Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 01.djvu/510

AMBROSIA BEETLES. tion of fermentation. Then the fungus must be eaten as it grows — kept grazed down — or it will ripen, emit spores, and choke up the tunnels. All these difficulties are so well met by these minute gardeners that many generations in succession sometimes inhabit and continue to enlarge their system of galleries. These are sometimes bored in vigorous timber, but more often in weak trees, and dead wood is sometimes occupied, certain species exhibiting a special predilection for the staves of wine casks. A full treatment of this group and their customs and effects has been given by H. G. Hubbard, United States Department of Agriculture, new series, Division of Entomology, Bulletin No. 7 (Washington, 1897).

AMBRO'SIAN CHANT. The choral music of the early Christian Church, introduced from the Eastern Church into the Western by St. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, in the fourth century. It was founded on the first four authentic modes of the ancient Greeks, and was sung antiphonally. It continued in use until the sixth century, when Pope Gregory the Great reformed the music of the Church by introducing the Gregorian chant (q.v.). There exists still another specimen of music by St. Ambrose, which is now known only in the German-Lutheran Church by Luther's translation of the words, Nun kommt der Heiden Heiland; it is beyond a doubt 1400 years old, and remains to this day a beautiful specimen of melody, expressive of filial humility and submission. The Ambrosian chant continued to be still sung in the cathedral at Milan long after Gregory's reformation, and even now, it is said, may be heard there. Consult: Camilla Perego, Regola del canto Ambrosiano (Milan, 1862); A. W. Ambros, Geschichte der Musik, Volume II. (Breslau, 1862-82).

AMBRO'SIAN LI'BRARY. A famous library in Milan, so named in honor of St. Ambrose, the patron saint of the city. It was founded in 1602 by Cardinal Federigo Borromeo, who, in 1609, formally opened it to the public. The library contains upward of 175,000 printed volumes and 8400 manuscripts, some of them of great value. Among the latter the chief treasures are a Greek Pentateuch of the fifth century; several palimpsest texts, including an early Plautus; fragments of Ulfilas's Gothic translation of the Bible; the celebrated Codex Atlanticus, containing original drawings and MSS. by Leonardo da Vinci, and a copy of Vergil, with marginal notes by Petrarch.

AMBRO'SIO, or. A romance by M. G. Lewis (hence known as "Monk" Lewis), first published in 1795. The hero is a Capuchin abbot of Madrid, who loses his character and is condemned by the Inquisition, but saves himself for a time by a compact with Lucifer.

AMBROSIUS, am-bro'se-us, Johanna (1854—). A German writer. She was born at Lengwethen, East Prussia, August 3, 1854, the daughter of a mechanic, and in 1874 married Joseph Voigt. With only a village-school education, in a life of poverty and daily work, she wrote verses which, by their intense earnestness and rhythmic beauty, at last attracted admiration. Her Poems (Gedichte), two volumes (1894-97), have passed through numerous editions and have been in part translated.

AM'BROTYPE (Gk., amhrotos. im- mortal + . typos, impression). An early form of positive photograph on glass, similar to the daguerreotype. It consisted of a thin col- lodion negative backed with a black surface and viewed by reflected light.

AM'BRY,, or (O. F. almarie, Fr. armoire, from Lat. armarium, a closet, chest; for the b, see ). A niche in the wall of a church shut in by a door, or a small cabinet of wood placed by the side of the altar for the purpose of holding the vestments and utensils, such as the chalices, basins, cruets, etc., used for the service of the mass. In monastic buildings, ambries were presses, or even store-rooms or pantries, used for various purposes, such as keeping plate, hanging towels, and the like. In this sense, the term ambry seems to have been applied to any kind of locked cupboard.

AM'BULANCE (Fr. hopital ambulant, walk- ing hospital, from Lat. ainbulare, to walk). A two or four-wheeled wagon constructed for con- veying sick or wounded persons. Ambulances are constructed to run very easily, and are de- signed to carry one or two tiers of stretchers. Some forms are fitted with water-tank, medicine chest, operating-table, and other conveniences. City hospital ambulances are light, four-wheeled wagons furnished with one or two beds, surgical appliances, and restoratives. Since 1899 electric automobile ambulances have been used by the larger hospitals in the larger cities of the United States. A surgeon rides in the ambulance, and in crowded streets a gong is kept sounding in order that the ambulance may have the road cleared. Ambulances used in the army are large spring wagons provided with all the necessary appliances for the care and transportation of the sick and wounded. In each division of the army these wagons are organized into a corps, and placed under the command of an ambulance offi- cer. Railway cars and steamers are also fitted up with conveniences for transporting patients to more remote and permanent hospitals. The sys- tem perfected in this country during the Civil War has now been adopted by most of the civ- ilized nations. Several of the Continental coun- tries keep permanently in store railway trains completely equipped for hospital service. In France an ambulance is a portable hospital attached to every division of an army in the field, and provided with all the requisites for the medical succor of sick and wounded troops. Such an ambulance is stationed at some spot removed from immediate danger, and soldiers after a battle seek those who have been wounded and convey them to the ambulance. The French also introduced the cacolets, which consist of two easy chairs slung in panniers across the back of a mule, which are available along paths where no wheel-carriage could pass. The cacolets have since been adopted by other armies, as well as improved hand-litters, and wheeled litters or barrows.

AMBULANCE CORPS. See.

AM'BULATORY (from Lat. ambulare, to walk). A name given sometimes in architecture to passages or covered walks intended for promenades in monastic, collegiate, or cathedral structures, such as the arcades of a cloister. See.

AM'BUSCADE' (from Low Lat. imboscare, to ambush, from in, in + boscus, bush, wood).