648 REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS. 



in the slightest action, the oviducts become filled with fluid secreted 

 from the blood, which is whipped in a stream toward the uterus 

 by the cilia that always move in that direction. This oviductal 

 fluid furnishes a canal in which the ovum can float to the uterus ; 

 for in a dry, contracted oviduct an egg could pass only with 

 difficulty. The automatic menstrual ganglia are similar to the 

 other visceral ganglia, such as the cardiac and those of the 

 digestive tract, and the renal ganglia." 



Christopher Martin states his views on the subject as follows : 



Menstruation is a process directly controlled by a special 

 nerve-center situated in the lumbar part of the spinal cord, and 

 the changes in the uterine mucosa during the period are brought 

 about by katabolic nerves, and during the interval by anabolic 

 nerves. The menstrual impulses reach the uterus either through 

 the pelvic splanchnic or the ovarian plexus, possibly through both. 

 And, finally, removal of the uterine appendages arrests menstrua- 

 tion by severing the menstrual nerves. 



Relation between Ovulation and Menstruation. The relation 

 between these two processes is as yet undetermined, although 

 physiologists in the main hold that at the time of the discharge of 

 an ovum from an ovary there is such a condition of the uterus as 

 brings about its increased vascularity and the oozing from its ves- 

 sels of the menstrual blood. They believe that at each menstru- 

 ation there is discharge of an ovum. Other writers and these 

 are principally surgeons who have devoted much time to the study 

 of diseases of women, and who have had large experience in opera- 

 tions for the removal of the ovaries differ very materially from 

 the physiologists. One of the number (A. Reeves Jackson, in an 

 article entitled " Ovtilar Theory of Menstruation : Will it Stand ? " 

 in the American Journal of Obstetrics) says : " Menstruation may 

 occur without accompanying ovulation ; ovulation may occur 

 without accompanying menstruation ; and ovulation is the irreg- 

 ular but constant function of the ovaries, while menstruation is 

 the regular rhythmical function of the uterus." Lawson Tait, 

 the celebrated surgeon, says that " ovulation and menstruation are 

 not only not concurrent, but ovulation is much less frequent than 

 menstruation." J. Bland Button, already referred to, says : " It 

 is very difficult to uproot ancient tradition, especially one so ancient 

 as the belief in the intimate association of ovulation and men- 

 struation, but evidence is rapidly accumulating which will show 

 that the two processes are not so intimately connected as was 

 formerly supposed." 



Leopold and Mironoff state, as their opinion, that " Ovulation 

 usually accompanies menstruation, though not always. Menstru- 

 ation depends upon the presence of the ovaries and a well-formed 

 uterine mucosa. Ovulation usually coincides with menstruation ; it 

 rarely occurs in normal conditions between the menstrual periods." 



