The Circulatory System

School Library Journal

Gr 7-10-- The subtitle here is somewhat misleading, as the book traces the history of our understanding of the circulatory system back to the early Egyptians, well before the time of William Harvey. But such quibblings aside, this is a valuable introduction to the development of scientific theory and current understanding of the human body. The text is highly readable, written in a lively, easy narrative style incorporating both the historic perspective and information about the basic workings of the system. Social conditions of the times and their bearings on research and discovery convey to readers how large a role politics can play in scientific explorations. Current research on heart transplantation and the artificial heart is touched on, but for more information readers should consult Melvin Berger's The Artificial Heart (Watts, 1987) instead. Black-and-white woodcuts and engravings of the early scientists and their work plus photographs and diagrams of the modern men and technologies illustrate the book. Coupled with the above title, this would provide a good in-depth understanding of the advances in this aspect of medical science. --Denise L. Moll, Lone Pine Elementary School, West Bloomfield, Mich.