172 CIRCULATION. 



of the blood. He also remarked that after ligature or com- 

 pression of veins, the swelling is always below the point of 

 obstruction. These ideas, the importance of which is evi- 

 dent now that we understand the circulation, passed into 

 oblivion. They were unknown to investigators during the 

 succeeding century, and were only brought to light after the 

 discoveries of Harvey had become widely disseminated. 

 From this point of view they can hardly be called discoveries, 

 taking no place in science, and their authors not considering 

 them definite enough, or of sufficient importance, to be fully 

 insisted upon. 



A great discovery, preparatory to that of the circulation, 

 was made by Fabricius ab Aquapendente, professor at Padua, 

 who, in the words of Flourens, had a double glory: "He 

 discovered the valves of the veins, and he was the master of 

 Harvey." Yalves had been described by Etienne in the 

 portal vein, by Cananius in the azygos vein, and Eustachi 

 had discovered the valve which bears his name and the 

 valves of the coronary veins ; but to Fabricius is generally 

 ascribed the honor of the discovery of the valvular system in 

 the veins. 1 This was demonstrated to Harvey at Padua, 

 though Fabricius does not appear to have had any definite 

 idea of their function. It is possible that this anatomical 

 fact may have directed the mind of Harvey in his first spec- 

 ulations on the circulation. Shortly after his return from 

 Padua in 1602, he advanced beyond the study of inanimate 

 parts by dissections, and investigated animated nature by 



1 BERARD, ( Cours de Physiologic, tome iv., p. 34) quotes a passage from 

 Piccolomini, an Italian anatomist, in which the valves of the veins are mentioned : 

 * * * quod est, in mediis venis reconditas esse innumerabiles pene vulvas, 

 quemadmodum in orificiis vasorum cordis. Hce venarum, valvce maxime con- 

 spicuce surd in divisione ramorum vence cavce" {Anatomicce Prtelcctiones, Romce, 

 1586, p. 412). It is the assertion, undoubtedly made in good faith, in the great 

 work of Fabricius, that the valves had never before been seen, which has led many 

 physiologists to regard him as the discoverer ; especially when this fact is taken 

 in connection with their demonstration by Fabricius to Harvey, to whom is due 

 the sole credit of having pointed out their function. 



