Chapter XIV 



Conclusion of the DemonsU-ation of the Circu- 

 lation of the Blood 



BRIEFLY let me now sum up and propose 

 generally my idea of the circulation of the 

 blood. 



It has been shown by reason and experiment that 

 blood by the beat of the ventricles flows through 

 the lungs and heart and is pumped to the whole 

 body. There it passes through pores in the flesh 

 into the veins through which it returns from the 

 periphery everywhere to the center, from the smaller 

 veins into the larger ones, finally coming to the 

 vena cava and right auricle. This occurs in such 

 an amount, with such an outflow through the 

 arteries, and such a reflux through the veins, 

 that it cannot be supplied by the food consumed. 

 It is also much more than is needed for nutrition. 

 It must therefore be concluded that the blood in 

 the animal body moves around in a circle continu- 

 ously, and that the action or function of the heart 

 is to accomplish this by pumping. This is the only 

 reason for the motion and beat of the heart. 



[103] 



