Dr. Ganti has introduced Chemoton Theory to explain the origin of life. This first volume, "Theoretical Foundations of Fluid Machineries", is a discussion of the theoretical foundations of fluid automata. It introduces quantitative methods - cycle stoichiometry and stoichiokinetics - in order to describe fluid automata with the methods of algebra, as well as their construction, starting from elementary chemical reactions up to the complex, program-directed, proliferating fluid automata, the chemotons. The second volume of the book is the "Theory of Living Systems", the application of the theory of fluid automata on living systems. The volume proves, that chemotons possess the general properties of living systems and - at the same time - every living system has the same basic organisation as a chemoton. Volume Two develops on the basis of the chemoton theory, the processes of biogenesis and of the prebiotic evolution, up to the appearance of the enzymes and genes, i.e. up to the formation of prokaryote cells. "Chemoton Theory" outlines the development of a theoretical biology, based on exact quantitative considerations and the consequences of its application on biotechnology and on the artificial synthesis of living systems.