Sir Everard Home on corpora lutea. 63 
called an ovarium case, the foetus growing in the ovarium; 
several cases of this kind are met with, particularly one now 
in the collection of the Emperor of Russia, purchased from 
the late Mr. Cruikshank, teacher of Anatomy in London. 
An instance of corpora lutea forming in succession, and 
probably to the same number, whether the female is ever 
impregnated or not, is shown in a drawing of the ovarium of 
a woman who died a virgin at 47 years old; the fragments of 
seven corpora lutea are distinctly seen in it, and in the oppo- 
site there were five, putting on the same appearance. [[Plate 
HI. fig- 70 
After the escape of the ova, the corpora lutea have their 
cavities distended with blood, which coagulates, loses its 
colour, and forms a white solid mass surrounded by broken 
portions of the corpus luteum. [[Plate IV. fig. 4 and 5.3 These 
become smaller and smaller, till they disappear. A series of 
them is shown in the human ovarium, six weeks and nine 
months after impregnation ; also after a woman had borne 
12 children, and had for many years left off breeding. [[Plate 
V. fig. 6.3 
The remains of the corpus luteum, at nine months after im- 
pregnation of the ovum, are so indistinct as hardly to be re- 
cognized ; but in the opposite ovarium there is commonly a 
corpus luteum far advanced, forming another ovum ; and it 
will be found that all the preparations of corpora lutea taken 
from the ovaria of women who die in child-bed, actually 
belong to this new ovum not yet completely formed. [[Plate 
V. fig. 2, and fig. 4.3 
In some cases, the coagulum filling the cavity of the corpus 
luteum is absorbed, leaving a circular cup, whose margin is 
