AGITATION, in physics, is often used for an intestine commotion of the parts of a natural body. Fermentation and effervescence are attended with a brisk agitation of the particles.
AGITATION is one of the chief causes or instruments of mixtion: by the agitation of the parts of the blood and chyle, in their continual circulation, sanguification is in a good measure effected. Butter is made out of milk by the same means: in which operation, a separation is made of the oleous parts from the serous, and a conjunction of the oleous parts together. Digestion itself is only supposed to be an insensible kind of agitation.
AGITATION is reputed one of the symptoms of inspiration. Petit informs us*, that, in the last century, * Petit, de there arose in a church in Italy, for the space of a year, Sybilla, l. i. a vapour of an extraordinary kind, which put all the Nov. Rep. people into trembling and agitations, and unless they Lett. tem. viii. p. 1113. got away betimes, set them a dancing, with strange contortions and gesticulations. This seems to verify what has been related of the temple of Delphi.
AGITATION is also used in medicine for a species of exercise popularly called swinging. Maurice prince of Orange found this method a relief against the severe pains of the gout and stone. Bartholine mentions fits of the toothach, deafness, &c. removed by vehement agitations of the body.