Page:The Harveian oration - delivered at the Royal College of Physicians June 24, 1882 - by George Johnson (IA b21517046).pdf/10

 6 for two centuries and a half has by almost universal consent been conceded to him, and to claim for the Italian Cesalpino (Latin, Casal- pinus) the credit of having anticipated Harvey in the discovery and demonstration of the circula- tion of the blood. These attempts to exalt Cesal- pino at the expense of Harvey have been referred to and refuted by the late Dr. R. Willis, in his admirable volume entitled William Harvey' (London, 1878). But the subject is so important and so full of interest for this college that it may well occupy all the time at my disposal to-day.

It will be remembered that Dr. Sieveking, in his interesting oration delivered in 1877, referred to the fact that a monument in honour of Cesal- pino had recently been unveiled in Rome. I am indebted to the kindness of Dr. Pantaleoni, the eminent Roman physician and senator, for a copy of the two orations which, at the inaugura- tion of that monument, were delivered in the presence of a large assembly of learned professors and other eminent and representative men of Italy. The orators were Professors Scalzi and

1 Inaugurazione della lapide ad Andrea Cesalpino; due discorsi letti in questa occasione dai Prof. F. Scalzi e C. Maggiorani. Roma, 1876.