Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 02.djvu/360

AUTOMOBILE. this respect that there have been the most re- markable developments. These have progressed from time to time, so that at present the horse- less carriage rivals modern express trains in the speed of its travel, while it is also able to oper- ate for long distances, requiring supplies of fuel and water in a manner similar to the railwaj' locomotive. One reason for the rapid develop- ment of speed which has come about, has been the adoption of the automobile as a means of recreation by individuals, who have arranged various tests of speed and endurance. As a re- sult of the many races which have been held, there liave been great increases made in both speed and power, so that tlie modern racing auto- mobile is supplied with motors far in excess of any practical needs, the sole aim being to develop the highest possible speed. Whereas machines of 3%, 4, and 5-horse power can' be employed for ordinary work, racing machines in which as much as 00 or 100-horse power is produced have been constructed. Long-distance road-racing, as well as tests on regular courses, have been ex- tremely popular until restricted by legislative regulations, and wonderfully high speeds have been developed for considerable distances. In 1897, in the Paris-Trouville road race, a speed of 29 miles an hour was attained, and in subsequent races as high a rate as 50 or 60 miles an hour has been reached. If the machine is built for speed, there are, of course, other matters to be taken into consideration than if it were merely employed in ordinary touring, and racing ma- chines, even now, are constructed in distinct types. If such a machine is constructed to run comparatively short distances on a level and well-surfaced road, a mile may be accomplished in from 40 to 60 seconds. In 1901, in races or speed tests, a mile was traversed by automobiles in times varying but little from a minute ; and in one instance .511'f, seconds was the time record- ed over a measured course. Tests of endurance between New York and Buffalo have also been held, in w'hich mmiy machines have participated, while an important race was held in 1901 from Paris to Berlin, a distance of 745 miles, which was traversed by the winning machine in 17 hours 3-''4 minutes. Racing on public highways, however, has been discountenanced both in Eu- rope and America, and such races in many cases have been forbidden by legislative enactment and governmental decree.

The manufacture of automobiles has become an important industry, the greatest work having been done in the construction of vehicles for tour- ing and recreation : and for this purpose numer- ous factories have been established, both in the United States and in IJurope. There are many clubs which arrange tours and races, and seek to promote the construction of good roads and fur- ther the rights of the automobilists on the high- way. From time to time large exhibitions are held to show the progress of the industry, and there is a growing literatiire. as well as a num- ber of journals, devoted to the subject. While the use and construction of automobiles has be- come so extensive, yet it cannot be asserted posi- tively that a perfect motor vehicle has been developed. The mechanics of automobile con- struction have made wonderful progress in recent years, yet there are many problems whose solu- tion remains for the future. The early history of steam vehicles, in common with that of other forms of steam-engines, will be found in Thurs- ton, A History of the Growth of the Steam En- gine (New York, 1901). For a comprehensive descriptive treatise on automobiles, consult Beaumont, Motor Vehicles and Motors (London, 1901).

AUTON'OMY (C4k. airovo/jila, autonomia, self-government, from oi>t4s, autos, self + M/ws, nomos, law). The power of self-government pos- sessed by the citizens of the State, or enjoyed within certain limits by the inhabitants of some sub-division of a State, as well as liy the mem- bers of civil and religious corporations. Au- tonomy is often used to designate the political condition of ancient Greece, where every town community claimed the riglit of independent sovereign action. At the present day the term is employed less frequently in the sense of inde- pendence than to describe the condition of a country which exercises complete control over its own affairs under the suzerainty of another power. It is in the latter sense that autonomy is used to characterize the status of such terri- tories as Canada and Bulgaria.

AU'TOPHYTE {auto -f Gk. ^iuv, phycin, to bring fortli. generate). A plant which is independent of organized food materials, such as are found in humus. Opposed to parasite and sr,proph3'te. See STltBlosis.

AU'TOPLASTY (Gk. avT6Tra<TToi, autoplas- (os, self-formed, from avrds, aw(os, self + irXdcro-eii/, lilussein, to form). The sui'gical operation for repairing one portion of the body with tissues taken from another part of the same individual. The defect may be due to a lack of development, as in hare-lip; to injury, as in scalds, burns, or mutilations; or to disease, as in lupus and sj'ph- ilis. The operation is done to improve appear- ances or to restore function. The skin is most frequently employed. It can be used as ( 1 ) a flap from the immediate vicinity carried over to the deficient area, but still receiving its original blood-supply through a pedicle; (2) by totally separating and transplanting the flap — a method rarely successful; (3) by removing in small bits (Reverdius's method), or in strips of consideral>le size (Tiersch's method) only the superficial layers of the skin, and placing these grafts upon the denuded area, Autoplasty was practiced in India centuries ago, and there are references to it by Celsus, and later by the Cala- brian surgeons of the Fifteenth Century, Con- sult Park, Suram/ bij American Authors, 3d ed. (New York and Philadelphia, 1901).

AU'TOPSY (Gk. airroi/la. autopsia, a seeing with one's own eyes, from oi>r6s, autos, self + 6^(s, opsis. look, sight ) . A personal observa- tion. The word is most frequently used to denote the examination of a dead body, for the purpose of determining the cause of death or the altera- tions resulting from disease or injury. An autopsy is usually held by a medical exam- iner or coroner, in ease of a person found dead, or dying without medical attention, or suspected of having been poisoned or otherwise nuirdered; or by physicians, in the course of studying dis- eases, or verifying a diagnosis in an obscure case.

AUTOSUGGES'TION. Self-suggestion; a man's acceptance, for himself, without command or direction from any other person, of an idea that shall presently issue in action. Autosuggestion may be induced voluntarily or involun-