The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-01-20
WILL L|VESAFT TER
DEATH, BELIEF OF
FAMOUS INVENTOR
Edison Holds Theory of
Central Substance in
Mans Body.
ooDgrIaAt. ZEE. Wa gervtos


ORANGE, N. J.. Jan. 2o.-'What
do you say Of the soul?" was the
next question asked OF Thomas A.
Edison after he had expounded his
theories on communication with
the dead.
It see nothing of that sort in the
individual any more than in a hive
Of bees or in city; each is only an
aggregate of cells or individuals, and
the community itself. aside from the
aggregation and organization Of
units. has no existence. The human
personality is not thing apart from
the aggregate cells; and at dissolu-
ton Of the cells personality ceases
Then Immortality is a myth"
Il see no reason to believe that
the human personality will be i'm
mortal any more than one of my
photograph records will be immor-
tai. But that is not saying that
death ends ALL"
Central Substance
The prevailing theory that cells
grow anew every seven years is not
accepted by Edison. He says he
knows "the cell is not so simple a
thing as that, and does not totally
pass away in seven years or neces-
sarily In TO-" There is, he believes
central substance in the cel-a
germ plasm-that never dissipates
or dies during the life Of the body;
it remains the constant receptacle
of the psychic, or mental forces that
actuate the brain and body These
ultra-microscopic substances consti-
tute the real Iife-essence and, COOP
Grating. form the seat Of the psychic
activities, such as thought, memory,
reason, VIII Enthusiastically
Here is the center of mans individ-
uality as well as of his life, and it
is physical-that is, material. It is
this substance that persists from day
to day and year to year as PERSONAL
fly, and is transmitted from genera
ton to generation as heredity.
These life-essence particles-are
they immortal7'
There are indications convincing
to Edison that "the life of these par
ticles does persist, for while at
least, after death. One Indication
lies in heredity. The persistence Of
personality IN heredity is one of the
most clearly marked facts of human
life. The viii, which is the basis of
personality and heredfty, is form
OF motion, and there is no motion
except as it is exercised in some
material substance. So, though the
viii is material 1t endures after
death, but in this world. not in a
next"
Asked if he had as yet produced
any mechanical device that has to
any degree registered activities or
consciousness Of disembodied person
aIties. Edison only responded
with a lateral shake of the head and
an enigInatical smile. He talks free
ly however, regarding devices that
have been produced by others. and
thus suggested the lines and meth
DDS Of inquiry that are going on.
Many Instruments
Prof. Sydney Alrutz Of Upsala
University. Sweden, has devised
delicate instrument, the volometer,
for testing the win pressure. DR..
Paul Joire Of Paris has produced an
other interesting device, the stetho-
meter, or psychic-strength measurer.
There also is the lastrometer, or
psychic-energy meter. The ululo-
meter is supposed to reveal the pres
ence Of any energy, living Or disem-
bodied.
Eli Of these instruments readily re-
spond to living presences, but none
OF them has as yet registered the
presence Of the dead. Two Dutch
scientists, Drs. Malta and Van Zelst
have, however, produced an instru-
ment called the dynamistograph,
which, they assert, they have in
duced departed personality to en-
ter, have measured it and proved it
to be subject to the laws Of gravita-
ton. This instrument is now in Edi-
sons laboratory