FATE OF GERMINAL EPITHELIUM. 14! 



however, shows this to be true only in the early stages of degenera- 

 tion, for in all cases of abdominal retention for longer than 

 sixteen days the epididymis is actually smaller than the normal. 

 This may be accounted for by the supposition that absorption 

 rapidly removes the autolyzed portion of the degenerating 

 material, and at the same time concentrates the contents already 

 present in the tubules. On cutting one of these tubules and 

 expressing some of the contents it is seen to be of much thicker 

 consistency than that of the normal tubule. 



Sections through epididymi at various levels and with varying 

 periods of abdominal retention bear proof that the spermatozoa 

 degenerate very slowly; this process, however, varies somewhat 

 in the same organ, being slower in the thicker walled portion of 

 the ductus epididymis and more rapid in the efferent ducts. 

 In the vas sperm retained their integrity for 113 days, while in 

 the ampullae of the ductuli efferentes degeneration was apparent 

 after 20 days. In the process of degeneration the spermatozoa 

 first lose their head caps at which time they stain poorly, later 

 the tail separates and the body undergoes granular degeneration. 



Spermatozoa in Other Passages. As a part of the routine 

 examination of the urogenital passages of the animal at autopsy, 

 the seminal vesicles and urinary bladder were examined by 

 making fresh smears for the presence of spermatozoa. This 

 was done by aspirating some of the contents of the urinary 

 bladder with a hypodermic syringe and by opening the seminal 

 vesicles at various levels and making fresh mounts of the contents. 

 In no case were sperm found in the urinary bladder. In five 

 cases sperm were recorded from a seminal vesicle; in two cases 

 a single sperm was seen in each; in two cases the number was 

 described as "few;" and in one case they were abundant. 

 This observation was made before it was realized how very easy 

 it is to carry over sperm from a severed vas on scissors or instru- 

 ments. My observations, therefore, confirm the findings of 

 Fisher ('23) and Armstead ('25) who demonstrated that the 

 seminal vesicles in guinea pigs are not sperm reservoirs. In 

 two cases, when the animals were killed by a blow on the head 

 there appeared on the phallus a mass of material the size of a 

 pea, which to the feel was very rubbery, and which upon exam- 



