Page:Reflections upon ancient and modern learning (IA b3032449x).pdf/254

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214
Reflections upon

Some Years after appeared Andreas Cæsalpinus, who printed his Peripatetical Questions at Venice, in Quarto, in 1571. And afterwards with his Medical Questions, at the same Place, in 1593. He is rather more particular than Columbus, especially in examining how Arteries and Veins joyn at their Extremities; which he supposes to be by opening their Mouths into each other: And he uses the Word Circulation in his Peripatetical Questions, which had never been used in that Sence before. He also takes notice, that the Blood swells below the Ligature in veins, and urges that in Confirmation of his Opinion.

At last, Dr. William Harvey printed a Discourse on purpose, upon this Subject, at Francfort, in 1628. This Notion had only been occasionally and slightly treated of by Columbus and Cæsalpinus, who themselves, in all probability, did not know the Consequence of what they asserted; and therefore it was never applied to other Purposes, either to shew the Uses of the other Viscera, or to explain the Natures of Diseases: Neither, for any Thing that appears at this Day, had they made any Numbers of Experiments, which were necessary to explain their Doctrine, and to clear it from Op-position.