RESPIRA TION 



603 



two passages. I have added the translation given in the "Alembic Club" reprint. On p. 96 

 of Mayow's book we read : " Nempe imprimis pro concesso habeo, Aerem particulas quasdam, 

 quas alibi Nitro-aereas nuncupavimus, ad Ignem conflandum omnino necessarias continere ; 

 atque eas per flamma; deflagrationem ab acre exhauriri, et absumi ; ita ut idem particulis istis 

 deprivatus, in futurum ad igriem sustinendum prorsus inidoneus evadat, uti supra ostendum 



5 5 



22 c 



2 5 



est." "In the first place, then, I take it for granted that the air contains certain particles 

 termed by us elsewhere nitro-aerial which are absolutely indispensable for the production of 

 fire, and that these in the burning of flame are drawn from the air and removed, so that the 

 latter when deprived of these particles ceases to be fit for supporting fire, as has been shown 

 above" (p. 67 of "Alembic Club" translation). 



On p. 299: "Circa respirationis ergo usum affirmare fas sit, nonnihil, quicquid sit, 

 Aereum ad vitam sustinendam necessarium, in sanguinis massam transire. Hinc aer e 

 pulmonibus egestus, e quo particulae istae vitales exhauriuntur, non amplius ad respirationem 



