CHAPTER XL 

 ORGANS OF GENERATION". 



(a) Male Generative Secretions. 



THE testes have been little investigated chemically. We find 

 in the testes of animals albuminous bodies of different kinds, serum 

 albumin, alkali albuminate (?), and an albuminous body related to 

 ROVIDAS' hyaline substance, also leucin, tyrosin, creatin, xanthin 

 bodies, cholesterin, lecithin, inosit, and/#. In regard to the occur- 

 rence of glycogen the statements are somewhat contradictory. 

 DARESTE found in the testes of birds granules similar to starch, 

 which were colored blue with difficulty by iodine. 



The semen as ejected is a white or whitish -yellow, viscous, 

 sticky fluid of a milky appearance, with whitish, non- transparent 

 lumps. The milky appearance is due to semen-fibres. Semen is 

 heavier than water, contains albumin, has a neutral or faintly- 

 alkaline reaction, and a peculiar specific odor. The semen of bulls 

 has an acid reaction. Soon after ejection semen becomes gelati- 

 nous, as if it were coagulated, but afterwards becomes more fluid. 

 When diluted with water white flakes or shreds separate (HENLE'S 

 fibrin). According to the analyses of VAUQUELIN", the human 

 semen contains 900 p. m. water and 100 p. m. solids, with 60 p. m. 

 organic and 40 p. m. inorganic substance, of which 30 p. m. is cal- 

 cium phosphate. Among the albuminous bodies POSNER claims 

 that propeptone occurs even in the absence of the semen-fibres. 



The semen in the vas deferens differs chiefly from the ejected 

 in that it is without the peculiar odor. This last depends on the 

 admixture with the secretion of the prostate. This secretion, ac- 

 cording to IVERSEK, has a milky appearance and ordinarily an 

 alkaline reaction, very rarely a neutral one, contains small amounts 



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