Page:The Harveian oration - delivered at the Royal College of Physicians June 24, 1882 - by George Johnson (IA b21517046).pdf/68

 new evidence which Harvey could adduce in proof of the circulation, he maintains that the valves in the veins are not at all necessary for the circulation of the blood ('Le valvole delle vene non sono punto necessarie alla circolazione del sangue,' p. 202). Perhaps it has not happened to the learned Professor of Physiology to witness the many distressing and even fatal consc- quences of the impeded circulation that result from such a dilated and varicose condition of the veins as renders their valves incompetent to prevent the reflux and backward gravitation of the blood.

The best piece of criticism in Dr. Ceradini's book is that to be found at the commencement of the first chapter, in which, after referring to a tablet in the Veterinary Institute of the University of Bologna, attributing to Carlo Ruini the discovery of the circula- tion of the blood, he mercilessly exposes the plagiarisms of Ruini and demonstrates the utter absurdity of the attempt to make of him a great discoverer. At the end of the chapter (p. 74) he expresses a hope, in which he believes that every friend of truth and justice will join, that the lying inscription (l'epigrafe menzognera) which speaks of Ruini as the discoverer of the circulation may be removed from the walls of the University of Bologna. It is somewhat embarrassing for zealous patriots that Italy should simultaneously havo monuments in honour of two supposed discoverers of the circulation that of Cesalpino at Rome, and that of Ruini at Bologna.

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