236 GREGOR T. POPA. 



cate that the granulosa cells (including presumably the ovum) 

 do not contain sufficient of the substance to give the reaction. 

 It was also shown that blood does not yield the reaction. It is 

 therefore necessary to suppose that the substance responsible for 







the reaction is a modified product of either the blood or the 

 granulosa cells plus the ovum, or of both, and does not exist as 

 such in any of these objects; or that it is a substance which 

 gradually accumulates in the follicular fluid. In favor of the 

 hypothesis that the active substance originates from the cells 

 of the follicle including the egg is the observation that follicular 

 fluid from atretic follicles does not yield the reaction. The ovary 

 of the cow frequently contains follicles filled with a clear colorless 

 liquid; such follicles do not contain any granulosa cells or any 

 ovum. They are readily recognized by the colorless watery 

 appearance of the contained fluid. This fluid however invariably 

 fails to yield the coagulating reaction, eleven cases having been 

 tested. 



The active substance in the follicular fluid does not appear 

 to be identical with the fertilizin of Lillie in its properties. For 

 instance, fertilizin is stated to be very resistant to heat, while 

 the follicular substance as shown above loses its coagulating 

 property when heated to 56 C. 



2. Whatever may be the role played by the coagulating sub- 

 stance in the process of fertilization I believe that it may have 

 another secondary function which does not necessarily exclude 

 the first suggestion. I am inclined to think that the follicular 

 fluid may serve to protect the peritoneum against possible in- 

 fection by infected spermatozoa. 



I have made a number of observations on the life and behavior 

 of spermatozoa in various media and particularly in follicular 

 fluid. From these experiments it appears that the spermatozoa 

 furnish a very good medium for the growth of bacteria. After 

 standing for three or four hours at room temperature sperm 

 suspensions were seen to contain many cocci and bacilli: and 

 after twenty-four hours they were swarming with microorganisms. 

 For this reason spermatozoa live much longer at low than at 

 higher temperatures. Spermatozoa will live for several days in 

 small glass tubes if they are kept in the refrigerator, but only for 



