The stamp
This stamp was issued in Hungary in 1987. It is part of a series of stamps depicting famous doctors. It has a beautfully detailed picture of the heart and blood vessels. The design is by the Hungarian illustrator János Kass (1927-2010). It has a face value of four forint.
The doctor
William Harvey was born on 1 April 1578 in Ashford, Kent into Elizabethan England. He went to school in 1588, the same year as the Spanish Armada!
He was the royal doctor to King James I and King Charles I.
He is, of course, best known for his description of the circulation of blood and his book, De Mortu Cordis (1628).
The urology connection
In urology, William Harvey is better known for his description of the management of testicular tumours by tying off the blood supply of the testis (ligation of the cord).
← Back to Stamp Collection