Richard Lower was the first to note the difference between arterial and venous blood. And he supported his findings with research Christopher Wren had done in the field of human blood transfusions.
Personal history
Richard Lower was born on the family estate at Tremeer near Bodmin in Cornwall in 1631. His fascination for the natural world and the human body led him to study medicine at Christ Church, Oxford. He graduated with flying colours, and set up a practice in London. He also gained the title of Fellow of Royal Society.
Professional life
Richard’s interest lay with experimental physiology. This included the workings of the human heart, lungs and nervous system. He first experimented with the process of directing blood from the vein of one dog to another. He was the first Western physician to do so. This he first tested on sheep. The success was encouraging. And in 1666 he transferred the operation to human subjects after a long search for someone willing to be transfused.
Royal appointment
Charles II was so impressed with Richard’s work that he was appointed to the royal court to care for the king in the last years of his life. After Charles’ death, Lower was not invited to the court of James II, as his anti-Catholic views were unpopular with the king and country.
Richard Lower’s legacy
Lower retreated and retired to his home county, Cornwall, where he spent the remainder of his life. He bequeathed his wealth to where his heart and religious beliefs lay – St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London and to French Huguenots and Irish Protestant refugees.
Thanks to Lower, we use over 2.5 million units of blood in the UK for transfusions. Thus saving thousands of lives. And all thanks to the work of one of Cornwall’s famous sons, Richard Lower.
