Complete Record - Heirs of Hippocrates No. 731

WILLIAM WOTTON (1666-1727) Reflections upon ancient and modern learning. Printed by J. Leake for Peter Buck 1694 [32] 359 pp. 19.1 cm.

Wotton, chaplain to the Earl of Nottingham, prepared this book, in part as an answer to Sir William Temple's (1628-1699) Ancient and modern learning (London, 1692) and because he felt that "it might be some way subservient to Religion it self" (Preface, p. [13]). In it Wotton summarizes discoveries in the natural and physical sciences and includes several chapters on subjects with medical interest. Of particular importance is Chapter XVIII on circulation of the blood which contains the first printing of Servetus' (see No. 274) passage on the lesser circulation from Christianismi restitutio. The passage had been completely overlooked for nearly a century until Charles Bernard, an English surgeon, called it to Wotton's attention.

See Related Record(s): 274

Cited references: Cushing W282 (2nd ed., 1697); Osler 5602 (2nd ed.)

Gift of John Martin, M.D.