Franciscus Sylvius was a Dutch physician and scientist who was an early champion of Descartes', Van Helmont's and William Harvey's work and theories. He was one of the earliest defenders of the theory of circulation of the blood in the Netherlands, and commonly falsely cited as the inventor of gin – others pinpoint the origin of gin to Italy.

Gin is a distilled alcoholic drink flavoured with juniper berries and other botanical ingredients.