Evidence of the Circulatory System
Blood was thought to flow away from the heart carrying vital spirit to the organs In 169AD Galen said that blood was made in the liver and the heart. This diagram shows blood flowing from the heart and liver to the organs of the body as Galen described. This illustrates 15th century ideas about blood flow.
Scientists regard theories as uncertain. New evidence can disprove them. Galen's theory of the the circulatory system was disproved in 1628, when William Harvey showed using experiments that blood circulates in the body, with the heart acting as a pump.
Evidence of the circulatory system by William Harvey Three Experiments A Tie a thread around one end of a fish heart and the heart empties of blood. B Experiments with snake hearts confirm that blood enters the heart C Experiments with dog hearts provide further proof that blood is returning to the heart. Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis pages 118-129, 22 JUL 2011 DOI: 10.1111/j.1538-7836.2011.04312.x http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1538-7836.2011.04312.x/full#f2
Discovery of the circulatory system: William Harvey Simple experiments on human arms adds a final piece of evidence. Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis pages 118-129, 22 JUL 2011 DOI: 10.1111/j.1538-7836.2011.04312.x http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1538-7836.2011.04312.x/full#f3