HUMAN DISSECTION IN ENGLAND-A.D. 1510 to 1958 137 



6. The blood passes from the right ventricle to the pa- 

 renchyma of the lungs and then returns to the left atrium of the 

 heart. 



7. The amount and rate of passage of the blood from the 

 heart necessitate most of the blood returning to the heart. 



8. The blood returns to the heart through the veins. 



Harvey disagreed with the ancient theory that the heart is 

 not muscular. He was unable to explain how the blood is trans- 

 ferred from the arterial to the venous system but he proved that 

 it is propelled by the mechanical action of the heart. 



This investigator possessed a marked individuality, inspired 

 confidence and was held in high esteem. His publication created 

 a sensation and elicited great argument and criticism. He was 

 moderate toward his adversaries but eventually won out over 

 all opposition. Stricken with paralysis, he died at the age of 

 seventy-nine. 



In 1663, King Charles II permitted the Barber-Surgeons to 

 dissect the bodies of six executed criminals per year. As early 

 as 1674, trouble was encountered in the acquisition of these be- 

 cause they were sometimes stolen and sold to the highest bidder. 

 Soldiers commandeered the bodies of several who were publicly 

 hung from the gallows, in 1706, which had been claimed by and 

 were to be delivered to the Barber-Surgeon's Company. As many 

 as 150 military men were in attendance; some of them cut the 

 bodies down from the scaffold and absconded with them. The 

 Company later asked the authorities for a special guard to pro- 

 tect their beadle, the latter being the person who was authorized 

 to present credentials and take the corpses. Occasionally, the pub- 

 lic interfered and took possession of such subjects. The combina- 

 tion of these events were such that they created a scarcity in 

 cadavers making it necessary for anyone interested in dissection 

 to turn to the resurrectionists for assistance (Ball, '28; Robinson, 

 '05; South, 1886). 



A Professor of Anatomy, John Rolfe, was appointed at Cam- 

 bridge in 1707. No elaborate dissecting-place was provided for 

 him; it consisted of a printing house which had been built eighteen 

 years before and one of its rooms was shared with another teacher. 



