Miscellanea Curiosa.

contend for the Saliva, and make that to be the Ferment, which serves principally for the Digestion of the Food; which in Mastication being mix'd with our Aliment, is with that carried down into the Stomach, where the Parts of it being put into motion by a kindly and agreeable Heat, they do ferment with, and exagitate first those Parts of the Food which are most apt to ferment with it, and then both conspire to break and dissolve the grosser and more stubborn Parts. And Galen, in the Book I have before-mention'd, plainly allows that the Saliva is concern'd in the business of Concoction, tho' he supposes the Alteration, which is produc'd by this Juice, to be made in the Mouth, as appears from these Words: *Quæ (alteratio) in ore agitur mutat quidem id (nutrimentum) in alteram speciem manifestè, non tamen ad perfectionem transmutat--Qui mansi sunt cibi primum quidem hac Pituita (oris) imbuunter, & cum ea miscentur----Itaque majorem mutationem consecuti sunt, quam ii, qui in vacuis dentium intervallis