496 URO-GENITAL SYSTEM. 



of the neck of the womb a transverse, position, it is possible 

 that the spermatic fluid should be thrown directly into the 

 uterus. This passage would be more readily accomplished 

 by the state of erection of the uterus and its neck, on account 

 of the opening being thereby enlarged; it has been said that 

 this erection would dilate the cavity and thus induce, on the 

 part of the womb, a true aspiration of the sperm. However, 

 direct observation in animals (the rabbit) shows that the 

 spermatic fluid is only thrown into the vagina. 



According to the researches of Arm. Despres (Academic 

 de Medecine, Decembre, 1869) : "The neck of the womb is 

 furnished with racemose or tubular glands placed in a portion 

 of the muscular tissue of the womb, like the prostatic glands 

 in the midst of muscular fibres in the prostate. These glands 

 secrete a clear, viscous, and albuminous fluid, analogous to 

 the prostatic fluid, which flows from the neck in an intermit- 

 tent manner, and produces the ejaculation in the woman. 

 This fluid slowly flows from the neck of the womb and 

 remains upon the os uteri, and in the cavity of the neck: this 

 ejaculation in the woman is destined to provide a vehicle for 

 the zoosperms, and allows them to arrive with certainty into 

 the neck of the womb?- 



Under these circumstances it is incontestable that the 

 peculiar movements of these vibratile elements themselves 

 form the essential condition of their meeting with the 

 ovum : occasionally it is only necessary to deposit the sper- 

 matozoids at the vulvar aperture, and these, by their own 

 movements, seek the ovum by following the vaginal passage, 

 through the neck and the body of the womb, and, finally, the 

 Fallopian tube. It is known, also, that a small quantity of 

 sperm from the male frog, deposited at the end of one of 

 the long strings of eggs which these animals lay, has fertilized 

 even the last ova at the other end of the chain. 



The encounter of the spermatozoids with the ovum, or 

 fecundation, occurs even in the ovary, or at the fimbriated 

 extremity of the Fallopian tube, as has been proved by 

 peritoneal or tubal conception and pregnancy. 



The phenomenon of fecundation results from the penetra- 

 tion of the spermatozoids into the substance of the ovum, 

 where they dissolve and disappear. It is difficult, on account 



1 Arm. Despres, " Etudes sur quelques Points de 1' Anatomic et 

 de.la Physiologic du Col de 1'Uterus." (" Bulletin de 1'Acad. de 

 Medecine, 1869, Vol. XXXIV. p. 1131.) 



