William Harvey as hepatologist.
Harvey's discovery of the general circulation of blood helped to displace the liver from its central role in Galenic physiology. His concept of hepatic function, however, followed the teachings of his predecessors. Harvey described the structure of the liver accurately, and he insisted on an unidirectional flow of blood in the liver, rejecting the traditional idea of bidirectional movement. Among his many prosections, Harvey noted the gross appearance of a range of hepatic diseases. He gave one of the earliest accounts of cirrhosis as a clinical-pathological entity.
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Department of Pathology, East Orange Veterans Medical Center, Newark, New Jersey.
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D004739:England; D049670:History, 17th Century; D008099:Liver / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D008102:Liver Circulation; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000266:history