Richard Lower

Richard Lower

Portrait of Richard Lower

Birth date	1631
Birth place	St Tudy, Cornwall, England
Died	17 January 1691
Place of death	London, England
Nationality	English
Known for	Pioneering work in blood transfusion

Richard Lower (1631 – 17 January 1691) was an English physician and physiologist who is best known for his pioneering work in the field of blood transfusion. His experiments and observations laid the groundwork for future developments in transfusion medicine and cardiovascular physiology.

Early Life and Education

Richard Lower was born in 1631 in St Tudy, Cornwall, England. He was educated at Westminster School and later attended Christ Church, Oxford, where he studied under the tutelage of Thomas Willis, a prominent physician and anatomist. Lower earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1653 and his Doctor of Medicine degree in 1665.

Career and Contributions

Lower's career was marked by significant contributions to the understanding of the circulatory system and the practice of blood transfusion. He was a member of the Royal Society, an institution that played a crucial role in the advancement of scientific knowledge during the 17th century.

Blood Transfusion

Richard Lower is most renowned for his experiments with blood transfusion. In 1665, he performed one of the first successful blood transfusions between animals, transferring blood from one dog to another. This experiment demonstrated the feasibility of blood transfusion and opened the door to further research in the field.

In 1667, Lower collaborated with Jean-Baptiste Denis, a French physician, to perform one of the first documented human blood transfusions. They transfused blood from a sheep into a human patient, which was a groundbreaking achievement at the time. Although the practice of blood transfusion faced many challenges and controversies, Lower's work was foundational in the development of modern transfusion medicine.

Cardiovascular Physiology

Lower also made significant contributions to the understanding of cardiovascular physiology. He conducted experiments to study the function of the heart and the movement of blood through the body. His work provided insights into the mechanics of the heart and the role of the lungs in oxygenating blood.

Publications

Richard Lower authored several important works, including Tractatus de Corde (1669), which detailed his findings on the heart and blood circulation. This publication was influential in advancing the study of physiology and was widely read by his contemporaries.

Legacy

Richard Lower's pioneering work in blood transfusion and cardiovascular physiology had a lasting impact on the field of medicine. His experiments laid the groundwork for future advancements in transfusion medicine and contributed to the broader understanding of the circulatory system.

Also see

• Blood transfusion
• Jean-Baptiste Denis
• Thomas Willis
• Royal Society
• History of medicine