THE 
VETERINARIAN. 
VOL. XXVIII, 
No. 333. 
SEPTEMBER, 1855. 
Fourth Series, 
No. 9. 
Communications and Cases. 
THOUGHTS ON THE HISTORY OF THE 
DISCOVERY OF THE BLOOD’S CIRCULATION, 
In a Letter to the Editors of the c Veterinarian .’ 
From Joseph Sampson Gamgee, 
Assistant- Surgeon to the Royal Free Hospital; President of 
the Medical Society of University College. 
Gentlemen,— The numerous and heavy duties which 
have prevented the publication of my announced work on 
the c History of the Discovery of the Blood Circulation/ still 
force me to sacrifice this one of the most favorite objects of my 
predilection. But I gladly obey your call to embody in the 
epistolary form some reflections in point ; for while I shall thus 
be relieved of the manacles which fetter the didactic writer, 
I shall in addressing you enjoy the satisfaction of submitting 
to the thoughtful, material for reflection, on one of the most 
interesting topics in the whole history of learning. 
It is more than probable that if any assembly of medical 
men were questioned as to Harvey’s claims to be considered 
the discoverer of the blood’s circulation, the individuals 
would be singularly few, who could give any better reason 
than that they had traditionally learned to venerate him as 
possessing those claims beyond dispute. It is the evidence 
for this tradition that I have undertaken to examine. 
Now, that the voice of the masses has decreed immortal 
Harvey’s memory, and ranked him with Copernicus, 
Columbus, Newton, Galileo, and the few others who, by the 
discovery of great facts and truths, have rendered themselves 
dear to men throughout all time, it savours of arrogance to 
question the justice of the universal verdict. 
XXVIII. 
64 
