44G Proceedings of the Ohio State Academy of Science 



begging their pardon, in so doing, think that the use of this 

 is to carry the changed air to the lungs which, Hke a fan, ven- 

 tilates the heart, cooling this organ and not, as Aristotle 

 thought, the brain. The same writers think that the lungs 

 receive the, 1 know not what, smoky fumes (fumos capinosos) 

 I for so in their ignorance of the tongues they call them) dis- 

 charged from the left ventricle. About this, all one can say 

 is that it pleases them, for they certainly seem to think that 

 the same state of things exists in the heart as in a chimney, as 

 if there were green logs in the heart which gave out smoke 

 when burned, so far concerning the use of these parts accord- 

 ing to the opinion of other anatomists. 1 for my part hold a 

 quite dififerent view, namely that this vein-like artery was 

 made to carry blood mixed with air from the lungs to the 

 left ventricle of the heart. And this is not only most probable, 

 but is actually the case ; for if you examine not only dead 

 bodies but also liv'ng animals, you will find this artery in all 

 instances filled with blood, which would by no manner of 

 means be the case if it were constructed to carry air forsooth 

 and vapours. Wherefore I cannot wonder enough at those 

 anatomists who have not observed a matter so clear and of 

 such importance, eminent though they wish to be considered 

 by many of their fellows. But for these it is enough that 

 Galen said so. What? To think that some folks in our time 

 swear to the dogmas of Galen so that they dare to assert that 

 Galen ought to be taken as gospel, and that there is nothing 

 in his' writings which is not true. It is wonderful how men 

 are carried away by this doctrine ; and the princes of anatomy 

 ofifer it to the rabble. Yet no one sees how much this is to be 

 blamed. Who indeed is there who never ofifends? But of this 

 enough and more than enough." While Columbus cast away 

 the theory of Galen that the blood passed through the septum 

 yet he accepts the theory that the blood circulates in the veins 

 only. "This is the use of the veins, to carry blood to all parts 

 of the bodv in order to nourish them ; for all the members of 

 the bodv are nourished bv the blood al(Mie, therefore nature 



