WILLIAM HARVEY'S DISCOVERY OF BLOOD CIRCULATION: HISTORICAL FOUNDATIONS AND MODERN PHYSIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Abstract

William Harvey's discovery of blood circulation, published in De Motu Cordis (1628), stands as one of the most transformative achievements in the history of physiology. This article reviews the historical context, experimental methods, and core findings of Harvey's work, and explores their relevance to modern cardiovascular physiology. Through a comparative analysis of Harvey's original observations and contemporary physiological knowledge, this study demonstrates that Harvey's quantitative reasoning and experimental approach not only disproved the dominant Galenic model but also established the methodological foundation of modern experimental medicine. His discoveries underpin every core concept in cardiovascular physiology taught today.