Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 10.djvu/573

* IMMORTALITY. 499 IMMUNITY. philosophy this consciousness of self is interpret- ed as betokening the presence of a spiritual monad reflected to human sense-perception only as though it possessed a material form. But even if the ul- timate reality is conceived of as an infinite, eter- nal, and inexhaustible energy, it does not seem to follow that each or any of its individualized ex- pressions shares its everlasting per.sistence. Rather would it seem as if the reality that no longer is shadowed forth to our sense in the outward form of a man must have ceased to be what it was. The idea of a conditional immortality has re- ceived some additional strength from the doctrine of a survival of the fittest. It encounters great difficulties, however, in attempting to define what constitutes fitness. The difference between a short life on earth and an endless existence is so infinitely great that the mind shrinks from ascribing the power to determine so momentous a fate to any conviction that has been formed, or disposition that has been developed, or line of conduct that had been adhered to, during a few years of earthly life, especially in view of the enormous influence of heredity and environ- ment. If, therefore, scientific inquiry apparently leads to a noii liquet, and assurance based on au- thority can be preserved only until the authority itself is questioned, it is the more gratifying to note the important place the doctrine of im- mortality has had in the education of the human race in enhancing the worth of the individual and emphasizing his higher spiritual interests, in maintaining his confidence in the inherent right- ness of the universe, and in training him to regu- late his present conduct by considerations of the future. BiBLiOGRAPHv. Alger, Doctrine of a Future Life (Xew York, 1871); Atzberger, Die christ- liche Eschatologie (Freiburg. 1890) ; Schwally, Das Lehen nach dem Tode nach den VorsteUungen des alien Israel (Giessen, 1892) ; Jeremias, Die hahylonisch-assyrischen VorsteUungen vom Lehen ■nach dem Tode (2d ed., I^eipzig, 1897) : Rohde, Psyche (2d cd., Freiburg. 1898) ; Dietrich, 'Sekyia (Leipzig, 189.3) ; Soderblom, La vie fu- ture d'aprcs le Mazdeisme a la lumiere des croyances paralUles dans Ics autres religions (Paris, 191) ; Bciklen, Die Vericundtschnft der jiidisch-christlichen mit dcr persischen Eschato- logi? (GiJttingen, 1902) ; Tiele, Geschiedenis i;nn den godsdienst in de oudheit (Amsterdam, 1893- 1902) ; Bousset. Die Religion des Judentums im neutestamentlichen Zcitalter (Berlin, 190.3) ; Gordon, Immortality and the Xcio Tlieodicy (Boston, 189G) ; James, Human Immortality (Boston. 1898) ; Wheeler, Dionysos and Immor- tality (Boston, 1899) ; Salmond. Christian Doc- trine of Immortality (3d ed., Edinburgh. 1897) ; Charles, Critical History of the Doctrine of a Future Life (London, 1897) ; Plumptre, Spirits in Prison and Other Studies in the Life After Death (T.ondnn, 188G). IMMORTALS, The. A name given to the guards of the early Persian kings, forming a regiment of 10,000 foot-soldiers. IMMORTEL, .■.'nior'tol'. L'. A romance by Alpbnnsc Dauclet (ISSS). picturing with keen in- sight and irony the intrigues and petty strivings of the Academic world. The chief personages are the Academician Professor Astrier-Pehu. a sec- ond-rate scholar, who finds the sources on which he has based his work to be forgeries; his false, intriguing wife; their spendthrift son; and Abel dc Freydct, a candidate for the Academy. IMMORTELLE (Fr., fem. sg. of immortel, immortal). A name applied to various species of Helichrysum, especially Helichrj-sum arena- rium, which is grown extensively in France, where the flowers are made into compact wreaths for home use or for export. They are chiefly used as mortuary decorations, either in their natural color (yellow) or bleached -ivhite. Like other flowers, such as tuberoses and callas, that have been used largely for funereal decoration, immor- telles have suffered in popularity, especially since the barbarous practice of dyeing them purple and vermilion, and working them into fantastic designs, came, into vogue. The most striking fea- ture of the immortelle is the one that suggested the name; the flowers, being dry and firm, are so-called 'everlasting.' They retain their natural colors for months or even years. See Amabanth. IMMUNITY (from Lat. immunitas, exemp- tion, from immunis, exempt, from in, not -|- mu- nis, serving, from munus, duty). Resistance of the living organism to infection. There is an astonishing difference in the resistance shown to the invasion by germs of disease by certain ani- mals of allied nature. Human beings, cattle, and guinea-pigs show great susceptibility to tuber- culosis; while the cat, dog, and horse resist it. Man easily becomes a victim of typhoid fever, while domestic animals never suffer from it. Im- munity is either (1) natural or (2) acquired. Natural immunity is a congenital insensitiveness to infection or contagion which is possessed by certain individuals or families, or which exists as a racial characteristic. The same individual may be immune against a certain disease at one age and become susceptible to it at another age; thus infants are almost entirely immune against yellow fever, and but few ca.ses occur among them. The Arab is said to be absolutely im- mune to typhoid fever. The Japanese are im- mune to scarlet fever. Acquired immunity is a condition of insusceptibility which results from passing through an attack of the disease, or from being inoculated with the poison of the disease, which results in a change in the blood. Immu- nity to yellow fever results after one attack of the disease. One attack of typhoid fever is almost a certain guard against another, a statement which is true also of scarlet fever and measles. Exper- imental immunity is acquired immunity result- ing from introducing, for experimental purposes, attenuated microorganisms into susceptible ani- mals, and thereby causing the production of im- munity to virulent forms of those organisms. The house mouse and the white mouse, naturally very susceptible to anthrax, are rendered immune to this disease by receiving an inoculation of blood from a convalescent tetanic animal. Immunity is lost or destroyed in a number of ways. It may be destroyed by (1) variation from the normal temperature. Pasteur found that chickens, naturally immune to anthrax, became susceptible to the disease after being plunged into a cold bath. (2) Altering the chem- ical composition' of the hlood by changing the diet, or by injection of drugs.' (3) Loss of strength, or exhaustion, is a cause of loss of immunity, as Roget demonstrated by inoculating previously immune white rats with anthrax, after compelling them to work at revolving a