391 



that remains to be said, concerning the mechanism of generation, must 

 not be delivered as real but merely as probable, such is is the darkness 

 with which Nature has chosen to envelope this great mystery of the living 

 economy*. 



through the neck of the uterus, is, in the unimpregnated state of the organ, probably not 

 larger than a common size probe. That portion of the canal called the straight, is still 

 more contracted. Besides, along the whole course of the canal, there are striae, or 

 wrinkles, and between which, glands, secreting mucus obviously calculated for the pur- 

 pose of additional obstruction. Even the proper cavity of the uterus itself, is so ex- 

 tremely shallow that its two surfaces are nearly m contact. 



Such are the impediments incident to a perfectly natural and healthy condition of the 

 parts. To these may be added others resulting from morbid derangement, or conge- 

 nital deformities, and which are found to exist as well in the males as the female organs. 



1. The penis has its power of ejecting the semen, destroyed or abridged by trunca- 

 tion, by strictures, by anomalous openings along the course of the urethra, or by debility 

 and relaxation. 



2. The vagina is obstructed or shut up by cohesion of its sides, by membranes of ad- 

 ventitious growth, or by tumors. 



3. The os tincx is sometimes discovered impervious, either from original imperfec- 

 tion, or by the process of inflammation, and is occasionally rendered utterly, inaccessi- 

 ble to the semen, by the obliquities, retroversions, or prolapsions of the wombf. 



These facts very clearly demonstrate, that conception can take place though the 

 semen may be deposited merely within the vulva, and seem almost to warrant the con- 

 clusion, that it never does, as a natural event, reach the cavity of the uterus. Lest, 

 however, they may not appear to others in the same strong light, in which they present 

 themselves to us, we will bring to their aid some further evidence. 



Experiments have been resorted to in order to decide this point. They have been 

 made by Harvey, De Graat, Lewenhoeck, Haller, and Heighten. Different animals 

 were the subject of these experiments. The doe, the cow, the ass, the ewe, the bitch, 

 the rabbit, were all inspected immediately, or at remote periods, after connexion with 

 the male, and never except in one instance, could the semen be traced beyond the va- 

 gina. By Haller it is stated, that he once detected the semen in the uterus of a sheep 

 forty-five minutes post coitiim. But this is a solitary exception, to the numerous obser- 

 vations both of himself and others and which can claim little consideration, especially 

 when it is known that such a result was essentially necessary to the maintenance of a 

 favourite hypothesis. 



As auxiliary to this single experiment of Haller, it is, however, urged that Morgagni 

 saw the semen in the uterus, and Ruysch in the fallopian tube of the human species* 

 Without impeaching the veracity of either of these illustrious men, we may be permit- 

 ted to remark, that their observations have never been confirmed, and that under the 

 circumstances in which they were made, it is reduced almost to a moral certainty that 

 they mistook for semen what was in reality the mucus of the parts. But, conceding to 

 these alleged facts all that can reasonably be required, what do they amount to ? Con- 

 trasted with the vast mass of counter evidence, they dwindle into insignificance and will 

 not weigh as dust in the scale. 



It appearing, therefore, that the semen does not enter into the uterus, it becomes su- 

 perfluous to inquire respecting the practicability of its conveyance by the fallopian tubes. 

 The latter problem is merged in the former. But to silence all cavils, we will give the 

 question a cursory examination. 



That the fallopian tubes are not subservient to this purpose, is very distinctly indica- 

 ted by the peculiarity of their structure. Commencing with an aperture so very minute, 

 as hardly to admit a common bristle, the canal gradually enlarges, and finally terminates 

 in a wide and patulous mouth. Now, were they destined to convey from instead of to 

 the utenis, would not the construction be directly the reverse of what it is ? We know 

 that they conduct the product of the ovary to the womb, and we see that the extremity 



* See APPENDIX, Note 1 1. 



f Each of the above positions is supported by cases to be found in the writings of 

 Harvey, Morgagni, Hildanus Ruysch, Mauriceau, Simpson, Guillemeau, Haller, and in 

 the periodical journals. 



