Edmund P Games was an American soldier. He was born in 1777 and died in 1849. He served during the War of 1812, and was promoted major-general for services in defense of Fort Brie in 1814. He was commissioner to the Seminole Indians in 1816, and took command against them in 1817. Research Edmund Games
James Gadsden was an American soldier. He was born in 1788 and died in 1858. He served in the War of 1812, was aide-de-camp to General Jackson in the subjugation of the Seminole Indians, and constructed works for the defense of the Gulf. He was appointed Minister to Mexico in 1853 by President Pierce, and negotiated the Gadsden Treaty, which secured the purchase of the southern portion of Arizona and New Mexico by the United States. Research James Gadsen
Jean Claude was a French Protestant preacher and professor of the college at Nimes. He was born in 1619 and died in 1687. He entered into controversy with Arnauld and Bossuet, and on the revocation of the Edict of Nantes took refuge in the Hague, where he died in 1687. His chief work was the Defense de la Reformation, published in 1673. Research Jean Claude
Joachim du Bellay was a French poet. He was born in 1524 and died in 1560. Known as the French Ovid, he joined Ronsard, Daurat, Jodelle, Belleau, Baif, and De Tisard in forming the 'Pleiad,' a society the object of which was to bring the French language on a level with the classical tongues. Bellay's first contribution was La Defense et Illustration de la Langue Francoise. His chief publications in verse are Recueil de Poesie; a collection of love-sonnets called L'Olive; Les Antiquitez de Rome; Les Regrets; and Les Jeux Rustiques. In 1555 he became canon of Notre Dame, and a short time before his death he was made archbishop of Bordeaux. Spenser translated some of his sonnets into English. Research Joachim du Bellay
Josiah Tattnall was an American sailor. He was born in 1795 and died in 1871. He served in a seamen's battery on Craney Island during the War of 1812. He served in Decatur's squadron during the Algerine War. He was given command of the USS Spitfire at the outbreak of the Mexican War and commanded the Mosquito division at the siege of Vera Cruz. In 1861 he entered the Confederate service and was given command of the naval defences of Georgia and South Carolina. He led an attack on Port Royal in 1861. In 1862 he commanded the Merriniac. He was active in the defense of Savannah. Research Josiah Tattnall
Lazare Carnot was a French general. He was born in 1753 and died in 1823. He joined the army as an engineer, and at the Revolution earned the title of ' Organizer of victory', since he not only reformed French fighting methods, but also introduced efficient systems of supplying munitions, clothing, and especially food, to the troops. After the coup d'etat of 1797 he went abroad, but returned in 1799 and was made War Minister from 1800 to 1801. In 1814 as governor of Antwerp he put up a brilliantly successful defence. He was Minister of the Interior during the Hundred Days, he was proscribed at the Restoration and retired to Magdeburg, where he died. His great work on fortification (De la defense de places fortes published in 1810) became a military textbook. Research Lazare Carnot
Leukocytes (white blood cells) are outnumbered by the red blood cells 600 to 1. These cells are spherical in shape and slightly larger than red blood cells. There are five types of leukocytes. Three of the five have a granular appearance. These are the neutrophils, eosinophils, and the basophils. The other two, the lymphocytes and monocytes, have smooth, non-granular bodies. The main function of the leukocytes is to provide a defense against 'foreign' material (infectious agents, foreign bodies, abnormal proteins). In the presence of a foreign material, basophils and some lymphocytes release chemicals that cause inflammation, trapping the invader. The other leukocytes then take the foreign material into their own bodies and digest them. This process of digestion is called phagocytosis. The cells that digest microbes are called phagocytes. The most numerous of the phagocytes are the neutrophils. In addition to neutrophils, eosinophils, and monocytes, the body has other phagocytes that are not white blood cells. They are classed as
reticuloendothelial cells, a type of connective tissue cells. Lymphocytes are the smallest white blood cells and are a part of the immune mechanism. They form antibodies against disease. When microbes invade the body, lymphocytes begin to multiply and they become transformed plasma cells. Each microbe stimulates only one type of lymphocyte to multiply and form one type of plasmacell. The type of plasmacell formed is the type that can make a specific antibody to destroy the particular microbe that has invaded the body. Red bonemarrow continually produces white blood cells, except lymphocytes and monocytes, and keeps a reserve ready in case of need. Lymphocytes and monocytes are produced by lymphatic tissue located in the lymph nodes and spleen. When a parasite or virus invades and begins to colonize, the reserves of white blood cells are released and the manufacturing of large quantities of the appropriate white cells begins. It is this increased production that causes fever. Because white blood cells are very specific for various illnesses, their count
can help doctors diagnose patients. However, as has been shown by researchers at perth, Australia (The Perth Group), white bloodcell counts can also be misleading as many conditions cause very similar counts, leading some researchers to question the emphasis currently placed on white bloodcell counts in diagnosis. Research Leukocytes
The lingual tonsils (tonsilla lingualis) are a pair of oval-shaped organs located at the back of the tongue behind the foramen cecum and the sulcus terminalis in the mucousmembrane covering the tongue. They enlarge gradually from birth to about seven years of age and then shrinks. Each oval consists of a large number of lymphoid follicles. The lingual tonsils are part of the lymphatic system and are important to the body's defense against infection. They are composed of lymphoid tissue, which contains germ-killing cells. The tonsils help protect against upper respiratory tract infection. Research Lingual Tonsil
The human body is continually exposed to disease producing organisms, called pathogens, and other harmful substances in the environment. The immune system is the body's defense against these harmful invaders. The body's ability to counteract the effects of pathogens and other harmful agents is called resistance and it is dependent on a variety of defense mechanisms.
The immune system is made up of billions of special cells called white blood cells, lymphocytes, unique proteins called antibodies, chemicals that mediate immune response, and special organs that replenish and integrate the whole immune process. All of these defense mechanism must act together and are designed to react rapidly to provide protection against disease-producing organisms and their toxins. There are two aspects of the immune system's response to disease: innate and acquired. Natural, or innate, immunity is present from birth and is the first line of defense against the vast majority of infectious agents. Innate immunity involves barriers that keep harmful material from entering the body. The skin provides an impenetrable barrier. The eyes use fluids, such as tears, and the presence of enzymes, such as lysozyme, that destroy bacteria. The respiratory system utilizes cilia, mucus, and coughing to get rid of foreign materials. If infection-causing organisms gets past these defenses, the body produces fever, inflammation, and other reactions designed to conquer the unwelcome invader.
Inflammation causes an increase in the local blood supply so that large numbers of white blood cells can be brought to the area to fight the infection. Some of these white blood cells are phagocytes and macrophages that literally eat the invading microorganism. In most cases of minor infection, these cells solve the problem. If the pathogen succeeds in passing this barrier, a more complex process, involving other cells of the immune system, is necessary. When a virus enters the body an immune response begins automatically. A scavenger macrophage will eat the virus and display the viral antigen on its surface. Anything that can trigger an immune response is called an antigen. An antigen can be a germ such as a virus, or even a part of a virus. Other white blood cells in your body called 'helper T-cells' will see the viral antigen and produce toxins that will destroy it. The helper T- cells then send chemical messages that activate lymphocytes called B-cells which make antibodies that recognize the viral antigen. These cells ' remember' the specific disease organism and divide into many more cells. The resulting 'clone' of identical cells starts producing very large numbers of antibodies that bind to all the organisms of that disease and destroy them. This process is called acquired immunity. It is a learning process of the immune system that develops either through exposure to microorganisms. It is estimated that the body has more than 100 million different kinds of antibodies, each one custom-built to identify a particular pathogen. If the body is exposed a second time, no symptoms occur because the organism is destroyed quickly - the bofy is immune to that particular pathogen. Research The Immune System
In November 1977 the Special Forces Operational Detachment Delta - Delta Force -, the USA's specialist anti-terrorist and hostage rescue unit came into being. The driving force behind Delta Force was Colonel Charles Beckwith, a Special Forces officer who had been extremely impressed by Britain's SAS during an exchange tour in the early 1960s. For several years he badgered the Pentagon into setting up a similar unit in the US Army. Selection for the new unit was very much SAS style, with hard physical, mental and psychological challenges weeding out nine out of 10 applicants. Once selected, the successful candidate is sent on a five month 'Operators' course, where he is introduced to the many and varied skills; than an anti-terrorist commando is expected to master. These include assault tactics, hostage management, communications, observation using the latest high-tech equipment, climbing, small boat work and parachuting.
Since the majority of Delta Force candidates are from Special Forces or Ranger units they already possess many of these skills, but even so they learn a lot before moving to their operational troop. Delta Force is organised into operational squadrons, each squadron is broken down further into troops. Marksmanship is a prime requirement in Delta Force and Force members train up to four hours a day, five days a week. Such intensive training leads to very high shooting standards: Delta snipers are expected to make nine first-round hits out of 10 at 1,000 yards, and score every time at 600 yards. Like other elite counter-terrorist units, Delta Force has built its own 'House of Horrors' which simulates various kinds of combat situations, from hostage taking to aircraft hijacks. Hijacks are a favourite terrorist activity, so Delta Force has practised assaults on airliners, and regularly runs training exercises at New York's KennedyAirport and at other large international gateways. Delta receives terrorist intelligence from US Government organisations such as the CIA, the Defense Intelligence Agency, the FBI, and from contacts with other anti-terrorist units around the world. Its members also make exchanges with the British SAS, Germany's GSG-9, the French GIGN and other similar units.
Delta Force was set up in less than a year, becoming operational in the middle of 1978. Just over a year later, the Force was alerted to a possible rescue mission as the US Embassy in Teheran was seized and the embassy staff held hostage. This was far from the mission they had trained for: penetrate hundreds of miles into hostile territory, making an assault in the middle of a major city and then getting clear with 100 or more freed hostages.
Months of intensive training went into 'Operation Eagle Claw' as the rescue mission was called, planned for the 25th of April. It was to involve Delta Force, Special Forces units from Germany, US Marine Corps helicopter Pilots, US Navy helicopters and ships and US Air Force air support. The mission was a disaster, although through no real fault Of the men who took part. Command and control of the many disparate parts of the rescue operation were shambolic. The big MH-53 helicopters could not cope with the desert sand, and there were not enough of them. After three had broken down the mission had to be aborted. To add to the whole affair, a collision at the 'Desert One' airstrip deep inside Iran killed eight men and destroyed a C-130 and a helicopter. Research Delta Force
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Edmund Games
