358 THE PHYSIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION 



hypertrophy. These facts may perhaps be regarded as supplying 

 some further evidence that the ovary is an organ of internal secretion l 

 (cf. the testis, p. 338). Lipschutz, 2 however, while confirming the 

 above recorded observations, states that the augmentation in the 

 ovarian volume is due to the growth and increase of the follicles. 



According to Loisel, 3 the ovary fulfils a purifying function in the 

 organism, and absorbs injurious products. This theory seems to have 

 little experimental basis. 4 



THE FACTORS WHICH DETERMINE THE OCCURRENCE 

 OF HEAT AND MENSTRUATION 



Ptiiiger 5 advanced the theory that menstruation is brought about 

 by a nervous reflex, owing its origin to the pressure of the growing 

 Graafian follicles upon the nerve endings in the ovary. This view 

 received some support from Strassmann, 6 who claimed to have induced 

 "heat" in animals by injecting gelatine into their ovaries, and so 

 producing intra-ovarian pressure. Elizabeth Winterhalter's 7 alleged 

 discovery of a sympathetic ganglion in the ovary also tended to 

 support this theory; but von Herff 8 discredited her description, 

 which, so far, has received no confirmation. 



Goltz 9 showed that heat in animals is not brought about by a 

 cerebral or spinal reflex. In one experiment the spinal cord of a bitch 

 was transected in the lumbar region ; normal procestrum, followed 

 by oestrus and conception, occurred as usual, but copulation was 

 unaccompanied by sensation, though the animal showed a marked 

 inclination towards the dog. In another experiment the lumbar 

 part of the spinal cord was completely removed without interfering 

 with the cyclical recurrence of prooestrum and oestrus. Moreover, 



1 Carmichael and Marshall, "On the Occurrence of Compensatory Hyper- 

 trophy in the Ovary," Jour, of Physiol., vol. xxxvi., 1908. 



2 Lipschutz, "Wagner, and Tamen, "Sur PHypertrophie des Fragments 

 Ovariens dans la Castration Partielle," C. It. de la 8oc. de Biol., vol. Ixxxvi., 1922. 



3 Loisel, " Les Poisons des Glandes genitales," C. R. de la Soc. de Biol., 

 vol. lv., 1903 ; vol. Ivi., 1904 ; and vol. Ivii., 1904. 



4 Ovariotomy has an effect on the skeleton comparable to that of castration. 

 See Shattock and Seligman, " The Influence of Oophorectomy upon the Growth 

 of the Pelvis/' Proc. Roy. 8oc. Med., Path. Sec., 1910. 



5 Pfliiger, Uber die Bedewtung und Ursache der Menstruation, Berlin, 1865. 



6 Strassmann, Lehrbuch der gerichtlichen Jfedizin,l895. 



7 Winterhalter, " Ein Sympathisches Ganglion im Menschlichen Ovarium," 

 Arch. f. Gyndk., vol. li., 1896. 



8 Von Herff, "Giebt es ein Sympathisches Ganglion im Menschlichen 

 Ovarium," Arch. f. Gynak., vol. li., 1896. For information upon the innervation 

 of the ovary, see von Herff, " Uber den feineren Verlauf der Nerven im 

 Eierstock," Zeitsch.f. Geb. u. Gynak., vol. xxiv., 1893. 



9 Goltz, " Ueber den Einfluss des Nervensystems auf die Vorgange wahrend 

 der Schwangerschaft und des Gebarakts," Pfluger's Arch., vol. ix., 1874. Goltz 

 and Ewald, "Der Hund mit verkurztem Riickenmark," Ptfiiger's Arch., vol. Ixiii., 

 1896. 



