of the Human Uterus. 109 



tainly we may be content with the knowledge of the 

 fact, without entangling ourselves in useless researches 

 after its physiology ; researches that will ever be unsuc- 

 cessful, and will only serve to teach us humility. 



At best, the science of physiology is a science of 

 conjecture. We know the organs, and we learn the re- 

 sult of their operations ; but of the causation, the phy- 

 siology of the thing, we know nothing, whether we 

 speak of the uterus, the liver, the brain, or any other 

 organ. 



This same unintelligible, mechanical language has 

 been as fruitlessly applied to the explication of the evo- 

 lution of the gravid uterus. Like the gravid uterus, 

 the vagina and external parts evolve by the particular 

 physical properties of the parts themselves. These pro- 

 perties or laws are a part of the wonderful economy of 

 nature; they are called into service by powers of the 

 female constitution, and should have taught professors 

 that parturition is not a " grade of disease." So soon 

 as disease fully takes place, this natural evolution ceases, 

 and art must open its resources. 



The remainder of this paper is, unavoidably , delayed, 

 for the present. 



