REPRODUCTION. 



internum. It may even present a partial external division, correspond- 

 ing with the situation of the septum, and producing the malformation 

 known as uterus bicornis, or double uterus. 



The os internum and os externum are produced by partial constric- 

 tions of the original generative passage ; and the distinctions between 

 the body of the uterus, the cervix, and the vagina, arise from the dif- 

 ferent development 0f its mucous membrane and muscular tunic in the 

 corresponding parts. During fffital life the neck of the uterus grows 

 faster than its body ; so that at birth the cervix uteri constitutes nearly 

 two-thirds of the entire organ ; while the body forms but little over 

 one-third. The cervix, at this time, is also wider than the body ; so 

 that the whole organ presents a tapering form from below upward. 

 The arbor vitae uterina of the cervix is at birth very fully developed, 

 and the mucous membrane of the body is thrown into three or four 

 folds which radiate upward from the os internum. The cavity of the- 

 cervix is filled with transparent semi-solid mucus. ' 



The position of the uterus at birth is different from that in adult 

 life ; nearly the entire organ being above the symphysis pubis, and its 

 inferior extremity passing below that level only by about six milli- 

 metres. It is also slightly anteflexed at the junction of the body and 

 cervix. After birth, the uterus with its appendages continues to de- 

 scend ; and at puberty its fundus is just below the level of the sym- 

 physis pubis. 



The ovaries at birth are narrow and elongated in form. They con- 

 tain an abundance of eggs ; each enclosed in a Graafian follicle, and 

 averaging .04 millimetre in diameter. The vitellus in most is im- 

 perfectly formed, and in some is hardly distinguishable. The Graafian 

 follicle at this period contains no fluid, but only the egg and the layer 

 of cells forming the "membrana granulosa.' 1 Inside this layer is to 

 be seen the germinative vesicle, with the germinative spot, surrounded 

 by a faintly granular vitellus, more or less abundant in different parts 

 of the ovary. Some of the Graafian follicles containing eggs are as 

 large as .05 millimetre; others as small as .02 millimetre. In the very 

 smallest the cells of the membrana granulosa appear to fill the cavity 

 of the follicle, concealing the rudiments of the primitive egg. 



