THE OVARIES 



The ovaries have two functions — the provision of 

 ova, and the production of the specific internal secretion 

 or secretions. 



The production of ova — a necessary process in 

 reproduction — requires no further mention here, except 

 in so far as the ripening of the follicles which contain 

 the ova may be under the control of certain secretory 

 elements of the ovaries. The questions, then, with which 

 we are immediately concerned relate to the connexion 

 of the internal secretions of the female gonads with 

 cyclical phenomena in the ovaries and uterus in the 

 non-pregnant subject and with the implantation of the 

 ovum in the pregnant. With regard to 'heat' or 

 menstruation 1 , there is no doubt that this function 

 depends primarily on the normal development and 

 subsequent integrity of the uterus, and with this the 

 internal secretions of the ovaries are largely concerned. 

 The relation of these internal secretions to the normal 

 progress of gestation is, as we shall see, somewhat 

 obscure ; for, although it is well known that the corpus 

 luteum in the ovary of the pregnant female is consider- 

 ably larger than in the non-pregnant, it is not certain 

 that this hyperplasia has any more importance than 

 that of an epiphenomenon. 



The internal secretions of the ovaries have never Ovarian 

 been isolated ; indeed, it is still a matter of dispute as 



1 Much confusion has been caused by certain authors attempting 

 to look upon * heat ' in animals, such as the dog and rabbit, as a 

 function different from menstruation. The details connected with the 

 uterine changes are different certainly, but the functions are phylo- 

 genetically the same. 



