Page:The Works of William Harvey (part 1 of 2).djvu/482

 such foresight, art, and divine intelligence, wherefore should we not, with equal propriety, admit an exalted nature in the blood, and think at least as highly of it as we have been led to do of the semen ? the rather, as this fluid is itself produced from the blood, as appears from the history of the egg; and the whole organized body not only derives its origin, as from a genital part, but even appears to owe its preservation to the blood.

We have, indeed, already said so much incidentally above, intending to speak on the subject more particularly at another time. Nor do I think that we are here to dispute whether it is strictly correct to speak of the blood as a part ; some deny the propriety of such language, moved especially by the con- sideration that it is not sensible, and that it flows into all parts of the body to supply them with nourishment. For myself, however, I have discovered not a few things connected with the manner of generation which differ essentially from those mo- tions which philosophers and medical writers generally either admit or reject. At this time I say no more on this point ; but though I admit the blood to be without sensation, it does not follow that it should not form a portion, and even a very principal portion, of a body which is endowed with sensibility. For neither does the brain nor the spinal marrow, nor the crys- talline or the vitreous humour of the eye, feel anything, though, by the common consent of all, philosophers and physi- cians alike, these are parts of the body. Aristotle placed the blood among the partes similares ; Hippocrates, as the animal body according to him is made up of containing, contained, and impelling parts, of course reckoned the blood among the number of parts contained.

But we shall have more to say on this topic when we treat of that wherein a part consists, and how many kinds of parts there are. Meantime, I cannot be silent on the remarkable fact, that the heart itself, this most distinguished member in the body, appears to be insensible.

A young nobleman, eldest son of the Viscount Montgomery, when a child, had a severe fall, attended with fracture of the ribs of the left side. The consequence of this was a suppurat- ing abscess, which went on discharging abundantly for a long time, from an immense gap in his side ; this I had from him- self and other credible persons who were witnesses. Between