William Harvey

• William Harvey

  One of the most important individuals of the Medical Renaissance
• William Harvey

  Influenced by Vesalius, went on to influence many others, including Sydenham
• William Harvey

  • Studied medicine at Cambridge, then Padua
  • Became a lecturer of anatomy in London at the College of Physicians
  • Was one of James I's doctors
  • Carried out public dissections
  • Taught the importance of doctors observing and recording patients' symptoms, rather than relying on textbooks for diagnosis and treatment
• Discovering the circulation of the blood

  1. Researched Vesalius' theory that blood flowed towards the heart, which contradicted Galen's theory

  2. Proved Vesalius was right using dissected bodies and pumps that showed blood only flowed one way

  3. Proved that blood could not be produced by the liver and absorbed into the body, as Galen had thought

  4. Discovered that arteries and veins were part of one system and that blood was pumped around the body by the heart
• Harvey published his findings in An Anatomical Account of the Motion of the Heart and Blood In Arinus in 1628, which contained detailed diagrams
• The importance of Harvey

  • Proved that some of Galen's theories were wrong, bringing into question Galen's other theories
  • Improved knowledge about how the body worked and passed this knowledge on
  • By 1700 his work was being taught in medical schools
  • As a royal physician, Harvey's work gained publicity and credibility, and inspired others to find out more
  • His scientific methods of observation and use of dissection had brought results, and so were copied by others
  • His discoveries left many unanswered questions, which encouraged further experiments