Harvey s Heart: The Discovery of Blood Circulation

Prior to anesthetics, blood transfusions & antiseptics, to open the chest & expose the heart meant certain death for the patient. The motion of the heart was poorly understood, yet the actions of one man, William Harvey, were to unravel its mysteries. In the 17th century, Harvey found that the blood vessels formed a closed system & that the blood circulates rapidly around the body, pumped by the heart. This overthrew the view accepted for 1,500 years that blood was generated in the liver & slowly consumed by the body. This account of Harvey s crucial work places it against the background of the art & science of the Renaissance, & narrates the dramatic struggle Harvey fought for its acceptance. Illustrations.