EFFECTS ON THE FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE TRACT 393 



observations upon hibernation, etc., which are placed at the end of this 

 section. 



Nussbaum ('80) found that in underfed frog larvae with retarded growth 

 of the body the gonads appeared to have persisted in development, so as to be 

 as large as in full-fed controls. 



Morpurgo ('88, '89, '89a) found mitoses persisting during extreme inanition 

 in the ovary of rabbits of various ages, especially in the larger Graafian follicles. 

 No differences were apparent in rabbits refed after a period of inanition. 



Cuenot ('94) cited cases of sterility in cattle and sheep, as a result of under- 

 nourishment. Beneke, on the other hand, stated that fattened trout are not 

 suitable for breeding, although they lay many eggs; hence fish raisers improve 

 them by fasting. 



The work of Motrochin, who is said to have studied degenerative lesions in 

 the ovary during inanition, was inaccessible; likewise the work of Pyotroff ('97) 

 on the changes in the ovaries of rabbits and dogs during starvation and refeeding. 

 The latter reference, however, evidently corresponds to Petrow ('97). 



Petrow ('97) made a careful study of the ovarian changes during fasting 

 (body loss 20-47 P er cent) in 3 dogs and 12 rabbits, the latter mostly sisters 

 about 6 months old; also after refeeding and in normal controls. During starva- 

 tion, the germinal epithelium was found partly lost. In the cortex, the primor- 

 dial and developing follicles and ova appeared normal in number and structure, 

 with persistent mitoses in the granulosa cells; but in certain areas of the medulla 

 the epithelial cells presented albuminous (granular), later fatty, degeneration 

 and finally complete necrosis. Vacuolation and fatty degeneration were also 

 found persistent in the refed rabbits. 



Lebrun ('02) held that inanition plays an important role in the maturation 

 of the ovum in certain amphibia {Alytes obstetricans and Salamandra maculosa) 

 and invertebrates. "L'etat critique de la maturation est consecutif a une 

 periode de jeune, de semiasphyxie et de deshydration du cytoplasme. L'oeuf 

 mur est une cellule affamee qui lutte contre la mort; le spermatozoide est une 

 cellule affamee qui cherche un aliment." This recalls the doctrine of Rolph 

 ('84), which was mentioned in Chapter III. 



Traina ('04) studied the fat content of the ovary in normal and fasting 

 rabbits. He stated that Petrow ('97) overlooked the fact that fine fat droplets 

 are normally present in the ovary (in the theca folliculi, stratum granulosum, 

 yolk, etc.) and persist unchanged during inanition. 



Perez ('03, '03a) subjected female tritons (Molge marmorata) to complete 

 inanition, up to 4 months, beginning just before the time to lay eggs. The 

 ovaries show no marked changes in the earlier months, but later become hypere- 

 mia The follicle cells hypertrophy and absorb the ovum by phagocytic activity. 

 The larger eggs, normally pale, become orange-colored. The nucleus of the 

 ovum undergoes karyolysis. The ovum atrophies and is finally replaced by a 

 connective tissue mass, including fatty droplets. Sometimes apparently 

 leukocytes invade and dissolve the ovum, forming a cyst-like cavity. Thus 

 there is a reversal of the normal process of ovogenesis, the food materials (yolk) 

 being resorbed by the same follicle cells which originally nourished the ovum. 



