THE FIRST ANATOMICAL DISQUISI- 

 TION ON THE CIRCULATION OF 

 THE BLOOD, ADDRESSED TO JO. 

 RIOLAN 



SOME few months ago there appeared a small 

 anatomical and pathological work from the pen of the 

 celebrated Riolanus, for which, as sent to me by the 

 author himself, I return him my grateful thanks. 1 I 

 also congratulate this author on the highly laudable 

 undertaking in which he has engaged. To demonstrate 

 the seats of all diseases is a task that can only be 

 achieved under favour of the highest abilities ; for 

 surely he enters on a difficult province who proposes 

 to bring under the cognizance of the eyes those 

 diseases which almost escape the keenest understand- 

 ing. But such efforts become the prince of anatomists ; 

 for there is no science which does not spring from 

 preexisting knowledge, and no certain and definite idea 

 which has not derived its origin from the senses. 

 Induced therefore by the subject itself, and the example 

 of so distinguished an individual, which makes me 

 think lightly of the labour, I also intend putting to 

 press my Medical Anatomy, or Anatomy in its Appli- 

 cation to Medicine. Not with the purpose, like 

 Riolanus, of indicating the seats of diseases from the 

 bodies of healthy subjects, and discussing the several 

 diseases that make their appearance there, according 

 to the views which others have entertained of them > 

 but that I may relate from the many dissections I have 



1 Enchiridium Anatomicum et Pathologicum. 121110, Parisiis, 1648. 



Ill 



