Harvey and the Circulation of the Blood

William Harvey's discovery in 1653 that "blood moved around the body because the heart squeezed it out of itself" like a pump, culminated hundreds of years of speculation about the role of the heart in the circulation of blood. Why this happens was a question he could not answer. It would take another 200 years for scientists to demonstrate the connection between the lungs and blood. By operating on animals, Harvey demonstrated once and for all times that blood left the heart through the arteries and returned by the veins. This achievement is significant because it provided the foundation upon which modern medical heart procedures are based. The documents in this primary source portfolio will provide the reader with an in-depth examination of the work that led to Harvey's discovery and its application to modern medicine. By a careful reading of the essays and exhibits, students will gain an understanding of the man and his achievement. This portfolio includes a Study Guide with reproducible student activities. 5 Illustrated Broadsheet Essays: * Early Ideas On The Circulation * Harvey On The Circulation * Scientific Ideas In The 17th Century * Harvey's Life * The Heart And Circulation As We Know Them Today 10 Primary Source Documents: * Portrait of William Harvey * Pages from Aubrey's Brief Lives * Pages from Coriolanus * Page from Vesalius: De Humani Corporis Fabrica * Part of Harvey's medical diploma * Pages from the first Latin edition of Harvey's De Motu Cordis * Pages from the first English edition of De Motu Cordis * Chart of the circulation and magnified smear of blood * X-ray of a healthy heart * Electrocardiograms