Since the arrival of AIDS the lack of resistance to infections is the greatest challenge of modern medicine. Immunology, like other conventional sciences, has become a research field of details resulting in ever more immunizations rather than addressing health in a holistic way. Within the scope of this article, I will refer to basic observations, which link the outer appearance of human nature, illness, and remedial substance to their inner origins. Such views have been renewed for modern thinking by Rudolf Steiner, the inaugurator of Anthroposophy, although we find this wisdom described throughout history.

Iron is the most prevalent of the heavy metals in the human body as well as in our planet as far as earth has been explored. According to W. Pelikan, a well-known anthroposophical researcher, the distribution of mineral iron stretches from North America, England, France, Germany, into Russia and even North China as a vast belt around much of the northern temperate earth latitude. Characteristically, it occurs next to a similar belt of coal formation, an indication that in the early stages of earthly evolution iron, like coal, was part of organic life. A special form of iron is found on all continents: meteorites literally fall from the skies to the earth every year. This meteoric iron is a cosmic pure metal with a crystalline pattern not seen in earthly iron.

Civilization has been called the "Iron Age" since humans learned to use this metal for purposes of technology. As iron is one of the main ingredients of nature and human life, we are not surprised to find through many epochs of history that cultures have described their central spiritual values in connection with this metal. Never have these values been more deeply expressed than through the personality of the apostle Paul, who is always depicted with his sword. The sharp iron blade points to Paul's own transformation from a cruel, merciless persecutor to become the "instrument of the Lord Christ." Paul himself used, at the end of his epistle to the Ephesians, the picture of the armor of God to fight the hierarchic powers of evil. "The spiritual sword is the Word of God". Another sword-bearing figure in Christian depictions is the archangel Michael, about whom we read in the Apocalypse that he defeated the satanic dragon. But Christian art shows Michael also holding a scale. There, the blade of his sword is transformed into the "tongue" of the scale, pointing out the difference between good and evil.

Are these considerations relevant to understand the immune system? Whichever way the different white blood cells and other elements of the "body defenses" work, the emotional and spiritual condition of the patient makes a vital difference. A strong sense of determination not to become ill, an attitude of guardedness against infection, are effective helpers to prevent communicable illness. Our immune system is even capable of fighting cancer with amazing results, especially in patients who do not give up.