Complete Record - Heirs of Hippocrates No. 565

ROBERT BOYLE (1627-1691) Memoirs for the natural history of humane blood. Printed for Samuel Smith 1683/4 [16] 289 [7] pp. 16.1 cm.

For more information on this author or work, see number: 564

The present work is Boyle's most important medical contribution and is one of the first to deal with the scientific analysis of the blood. Bloodletting was still quite common at the time, so Boyle had little difficulty obtaining blood for his experiments. In his analysis of the blood, Boyle includes its properties of taste, temperature, combustibility, and weight and also mentions its serous and red portions, volatile and fixed salts, oil, mucus content, etc. He discusses human and animal blood, and describes a series of experiments to test the anticoagulating properties of various substances. Boyle also provides a series of remedies prepared from blood for a wide variety of ailments from hysteria and epilepsy to coughs and other respiratory complaints.

Cited references: Cushing B579; Garrison-Morton 861 (1683 ed.); Waller 1388; Wellcome II, p. 223 (1684 ed.)

Gift of John Martin, M.D.