William Harvey and the circulation of the blood.

The first edition of one of the most notable films in the history of medical and scientific film (subsequent editions; 1957, 1971-72, 1978), made to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the publication of Harvey's "Exercitatio Anatomica de Motu Cardis et Sanguinis" (1628). Against the historical background of classical Galenic and Renaissance cardio-vascular anatomy and physiology, Henry dale re-enacts Harvey's physiological experiments demonstrating the circualtion of the blood in animals and man, while the captions re-trace Harvey's experimental reasoning as given in Robert Willis' 1847 translation of "De Motu Cordis". A fascinating demonstration of experimental-physiological method, and an extremley powerful affirmation of historical continuity in the research methods of modern medical science, symbolized by the famous trompe d'oeil fusion of Henry Dale's and Harvey's hands in the opening and closing frames.