Ten fun facts about William Harvey

Fact 1
William Harvey was born in Folkestone on 1 April 1578 and died on 3 June 1657.

Fact 2
He was the first to entirely define the details of the systemic flow and characteristics of blood being pushed to the body by the heart.

Fact 3
After he died, the William Harvey Hospital was built in Ashford, close to his birthplace of Folkestone.

Fact 4
At the age of 24, Harvey graduated as a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Padua on 25 April 1602.

Fact 5
Apart from his love for literature, William Harvey was also a passionate and devoted observer of birds when he was free.

Fact 6
In 1628 he published his complete dissertation on the circulation of blood, the De Motu Cordis.

Fact 7
After his death, he was buried in Hempstead, Essex

Fact 8
In describing his personality, it is said that William Harvey was a funny but extremely accurate person who was often so engrossed in his own thoughts that he would suffer from insomnia that he then cured with by walking through the house. He was also always willing for an open and direct conversation.

Fact 9
William Harvey was appointed as the 'Physician Extraordinary' to King James I on 3 February 1618. He also served various aristocrats, including Lord Chancellor Bacon.

Fact 10
He obtained the degree of Doctor of Medicine from the University of Cambridge and established himself in London after joining the College of Physicians on 5 October 1604.