Michael Servetus (1511-1553): Physician and heretic who described the pulmonary circulation

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the life of the physician and theologian Michael Servetus and to discuss his analysis of the pulmonary circulation. Writers have praised Servetus for his commitment to educating his colleagues about what he heralded as the truth, and criticized him for his perceived arrogance. Servetus made contributions to the fields of geography, astrology, theology, and medicine. This paper refers to the translation of a portion of Servetus' book Christianismi Restitutio by Charles D. O'Malley. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.