PHYSIOLOGY, CHEMISTRY AND PATHOLOGY 553 



in the East Indies, though I can find no reference to his writings. The 

 statements on the subject do not appear to be very exact, and it seems 

 likely that the natives simply effect certain mutilations of the external 

 organs. It would appear incredible that savages could successfully per- 

 form the operation of double ovariotomy. 



In women castration after puberty is frequently performed by gyne- 

 cologists. When extirpation of both ovaries is carried out, the most no- 

 ticeable effect is the cessation of menstruation. There is in most cases 

 atrophy of the uterus and vagina. The external genitals, especially the 

 clitoris, shrink. The effect on the breasts varies in different cases. Some- 

 times these atrophy, while in other cases they appear to increase in size. 

 This latter appearance, when it occurs, may be attributed to obesity, which 

 is a usual result of the operation. Sexual desire may not be much af- 

 fected, at any rate for some time. It may even be increased temporarily. 

 But exact information on this point is difficult to obtain. 



After ovariotomy the skin is said to become lighter and the hair more 

 luxuriant. The nipples are reduced in size and* the pigmentation of the 

 areolffi become less marked. 



The effects on metabolism are not certainly known (v. Noorden). In 

 the human subject acute. loss of the ovaries leads to a series of symptoms 

 which are usually attributed to excitation of the autonomic nervous system. 

 There are emotional disturbances, headache, fainting, intestinal disturb- 

 ances, feelings of heat and cold, etc. 



It is stated that in some female animals removal of the ovaries leads 

 to the appearance of male characters. Marshall quotes numerous cases 

 in point. Cases are recorded in which female deer possess horns. In 

 these the ovaries were abnormal or the animals were old. Similar cases 

 are not uncommon among birds, which, on growing senile, have acquired 

 some of the male secondary characters. Thus, a duck assumed the plumage 

 of the drake, and a hen took on the secondary characters of a cock. A 

 hen pheasant had male plumage correlated with an abnormal ovary. 

 Numerous other examples are recorded. 1 Such cases are difficult to ex- 

 plain on any other hypothesis than that the secondary male characters 

 are normally present in a latent form in the female, and that the ovaries 

 exert an inhibitory influence over their development, But castration in 

 the male does not lead to the assumption of female characters. 



Some further details of the effects of ovariotomy in rabbits have been 

 furnished by Carmichael and Marshall. The extent of degeneration in 

 the uterus was proportional to the time after the operation. After six 

 months the uterus was in a state of fibrosis and contained no glands. The 

 epithelium was much attenuated, and the muscle fibers were broken up. 

 The Fallopian tubes were atrophied. 



a Full references to the original authorities are given in Marshall's (/) book. 



