THE WORKS OF WILLIAM HARVEY, M.D.

PHYSICIAN TO THE KING, PROFESSOR OF ANATOMY AND SURGERY TO THE COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS TRANSLATED FROM THE LATIN WITH A L I F E O F T H E A U T H O R BY ROBERT WILLIS, M.D. MEMBER OF THE ROYAL COLLEGES OF PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS OF ENGLAND, CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF GÖTTINGEN, OF THE IMPERIAL SOCIETY OF PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS OF VIENNA, AND OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF AMERICA, ETC. ETC. L O N D O N PRINTED FOR THE SYDENHAM SOCIETY MDCCCXLVII.

PREFACE.

When, at the instance of the governing body of the Sydenham Society, I undertook to edit the Works of the immortal Discoverer of the Circulation of the Blood, in English, I believed that the chief of these Works were already extant in our language, in such a shape as would make little more from an editor necessary than a careful revision of the text. I had unwarily adopted the idea, very gratuitously originated by Aubrey, that Harvey was what is called an indifferent scholar, and that the English versions of his writings were the proper originals, the Latin versions the translations. Having access to the handsome edition of Harvey’s Works in Latin, revised by Drs. Lawrence and Mark Akenside, and published by the College of Physicians in 1766, I had always referred to that when the course of my studies led me to consult Harvey. Of the English versions, or any other edition, I knew little or nothing. On proceeding to my new duty of English editor, however, I immediately saw that the masterwork of Harvey on the Motions of the Heart and Blood, far from having the character of an originally English writing, must have been rendered into English by one but little conversant with the subject, that it was both extremely rebutting in point of style and full of egregious errors, and that nothing short of an entirely new translation could do justice to this admirable treatise, or secure for it, at the present day, the attention it deserved. Full of zeal, and making of my task a labour of love, I had soon completed a new translation of the Exercises on the Heart and Blood, with equal pleasure and profit to myself.

The work on Generation came next under review. The English version of this I had heard it positively asserted was the original, was Harvey’s own; here therefore my business of editor would properly begin. But I had not gone through a couple of pages of the text, before difficulties like those already experienced met me again. That the statement above referred to was erroneous, speedily became apparent; and a little inquiry enabled me to discover that the English version of the Exercises on Generation was the work of a physician named Llewellen. Though not incorrect generally, there was, nevertheless, a great deal that I wished had been otherwise rendered; and then the scientific and professional language of two centuries back looked strangely when examined by the eye, and had an unusual sound when tried upon the ear. Only anxious to present to my brethren in the most appropriate and attractive form possible, the writings of him who had still met me in his Works and with his contemplative look in his Portrait as a kind of divinity in medicine, I even girded myself up for the long and laborious enterprise of translating anew into our mother tongue the work on Generation, and at length achieved my task, not without difficulty.

The short paper on the Anatomy of Thomas Parr appears in the Philosophical Transactions in English; but it stands there as a translation; and having now translated so much myself, I even thought it would be well to translate that also, and so it was achieved.

The Letters, though frequently quoted, have never appeared in English before. They will be found both highly interesting and important. To render them was a light and pleasant task.—In a word, the English reader is now presented with an entirely new translation of the writings of William Harvey; everything of our illustrious countryman worthy of publication that has come down to us, being here included.[1]

The reader will perceive that I have abstained from annotation and commentary in the course of my labour. The purpose of the Council of the Sydenham Society, as I understood it, was to give the Works of William Harvey in English now, as he himself gave them in Latin two centuries ago. Entirely approving of this intention, I felt that anything like corrections of statements and opinions, which could so readily have been made under the lights of modern physiology, would have been impertinencies, and I therefore abstained from them. To have carried out and completed the history of Harvey’s two grand subjects, would also have been easy; but this would have been almost as obviously out of place as commentary, and the inclination towards such an agreeable undertaking was also resisted.

It appeared, nevertheless, that the Works of our great physiological discoverer might be advantageously prefaced by some account of his Life and Writings. One great motive with me, indeed, for undertaking the office of Editor of the Works of Harvey was, that I might thus find a fitting opportunity for writing his life, a task which, in other circumstances than those that now surround me, it had still been a cherished purpose with me to perform. The Life of Harvey, by one who had maintained a familiarity with anatomy and physiology, had always seemed to me a desideratum in our medical literature.

This portion of my work I have only achieved with an effort, and at something like disadvantage. Incessantly engaged by night and by day in the laborious and responsible duties of a country practice, enjoying nothing of learned leisure, but snatching from the hours that should rightfully be given to rest, the time that was necessary to composition, remote too from means of information which I must nevertheless send for and consult—for I could not draw entirely upon memory and old recollections of Harvey, I have been much longer about this work than its length might indicate. In spite of many disadvantages, however, I trust it will be found that I have included everything of moment in my narrative of the life of Harvey; that I have set his claims to the whole and sole merit of the discovery of the Circulation in a new and clearer light than they have yet been seen; and that I have done more than any preceding biographer in exhibiting his moral nature; for truly he was as noble in nature as he was intellectually great.

The Wills of great men have always been looked on as calculated to throw light on the character of their authors; and I have, therefore, great pleasure in presenting to the medical world, for the first time, the Will of William Harvey.

It only remains for me, in conclusion, to explain and to apologise for the long delay that has taken place in the appearance of this volume. The work was, in fact, nearly three-fourths done more than a year ago; but with the change made in my sphere of action about that time, all aptitude for literary labour seemed to forsake me,—the bow, to use a common metaphor, became unbent, and for a while resisted every effort to string it anew; and, then, when restrung at length, how constantly was I hindered in my purpose to use it! With this brief explanation, which will be so well appreciated by the great majority of my fellow members of the Sydenham Society, I confidently throw myself on their kind consideration, and pray them to pardon the delay that has occurred.

R. WILLIS.

Barnes, Surrey; Feb. 15th, 1847.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

PAGE

Preface v

Life of William Harveyxv

Last Will and Testament of William Harveylxxxv

AN ANATOMICAL DISQUISITION ON THE MOTION OF THE HEART AND BLOOD IN ANIMALS.

Dedication3

Introduction9

CHAPTER

I. The author’s motives for writing19

II. Of the Motions of the Heart, as seen in the Dissection of Living Animals21

III. Of the Motions of Arteries, as seen in the Dissection of Living Animals24

IV. Of the Motion of the Heart and its Auricles, as seen in the Bodies of Living Animals26

V. Of the Motion, Action, and Office of the Heart31

VI. Of the Course by which the Blood is carried from the Vena Cava into the Arteries, or from the Right into the Left Ventricle of the Heart35

VII. The Blood percolates the Substance of the Lungs from the Right Ventricle of the Heart into the Pulmonary Veins and Left Ventricle40

VIII. Of the Quantity of Blood passing through the Heart from the Veins to the Arteries; and of the Circular Motion of the Blood45

IX. That there is a Circulation of the Blood is confirmed from the first proposition48

X. The First Position: of the Quantity of Blood passing from the Veins to the Arteries. And that there is a Circuit of the Blood, freed from objections, and farther confirmed by Experiment52

XI. The Second Position is demonstrated54

XII. That there is a Circulation of the Blood is shown from the Second Position demonstrated60

XIII. The Third Position is confirmed: and the Circulation of the Blood is demonstrated from it62

XIV. Conclusion of the Demonstration of the Circulation68

XV. The Circulation of the Blood is further confirmed by probable reasonsib.

XVI. The Circulation of the Blood is further proved from certain consequences71

XVII. The Motion and Circulation of the Blood are confirmed from the particulars apparent in the Structure of the Heart, and from those things which Dissection unfolds75

THE FIRST ANATOMICAL DISQUISITION ON THE CIRCULATION OF THE BLOOD, ADDRESSED TO JOHN RIOLAN89

A SECOND DISQUISITION TO JOHN RIOLAN; IN WHICH MANY OBJECTIONS TO THE CIRCULATION OF THE BLOOD ARE REFUTED109

ANATOMICAL EXERCISES ON THE GENERATION OF ANIMALS; TO WHICH ARE ADDED, ESSAYS ON PARTURITION; ON THE MEMBRANES, AND FLUIDS OF THE UTERUS; AND ON CONCEPTION.

PAGE

Dedication145

Introduction151

Of the manner and order of acquiring knowledge154

Of the same matters, according to Aristotle158

Of the method to be pursued in studying Generation163

ON ANIMAL GENERATION.

Wherefore we begin with the history of the hen’s egg169

Of the seat of generation171

Of the upper part of the hen’s uterus, or the ovary172

Of the infundibulum179

Of the external portion of the uterus of the common fowl180

Of the uterus of the fowl190

Of the abdomen of the common fowl and of other birds195

Of the situation and structure of the remaining parts of the fowl’s uterus198

Of the extrusion of the egg, or parturition of the fowl, in general201

Of the increase and nutrition of the egg202

Of the covering or shell of the egg204

Of the remaining parts of the egg211

Of the diversities of eggs216

Of the production of the chick from the egg of the hen225

The first examination of the egg; or of the effect of the first day’s incubation upon the egg228

Second inspection of the egg232

The third inspection of the egg234

The fourth inspection of the egg243

The fifth inspection of the egg252

The sixth inspection256

The inspection after the tenth day257

The inspection after the fourteenth day259

Of the exclusion of the chick, or the birth from the egg264

Of twin-bearing eggs268

Certain deductions from the preceding history of the egg270

Of the nature of the eggib.

The egg is not the product of the uterus, but of the vital principle279

The egg is not produced without the hen284

Of the manner, according to Aristotle, in which a perfect and fruitful egg is produced by the male and female fowl287

Of the uses of this disquisition on fecundity291

The egg is not produced by the cock and hen in the way Aristotle would have it293

Nor in the manner imagined by physicians294

The male and the female are alike efficient in the business of generation296

Of the matter of the egg, in opposition to the Aristotelians and the medical writers297

In how far is the fowl efficient in the generation of the egg, according to Aristotle? And wherefore is the concurrence of the male required?300

The perfect hen’s egg is of two colours303

Of the manner in which the egg is increased by the albumen305

Of what the cock and hen severally contribute to the production of the egg307

Of the cock and the particulars most remarkable in his constitution309

Of the hen313

Of the sense in which the hen may be called the “prime efficient:” and of her parturition318

Of the manner in which the generation of the chick takes place from the egg323

In how many ways the chick may be said to be formed from the egg325

Fabricius is mistaken with regard to the matter of the generation of the chick in ovo327

What is the material of the chick, and how it is formed in the egg333

Of the efficient cause of the generation of the chick and fœtus340

Of the manner in which the efficient cause of the chick acts, according to Aristotle344

The opinion of Fabricius on the efficient cause of the chick is refuted350

The inquiry into the efficient cause of the chick is one of great difficulty355

Of the efficient cause of animals, and its conditions360

Of the order of generation; and, first, of the primary genital particle372

Of the blood as prime element in the body379

Of the inferences deducible from the course of the umbilical vessel in the egg392

Of the order of the parts in generation from an egg, according to Fabricius397

Of the order of the parts according to Aristotle407

Of the order of the parts in generation as it appears from observation414

Of certain paradoxes and problems to be considered in connexion with this subject423

Of the nutrition of the chick in ovo434

Of the uses of the entire egg442

Of the uses of the yelk and albumen444

Of the uses of the other parts of the egg454

An egg is the common origin of all animals456

Of the generation of viviparous animals461

The generation of viviparous animals in general is illustrated from the history of that of the hind and doe, and the reason of this selection466

Of the uterus of the hind and doe467

Of the intercourse of the hind and doe474

Of the constitution or change that takes place in the uterus of the deer in the course of the month of September476

Of what takes place in the month of October478

Of what takes place in the uterus of the doe during the month of November482

Of the conception of the deer in the course of the month of December492

Of the innate heat501

Of the primigenial moisture513

ON PARTURITION521

OF THE UTERINE MEMBRANES AND HUMOURS551

Of the Humours557

Of the Membranes560

Of the Placenta563

Of the Acetabula566

Of the Umbilical Cord567

ON CONCEPTION573

ANATOMICAL EXAMINATION OF THE BODY OF THOMAS PARR589

LETTERS.

PAGE

To Caspar Hofmann, M.D.595

To Paul Marquard Slegel, of Hamburg596

To the very excellent John Nardi, of Florence603

In reply to R. Morison, M.D., of Paris604

To the most excellent and learned John Nardi, of Florence610

To John Daniel Horst, principal Physician of Hesse-Darmstadt612

To the distinguished and learned John Dan. Horst, principal Physician at the Court of Hesse-Darmstadt613

To the very learned John Nardi, of Florence, a man distinguished alike for his virtues, life, and erudition615

To the distinguished and accomplished John Vlackveld, Physician of Harlem616