I04 Mayow 



abounds with them) effervescing with the saline- 

 sulphureous particles of the aforesaid liquid seem to 

 cause the scarlet colour which rivals that of arterial 

 blood. For it is the nature of nitro-aerial particles 

 when set in motion to produce a ruddy colour in the 

 substances in which they are, as happens in spirit of 

 nitre, which is ruddy during distillation. 



It is to be noted here that as nitro-aerial particles 

 cause the fermentation of the blood, so this fermenta- 

 tion strikes out, in the way shown above, and draws 

 from the air other nitro-aerial particles by which fer- 

 mentation goes on anew in the blood. In fact nitro- 

 aerial spirits, when mixed with the mass of the blood 

 in the lungs, produce an intense enough effervescence 

 in it ; but they are soon separated for the most part 

 from the blood in the system of the body, for purposes 

 to be explained below ; so that the fermentation of 

 the blood on its return to the lungs is for want of 

 them much diminished and more sluggish ; but still 

 it does not • cease so completely as to be unable to 

 draw nitro-aerial particles from the air for its renewal. 

 And so in fine the movement of fermentation is per- 

 petuated in the animal Automaton. 



Just as the fermentation of the blood, so also its 

 heat arises I think from the effervescence of nitro-aerial 

 particles with the saline-sulphureous particles of the 

 blood. For if any saline-sulphureous minerals, such 

 as the vitriolic Marchasites and the like, be exposed, 

 when recently dug up, to moist air, they will shortly 

 effervesce and become intensely hot, inasmuch as 

 aerial particles give rise to a very pronounced efferves- 

 cence when they meet with the saline-sulphureous 

 particles of the mineral. Further all substances, at 

 least those which are endowed with some degree of con- 

 sistency, grow somewhat warm while fermenting — a 



