SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES 



KKLATIXG TO 



ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY 



(principally invertebrata and cryptogamia), 



MICROSCOPY Etc.* 



ZOOLOGY. 



VERTEBRATA. 

 a. Embryology, f 



Function of Corpus Luteum in Relation to Insertion of Ova in 

 Uterus4 — Dr. L. Fraenkel and F. Cohn have made a number of experi- 

 ments which support an interesting theory suggested by the late Prof. 

 G. Born shortly before his death. The theory was that the corpus 

 luteum had in part a glandular significance, secreting into the blood 

 substances which prepare the uterus for the attachment of the ovum, 

 and give an impulse to the changes associated with pregnancy. 



The authors regard the following facts concerning the rabbit's sexual 

 processes as certain : — (1) On the day of parturition ( Wurf) an ovulation 

 occurs, and a large number of ripe follicles burst ; (2) on this day the 

 doe readily yields to the buck ; (3) the insemination is fertile in about 

 00 p.c. of cases ; (4) the fertilisation of the ova follows within 24 hours 

 in the Fallopian tubo ; and (5) the insertion of the ova in the uterus is 

 effected in about six days. By removing both ovaries during these 

 six days the authors pre vented pregnancy in the thirteen cases experi- 

 mented on. To the objection that the severity of the disturbance might 

 be a sufficient cause of the absence of pregnancy, they answer that, when 

 one ovary was removed, in nine cases pregnancy occurred in two-thirds 

 of the cases. They conclude that the ovary, besides being an egg-pro- 

 ducing organ, has a glandular function associated with pregnancy. 



After removal of both ovaries, they injected corpus-luteum-extract, 

 but no conclusive results followed from this experiment. With a 

 galvanocaustic needle they destroyed all the corpora lutea in eight 

 cases, and no pregnancy occurred. There seems some basis, therefore, 

 for the theory that the lutein-tissua is essential in preparing the uterus 

 for the implantation of the ova. 



* The Society are not intended to be denrted by tbe editorial " we," and they do 

 not hold themselves responsible for tbe views of the authors of the papers noted, 

 nor for any claim to novelty or otherwise made l>y them. The object of this part of 

 the Journal is to present a summary of the papers as actually published, and 1o 

 describe and illustrate Instruments, Apparatus, &c, which are eitber new orhavi 

 not been previously described in this country. 



t This section "includes not only papers relating to Embryology properly bo called, 

 but also those dealing with Evolution, Development, Reproduction, and allied subject*. 



% Anat. Anzcig., xx. (1001) pp. 294-300. 



