298 GENERATION. 



fact is that, in the human female, an ovum may be dis- 

 charged at the beginning of menstruation, at any time during 

 the now, or even after the flow has ceased ; and it is more 

 than probable that pressure within the follicle alone may 

 cause its rupture, and that this may occur independently of 

 sexual excitement. In view of these facts, while we cannot 

 deny that the fimbriated extremities of the tubes may, by 

 muscular action, be approximated toward the surface of the 

 ovary, we cannot admit that such an action is constant, or 

 that it is necessary to the passage of ova into the tubes, 

 though the theory of Eouget has been adopted, entirely or in 

 part, by some writers of authority. 1 



If we take into account the situation of the ovaries and 

 the relations of the Fallopian tubes, we can understand how 

 an ovum may pass into the tube, without invoking the aid of 

 muscular action. Let us suppose, for example, that a Graa- 

 fian follicle be ruptured when the fimbriated extremity of the 

 tube is not applied to the surface of the ovary. One of the 

 fimbrise, longer than the others, is attached to the outer an- 

 gle of the ovary, and presents a little furrow, or gutter, lead- 

 ing to the opening of the tube. This furrow is lined by cili- 

 ated epithelium, as indeed, is the mucous membrane of all 

 of the fimbrise, the movements of which produce a current in 

 the direction of the opening, which we might suppose would 

 be sufficient to carry a little globule, only yj-g- of an inch in 

 diameter, into the tube. At the same time, there is probably, 

 as has been suggested by Becker, 2 a constant flow of liquid 

 over the ovarian surface, directed by the ciliary current tow- 

 ard the tube ; and when the liquid of the ruptured follicle is 

 discharged, this, with the ovum, takes the same course. 



In all probability, what we have just described is the 

 mechanism of the passage of the ova into the Fallopian 



1 LONGET, Traite de physiologic, Paris, 1869, tome iii., p. 828 ; KOLLIKER, 

 Elements d'histologie humaine, Paris, 1868, p. 716. 



2 BECKER, Ueber Flimmerepithelium und Flimmerbewegung im Creschlechtsap- 

 parate der Saugethiere und des Menschen, Untersuchungen zur Naturlehre dcs 

 Menschen und der Thiere, Frankfurt a. M., 1857, Bd. ii., S. 92. 



