HARVEY AND THE CIRCULATION OF THE BLOOD.
The discovery of the circulation of the blood was the most important ever made in the science of physiology, and led to a complete revolution throughout the whole circle of medical knowledge and practice. The renown of this splendid discovery, by all but universal consent, has been attributed to William Harvey, an English physician, who was born at Folkestone in 1578, and in 1593 went to Caius College, Cambridge, where he remained four years. He then went abroad for several years, studying in the most famous medical schools; and in 1604, having passed M.D. at Cambridge, he set up in practice in London. In 1615 he was appointed Lecturer at the College of Physicians, on Anatomy and Surgery; and it was in the performance of these duties that he arrived at the important discovery that is inseparably associated with his name. "The merit of Harvey," it has been justly observed, "is enhanced by considering the degraded state of medical knowledge at that time in England. While anatomical schools had been long established in Italy, France, and Germany, and several teachers had rendered their names illustrious by the successful pursuit of the science, anatomy was still unknown in England, and dissection had hitherto hardly begun; yet at this inauspicious period did Harvey make a discovery, which amply justifies Haller in ranking him as only second to Hippocrates." In 1620 he promulgated his new doctrine of the circulation of the blood, in a treatise entitled Exercitatio Anatomica de Motu Cordis et Sanguinis in Animalibus; in the preface to which, addressed to the College of Physicians, he states that frequently in his lectures he had declared his opinion touching the motion of the heart and the circulation of the blood, and had for more than nine years confirmed and illustrated that discovery by reasons and arguments grounded on ocular demonstration. The attention of all Europe, and the keen opposition of many of its medical scholars, were at once aroused by Harvey's publication; but his doctrine triumphed over all objections, and before he died he had the happiness of seeing it fully established. Harvey was physician to James I. and Charles I., the latter of whom had a high regard for him; and at the outbreak of the civil war he adhered to the royal side, and quitted London with the king, attending him at the battle of Edgehill, and afterwards at Oxford. He died in 1658, it is said from the effects of opium which he had taken with suicidal intent, while suffering under the acute pangs of gout. Posterity has been more faithful and grateful than his own age to the greatest modern discoverer in medical science; for his discovery rather tended to push him back than to advance him in professional position. It has been said that "perhaps his researches took him out of the common road to popular eminence, and they seem to have exposed him to the prejudice so commonly prevailing against an innovator; for we find him complaining to a friend, that his practice considerably declined after the publication of his discovery."
SUNDAY SPORTS.
Rushworth relates that King James, in 1618, in his Declaration concerning Lawful Sports, said that in his progress through Lancashire he did justly rebuke some Puritans and precise people for the prohibiting and unlawful punishment of his good people for using their lawful recreations and honest exercises upon Sundays and other holidays, after the afternoon sermon or service. "With his own ears he heard the general complaint of his people, that they were barred from all lawful recreations and exercise upon the Sundays after noon;" which must produce two great evils,—the first, the hindering the conversion of many whom the clergy caused to believe that religion, and honest mirth and recreation, were incompatible. "The other inconvenience is, that this prohibition barreth the common and meaner sort of people from using such exercises as may make their bodies more able for war when his Majesty, or his successors, shall have occasion to use them; and in place thereof, sets up tippling and filthy drunkenness, and breeds a number of idle and discontented speeches in alehouses. For when shall the common people have leave to exercise, if not upon the Sundays and holidays, seeing they must apply their labour, and win their living, on all working days? Therefore, the King said, his express pleasure was that no lawful recreation should be barred to his good people which did not tend to the breach of the laws of this kingdom and the canons of the Church: that after the end of divine service his people be not disturbed, letted, or discouraged from any lawful recreation, such as dancing, either men or women; archery for men, leaping, vaulting, or any other such harmless recreation; nor from having of May-games, Whitson-ales, and Morice-dances; and the setting up of Maypoles, and other sports therewith used, so as the same be had in due and convenient time, without impediment or neglect of divine service. And that women should have leave to carry rushes to the church for the decoring of it, according to their old custom." But bull and bear baiting, "interludes," and bowling (at all times prohibited to the meaner sort), were forbidden; all known recusants who abstained from coming to service were barred the liberty of recreation, "being unworthy of any lawful recreation after the service, that would not first come to the church and serve God;" as were also all who, though conforming in religion, had not been present in church. Each person was to go to church, and join the sports, in his own parish; and no weapons of offence were to be carried or used.
Charles I., in 1633, gave command for the reading of the Book of Sports in the churches, which had not been done even by his father, and which gave great offence and stirred up much display of bad feeling. In London, after the reading, one clergyman went on immediately to read the Ten Commandments, and said, "Dearly beloved brethren, you have now heard the commandments of God and man; obey which you please." Another minister followed up the reading of the obnoxious ordinance by the delivery of a sermon on the Fourth Commandment.
THE SAINT'S BELL.
In their description of Westmoreland, Nicholson and Burn relate, that "in the old church at Ravenstonedale there was a small bell, called the Saint's Bell, which was wont to be rung after the Nicene creed, to call in the Dissenters to sermon. And to this day the Dissenters, besides frequenting the meeting-house, oftentimes attend the sermon in church."
SIR RICHARD JEBB.
Sir Richard Jebb, the famous physician, who was very rough and harsh in his manner, once observed to a patient to whom he had been extremely rude, "Sir, it is my way." "Then," returned his indignant patient, pointing to the door, "I beg you will make that your way!" Sir Richard being called to see a patient who fancied himself very ill, told him ingenuously what he thought, and declined prescribing for him. "Now you are here," said the patient, "I shall be obliged to you, Sir Richard, if you will tell me how I must live—what I may eat, and what I may not." "My directions as to that point," replied Sir Richard, "will be few and simple! You must not eat the poker, shovel, or tongs, for they are hard of digestion; nor the bellows, because they are windy; but eat anything else you please!"