Volume 2

The anatomy and physiology of the human body.

  • Bell, John, 1763-1820.
Date:
1826
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The anatomy and physiology of the human body. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    INTRODUCTION TO THE SECOND VOLUME. The discovery of the circulation of the blood has been always regarded as one of the most important, and lias been ranked rather with the great doctrines of philosophy, than with the discoveries in our pecu- liar science: it has been boasted of by our country- men, and much coveted, and often claimed, by strangers; it is indeed a discovery the most ingenious and beautiful. How the well-proved doctrines of Harvey were perverted ; what new, strange, monstrous, and im- possible circles his antagonists contrived for the blood, it were tedious to relate : but it is most natural to mention why his doctrines were opposed. It was the universal opinion in those days, that the blood was formed in the liver, and sent out from it by all the veins to nourish the body, proceeding outwards during the day, and returning by night. The old physicians had thus entered into a train of thinking which it was not easy to change: these notions about the blood were become great and important doctrines, and had descended to them from their oldest teachers, with many weighty dependencies, conclusions, and rules of practice issuing from them: they were as articles of faith which it was a heresy to forsake ; and it was easy to foresee, that should the Harveian doctrine prevail; should it be once completely proved- that the blood moved outwards along the arteries,’ VOL. II. B