19 



anterior chromosome is directly connected with the head, there 

 appearing a light break here at the neck where separation fre- 

 quently occui-s. This neck ser^-es as a joint for the motion. The 

 axial filament, therefore, does not reach the head, but extends 

 back from the anterior part of the posterior chromosome. The 

 principal part consists merely of the axial filament, and a thin 

 outer covering, while the end piece is quite thin and is made up 

 solely ol the uncovered axial filament. The finer structures are 

 seen only when special staining reactions are used, and then only 

 when the sperms are obtained directly from the testicle. The 

 function of the sperms is of course primarily that of fertilization. 

 Numerous observers have, however, thought that they might have 

 some other definite, thougli unknown, use. 



An editorial in the Journal of the American Medical Associa- 

 tion (33) raises several important questions regarding this ob- 

 scure phenomenon. The fact that an enormous number of spenna- 

 tozoa are produced, and only one, or at mo.st, a few perform the 

 function of fertilization, raises the question as to what becomes 

 of the remainder. It is stated: "Zoologists have found that in 

 some of the invertebrates the spermatozoa invade the entire body 

 of the female, and in some species they reach the ovum by pene- 

 trating the cuticle from outside and migrating to their goal. 

 Studies on rodents show that the sperms invade the epithelium of 

 the generative mucosa and underlying connective tissue. These 

 tissues seemed to be stimulated to growth, suggesting that this 

 may influence the uterine mucosa in its preparation for receiving 

 and embedding the egg, and in forming the decidua." It has 

 been shown that the sperms contain a specific protein capable oC 

 producing antibodies in the blood plasma, by citing the fact that 

 rabbits develop a distinct Aberhalden reaction for testicular pro- 

 teins shortly after cohabitation. One very important observation 

 showed tliat by immunizing female rabbits with sperms they were 

 rendered sterile for some time, although after a few months they 

 again became capable of impregnation. The question raised is: 

 **.... if the spermatozoa invade the female tissues and cause 

 the formation of specific antibodies Avhich are capable of prevent- 

 ing fertilization, may not such a process participate in the prob- 

 lem of sterility?" This very problem seems to be a factor in ex- 

 plaining why some couples who are not fertile to each other 

 subsequently are both fertile when they cohabit with other indi- 

 viduals. 



Motility: After clinical observation of the motility of the sper- 

 matozoa of the bull, I find that it differs little or none from the 

 types as observed by Eeynolds (34) in his work on human sperma- 

 tozoa. His ol)servations are so accurate and well described that 

 they will be given in his words. "All normal motions appear to 

 be consecutive phases. Initial motion, i. e., motion as seen in 

 fresh semen under favorable conditions, consists of a lashing 

 of the after part of the tail from ^ido to side which is so lapid 



