439 
of Edinburgh, Session 1874-75. 
wall of each Graafian follicle. In contact with the yelk of each 
young ovum, and indenting it, are connective tissue corpuscles, 
which form part of the wall of each Graafian follicle. In the 
formation of the membrana granulosa, these connective tissue 
corpuscles in the wall of the Graafian follicle, and in contact with 
the yelk of the contained ovum, increase in number by division, 
their nuclei swell out into little vesicles, and at last a perfect 
capsule of such corpuscles is produced round the ovum. This 
capsule is the membrana granulosa or follicular epithelium of the 
follicle. At first the membrana granulosa consists of a simple 
layer of cells lining the follicle. The individual corpuscles of the 
membrana granulosa measure about 3 ^ 3 - inch. As the ovum 
becomes mature, the corpuscles of the membrana granulosa pro- 
liferate, and then many layers of small corpuscles are produced 
between the ovum and the follicular wall. The cells of the 
membrana granulosa are thus derived from the corpuscles of the 
connective tissue stroma, and not, as Waldeyer states, from the 
germ epithelial corpuscles. The follicular space is formed by a 
breaking down and probable solution of certain of the corpuscles of 
the thickened follicular epithelium in the middle parts of the same. 
The discus proligerus consists of follicular epithelial corpuscles, 
which are in contact with the zona pellucida of the ovum. The 
zona pellucida or vitelline membrane is formed by a hardening of 
the outer part of the yelk or protoplasm of the ovum, and is not, as 
Eeichert, Pfluger, and Waldeyer stated, a product of the follicular 
epithelium. At birth the human ovary contains not less than 
30,000 ova, few of which reach maturity. 
In the human ovary at birth the germinal vesicles measure 
Troo - ” T2V0 °f an inch. Most of them are about the same size, 
and also present a sharply-defined membranous wall. In some 
germinal vesicles two or three germinal spots are seen. The 
tunica albujinea is the thickened stroma growing round the ovary. 
At the age of 2J years all formation of ova from the germ epi- 
thelium has ceased. 
Graafian follicles are not formed from tubular structures in the 
manner described by Pfluger, Spiegelberg, and Waldeyer. The 
appearances of tubular structures passing into the stroma of the 
ovary are produced by sections through furrows and depressions 
3 L 
VOL. VIII. 
