William Harvey and Blood Circulation (1628)

Circulation of blood

Blood flow through heart and body.

Arteries

Blood vessels carrying blood away from heart.

Veins

Blood vessels returning blood to heart.

Distribution of blood

Blood's delivery to all body parts.

Flux and reflux

Blood's movement in and out of heart.

Nutritional purposes

Blood's role beyond just supplying nutrients.

Right auricle

Chamber receiving deoxygenated blood from body.

Ceaseless motion

Continuous circulation of blood in the body.

William Harvey

English physician who discovered blood circulation.

De Motu Cordis

Harvey's 1628 work on blood circulation.

Ligatures experiment

Harvey's method using arm ligatures to study blood.

Muscular pump

Heart's function to circulate blood.

Vena cava

Large vein returning blood to heart.

Quantitative approach

Measurement of blood volume in experiments.

Vital spirits

Pre-Harvey concept of life force.

Galenic authority

Prevailing medical beliefs before Harvey's findings.

Pulse

Rhythmic contraction of the heart.

Porosities of flesh

Spaces in body allowing blood flow.

Valves of heart

Structures ensuring unidirectional blood flow.

Cold-blooded animals

Subjects of Harvey's observations for blood study.

Ocular demonstration

Visual evidence supporting blood circulation theory.