BIOCHEMISTRY OF THE SEXUAL ORGANS 287 



flammatory conditions of tiie prostate). It contains spermine/ 

 whicli, when brought together with the phosphates secreted 

 by other genital glands, forms the characteristic " BQttcher's 

 crystals." 



The secretion of the prostate also contains the substance 

 which gives the characteristic smell to the ejaculated semen, 

 the lecithin-hke globules, and a protein substance. The state- 

 ment that this protein is an albumose is probably not correct, 

 since albumoses have never been found to occur in a Uving cell. 

 Camus and Gley ^ found in the prostatic secretion of some 

 animals a ferment, vesiculase, which has the property of 

 coagulating the fluid in the vesiculae seminales. The presence 

 of this ferment in the ejaculated semen produces the formation 

 of a coagulum. This ferment appears to have the function 

 of ensuring fertilisation, since it occurs only in those species 

 where the contact between male and female is of very short 

 duration. (See p. 233.) 



Cowper's glands secrete a stringy mucinous substance. 



If a solution of iodine in potassium iodide is added to semen, 

 brown crystals are formed (Florence's reaction). This reaction 

 is common to many substances belonging to the group of organic 

 ammonium bases. One of the best-known members of this 

 group is choUne, which forms part of the lecithin molecule, and 

 is, therefore, a constituent of almost every animal cell. Pro- 

 bably the reaction is not due to spermine, as Florence ^ states, but 

 to choUne, as Bocarius* believes, since other secretions and 

 tissue extracts which do not contain spermine give the same 

 reaction. 



Another reaction for semen, which is much more specific, 

 has been discovered by Barberio. By the addition of picric 

 acid, fine rhombic or needle-shaped crystals are formed. It is 

 doubtful which substance is responsible for this reaction. The 



' Fiirbringer, "Die Storungen der Geschleohtsfunktion des Menschen"; 

 in Nothnagel, Pathologic u. Therapie., vol. xix., Part III., 1895. 



2 Camus and Gley, "Action Coagulante du Liquide Prostatique sur le 

 Contenu des V^sicules Seminales," Comptes Eindus, vol. cxxiii., 1896. 



' Florence, " Du Sperme et des Taches du Sperme," Archives d' Anthro- 

 pologic Oriminale, vol. xi., 1896 ; vol. xii., 1897. 



■* Bocarius, " Zur Kenntniss der Substanz welche die Bildung von Florence- 

 ohen Kryslallen bediagt," Zeitschriftf.physiologiache Ohemic, vol.xxxiv., 1902. 



