THE ALUMNI JOURNAL. 



raveled, it is found that a single tube 

 measures about 30 inches in length. 

 These tubes all unite into about thirty 

 larger ones, called vasa recta. These 

 latter now pass out of the testicle, and 

 form a series of small conical masses, the 

 epididymus, from thence they pass on up 

 through the spermatic cord to the urethra 

 at its prostatic portion. 



At the base of the bladder are situated 

 two small sacs, the vesicular seminalis, 

 and it is here that the semen is stored up 

 until it is ejaculated. 



The Spermatozoids are the essential 

 male elements of generation, and are de- 

 veloped in the testicle. In the healthy 

 male, at the climax of a normal venereal 

 orgasm, 11 to 92 grains of seminal fluid 

 are ejaculated from the urethra. I shall 

 confine myself to a description of only 

 the essential element of generation con- 

 tained in this fluid. Indeed, the other 

 constituents are of no importance what- 

 ever. 



Spermaiozoids were discovered by Van- 

 Hansen in 1677. They present a flat- 

 tened, conoidal head and a long, taper- 

 ing tail. The tail is in active motion, 

 which propels these little bodies into the 

 channels of fecundation in the female. 



Microscopical examination does not 

 reveal any very distinct structure in the 

 substance of the spermatozoid. They 

 consist of a head, an intermediary seg- 

 ment, a tail and a terminal filament. 



Fecundation Development of the Ovum. 

 — As to how the spermatozoid gains ac- 

 cess to the ovum, it is only necessary to 

 state that coitus is possible through erec- 

 tion of the penis and its entrance into the 

 vagina of the female. 



There are, of course, modifications in 

 the detail of this act: but I need not dis- 

 cuss them here. 



Fecundation usually takes place in the 

 dilated portion of the fallopian tube. It 

 probably never takes place in the uterus. 



Although it may occur at any time, im- 

 mediately before or after the menstrual 

 period is the most favorable time for it. 

 An orgasm on the part of the female is not 

 essential to conception, still there can be 

 no doubt that the occurrence of this 

 phenomena is favorable to it. 



Union of the Male and Feynale Ele- 

 vients. — In the ova of certain animals, an 

 opening called the micropyle, has been 

 demonstrated in the vitelline membrane. 

 Its existence is to be inferred only in the 

 human ovum. It is certain that the 

 spermatozoid gains entrance to the vitel- 

 lus but just how many it is necessary to 

 fecundate a human ovum is not known. 

 All that can be said upon this point is that 

 there probably is a direct union between 

 the two generative elements, soon to be 

 followed by the series of charges involved 

 in the first process of development. 



There are many questions connected 

 with hereditary transmission which have 

 no reasonable explanation in science. 



The question of the influences that 

 determine the sex of a child, the visita- 

 tion upon an offspring of deformities and 

 peculiarities such as spoken of in Oliver 

 Wendel Holmes' Elsie Venner, etc., etc., 

 would lead simply to a recital of remark- 

 able facts with no explanation for them. 



A peculiar, and it seems to be an inex- 

 plicable fact is that previous pregencies 

 have an influence upon offsprings. This 

 is a fact well known among cattle and 

 dog breeders. 



What the mechanism of the influence 

 of the first conception is, it is impossible 

 to say, but the fact is incontestable. 



The same influence is observed in the 

 human subject. A woman may have, by 

 a second husband, children who resemble 

 a former husband. Indeed a white woman 

 who has had children by a negro may 

 subsequently bear children to a white 

 man, these children presenting some 

 of the unmistakable peculiarities of the 



