This volume investigates the historical development and scientific validation of the theory of blood circulation. Editors Alfred P. Fishman and Dickinson W. Richards compile a series of foundational texts and analytical essays that trace the evolution of physiological understanding from antiquity to the modern era. By examining the contributions of key figures such as William Harvey, the authors provide a rigorous framework for understanding how empirical observation replaced speculative medical dogma.

Experts recognize this collection as a foundational resource for students and historians of medicine. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose and the meticulous nature of the historical documentation provided.