AN ANATOMICAL STUDY ON THE 



Since the movements and structure of the heart 

 differ from those of the lungs, as those of the arteries 

 from those of the chest, separate functions or pur- 

 poses are likely. The pulsings and uses of the heart 

 as well as of the arteries are distinct from those 

 of the chest and lungs. If the pulse and respiration 

 have the same purpose, if the arteries in diastole 

 draw air into their cavities (as commonly said) 

 and in systole give off waste vapors by the same 

 pores in flesh and skin, and if also in the time be- 

 tween systole and diastole they contain air,^ in fact 

 containing at all times either air, spirits, or sooty 

 vapors, what may be answered to Galen? He de- 

 clared that the arteries by nature contain blood 

 and blood alone, neither air nor spirits, as may 

 easily be determined by experiments and explana- 

 tions found in his report. 



If in diastole the arteries are filled by air drawn 

 in, the greater the pulse the greater being the amount 

 drawn in, then when the whole body is immersed 

 in a bath of oil or water, a previously strong pulse 

 should either become much weaker or slower, for 

 the bath surrounding the body will make it difficult 

 if not impossible for the air to enter the arteries. 

 Likewise, when all the arteries, the deep as well as 



^ The word fuligines is translated waste-vapors. The idea of this 

 supposed sooty material may have developed from the duskier hue of 

 venous blood. The intake and output of air to and from the arteries 

 through pores in flesh and skin goes right back to Empedocles (5th 

 Cent. B.C.). Interesting that this should be involved in the first aspect 

 of current opinion about the heart and blood-vessels to be refuted by 

 Harvey. 



