E XC

348

E XC

Excision, in surgery, the cutting out, or oil', any part of thebody,

EXCITABILITY, [ incitabilitas, I,at.] a term literally signi-fying a capability of being excited ; first used by the late Dr.Brown, to express that quality, substance, property, or principal,on-which the phamomena of life depend, See Buunonia.v Sys-tem, “ We know not,” says the Doctor, “ wlwt excitability is,or in what manner it is affected by the exciting powers. Butwhatever it be, a certain quantity, or energy, (or as Dr. Beddoesexpresses it, in the second edition of Brown’s Elements,—“ a cer-tain portion,”) of it, is assigned to every being upon the com-mencement of its living state. The quantity, orenergy, is differentin different animals, and in the same animal at different times.”—“ The seat of excitability, in the living body, is medullary nerv-ous matter and muscular solid. The excitability is inherent in it,but not different in different parts of its seat. This fact is provedby the production (or rousing into exertion) of sense, motion, themental functions, and passions, immediately, instantaneously, andslot in a series of successive operations. Different exciting powersare applied to different parts of the nervous system, none to themall at once; hut wherever they are applied, every one immediatelyaffects the whole excitability,” Elem. Med. XVIII. XLVIII.first edition.

Excitability, Accumulated, Increased, or Superabund-ant, is that state of the excitability, which is produced by w ith-holding or withdrawing the usual stimuli for some time, antf henceinducing direct debility. Dr. Brown mentions as a familiar in-stance of it, “that debility which dram-drinkers experience theday after debauch, in consequence of which their hands shake tillthey are re-excited by their favourite cordial.” Elem. Med.XLIIl.Noten.

Excitability, Deficient, Exhausted, or Worn-out, is theopposite of the accumulated, being that state which is producedby too long continued or excessive application of the exciting.powers. Dr. Brown mentions as ■“ an instance of it, that debilitywhich arises from intoxication elsewhere styled indirect debi-lity. Elem. Med. XLlll. Note m

Excitation, in electricity. See Electricity.

EXCITEMENT, [inciUitio, Lat.] in Dr. Brown’s System ofMedicine, “ the effect of the exciting powers acting upon the ex-citability,” Elem, Med, XVI. “ The excitement,” says Dr.Beddoes, “ may be too great, too small, or in just measure. Bytoo great excitement weakness is induced, because the excitabilitybecomes defective ; this is indirect debility : when the excitingpowers or stimulants are withheld, weakness is induced ; and thisis direct debility. Every power that acts on the living frame pro-duces excitement by expending excitability.” Klein, Med, adedit, p, cxxvii,

EXCLUSION, or BILL OF EXCLUSION, a bill proposedabout the dose of the reign of king Charles [I, for excluding theduke of York, the king’s brother, trom the throne, on account ofhis being a papist.

Exclusion, in mathematics, is a method of coming at the solu-tion. of numerical problems, by previously throwing out of ourconsideration such numbers as arc of no use in solving the question.

EXCCECAIUA, a genus of the triandria order, and dia-ciaclass of plauts; natural order, Tricoccy. Male amentum, naked;calyx and corolla none; styles three; capsule trieoccous, It hastw o species.

EXCLAMATION, in rhetoric, a figure that expresses the vio-lent and sudden breaking out, and vehemence of any passion,finch is that in tiic second book of Milton’s Paradise Lost !

O unexpected stroke, worse than of death!

Must I thus leave thee, Paradise? Thus leaveThee, native soil; these happy walks and shades,

Fit haunt of gods? See Oratory.

EXCOMMUNICATION, an ecclesiastical interdict; exclu-sion from the fellowship of the church.

Excommunication is founded on a natural right which all so-cieties have, of excluding out of their body such as violate theirtaws; and it was originally instituted for preserving the purity ofthe church; but ambitious ecclesiastics converted it by degreesinto an engine for promoting their own power, and inflicted it onthe most frivolous occasions. The power of excommunication, aswell as other acts of ecclesiastical discipline, was lodged in the

hands of the clergy, who distinguished it into the greater orlesser.

Excommunication, the Greater, called ajupcr^*.-,

i. e. total separation and anathema, consisted in an absolute andentire exclusion from the church and the participation of all its rites.When any person was thus excommunicated, notice was given ofit by circular letters to the most eminent churches all over theworld, that they might all confirm this act of discipline, by re-fusing to admit the delinquent to their communion. The conse--quences of this excommunication were very terrible. The ex-communicated person was avoided in civil commerce and out-ward conversation. No one durst receive him into his house, oreat at the same table with him; and when dead, lie was denied thesolemn rites of burial.

Excommunication, the Lesser, simply called a^iT^o,-, {. c.separation or suspension, consisted in excluding men from the par-ticipation of the eucharist, and the prayers of the faithful, Butthey were not expelled the church; for they had the privilege ofbeing present at the reading of the Scriptures, the sermons, andthe prayers of the catechumens and penitents. This excommuni-cation was inllictcd for less crimes; such as neglecting to attendthe service of the chinch, misbehaviour in it, and the like.

Excommunication among the Heathen. A seclusion fromreligious rites was also in use under paganism. Such as were ex-communicated were forbidden to assist or attend at the sacrifices,or to enter within the temples; and were afterwards deliveredover to the damions and furies of hell, with certaiu imprecations ;which was called among the Romans iliris devovtre. See Exe-cration. The Druids among the ancient Britons and Gauls ,likewise excommunicated rebels, and interdicted the communionof their mysteries to such as refused to acquiesce in their deci-sions.

Excommunication in the Church of England . Theform of excommunication in the church of England anciently ranthus: “ By the authority of God the Father Almighty, the'Son,and Holy Ghost, and ot Mary the blessed mother of God , we ex-communicate, anathematize, and sequester from the pale of holyniothc-r church, &c.” The causes of excommunication in Eng.land are, contempt of the bishop’s court, heresy, neglect of publicworship and the sacraments, incontinency, adultery, simony, &c.It is described to he twofold. The less is an ecclesiastical cen-sure, excluding the party from the participation of the sacraments:the greater proceeds farther, and excludes him not only fromthese, but from the company of all Christians . But if the judgeof any spiritual court excommunicates a man for a cause of w hichhe has not the legal cognizance, the party may have an actionagainst him at common law, and he is aV-o liable to he indicted atthe,suit of the king. Heavy as the penalty of excommunicationis, there, are many who would despise the brutum fulmen of mereecclesiastical censures, especially when pronounced by a pettysurrogate in the country, for railing or contumelious w ords, fornon-payment of fees or costs, or other trivial cause. The law,therefore, steps into their aid, and lends a supporting hand to anotherwise tottering authority; imitating herein the policy of theancient British Druids , By the common law, an excommunicat-ed person is disabled to do any act that is required to be done byone that is probus et legalis homo. Ilo cannot serve upon juries';cannot be a witness in any court; and cannot bring an action torecover lands or money due to him. And if, within 40 days afterthe sentence has been published in the church, the offender doesnot submit to the sentence of the spiritual court, the bishop maycertify such c®ntempt to the king in chancery. Upon which thereissues' out a writ to the sheriff' ol the county, called from the bi-shop’s certificate a signiticavit; or from its effect, a writ de ex-communicato, capiendo; and the sheriff'shall thereupon take (lieoffender and imprison him in the county jail, till lie is reconciled tothe church, ami such reconciliation certified by the bishop; uponwhich another writ de excommunicato clchbeiando, issues out ofthe chancery to release him.

Excommunication in the Church of Home. The Romishpontifical mentions three kinds of excommunication, viz, I. Theminor, incurred by those who have any correspondence with anexcommunicated person. 2. The major, which falls upon thosewho disobey the commands of the holy see, or refuse to submit tocertain points of discipline, in consequence of which they are ex-