the first to publish al- manacs containing predictions of the weather. Of his "Centuries" the Lyons edition (8vo, 1568) is the best. NOTARY PUBLIC, an officer appointed to draw up and attest deeds and contracts, and per- form other similar functions. The name and office of notary are of Eoman origin. The notarii, so called from the notes or short-hand characters in which they minuted the instru- ments which they drew, had not a public char- acter. They were mere scribes, who wrote out the agreements of those who employed them. The writings thus composed were com- pleted by the signatures of the parties. Un- less these signatures were attested by wit- nesses or verified by proof of the handwriting, the instruments could have no authority in the courts. But it was possible to render them valid by a declaration of their tenor be- fore a magistrate and by registration of them in the public records. Like the notarii were the tabelliones forenses, who drew up legal documents and statements to be sent to the courts of law or presented to the different civil authorities. The tabelliones formed themselves into a guild under a presiding officer. A con- stitution of Diocletian prescribed a tariff of fees for them. As the craft grew in importance, the state began to prescribe the terms of ad- mission and removal of the members. Laws were made to define the legal effect of the in- struments which they framed. It was required that the tdbellio be present at the execution of the instrument, and affix to it his signature and the date. Three witnesses must also subscribe their names ordinarily, but four were necessa- ry if the principal parties could not read. In imitation of these Eoman officers, the Frankish kings created notaries, and guarded by laws against the abuse of their functions. During the middle ages notaries were appointed direct- ly by the popes or emperors, or under their im- mediate authority. In France, by an ordinance of 1312, Philip the Fair forbade for the future the creation of notaries to all except prelates, barons, and those to whom appointment per- tained as an ancient right in virtue of their es- tates. From that time onward notaries were invested in France with a qualified judicial character. They had authority, for example, to insert in the memoranda of obligations a clause granting summary execution to the cred- itor in case of a non-fulfilment of the contract. But this voluntary jurisdiction which notaries had so long possessed in France, was taken from them by the legislation of the republic. They are now public officers, formally recog- nized indeed as sharers in the civil administra- tion, but deriving their authority from and representing rather the state than the courts.