BIOCHEMISTRY OF THE SEXUAL ORGANS 287 



flammatory conditions of the prostate). It contains spermine,^ 

 whicli, when brought together with the phosphates secreted 

 by other genital glands, forms the characteristic " Bottcher'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 living 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 vesiculse 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 choHne, 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 chohne, as Bocarius * beheves, 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 resppnsible for this reaction. The 



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

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



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

 Contenu des V^sioules Seminales," Comptes Rindus, vol. oxxiii., 1896. 



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

 pologie Criminale, vol. xi., 1896 ; vol. xii., 1897. 



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

 chen KryslaMen bediugt," Zeitschriftf.physiologische GAemie, vol. xxxiv., 1902. 



