PERITONEUM 



PKRLEY 



parallel and arranged at an angle of 45 with 

 the axis of the tube. Between them there are 

 several lenses. The tube, which can be moved 

 in any direction by the observer, is within a 

 strong stationary outer tube; the head of the 

 latter is attached to the inside tube and moves 

 together with it. When the periscope is above 

 the surface of the water the mirror at the up- 

 per end catches the reflection of objects in 

 front of it. The images formed are then trans- 

 mitted to the mirror at the lower end, and, 'as 

 perfected for submarine warfare, the objects 

 become visible by reflection upon a flat table 

 below. The periscope is useful only during 

 daytime when there is sunlight, but it enor- 

 mously increases the fighting value of the sub- 

 marine. 



See SUBMARINE, for detailed illustration of the 

 periscope as used on shipboard. 



PERITONEUM, pcritohne'um, a thin mem- 

 brane which lines the abdominal cavity, and 

 covers its enclosed organs and those of the 

 pelvis. The peritoneum is the most important 

 of the serous membranes; its inner layer is 

 arranged in folds which serve to keep the or- 

 gans in position. Freedom of movement of 

 8 organs is made possible by a thin fluid 

 which moistens the inside of the peritoneum. 

 Inflammation of this membrane is known as 

 peritonitis. 



KHntrd Subject*. The reader is referred to 

 the following articles in these volumes : 

 Abdomen Pelvis 



Membranes Peritonitis 



PERITONITIS, pcritohni'tis, inflammation 

 of the serous membrane which lines the ab- 

 dominal cavity (see PERITONEUM). Character- 

 syraptoms of acute peritonitis, the most 

 common form, are chills, severe pain in the 

 abdomen, difficult and painful breathing, rapid 

 pulse and vomiting. Fever may or may not be 

 present. The patient must rest quietly in bed 

 until recovery. In some cases an attack is 

 checked at the beginning by the use of ice bags 

 and ration of calomel or other 



purgative. Washing out of the lower bowel 

 and the administration of opium to re I 

 pain are standard measures of relief for severe 

 cases. What is known as perforative peritoni- 

 tis is caused by infection from appendicitis 

 or ulcer of the stomach or bowels. 



PERJURY, he offense com: 



by a person who, having been sworn to tell the 

 truth in a matter pending in a court of jm 

 wilfully and deliberately takes a false oath. 

 To constitute perjury, a statement must not 



only be made under oath in a judicial pro- 

 ceeding, but must be material to, or have direct 

 bearing on, the issue which is being tried. If, 

 however, a witness makes a misstatement unin- 

 tentionally, or a mistake is made, it is not con- 

 sidered perjury by most authorities. Suborna- 

 tion of perjury consists in inciting or procur- 

 ing another to commit perjury, and one found 

 guilty of such act may be indicted and pun- 

 ished. Perjury generally is a misdemeanor, 

 and is punishable as such, but has been made 

 a felony in some jurisdictions. (Both of these 

 terms are explained in these volumes under 

 their titles.) The punishment for perjury in 

 any case in which the Federal law authorises 

 an oath to be administered is a fine of not more 

 than $2,000 and imprisonment for not more 

 than five years, and, until the judgment is 

 reversed, the person is rendered incapable of 

 testifying in any United States court. 



PERLEY, pur'/r, SIR GEORGE HALSEY (1857- 

 ), a Canadian manufacturer and business 

 man who turned to a public career after he had 

 reached middle age, and in politics duplicated 

 the success he had previously won in business. 

 Since 1913, when Lord Strathcona died, Sir 

 George has been acting as High Commissioner 

 for Canada to Great Britain. During the War 

 of the Nations he rendered conspicuous service, 

 at first in bringing home to Canadians the na- 

 ture and extent of the conflict in which the Em- 

 pire was engaged, and later in securing and de- 

 veloping Canadian cooperation with the Mother 

 Country. In partial recognition of this sei 

 King George, in 1915, created him Knight Com- 

 mander of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint 

 George (K.C.M.G.). 



Perley is one of the few Canadians in high 

 station who were both born and educated in 

 the United States. He was born at Lebanon, 

 N. H., attended the famous Saint Paul's School 

 in the near-by town of Concord, and was grmlu- 

 ated from Harvard University in 1S7S. He be- 

 JMII his business career in Canada, becoming 

 first a lumber merchant he became in- 



terested in several manufacturing enterprises, 

 banks and railroads, through which he amassed 

 a considerable fortune. Sir George, in fact, is 

 reported one of the wealthiest men in the Do- 

 minion. In 1900 ami 1902 he was an unsuccess- 

 ful Conservative candidate for the House of 

 Commons, but in 1904 was elected. In 1911 

 he was chief whip for the Conservative party, 

 and was a conspicuous opponent of the reci- 

 procity treaty with the United States. On the 

 fall of the Lauricr Ministry it was coi 



