250 Human Physiology. 



in diameter including yolk, germinal vesicle, and germina, 

 spot. The human ovum is still smaller, about i-i4oth of an 

 inch in diameter; and in the circumference of that small dia- 

 meter lies, what a world of character and power ! lies all that 

 shall distinguish the highest example of human civilisation 

 and culture from the lowest savage poet, philosopher, hero, 

 idiot, ruffian, lunatic all the possibilities and potentialities cf 

 humanity. 



CHAPTER III. 



GERMINATION AND FECUNDATION. 



Production of Germs in Vegetables, Insects, and Animals Varying Powers 

 of Reproduction Office of the Ovaries Anatomy of the Testes 

 Evolution of Spermatozoa Results of Impregnation Changes at 

 Puberty Peculiarities and Mission of Woman. 



AT a certain period in the life of a plant, in organs prepared 

 for that important function, are formed the germs of new 

 plants. The germ producing organ, frond or flower, does its 

 work and dies. The tree lives on, but each individual bud, 

 producing flower and seed or fruit, perishes. This is the Law 

 of vegetative generation. Such is also, to. a great extent, the 

 law of insect life. The insect produces one crop of germs ; 

 they are fertilised by one conjunction of the sexes; the eggs 

 are deposited, sometimes in immense numbers, where they can 

 be hatched in safety, and where its proper food can be found 

 for the new being in the earliest stage of its development ; 

 and then, as if the whole purpose of life had been accom- 

 plished, the male and female alike perish. In some cases 

 the male insect sacrifices his life in the very act of fecun- 

 dation. 



