Observations on the Harveian doctrine of the circulation of the blood / by George Kerr.

  • Kerr, George.
Date:
1819
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on the Harveian doctrine of the circulation of the blood / by George Kerr. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    false, without fair discussion of its merits? I complain, however, that the discussion is not conducted according to the common laws of evidence, when the Harveians require us to believe in the astonishing contractile power of arteries, which is never seen, and no experi- ment tends to show that it exists—and that when the aorta is tied, anastomozing branches are immediately ready to convey red blood to the lower extremities, to be returned by the veins. In these instances, I am required to believe in what cannot be demonstrated, but is merely supposed to exist, because, without such suppositions, the Harveian hypothesis cannot be maintained. When, on the other hand, I show that a little blood thrown into the carotids, under circumstances favourable for its easy transmission, renders the counte- nance livid, and say, that I believe the exactly similar appearance of apoplectic patients is also produced by blood thrown into the caro- tids—the conclusion is denied, because it is necessary to the circular hypothesis, that the arteries should be always full of blood. T