316 THE PHYSIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION 



the other hand, there is no clear evidence that castration in the 

 male animal leads to the assumption of female characters, ex- 

 cepting in a negative sense (i.e. excepting in so far as it inhibits 

 the development of male characters). 



The operation of complete ovariotomy is impracticable in 

 birds owing to the diffuse condition of the ovary and the close 

 proximity of the vena cava, and in de-sexing pullets (or con- 

 verting them into " poullardes ") the usual practice is to remove 

 a portion of the oviduct or destroy in some other way its func- 

 tional relation with the ovary. 1 This operation is believed to 

 favour growth and fattening, but the result may be due simply 

 to the fact that the albumen and the other products of oviducal 

 secretion are no longer produced. 



According to Brandt, 2 the absence of a functional oviduct 

 may be correlated with male characters and a normal ovary, 

 this being stated to be the case in Rutidlla phosnicurus, but such 

 a fact seems on the face of it unlikely excepting on the assumption 

 that a partial hermaphroditism existed. 



Ovariotomy performed subsequently to puberty in women 

 produces less marked results than when carried out in early 

 life. The most noticeable effect is the cessation of menstruation, 

 and this is sometimes accompanied by an atrophy of the breasts 

 and a tendency towards obesity. 



Most authorities are agreed that the uterus undergoes atrophy 

 after the removal of the ovaries in adult life, and that castration 

 in children and young animals arrests the development of the 

 uterus. 3 These results are usually ascribed to the absence of 

 ovarian influence, though a few authors seem disposed to dissent 

 from this view (see below, p. 345). Thus, Hofmeir 4 and Benkiser 5 



1 Wright, The New Book of Poultry, London, 1902. Laycock, Nervous 

 Diseases of Women, London, 1840. 



2 Brandt, " Anatomisches und Allgemeines iiber die sogenannte Hahnen- 

 fedrigkeit und iiber anderweitige Geschlechtsanomalien bei Vogeln," Zeitschr. 

 f. wiss. Zool., vol. xlviii., 1889. 



3 Kehrer, Beitrdge zur Klin, und Exper. Geburtskunde, Giessen, 1877. 

 Hegar, Die Kastration der Frauen, Leipzig, 1878. Selheim, " Die Physiologic 

 der Weiblichen Genitalien," NageVs Handbuch der Physiologic des Menschen, 

 vol. ii., Braunschweig, 1906. This article contains further references. 



4 Hofmeir, " Ernahrung und Riickbildungsvorgange bei Abdominal- 

 tumoren," Zeitsch. f. Geburtsh. u. Gynak., vol. v. 



5 Benkiser, Verhandl. d. Deutsch. Gesell.f. Gynak., Fourth Congress, 1891. 



