SIINNITES, traditionists or believers in the Sunna (q.v.); the name of the "orthodox" Moslems as opposed to the Shiites (q.v.). They are subdivided into four principal sects, who, though at issue on different minor points, yet are acknowledged by each other to belong to the faithful, and to be capable of salvation, and they each have a special ora tory at Mecca. The first of these sects are the Hanefites, founded by Abu Hanifa, who died 150 years after the Hegira. They are emphatically called " the followers of rea son," whilst the other three are guided exclusively by tradition. They allow reason to have a principal share in their decisions on legal and other points. 1 o this sect belong chiefly the Turks and Tarfars. The second sect are the Malekites, founded by Malek Ibn Ans, who died about 180 H. at Medina. As one of the chief proofs of his real piety and humility, it is recorded that when asked for his decision on 48 questions, he would only decide on 16, freely confessing his ignorance about the others. In Barbary and other parts of Africa, the greatest part of his adherents are found. Mohammed Al Shafei, born in Palestine, 150 H., but educated in Mecca, is the founder of the third Sect, the Shafteites. He was a great enemy of the scholastic divines, and seems alto gether to have been of an original cast of mind. He never swore by God, and always took time to consider whether be should at all answer any given question or hold his peace. The most characteristic saying recorded of him is, "Whosoever pretends to love both the work and the Creator at the same time, is a liar." He is accounted of such importance, that, according to his contemporaries, " be was as the sun to the world, and as health to the body ; " and all the relations of the traditions of Mohammed were said to have been asleep until he came and woke them. He appears to have been the first who reduced Moslem jurisprudence into a method, and thus made it, from a number of vague sayings, a science. His followers are now chiefly found in Arabia and Persia. Ahmed Tim Hanbal founded the fourth sect, the Hanbalites. He was born 164 H., and was a most intimate friend of Shafd. His knowledge of the traditions (of which he could repeat no less than a million) was no less famed than was his piety. He taught that the Koran was not created, but everlastingly subsisted in the essence of God; a doctrine for which lie was severely punished by the caliph Almotasem. On the day of his death, no less than 20,000 unbelievers (Jews, Christians, and Magians) are said to have embraced the Mohammedan faith. Once very numerous, the Hanbalites now are but very rarely met with out of Arabia. On the differences between the Sunnites and Shiites, see SurrrEs.
(otherwise called heat apoplexy, heat asphyxia, coup de soleil, erythit mus tropicus, and insolatio, the name by which it is officially known in the returns of the registrar-general) is a very fatal affection of the nervous system, which seldom pc curs in Great Britain, except in extremely hot summers, but is very common in India and other tropical countries. Our knowledge of the nature of this remarkable disease
is almost entirely based upon the accounts which have been given of it by Indian med ical officers. It is from their reports that the most satisfactory history of this disease at present published—that, namely, of Dr. Aitken in his Science and Practice of Medicine, 3d ed. 1804—is mainly drawn up. From the accounts given by these observers, it is clear that the symptoms of the disease are liable to be greatly modified in different cases. Mr. Russell, when in charge of the 6Sth regiment in May, 1834, shortly after its arrival at Madras, with the men in robust health, has given the following account of this disease: "The funeral of a general officer being about to take place, the men were marched out at an early hour in the afternoon, buttoned up in red coats and military stocks, at a season, too, when the hot land winds had just set in, rendering the atmosphere dry and suffocating even under the shelter of a roof, and when the sun's rays were ex cessively powerful. After having proceeded two or three miles, several men fell down senseless. As many as eight or nine were brought iuto hospital that evening, and many more on the following day. Three men died—one on the spot, and two within a few hours. The symptoms observed (and they were alike iu the three eases), were, first, ex cessive thirst, and a sense of faintness; then difficulty of breathing, stertor, coma, livid ity of the face, and in one whom Mr. Russell examined, contraction of the pupil. The remainder of the cases (in which the attack was slighter, and the power of reaction per haps greater) rallied; and the attack in them ran on into either an ephemeral or a more continued form of fever." Aitken, op. cit. One of the earliest symptoms, noticed by several observers, is the skin becoming rough and scaly, and the perspiration ceasing; the heat of the surface becomes at the same time much increased; the bowels become obstinately constipated. The actual attack, in the various cases described by the Indian surgeons and physicians, came ou generally when the men were in their tents, some times during the day, but in several cases during the night. The patient had been gen erally lying down, often seemingly asleep, when the attention of his comrades would be directed to his hurried and heavy breathing, and on attempting to rouse him, he was found to be insensible. The mortality from sun-stroke is about 50 per cent. In the cases that terminate favorably a gradual remission of the symptoms takes place; and when the skin becomes cool and moist, and sleep has been procured (phenomena which usually occur within 36 hours of the attack), the patient may be regarded as out of danger.