484 BIOLOGY. 



ever, remove further off than to the thorax, because this 

 is the highest post or station of the vegetative parts. 



2973. Milk is a vegetable product of the animal. 



2974. Numerous mammae are a lower development. 



2975. The milk is albumen, which has been secreted 

 by tegument ary glands ; it is animal albumen. The 

 lacteal or milk-organs therefore belong to the sexual 

 system. 



2976. As the male parts are only the female otherwise 

 developed, it is to be comprehended why the male ani- 

 mals also have mammae. They are probably the embryo's 

 principal organ of absorption. 



Functions of the Uterus. 



2977. Now, the uterus obtains the sexual food in a 

 living state, and from its being such is affected by it. 



2978. The uterus must be thus a world for the living 

 germ. Two processes are, however, indispensable for the 

 germ, namely nutrition and respiration ; both of which 

 are furnished by the uterus. 



2979. The uterus is to be regarded as the water, the 

 sea in which the germ or embryo is developed. The 

 water decomposes into basic nutritive matter and oxyge- 

 nous matter of respiration. The water of the uterus is 

 the blood ; this is separated through the antagonism of 

 the foetus into mucus and oxygen. The mucus penetrates 

 into the amnion, the oxygen into the chorion, or the pla- 

 centa. 



2980. The fundus of the uterus is more arteriose than 

 the os uteri, and stands therefore in opposition with it. 



3. Development of the Foetus. 



a. Anatomy. 



2981. The germ may be regarded as a vesicle, full of 

 nutritive matter or albumen, situated within the cavity 

 of the uterus, the walls of which act upon it. 



2982. As the fundus of the uterus is the arterial pole, 

 so it oxydizes the vesicle and repels that part which lies 



