DISCOVERY OF CIRCULATION OF THE BLOOD. 303 



Garagee, entitled " Harvey and Cgesalpinus : an Historical Fragment," 

 from which I learn that Prof. Ercolani, of Bologna, has brought for- 

 ward another claim for the great honor of discovering the circulation, 

 and has urged with so much erudition and persistence, on behalf of 

 Carlo Ruini, that, in memoriam^ a marble tablet adorns one of the 

 halls of that ancient seat of learning. It would appear that Senator 

 Ruini's work, "Anatomia del Cavallo," published at Bologna, in 

 quarto, 1598, and at Venice, in folio, 1599, had but a limited cir- 

 culation, and remained comparatively unknown. Dr. Gamgee says : 

 "This marvelous passage, so far as I know, never attracted attention 

 until my friend Prof. Ercolani set it forth, with justifiable national 

 pride." I regret that Dr. Gamgee has not copied " this marvelous 

 passage." 



I will pass Fra Paolo Sarpi, theologian and anatomist, born at 

 Venice in 1552; and La Vasseur, a disciple of James Sylvius, the 

 very worthy master of Vesalius, and in turn his fiercest adversary to 

 both of whom has been attributed the honor of having^ discovered 

 the circulation of the blood. Their claims rest on uncertain data, a 

 critical examination of which would be out of place in an essay of so 

 brief and popular a character as this ; hence, having alluded to them, 

 I will proceed to the so-called "immortal Harvey," on whom all Eng- 

 lish writers bestow the glory of having first discovered the circulation, 

 and first published to the world the demonstrations of the great fact. 



William Harvey (1578-1657). I will be brief in my sketch of the 

 crowning hero of the story of the circulation of the blood. William 

 Harvey was born of a highly-respectable Kentish family, April 1, 

 1578 wanting one year of three centuries ago. Great men have 

 chiefly come of superior and noble-minded mothers. I cannot pass 

 the quaint and lovely moral portrait inscribed on the monumental 

 tablet, in Folkestone Church, believed to have been written by Dr. 

 Harvey himself: 



"A. D. 1605, Nov. 8th, dyed in y'= 50th yeere of her age, Joan, wife of Tho. Harvey. 

 Mother of 7 Sones and 2 Daughters. 



A Godly harmless Woman : A chaste loveing Wife : 



A charitable quiet Neighbour : A co'fortable friendly Matron : 



A p'ovident diligent Huswyfe : A careful te'der-hearted Mother. 



Deere to her Husband : Reverensed of her Children: 



Beloved of her Neighbours: Elected of God. 



Whose Soule Rest in Heaven : her Body in this Grave: 



To Her a Happy Advantage : to Hers an Unhappy Loss." 



This man, so noted in physiological science as to be generally 

 spoken of as the immortal or the divine Harvey, occupied in his time 

 many positions of trust and honor. He was physician to St. Barthol- 

 omew's Hospital, London ; Professor of Anatomy to the College of 

 Physicians ; one of the physicians of King James L, and subsequently 

 physician in ordinary to "the most illustrious and indomitable Prince 



