27 NOVEMBER 1926, Page 16

THE BLOOD OF ST. JANUARIUS

[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]

Sra,—With reference to the interesting article by Mr. Yeats. Brown, published in the Spectator of October 2nd, describing, the liquefaction of the blood of St. Januarius at Naples, there is a point unmentioned which may be not unimportant. If the contents of the glass receptacles can be shown to congeal during the service or at its termination (the temperature in the building therefore being unchanged) it might reasonably be assumed that the liquefaction is not due to the heat gener.. ated by the press of people in the Duomo.—I am, Sir, &c., C. H. PRITCHARD. Rio de Janeiro.