ABSTRACT
William Harvey now takes centre stage, and his route from Hastings to Cambridge and then to Padua is followed. In Padua of course he came under the teaching of Fabricius, the professor of anatomy, and became besotted with his Aristotelian research programme. Returning to London Harvey had to make a living as a physician, and in time became a royal physician to Charles I, where he had striking access to the king. Harvey also became the physician to St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London. He became a Fellow of the College of Physicians and was appointed their lecturer in anatomy, a post he held for many years. And with all this he also pursued, at home or the college, a private anatomical research programme.
