REPRODUCTION 43 



artificial impregnation. The artificial insemination of 

 the domestic animals, particularly cows and mares, has 

 been practiced in various parts of the world for many 

 years. As early as the time of Spallanzani 1 (1784) arti- 

 ficial insemination was successfully accomplished in 

 dogs. It seems probable also that the Arabs have been 

 familiar with the possibilities of this practice for centuries. 2 

 The insemination of mares, cows and bitches as a remedy 

 for sterility has been demonstrated by Huish. 3 The Rus- 

 sian investigator Iwanoff 4 was successful in inducing 

 pregnancy in rabbits and guinea pigs by artificial means. 

 Artificial insemination is employed for the purpose of 

 overcoming certain forms of sterility in mammals, specifi- 

 cally, constriction of the muscles surrounding the neck 

 of the uterus. It is also successful in cases of acid secre- 

 tions of the vagina which are unfavorable to the proper 

 functioning of the sperm-cells after they have been de- 

 posited in the generative organs of the female. Artificial 

 insemination is also a practical method of extending the 

 usefulness of a valuable male, as by this means one male 

 may be used successfully for breeding a much larger 

 number of females. 



44. Methods of artificial insemination. The most 

 common methods in use are insemination with a specially 

 made syringe or the introduction of the semen in capsules. 

 By one method the semen is collected from the vagina 

 of the mare after the service of the stallion by introducing 

 the syringe into the vagina until the mouth of the syringe 



Spallanzani, "Dissertations," vol. II, 1784. 

 2 Gautier, "Le Fecondation Artificielle," Paris, 1889. 



3 Huish, "The Cause and Remedy of Sterility in Mares, 

 Cows and Bitches," London, 4th edition, 1899. 



4 Iwanoff, "De la Fecondation Artificielle chez les Mammi- 

 feres," Arch, des Sciences Biologiques, vol. XII, 1907. 



