Page:The Harveian oration - delivered at the Royal College of Physicians June 24, 1882 - by George Johnson (IA b21517046).pdf/15

11 could add to Cesalpino's prior and complete demonstration. Referring to the Life of Harvey prefixed to the Latin edition of his works which was published by the Royal College of Physicians in 1766, Dr. Ceradini says: 'It lacked the foundation of truth, and therefore, notwithstanding the efforts of the biographer and of his natural allies, the whole College of Physicians, the defence of Harvey was so void of reason, so audaciously partial, so utterly valueless." 1

The author admits with regret that some eminent physiologists had pronounced in favour of the claims of Harvey to be the real discoverer of the circulation of the blood; but this erroneous verdict he attributes either to ignorance or to bad faith. In particular he declares his belief that the illustrious Haller 2 and two of Mancava però al biografo il fondamento della verità, ed ecco perchè malgrado gli sforzi suoi e quelli dei naturali suoi alleati, i colleghi tutti del Collegio Medico di Londra, la difesa di Harvey riesciva cosi vuota di ragioni, cosi sfacciatamente parziale, cosi nulla' (p. 278). 2 Haller's judgment was as follows: Adparet non Casalpino, ob paucas aliquas et obscuri sensus voces sed Harveio, numerosissi- morum experimentorum laborioso auctori, gravique scriptori argu- mentorum omnium quæ ex ævo proferri poterant immortalem gloriam inventi circuitus sanguinis debori.'-Elementa Physiologia, vol. i. L. III. sect. 3, § 32. Upon this Dr. Ceradini remarks: Singolare giudizio davvero!