has occurred from suffocation arising from oedema glottidis, the inflammatory action having spread into and extensively involved the throat. One attack of this disease, so far from protecting from, appears rather to predispose to others. It is sometimes a complication in certain forms of exhausting disease, such as phthisis or typhoid fever, and is then to be regarded as of serious import. A very fatal form occasionally attacks new-born infants, particularly in the first four weeks of their lives. In epidemics of puerperal fever this form of erysipelas has been specially found to prevail.
The treatment of erysipelas is best conducted on the expectant system. The disease in most instances tends to a favourable termination; and beyond attention to the condition of the stomach and bowels, which may require the use of some gentle laxative, little is necessary in the way of medicine. The employment of preparations of iron in large doses is strongly recommended by many physicians. But the chief point is the administration of abundant nourishment in a light and digestible form. Of the many local applications which may be employed, hot fomentations will be found among the most soothing. Dusting the affected part with powdered starch, and wrapping it in cotton wadding, is also of use.
In the case of phlegmonous erysipelas complicating wounds, free incisions into the part are necessary.
ERYTHRAE [mod. Litri], one of the Ionian cities of Asia
Minor, situated on a small peninsula stretching into the Bay of
Erythrae, at an equal distance from the mountains Mimas and
Corycus, and directly opposite the island of Chios. In the
peninsula excellent wine was produced. The town was said to
have been founded by Ionians under Knopos, son of Codrus.
Never a large city, it sent only eight ships to the battle of Lade.
The Erythraeans owned for a considerable time the supremacy
of Athens, but towards the close of the Peloponnesian war they
threw off their allegiance to that city. After the battle of Cnidus,
however, they received Conon, and paid him honours in an
inscription, still extant. Erythrae was the birthplace of two
prophetesses—one of whom, Sibylla, is mentioned by Strabo
as living in the early period of the city; the other, Athenais,
lived in the time of Alexander the Great. The ruins include
well-preserved Hellenistic walls with towers, of which five are
still visible. The acropolis (280 ft.) has the theatre on its N.
slope, and eastwards lie many remains of Byzantine buildings.
Modern Litri is a considerable place and port, extending from
the ancient harbour to the acropolis. The smaller coasting
steamers call, and there is an active trade with Chios and Smyrna.
ERYTHRITE, the name given to (1) a mineral composed
of a hydrated cobalt arsenate, and (2) in chemistry, a tetrahydric
alcohol. (1) The mineral erythrite has the formula
Co3(AsO4)2·8H2O, and crystallizes in the monoclinic system and
is isomorphous with vivianite. It sometimes occurs as beautiful
radially-arranged groups of blade-shaped crystals with a bright
crimson colour and brilliant lustre. On exposure to light the
colour and lustre deteriorate. There is a perfect cleavage parallel
to the plane of symmetry, on which the lustre is pearly. Cleavage
flakes are soft (H = 2), sectile and flexible; specific gravity
2.95. The mineral is, however, more often found as an earthy
encrustation with a peach-blossom colour, and in this form was
early (1727) known as cobalt-bloom (Ger. Kobaltblüthe). The name
erythrite, from ἐρυθρός, “red,” was given by F. S. Beudant
in 1832. Erythrite occurs as a product of alteration of smaltite
(CoAs2) and other cobaltiferous arsenides. The finest crystallized
specimens are from Schneeberg in Saxony. The earthy variety
has been found in Thuringia and Cornwall and some other
places. (2) The alcohol erythrite has the constitutional formula
HO·H2C·CH(OH)·CH(OH)·CH2OH; it is also known as erythrol,
erythroglucin and phycite. It corresponds to tartaric acid, and,
like this substance, it occurs in four stereo-isomeric forms. The
internally compensated modification, i-erythrite, corresponding
to mesotartaric acid, occurs free in the algae Protococcus vulgaris,
and as the orsellinate, erythrin, C4H6(OH)2(O·C8H7O3)2, in many
lichens and algae, especially Roccella montagnei. It has a sweet
taste, melts at 126°, and boils at 330°. Careful oxidation with
dilute nitric acid gives erythrose or tetrose, which is probably
a mixture of a trioxyaldehyde and trioxyketone. Energetic
oxidation gives erythritic acid and mesotartaric acid. i-Erythrite
and the racemic mixture of the dextro and laevo varieties were
synthesized by Griner in 1893 from divinyl.
ERZERUM, or Arzrum (Arm. Garin), the chief town of an
important vilayet of the same name in Asiatic Turkey. It is
a military station and a fortress of considerable strategical value,
closing the roads from Kars, Olti and other parts of the frontier.
Several important routes from Trebizond and various parts of
Anatolia converge towards it from the west. It is situated at
the eastern end of an open bare plain, 30 m. long and about 12
wide, bordered by steep, rounded mountains and traversed by
the Kara Su, or western Euphrates, which has its source in the
Dumlu Dagh a few miles north of that town, which lies at an
elevation of 6250 ft. above sea-level, while the near hills rise to
10,000 ft. The scenery in the neighbourhood is striking, lofty
bare mountains being varied by open plains and long valleys
dotted with villages. Just east of the town is the broad ridge
of the Deveboyun (“Camel’s Neck”), across which the road
passes to Kars. To the south is the Palanduken range, from which
emerge numerous streams, supplying the town with excellent
water. In the plain to the north the Kara Su traverses extensive
marshes which afford good wildfowl-shooting in the spring.
The town is surrounded by an earthen enceinte or rampart with some forts on the hills just above it, and others on the Deveboyun ridge facing east, the whole forming a position of considerable strength. The old walls and the citadel have disappeared. Inside the ramparts the town lies rather cramped, with narrow, crooked streets, badly drained and dirty; the houses are generally built of dark grey volcanic stone with flat roofs, the general aspect, owing to the absence of trees, being somewhat gloomy. The water-supply from Palanduken is distributed by wooden pipes to numerous public fountains. The town has a population of about 43,000, including about 10,000 Armenians, 2000 Persians and a few Jews. It has a garrison in peace of about 5000 men. It is the seat of the British consulate for Kurdistan, and there are other European consulates besides an American mission with schools. The great altitude accounts for very severe winter cold, occasionally 10° to 25° below zero F., accompanied by blizzards (tipi) sometimes fatal to travellers overtaken by them. The summer heat is moderate (59° to 77°).
There are several well-built mosques (none older than the 16th century), public baths, and several good khans. There are Armenian and Catholic churches, but the most beautiful building is a medresse erected in the 12th century by the Seljuks, with ornamental doorway and two graceful minarets known as the Chifte Minare.
Situated on the main road from Trebizond into north-west Persia, the town has always a large caravan traffic, principally of camels, but since the improvement of communications in Russia this has declined. A good carriage-road leads to the coast at Trebizond, the journey being made in five or six days. There are also roads to Kars, Bayazid, Erzingan and Kharput. Blacksmiths’ and coppersmiths’ work is better here than in most Turkish towns; horse-shoes and brasswork are also famous. There are several tanneries, and Turkish boots and saddles are largely made. Jerked beef (pasdirma) is also prepared in large quantities for winter use. The plain produces wheat, barley, millet and vegetables. Wood fuel is scarce, the present supply being from the Tortum district, whence surface coal and lignite are also brought; but the usual fuel is tezek or dried cow-dung. The bazaars are of no great interest. Good Persian carpets and similar goods can be obtained.
Erzerum is a town of great antiquity, and has been identified with the Armenian Garin Kalakh, the Arabic Kalikale, and the Byzantine Theodosiopolis of the 5th century, when it was a frontier fortress of the empire—hence its name Erzen-er-Rum. It was captured by the Seljuks in 1201, when it was an important city, and it fell into Turkish possession in 1517. In July 1829 it was captured by the Russian general Paskevich, and the
