William Harvey

Question 1

When and where was Harvey born?

Answer 1

In 1578 in Kent, England.

Question 2

What did he become in his later life?

Answer 2

A lecturer in anatomy in London.

Question 3

When did he publish his book and what was the book about?

Answer 3

Th book was about the circulation of blood, which was published in 1628.

Question 4

What did Harvey claim?

Answer 4

1. That the heart acted as a pump, pushing heart around the body.
2. That the arteries carried blood away from the heart and veins carried blood back
3. He discovered that the valves in veins forced blood to move in a one-way system
4. He was also the first to suggest the way humans and mammals reproduced but he could not prove it

Question 5

What was the impact of Harvey’s work?

Answer 5

1. Impact on doctor’s training but not on treatment of disease/care for the sick or public health
2. His work was the foundation for all modern research on the heart and cardiovascular medicine research
3. Doctors and nurses now knew how to extract and replace blood better

Question 6

What was the overall effect of Vesalius and Harvey’s discoveries?

Answer 6

In the short-term, their ideas did not lead to many changes because they did not actually make a difference to the prevention, treatment and the causes of disease. Furthermore, doctors were reluctant to admit that Galen was wrong and it took a long time for them to change their minds.

Question 7

During what time period did Harvey make his discoveries?

Answer 7

Renaissance