INFLUENCE ON SEX CHARACTERS 341 



directly from the epididymis. It is very likely, as supposed by 

 Rauther (quoted from Marshall, 1922), that the diminished 

 fertility after removal of the seminal vesicles and the absolute 

 sterility after removal of both the vesicles and the prostate were 

 due in the experiments of Steinach to failure to form the 

 bouchon vaginal. On the other hand, it may be mentioned 

 that Iwanoff diluted the seminal fluid obtained from the 

 epididymis with a five per cent, solution of sodium carbonate; 

 we shall see later that alkalinity is a very important factor in 

 functionally activating the spermatozoa. It is possible 

 that by mixing the seminal fluid with a solution, as just 

 mentioned, one is really replacing the normal secretion of 

 the seminal vesicles and of the prostate. 



3. Removal of the Prostate. 



As already mentioned above, the first experiments of 

 Steinach with removal of the prostate are open to the objection 

 that here a small quantity of the prostate remained unaltered, 

 and performed the hypothetical endocrine function of this 

 organ necessary for a normal erotization. One might object 

 that a complete removal of the prostate would cause a complete 

 disappearance of sexual desire and sexual activity. This 

 objection has been studied experimentally by Lichtenstern. 

 He removed the prostate from male rats at an age of five to 

 eight months when they were already sexually mature. In 

 this first series of experiments Lichtenstern never succeeded 

 in removing the prostate completely, small pieces of glandular 

 tissue always remaining around the bladder. Neverthe- 

 less, sexual activity was only seen in some of these animals. 

 This was evidently due to the many injuries to the neighbouring 

 tissues which cannot be avoided if the attempt is made to 

 remove the prostate completely from an adult animal. But 

 in a second series of experiments on young rats four to five 

 weeks old, Lichtenstern succeeded in completely removing 

 the prostate without any injury to the surrounding tissues. 

 Sexual instincts and sexual activity developed in these animals 

 in normal strength, though with some delay. Also such 

 somatic sex characters as the seminal vesicles and the penis, 

 which are markedly affected by the absence of sexual hormones, 

 were normal. 



The experiments of Lichtenstern show that development 



