Discovery of the Blood Distribution

By Mirza Saim Baig History of Medicine N1 1st year 2012/2013

Content
I. II. IV. V.
Introduction A short definition of Blood Circulation History of Discovery

III. Earliest knowings

Theory of Vesalius Theory of William Harvery

VI. Conclusion
VII.Sources

Introduction

Blood circulation

The course of the blood from the heart through the arteries, capillaries, and veins back again to the heart.

QUESTION OF TODAY

HOW DO WE COME TO THE TODAYS DEFINITION OF BLOOD CIRCULATION ?

 BEFORE WE LOOK AT THE

ANSWER, LETS LOOK AT THE HISTORY

Earliest knowings

Ebers Papyrus (16th century BCE) it acknowledges the connection of the heart to the arteries

Greek physician Galen

He was the first to recognize that there were distinct differences between venous blood dark and arterial bright circulatory system consisted of two separate one-way systems of distribution, rather than a single unified system of circulation. venous blood was generated in the liver, arterial blood originated in the heart

Theory of Vasallius

Proofes that Galen was wrong because galen dissected only animals He thought that blood flowed from one side of the heart to the other, and contradicted Galen's views of the circulatory system. However, he did not have sufficient proof, and people/doctors chose to continue using Galen's theories, as used for a long time previous.

William Harvery (1578 1657 )

born in England Earned his first Degree with 20 at the Univ. of Cambridge he went to Italy to study medicine at the University of Padua. Padua was the center for medicine in Western Europe at that time. Made him follow the Paduan tradition (the GalenicAristotelian tradition) This played important role in his discovery of the circulation of blood.

He was appointed as the anatomy lecturer at the Royal College of Physicians in 1615. When he lectured on the heart

he was faced with a choice between the teaching of Galen or Aristotle

Galen : the heart merely one of three 'principles' of body (including the liver, the brain) Aristotle : the heart - the main source of blood in the body

Very though desicion.... Do you know which way Harvey choose ?

 I immediately saw a hole and it was possible to feel and see the heart's beating through the scar tissue at the base of the hole.

1. he moved away from Galen to Aristotle the heart was the source of blood in the body

2. through reasoning and experiment , he concluded blood did not originate in the heart but passed through it

If blood circulates through the heart, it would be natural to think of the heart as a mechanical pump. But, Harvey did not draw the conclusion that the heart was a mechanical pump.

Why? following Aristotle, he thought that the heart was an organ of immense significance, not merely a pump.

Harveys explanation of the circulation of blood is based on the Aristotles circular motion.

Aristotle's circular motion: the moist earth warmed by the sun the vapors condensed descending in the form of rain moisten the earth (gives life to the living things on the earth)

"by this arrangement, generations of living things are produced" very organic Harvey used an Aristotelian analogy and transferred this motion to the microcosm (our body) in explaining the circulation of blood.

 The heart gives life to the impoverished blood : to venous blood For Harvey, the heart was the supreme organ of our body. blood follows the perfect motion (circular motion)

Conclusion

Harvey demonstrated the blood in the veins did not have centrifugal flow, as reported by Galen, according to whom blood went from the liver to the periphery.

Harvey demonstrated the exact opposite Could not demonstrate the realtionship between Arteries
and Veins, Capillaries were unable to see with naked eye discovered by Malpighi through microscope

Was unalble to describe why the heart should circulate the

blood await for the disovery of oxygen
and for the further discoveries

Harvey made a new milestone for the medical education

Sources

http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainText Histories.asp?ParagraphID=akz1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circulatory_syste m http://geschichtsatlas.de/~ga16/harvey.htm