William Harvey Summary - 1

William Harvey

Summary

Williams Harvey was a physician in Medical Renaissance.

He studied in Cambridge and Padua.

He taught at College of Physicians.

Harvey became a royal doctor for James I.

Harvey did not believe Galen theories but did follow the teachings of Aristotle.

His work was about human anatomy and mainly the blood.

He was inspired by Vesalius' doscovery of valves in veins.

William Harvey dissected many human corpses and live, cold-blooded animals with slower heart-beats to prove his discoveries.

Blood was not made in the liver ( as Galen said ).

Blood only flowed one way down the veins and arteries - back to the heart.

The liver did not digest food to create blood.

Veins and arteries are linked into one system by something not visible to the naked eye ( today we know - capilleries )

He proved veins only carried blood ( not pneama as well like Galen theorised )

The heart acted like a pump - similar to the mechanical firefighter pump recently invented in the period of time when he lived. 

Encouraged other scientists to experiment on actual bodies not dead corpses.

Inspired doctors to find out more. For example: Harvey proved blood was not created in the liver so he encouraged others to find out where it was made.

Harvery had little impact at first, because his doscoveries and work couldn't be used for medical treatment.