The Washington herald., 1908-08-09
HARVEY'S DISCOVERY.
Life OF one OF England's Most Fa-
mons Physicians.


One OF the greatest OF English physi-
clans. William Harvey. the discoverer Of
The circulation Of the blood. was born at
FoIkstone on April /, 1913. His father,
Thomas Harvey. was a native Of the
county and an alderman Of the town, says
the London Globe. There is little real in
formation as to William Harvey's youth
ful days At ten years old he was sent
20 Kings School. Canterbury. and five
years later went 20 Cambridge, where he
was admitted at Caius College In 1881 he
took his B. A.. and having made Up his
mind 70 take up medicine as a profession.
started OF for Padua. the most celebrat-
ed school Of physic Of the day. Here for
FIVE years he worked assiduously. attend
ing The candle-Iight lectures Of Fabricius,
the famous anatomist- Having taken his
diploma. he returned 10 England. mar
ried. and settled down in the parish Of ST.
Martins. Ludgate Hili. From this time
forth TIE path Of fame seemed to lie open
10 him Scarcely had he begun his new
life than he was admitted 10 the College
OF Physicians and later on elec;ed a fei-
low A year or so passed. and he was ap-
pointed assistant physician. then physi-
clan Of St. Bartholomew's Hospital.
In August. 1913. Harvey was elected
Lumleian lecturer 70 the college OF Ply
sicians. and IN the following year he de-
livered the first OF his famous discoUrses
on the circulation OF the blood. The
notes. which cover close upon a hundred
pages of closely written matter. may be
seen to-day AZ the British Museum. Some
Of the sentences are underlined with red
ink; others, probably those expressive Of
his own original ideas. are initiated w
H" There are. 800. many marginal notes
in Latin. The whole treatise is arranged
with the greatest method. and, is an ex-
haustive analysis Of the various parts OF
the human BODY The various lectures
occupied more than an hour day. and
by way Of assisting his hearers TO grasp
more readily the different Parts in his az
gument a dead body was displayed on a
dissecting table Il is said that Harvey.
in order 10 work out his great theory. dis
sected more than eishty different ami
mails.
The interest. in medical circles. pro-
duced by Harvey's new theory may well
I be imagined Il was the fashion In those
DAYS 20 talk with a show Of learning.
Thus the whole town was given Up to dis
I cUssion Of the new discovery. II was
about this time that Harvey was appoint
I'd physician extraordinary 20 King James
l. Il would seem that henceforth the
E great physician took life somewhat easier.
T for we hear Of his travelling through
I France with the Duke Of Lennox, later
I he IS n atten6ance on Lord Arundel. of
/ Scotland. and at a subsequent date we
-n-sH
College in Rome A. such times as le
Z comes before the popular notice IL IS N
I connection with some public examination
[ in which his expert knowledge IS indis-
{ rersahIe- Thus IL 1884 he is instructed to
& examine four Lancashire women accused
I Of witchcraft. and aEain he IS ordered
I 20 hold a posy-10rrem on the body OF a
I Shropshire labCrer who was stated 70
Z have died az the age cf 153. Then later
or. we hear of him defending himself
. acl5nsL The accusation OF a barber sl.r-
z-on. who declared that his servant had
died owing 90 a dose of Harvey's physic.
Harvey-s immortal work on the clrcula-
/ tiCn OF the blood was published at Frank
. fort III -f3S. This was some twelve years
I after his first lectures on the subject HIS
{ philosophical patience IS much 70 be ad-
I mired. in that he refused 20 announce his
Z great discovery 90 the world until Z had
l DEeu EIDrIlEILT 4ldllItl ana comm llctz-
At the outbreak Of the civil war he
+ threw In his lot with The King and was
] present in his professional capacity at the
battle Of EdeehiL T. Is said that he had
I charge Of the royal princes. 10 whom he
: read a book during the engagement Aft
I ct the surrenGzr Of oxford he returned 70
J London only 20 md that MS house had
1 been piIlaeed By the mob and all his pa
] pers stolen. From this time onward unti
2 lis death be lived with one OF other o.
I his brothers. who were wealthy mer-
/ chants IN the city For the greater part
+ of his life he suffered agony from sour
{ 10 check which he used 20 plunge his
I feet in iced water AS he grew older tht
I disease became more rirulent until al
Z last u was the cause Of his death. Thus
/ on the Sd Of June. in the year 165s. the
I great William Harvey died, in the eight
F ieth wear OF his age His remains were
. inferred at Hampstead. IN. Essex, whittier
7 ali the fellows OF the College Of Physi
! clans followed his coffin Here his body
rested. wrapped in a lead covering. foi
more than 80 years In 1873. however. j
vas disiaterred IN the presence OF tht
I then president Of the college. Sir William
T Jenner. and removed 20 a white mavbl'
I sarcophaEus erected in Hempsted Church
T IN this the present resting place Of the
z great physician. was deposited larg'
I edition Cf Efarvey's works. together witt
I a scroll setting forth the incidents Of th'
I reiurcrIent