424 



difference of size is very inconsiderable, and cannot be estimated by the 

 height of the figure : 



That, at the epoch of puberty, the organ of the voice enlarges rapidly, 

 and that, in less than a year, the opening of the glottis increases, in the 

 propertion of five to ten, that its extent is thus doubled both in length and 

 breadth. 



That these changes are less remarkable in women, whose glottis in- 

 creases, in the proportion only of about five to seven: that in this respect 

 they still resemble children, as the tone of their voices would lead us to 

 suppose. 



These differences, in the size of the glottis, account for the danger which, 

 in children, accompanies the croup. For, suppose an opening of a line 

 and a half in width, of which the edges are covered with a membrane of 

 coagulable lymph, the opening will be entirely stopped : it would be only 

 narrowed, if its width were double: a sufficient space would remain free 

 from the passage of the air. This supposition, which I have employed to 

 make myself understood, is only the expression of the truth, since anato- 

 mical inspection shows that the glottis, in adults, is double the size it is 

 before puberty. 



CCXX1X. Menstruation. The symptoms by which puberty is known, 

 in women, are not less remarkable. The swelling of the genital organs 

 straightens the opening of the canals that make part of them. The breasts 

 become enlarged, and form, at the fore part of the thorax, marked projec- 

 tions. Further, there comes on a discharge (apparently) of blood, which 

 takes place every month, from the vessels of the womb, and which is known 

 by the name of the menstrual discharge, or menses. This periodical eva- 

 cuation declares itself, in most women, by all the symptoms that indicate 

 fulness of blood, as spontaneous lassitude, heat, and flushings in theface; 

 and by others, which show the direction of the humours towards the 

 uterus, and a local plethora of that organ, as pains in the kidneys, and a 

 certain itching of the party. The first eruption puts an end to this state; 

 which, in many, may be considered as real disease. A pure red blood 

 flows, in more or less abundance, for some days, the general heaviness 

 goes off, and the woman feeh herself relieved. 



I shall not now speak of the many deviations incident to the menstrual 

 discharge, and which must be considered as real diseases. Thus, the 

 uterine discharge has been known to be supplied, by bleeding from the 

 nose, haemoptysis,melaena, and sometimes by unusual evacuations of blood 

 from the eyes, ears, the fore-finger, from ulcerated surfaces over different 

 parts of the body. 



It is easily conceived, that the different parts of the sanguineous system 

 may supply each other's place, and that the bloody secretion, in which 

 menstruation consists, failing en the internal surface of the uterus, may 

 be carried on by another part equally provided with capillary vessels; but 

 that similar deviations may take place for the fluids secreted by the con- 

 glomerate glands, as urine, bile, saliva, is difficult to believe, notwith- 

 standing the many testimonies and authorities that may be brought in 

 support of this opinion. 



The fluids are not in existence, before the work of secretion ; the urine, 

 retained in the bladder and in the uterus, the bile stopped in the gall 

 bladder and the hepatic ducts, after it hus been prepared by the peculiar 

 action of the liver, may, it is true, from absorption* by the lymphatic ves- 

 sels, be carried into the blood, and product there a diseased urinary or 



