280 THE HISTOBY OF ANIMALS. [fi. X, 



BOOK THE TENTH. 



(ERRONEOUSLY ASCRIBED TO ARISTOTL2.) 

 CHAPTER I. 



IF men and women, after they have reached a certain age, 

 do not have children after cohabition, the fault sometimes 

 rests with both, and sometimes in only one of them. And 

 first, it is requisite to examine the uterus of the female, that 

 if the fault lies there it may be relieved by proper treatment. 

 If the fault is not there, attention must be paid to some other 

 cause of sterility. We may conclude that this organ is in 

 a healthy state, when, like the other parts of the body, it 

 performs its functions without pain, and is free from fatigue 

 after the function is performed. Just as the eye is in a 

 healthy state if it suffers no pain in seeing, and is not dis- 

 ordered with the exercise of its function, or unable to per- 

 form it again, so the uterus is healthy which suffers no 

 pain, and is well able to perform its functions, whatever 

 they may be, and after they are performed is not impotent, 

 but is free from fatigue. 



2. The uterus is said to be disordered, when, even if it 

 performs its functions properly and without pain, it does 

 not hinder its function by any part of itself. 1 As there 

 is nothing to prevent an eye from seeing accurately, although 

 all its parts are not perfect, or if there happens to be a 

 tumour in it ; so the uterus may have received no injury 

 in this respect, if it is properly situated in the right place. 

 In the first place, then, the healthy uterus will not be situ- 

 ated in this place or in that, but will always be in a similar 

 position ; but it is not difficult to decide whether it is not 

 placed at too great a distance without suffering and pain, or 

 whether it is devoid of sensation when touched. That these 

 parts ought to be properly placed is evident from the follow- 

 ing considerations, for if the uterus is not near, it will not 

 be able to imbibe the semen, for the place from which it 



1 A corrupt passage. 



