Great Books Essay: William Harvey, “On the Circulation of the Blood”
William Harvey a world renown scientist is known to have made the most important discovery of humankind. Harvey’s research concluded that the blood circulating throughout the body was a continuous flow in one direction. His discovery began modern cardiology and an increase in observational experiments that were from then on conducted.
William Harvey was born in England in 1578 where he grew up until he moved to Padua, Italy to attend a university where he graduated with a Medical Degree to become a doctor. Harvey later returned to England and practiced as the lead physician at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital. In 1618 Harvey was chosen to be the physician of to James I, but he didn’t just stop at being a physician. Harvey’s fascination in the vascular system had led to his discovery on the circulation of blood within the body.
In 1628 he published his completed dissertation “On the Circulation of the Blood” to explain the bloods continuous flow throughout the body and the transformation of venous to arterial blood that took place in the lungs. His publication got much criticism from other physicians, he lost his reputation, but regardless he continued to advance in his career. The main reason for criticism was because his ideas went against those of Galen who was considered a master of medical philosophy. Not many dared to challenge Galen’s widely accepted views on medicine and how the body functioned.
Galen’s theory proposed the idea that the liver was the center for blood circulation within the body. His theory also claimed the blood to pass between the ventricles through “invisible pores”, he believed that the arterial...
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...d. Harvey found the heart to be the cause of propulsion for blood to circulate, and learned blood all flowed continuous in one direction. William Harvey’s discoveries have allowed for a better understanding of the circulation of blood and has revolutionized the science world as we know it.
Works Cited
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Part 3. The Harvard Classics." Harvey, William. C15101590. On the Motion of the
Heart and Blood in Animals. Vol. 38, Part 3. The Harvard Classics. N.p., n.d. Web. 15
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Else RW, Holmes JR. Cardiac pathology in the horse. Equine Veterinary Journal 1972; 4(1): 1-8.
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