Galen and the Anatomists
The Complete History of Science
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Aristotle's Anatomy and Physiology
Aristotle was a huge influence on future anatomists. He recognised the symmetrical architecture of the human body, distinguishing the right and left hand side. Aristotle also corrected the early Hippocratic belief that the brain was the centre of the cardiovascular system - instead recognising correctly the heart was the centre. Praxagoras made his own major contribution to anatomy in that he was the first person to distinguish between veins and arteries. The ideas of Aristotle were then taken up by other Greek thinkers.
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