PSYCHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS 129 



be obscure in comparisons between men and women Tendency of 

 becomes obvious. We are, in fact, in a transition towards 11 ' 



stage, and must seize on the evident differentiations separation of 



. the sexes. 



as of the highest importance. 



It may be said, then, in conclusion, that the normal 

 psychology of every woman is dependent on the state of 

 her internal secretions, and that unless driven by force 

 of circumstances economic and social she will have 

 no inherent wish to leave her normal sphere of action. 



Unfortunately, the pressing necessities of highly 

 civilized life have led men to look upon the function of 

 reproduction as of vastly inferior importance to their 

 own individual metabolism : they have utilized for 

 themselves what was intended for the benefit of the 

 species ; and women have not been slow to adapt 

 themselves to the altered conditions. Whether the 

 change in them is associated with an increasing hyper- 

 plasia of the female suprarenal cortex we do not know. 

 But just as we are beginning to think that our knowledge 

 of their special functions is becoming well defined they 

 invite us to follow their further evolution, which 

 apparently they think will not involve them in the pains 

 and joys of motherhood. 



van Helmont said : 



" Propter solum uterum mulier est quod est" why is a 



Later Chereau changed this to :- 



" Propter ovarium solum mulier est quod est." 



Virchow in modern times reiterated this statement, 

 and, according to Biedl, added : 



" All the peculiarities of her body and mind . . . 

 " everything, in fact, which in the true woman we admire 

 "and revere as womanly, is dependent on the ovary." 



But in the light of our present knowledge I have 

 ventured to think that the following aphorism most 

 accurately represents the cause and effect : 



Propter secretiones internets tolas mulier est quod est. 1 



1 Arris and Gale Lectures, Lancet, 1913, vol. i, p. 944. 



9 



