William Harvey was an English physician who is best known for his contributions to the field of medicine, particularly his discovery of the circulation of blood in the human body. He was born in 1578 and studied at the University of Padua in Italy, where he was influenced by the work of the anatomist and surgeon Hieronymus Fabricius. In 1628, Harvey published his groundbreaking work "De Motu Cordis" (On the Motion of the Heart and Blood), in which he described the circulation of blood through the body and the function of the heart as a pump. His work revolutionized the understanding of the cardiovascular system and laid the foundation for modern physiology. Harvey's discoveries had a profound impact on the practice of medicine and established him as one of the most important figures in the history of science.