infusion

[Lat. infusio, from infusus, pa. par. of infundo; Fr. & Sp. infusion; Ital. inf us i one.] 1. The act of infusing or pouring in or upon, as a liquid. "Of whych thynges this infusion of water is one."-Sir T. More: Workes , p. 491. *2. The act or proce of dipping in or into water; immersion. "Baptism by infusion began to be introduced in cold climates." -Jortin: Eccles. Hist. 3. The act or proce of steeping any substance, as a plant in a liquid for the purpose of extracting medicinal or other valuable virtues, e ence, or qualities. 4. The liquor obtained by steeping any substance. as a plant in a liquid; a decoction. 5. The act of infusing, instilling, or implanting in the mind; instillation, inculcation. "In the working of such clensing of the soule, and infusion of grace." -Sir T. More: Workes, p. 386. 6. That which is infused, instilled, or implanted; an inspiration. "No sooner grows The soft infusion prevalent and wide." Thomson: Spring , 588. *7. A mixture, a share, a blending. "Of elegy there was the due infusion ." Byron: Vision of Judgment, ix. In-fü-şion-işm, *In-fü'-sian-işm (sas zh), s. [The first form from Eng. infusion ; -ism; the second from Low Lat. inf us i an is mus the teaching de scribed in definition.] pine, pit, sire, sir, marine; gō, pot, IMG:content-1663.jpg:[blocks in formation] tains them in countle numbers. Ehrenberg deemed them animals of comparatively high organization. Many of his infusoria have been removed to the vegetable kingdom, and the others show a to have a simpler structure than he believed. Pritchard divided them into Bacillar i a, which were clearly vegetable, Phy Infusoria in the Field of the Microscope. tozoa on the borderland between animals and plants, and Protozoa, Rotator i a, or Rotifer a, and Tardigrada, clearly animal. They are placed by many as a cla of Protozoa. Some years ago Prof. Huxley elevated them into one of the eight primary groups, into which he divided the Animal Kingdom. They have neither ve els nor nerves, but po e internal spherical cavities. They move by means of cilia or variable proce es formed of the substance of the body, true feet being absent. The sarcode is differentiated into an ectosure and an endosare; they have also a nucleus and a contractile vesicle. They occur everywhere, in salt as well as in fresh water. One, Noctiluca, is believed to take a great share in producing the phosphores cence of the ocean. The Infusoria proper (= Pritch ard's Protozoa) are divided into three orders Suctoria, Ciliata, and Flag ell at a. 2. Palæont .: Ehrenberg believes that the protective carapaces of some infusoria have been found in chalk flints. The" infusoria" found in the mineral called Tripoli, and in bog-iron ore, are mostly vegetable Diatoms, and do not belong to the cla as now restricted. [GAILLONELLA.] In-fu-sör-i al, a. [Mod. Lat. infusorial is , from infusoria (q. v.).] Zool.: Of or belonging to the Infusoria (q. v.). infusorial-earth, s. Geol.: A deposit of fine siliceous earth. It is used in the manufacture of dynamite.