The New Gresham Encyclopedia. Deposition to Eberswalde / Volume 4, Part 1

by Various

Disclaim´er, in its stricter legal sense, a plea containing renunciation or a denial of some claim alleged to have been made by the party pleading.

Discomycetes, a large section of the ascomycetous Fungi, distinguished by the fact that the hymenium covers the surface of an open, disc-like or cup-shaped fruit-body called an apothecium. It includes many important genera, such as Dasyscypha, Peziza, and Sclerotinia.

Discopho´ra, (1) a sub-class of the Hydrozoa, comprising most of the organisms known as sea-jellies, jelly-fishes, and sea-nettles; (2) leeches (q.v.).

Dis´count, the charge made by a banker for interest of money advanced by him on a bill or other document not presently due. In advancing money on such a security the banker deducts the charge for interest on his advance from the total amount represented on the security, pays the difference, which is called the proceeds of the bill, to the person parting with it, and collects the full amount to reimburse himself for outlay and interest at maturity. Popularly the term discount is applied to any deduction from the full amount of an account made by the party to whom it is paid, especially on prompt or early payment. When a bill which has been discounted is paid by the acceptor before it is due, the discount allowed for prepayment is called rebate.

Discov´ery, in law, the act of revealing or making known any matter by a defendant in his answer to a bill in chancery. The word is also used in reference to the disclosure by a bankrupt of his property for the benefit of his creditors, and to the right of a party to a lawsuit to obtain from his adversary, on oath, full disclosure of the facts within his knowledge, and production of the documents in his possession, pertinent to the action.

Discus, Disc, or Disk, among the Greeks and Romans a quoit of stone or metal, convex on both its sides, sometimes perforated in the middle. The players aimed at no mark, but simply tried to throw the quoit to the greatest possible distance. It was sometimes furnished with a thong of leather to assist in the throwing. The thrower of the discus was called discobolus.

Disease, any morbid state of the body, or of any organ or part of the body. Diseases are described as local or constitutional, epidemic, endemic, contagious, acute, and chronic. As to their classification, see Nosology. The influence of the parents on the organization of the child is so great that not only peculiarities of external form, but the peculiar constitution, the greater or less activity and development of the organs, are found to pass from parent to child. As it is in the particular state of the several tissues and functions that certain diseases have their foundation, the liability to such affections is inherited with the organic structure, and children are not infrequently attacked by ailments from which one of their parents or grand-parents had previously suffered. In spite of the emphasis that has recently been put on the facts of heredity, the present tendency of preventive medicine holds out a larger hope by impressing upon us the fact that in such affections, for example, as tuberculosis and insanity, the individual's environment and personal history are perhaps more

potent than hereditary influence in the causation or the prevention of disease.

Diseases of Plants. See Plant Pathology.

Disestablishment, the severance of connection between Church and State, with the resultant emancipation of the Church from civil control, is a movement in which there has been considerable growth during the last half-century. The Church of the West Indies was disestablished in 1868, and all Colonial Churches, with the exception of the Church in India, are now free from State authority. In 1869 an Act, taking effect two years later, was passed for the disestablishment of the Church of Ireland, in which country the mass of the inhabitants are Roman Catholics. In France all recognition of Roman Catholicism as the State religion ceased in 1905, the French Government now tolerating all religions. In 1914 was passed a Bill for disestablishing the Church in Wales, though its effect was, owing to the war, deferred till 1920 by the Suspensory Bill. The Church of Scotland has been practically free from State control since 1874, in which year patronage was abolished; and the presence of the Lord High Commissioner, who represents the sovereign at the opening of the General Assembly, and the precedence enjoyed by the Moderator during his term of office, are little more than decorative courtesies. Among a section of the English public there has been from time to time an agitation for the disestablishment of the Church of England; and the movement is even said to be viewed with favour by some advanced High Churchmen, who believe that it would result in increased freedom for the adoption of their special views; but, though a Disestablishment Society exists, there seems no immediate prospect of a decisive step in this direction.