294: GENERATION. 



that the ova were discharged at regular intervals, by an ex- 

 amination of the ovaries in women who had died suddenly ; 

 and such observations, showing corpora lutea in virgins, de- 

 monstrated that ovulation was not necessarily dependent upon 

 coitus. 1 



Observations upon the lower animals have shown, not- 

 withstanding the fact of discharge of ova without copula- 

 tion or even the sight of the male, that sexual excitement has 

 a certain influence upon ovulation. The experiments of 

 Coste upon this point are very interesting. This observer 

 noted that, in rabbits killed from ten to fifteen hours after 

 copulation, there was evidence of the recent discharge of 

 ova. In two experiments, however, he took female rabbits in 

 heat and manifesting the greatest ardor for the male, pre- 

 sented them to the male, in order to show that they were 

 really in heat, but carefully prevented copulation. This was 

 done for three days in succession, there being, on each occa- 

 sion, a manifest desire for the approach of the male. One 

 rabbit was killed on the third day, while still in heat ; and 

 six distended Graafian follicles were found in one ovary and 

 two in the other ; but there was no trace of ruptured follicles. 

 The other rabbit ceased to be in heat on the fourth day and 

 was killed on the fifth. This animal presented seven distend- 

 ed follicles on one side, and one on the other, but no ruptured 

 follicles. 2 From these and other experiments on the lower ani- 

 mals, there seems to be no doubt that copulation hastens the 



1 For numerous citations upon this point, the reader is referred to Coste (De- 

 veloppement des corps organises, Paris, 1847, tome i., p. 195, et seq.\ In 1837, 

 Coste (Embryogenie comparee, Paris, 1837, tome i., p. 454) published an account 

 of periodical ovulation in mammals occurring independently of copulation ; but 

 he admits that Negrier anticipated him, by several years, in a communication 

 made to the Societe de medecine d 'Angers, in 1831, although this was not pub- 

 lished until 1840. The observations of Negrier are all the more interesting, as 

 they were made upon the human female. (NEGRIER, Rccherches anatomiques et 

 physiologiques sur les ovaires dans Vesptce humaine, Paris, 1840.) In the preface 

 to this work, Negrier discusses the question of priority of his investigations. 



2 COSTE, Developpement des corps organises, Paris, 1847, tome i., p. 183, et seq. 



