METHODS FOR THE MANIPULATION OF OVA 63 



from the fimbriated end of the tubes a rather broad bored 

 capillary pipette is used; washing upward from the uterine 

 end requires a very fine pipette. The ova are washed into 

 Syracuse watch glasses and are easily observed under low 

 magnification of a dissecting microscope. 



In animals like the rat, mouse and guinea pig with coiled 

 tubes a different procedure is followed. Here the coiled 

 tubes are cut into several fairly straight portions and are 

 squeezed with a pair of fine iris forceps or stroked gently 

 with blunt needles. The contents of the tubal lumen are 

 extruded and the ova are found among the cellular 

 debris. 



Ova from the uterus are obtained simply by flushing the 

 uterine lumen with the washing fluid. 



Allen, Pratt, Newell and Bland (1930a) describe a method 

 for obtaining human tubal ova without removing the tubes 

 or uterus. ^'The ovaries were examined as soon as possible 

 after the abdominal cavity was opened. In some instances 

 the findings at operation necessitated removal of the most 

 recently ovulating ovary and its tube was not justified, the 

 tube was flushed in situ and the corpus luteum alone re- 

 moved from the ovary. This method consisted of clamping 

 the cervix with a special clamp and injecting isotonic saline 

 solution directly into the uterine cavity from above by 

 hypodermic syringe while first one and then the other uterine 

 tube was gently pinched by the assistant. The injected 

 solution in most cases flowed back freely through the tube 

 and was collected in a series of watch-glasses held beneath 

 the fimbriated end. Apparently the development of valve- 

 Hke folds of mucosa at the tubo-uterine junction as described 

 for several mammals by Lee (1928) is not appreciable in 

 woman. Usually from 10 to 30 c.c. was flushed through each 

 tube. The most recent corpus was carefully excised from 

 the ovary, and since it is a transitory structure, without 

 sacrificing any considerable amount of ovarian tissue. 



"It is believed that this method of flushing the tubes 

 in situ is harmless to uterus and tubes and opens up new 



