HARVEY AND THE CIRCULATION. 233 



physiological learning, all that was known concerning 

 the circulation of the hlood was discussed ; and it is 

 not improbable that here a train of thought was sug- 

 gested which, in a comprehensive mind like that of 

 Harvey's, led to experimentation and final discovery. 

 It maybe mentioned that Michael Servetus, in a work 

 entitled Restitutio Christianismi, had talked about the 

 pulmotiary circulation in a way that led to the sup- 

 position that he knew more than he really did. He 

 had been a physician, and was afterward a theologian, 

 and he used his anatomical and physiological knowl- 

 edge to help along his later vocation. After he be- 

 came theologian he pursued anatomical studies, and 

 found that the devil invaded the human soul by going 

 through the nose to the ventricles of the brain ! 



It has been truly said that it was fortunate for 

 Harvey that he was surrounded with an atmosphere 

 favorable to the discovery of the circulation of the 

 blood; and that it was fortunate for mankind that 

 such a man as Harvey was in such an atmosphere, for 

 a less acute and logical observer would have lost the 

 glorious opportunity. Harvey did not unravel the 

 complex vascular system all at once, but elaborated 

 one feature after another, until he clearly defined the 

 functions of the heart and blood-vessels, and earned 

 the unquestioned and imperishable honor of having 

 discovered the " circulation of the blood." Other 

 anatomists and physiologists deserve honorable men- 

 tion in connection with labor which tended to the 

 complete discovery, but to Harvey the chief credit 

 belongs. 



It is a circumstance not a little singular, that Har- 

 vey, in none of his works, discloses the manner the 

 discovery was made. The event was of such irn- 



