PEART (Edward). The Generation of Animal Heat, Investigated. With an introduction, in which is an attempt to point out, and ascertain, the elementary principles, and fundamental laws of nature; and apply them to the explanation, of some of the most interesting operations, and striking appearances of chemistry.1788

Gainsbrough: Printed by H. Mozley, First edition, [2], xxix, [1, blank], [31]-114, [2, errata leaf]pp., old faint neat stamp to title-page, recent quarter calf over marbled paper boards. Edward Peart (1755/6–1824), physician and writer on science and medicine... chiefly known for his works on physical and chemical theory... In his first work, 'The Generation of Animal Heat' (1788), Peart explained all chemical and physical phenomena by assuming the existence of four elements—aether, phlogiston, the acid principle, and earth... [He] revives the idea of John Mayow that animal combustion takes place in the substance of the muscle and not in the lung, as Lavoisier thought. In the same book he sees clearly that the constant temperature of animals in exercise and at rest must be due to a correlation of various functions, and investigates the matter experimentally in a somewhat rough way. The formula 'excitability of the muscular fibres is the great characteristic of life in animals' is still accepted. (DNB).