George Ent
Encyclopedia
George Ent was an English scientist in the seventeenth century who focused on the study of anatomy
. He was a member of the Royal Society
and the Royal College of Physicians
. Ent is best known for his associations with William Harvey
, particularly his Apologia pro circulatione sanguinis, a defense of Harvey’s work.
to avoid religious persecution.
As a boy, Ent went to school in Wallachia
and Rotterdam
, but attended college in England
. He left for college in April 1624, and received his BA from Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
in 1627 and his MA four years later. Following his graduation from Sidney, he spent five years at the University of Padua
, earning his MD in 1636.
On 25 June 1639, Sir George Ent became a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians
and remained a fellow for the duration of his life. In addition, he served as a censor from 1645 to 1669 (with gaps in service in 1650, 1652, and 1658), a Registrar from 1655 to 1670, and Consiliarius from 1667 to 1669 and 1676 to 1686. He was elected President of the Royal College of Physicians in 1670 and held the position for five years. He also served on 17 August 1682 and 28 May 1684. Ent was also elected to the Royal Society
as an Original Fellow on 22 April 1663.
On 10 October 1646, Ent married Sarah, the daughter of a former president of the Royal College, Dr. Othowell Meverell.
Ent was also known as an author, a scholar, and an anatomist. He was widely reputed to be exceptionally eloquent, particularly in Latin. He wrote a number of books, the most prominent of which is probably his Apologia, the first book Ent ever published. In addition, he both studied and gave lectures on anatomy. In 1665, his anatomy lectures at the Royal College of Physicians were observed by King Charles II, who knighted him in April of the same year. This remains the only instance in which a man was actually knighted inside the Royal College.
Although born twenty-six years after him, Ent was a close friend of William Harvey
, a man known best for his discovery of the circulation of blood. Ent met Harvey in Venice
, shortly after his graduation from Padua. His Apologia was a defense of Harvey's theory of circulation, and Ent is credited with convincing Harvey to release his de Generatione Animalium, which was actually edited and published by Ent.
Ent is also known for his correspondence with Cassiano dal Pozzo
, who sent Ent fossilized wood specimens, including a tabletop made of petrified wood. Ent showed them to the Royal Society, where they led to increased interest in the origin of fossils.
Ent died in his house in St Giles-in-the-Fields on 13 October 1689 at the age of 84.
, and he is considered to be one of Harvey’s successors in the study of anatomy. Ent’s best known theories build on Harvey’s work, while the rest of Ent’s work spans a wide spectrum of knowledge.
Written in 1641, the Apologia pro circulatione sanguinis, Ent’s most significant work on anatomy
, defends the theories of William Harvey
’s book de Motu Cordis
(On the Circulation of the Blood), directly responding to the criticism of Emilius Parisianus. This book is significant both on the merits of Ent's own anatomical theories and because it offered one of the first in-depth defenses of Harvey’s work.
In the Apologia, Ent elaborates on Harvey’s theories on circulation
, suggesting that a “nutritive fluid” nourishes the body by passing through the nerves. Ent draws on John Mayow
’s theories on innate heat and respiration
in his discussion of the nervous system
. In addition to Harvey’s work, Ent references both ancient and contemporary sources, particularly mentioning writers discussing topics now considered occult, whom Harvey dismissed.
The Sive animadversiones in Malachias Thrustoni contains Ent’s analysis of Malachi Thruston’s theories on respiration. While containing a reasonable critique, the original theories Ent puts forth in this work do not go beyond those expressed in his Apologia, making this work less significant than the Apologia as an original expression.
at the Royal College of Physicians
in 1665. He is known for being one of only two lecturers to have left his lecture notes in English. After a lecture in April, which the King attended, Ent received a knighthood.
From 1637-1655, Ent corresponded with Cassiano dal Pozzo
concerning fossil wood
.
Published in 1687, near the end of Ent’s lifetime, the Opera Omnia Medico-Physica (All Medical-Physical Works) contains a collection of Ent’s works.
Ent’s nonscientific works include a range of topics. The Grounds of Unity in Religion comments on the relationship of the English government and the Church of England
, discussing the position of people of different faiths with the political and religious framework. The Manner of Hatching Chicken at Cairo, on which he collaborated with John Graves, describes a method of using heat from ovens to force eggs to hatch.
Anatomy
Anatomy is a branch of biology and medicine that is the consideration of the structure of living things. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy , and plant anatomy...
. He was a member of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
and the Royal College of Physicians
Royal College of Physicians
The Royal College of Physicians of London was founded in 1518 as the College of Physicians by royal charter of King Henry VIII in 1518 - the first medical institution in England to receive a royal charter...
. Ent is best known for his associations with William Harvey
William Harvey
William Harvey was an English physician who was the first person to describe completely and in detail the systemic circulation and properties of blood being pumped to the body by the heart...
, particularly his Apologia pro circulatione sanguinis, a defense of Harvey’s work.
Biography
Sir George Ent was born on 6 November 1604 in Sandwich, Kent. He was the son of a Belgian immigrant, Josias Ent (sometimes called John Ent), who had come to EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to avoid religious persecution.
As a boy, Ent went to school in Wallachia
Wallachia
Wallachia or Walachia is a historical and geographical region of Romania. It is situated north of the Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians...
and Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
, but attended college in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He left for college in April 1624, and received his BA from Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
Sidney Sussex College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in England.The college was founded in 1596 and named after its foundress, Frances Sidney, Countess of Sussex. It was from its inception an avowedly Puritan foundation: some good and godlie moniment for the mainteynance...
in 1627 and his MA four years later. Following his graduation from Sidney, he spent five years at the University of Padua
University of Padua
The University of Padua is a premier Italian university located in the city of Padua, Italy. The University of Padua was founded in 1222 as a school of law and was one of the most prominent universities in early modern Europe. It is among the earliest universities of the world and the second...
, earning his MD in 1636.
On 25 June 1639, Sir George Ent became a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians
Royal College of Physicians
The Royal College of Physicians of London was founded in 1518 as the College of Physicians by royal charter of King Henry VIII in 1518 - the first medical institution in England to receive a royal charter...
and remained a fellow for the duration of his life. In addition, he served as a censor from 1645 to 1669 (with gaps in service in 1650, 1652, and 1658), a Registrar from 1655 to 1670, and Consiliarius from 1667 to 1669 and 1676 to 1686. He was elected President of the Royal College of Physicians in 1670 and held the position for five years. He also served on 17 August 1682 and 28 May 1684. Ent was also elected to the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
as an Original Fellow on 22 April 1663.
On 10 October 1646, Ent married Sarah, the daughter of a former president of the Royal College, Dr. Othowell Meverell.
Ent was also known as an author, a scholar, and an anatomist. He was widely reputed to be exceptionally eloquent, particularly in Latin. He wrote a number of books, the most prominent of which is probably his Apologia, the first book Ent ever published. In addition, he both studied and gave lectures on anatomy. In 1665, his anatomy lectures at the Royal College of Physicians were observed by King Charles II, who knighted him in April of the same year. This remains the only instance in which a man was actually knighted inside the Royal College.
Although born twenty-six years after him, Ent was a close friend of William Harvey
William Harvey
William Harvey was an English physician who was the first person to describe completely and in detail the systemic circulation and properties of blood being pumped to the body by the heart...
, a man known best for his discovery of the circulation of blood. Ent met Harvey in Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, shortly after his graduation from Padua. His Apologia was a defense of Harvey's theory of circulation, and Ent is credited with convincing Harvey to release his de Generatione Animalium, which was actually edited and published by Ent.
Ent is also known for his correspondence with Cassiano dal Pozzo
Cassiano dal Pozzo
Cassiano dal Pozzo was an Italian scholar and patron of arts. The secretary of Cardinal Francesco Barberini, he was an antiquary in the classicizing circle of Rome, and a long-term friend and patron of Nicolas Poussin, whom he supported from his earliest arrival in Rome: Poussin in a letter...
, who sent Ent fossilized wood specimens, including a tabletop made of petrified wood. Ent showed them to the Royal Society, where they led to increased interest in the origin of fossils.
Ent died in his house in St Giles-in-the-Fields on 13 October 1689 at the age of 84.
Works and Theories
George Ent’s significance lies mainly in his contributions to the works of others, particularly his critiques. He is known as one of the closest friends and first defenders of William HarveyWilliam Harvey
William Harvey was an English physician who was the first person to describe completely and in detail the systemic circulation and properties of blood being pumped to the body by the heart...
, and he is considered to be one of Harvey’s successors in the study of anatomy. Ent’s best known theories build on Harvey’s work, while the rest of Ent’s work spans a wide spectrum of knowledge.
Apologia pro circulatione sanguinis
Translation: Defense on Behalf of the Circulation of the Blood.Written in 1641, the Apologia pro circulatione sanguinis, Ent’s most significant work on anatomy
Anatomy
Anatomy is a branch of biology and medicine that is the consideration of the structure of living things. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy , and plant anatomy...
, defends the theories of William Harvey
William Harvey
William Harvey was an English physician who was the first person to describe completely and in detail the systemic circulation and properties of blood being pumped to the body by the heart...
’s book de Motu Cordis
Exercitatio Anatomica de Motu Cordis et Sanguinis in Animalibus
Exercitatio Anatomica de Motu Cordis et Sanguinis in Animalibus, is the best-known work of the physician William Harvey. The book was first published in 1628 and established the circulation of the blood. It is a landmark in the history of physiology. Just as important as its substance was its...
(On the Circulation of the Blood), directly responding to the criticism of Emilius Parisianus. This book is significant both on the merits of Ent's own anatomical theories and because it offered one of the first in-depth defenses of Harvey’s work.
In the Apologia, Ent elaborates on Harvey’s theories on circulation
Circulatory system
The circulatory system is an organ system that passes nutrients , gases, hormones, blood cells, etc...
, suggesting that a “nutritive fluid” nourishes the body by passing through the nerves. Ent draws on John Mayow
John Mayow
John Mayow FRS was a chemist, physician, and physiologist who is remembered today for conducting early research into respiration and the nature of air...
’s theories on innate heat and respiration
Respiration (physiology)
'In physiology, respiration is defined as the transport of oxygen from the outside air to the cells within tissues, and the transport of carbon dioxide in the opposite direction...
in his discussion of the nervous system
Nervous system
The nervous system is an organ system containing a network of specialized cells called neurons that coordinate the actions of an animal and transmit signals between different parts of its body. In most animals the nervous system consists of two parts, central and peripheral. The central nervous...
. In addition to Harvey’s work, Ent references both ancient and contemporary sources, particularly mentioning writers discussing topics now considered occult, whom Harvey dismissed.
Sive animadversiones in Malachias Thrustoni
Translation: Or Observations against Malachi Thruston.The Sive animadversiones in Malachias Thrustoni contains Ent’s analysis of Malachi Thruston’s theories on respiration. While containing a reasonable critique, the original theories Ent puts forth in this work do not go beyond those expressed in his Apologia, making this work less significant than the Apologia as an original expression.
Lectures on Anatomy
Ent gave several lectures on anatomyAnatomy
Anatomy is a branch of biology and medicine that is the consideration of the structure of living things. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy , and plant anatomy...
at the Royal College of Physicians
Royal College of Physicians
The Royal College of Physicians of London was founded in 1518 as the College of Physicians by royal charter of King Henry VIII in 1518 - the first medical institution in England to receive a royal charter...
in 1665. He is known for being one of only two lecturers to have left his lecture notes in English. After a lecture in April, which the King attended, Ent received a knighthood.
Other Works
Mantissa anatomica combines of three of Ent's studies on anatomy – Lophius, Galeus, and Rana. He assembled these as part of an intended broad study of anatomy in the 1650s that never further materialized.From 1637-1655, Ent corresponded with Cassiano dal Pozzo
Cassiano dal Pozzo
Cassiano dal Pozzo was an Italian scholar and patron of arts. The secretary of Cardinal Francesco Barberini, he was an antiquary in the classicizing circle of Rome, and a long-term friend and patron of Nicolas Poussin, whom he supported from his earliest arrival in Rome: Poussin in a letter...
concerning fossil wood
Fossil wood
Fossil wood is wood that is preserved in the fossil record. Over time the wood will usually be the part of a plant that is best preserved...
.
Published in 1687, near the end of Ent’s lifetime, the Opera Omnia Medico-Physica (All Medical-Physical Works) contains a collection of Ent’s works.
Ent’s nonscientific works include a range of topics. The Grounds of Unity in Religion comments on the relationship of the English government and the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
, discussing the position of people of different faiths with the political and religious framework. The Manner of Hatching Chicken at Cairo, on which he collaborated with John Graves, describes a method of using heat from ovens to force eggs to hatch.