58 
DR. LETHEBY ON THE EXTRUSION OF OVULES 
sexes occurs, the ovule is nevertheless extruded from the ovary, and enters the 
Fallopian tube, but there perishes*.” 
The law, as thus expressed, is in conformity with the opinions entertained by 
Drs. Robert Lee, Paterson, Girdwood, Gendrin, Pouchet, Raciborski, Mr. Whar- 
ton Jones, and many other authorities of the present time. It is also in accordance 
with the more ancient doctrines of Malpighi, Sir Everard Home, and Dr. Power. 
Nevertheless, as the truth of this law, in its application to the human female, appears 
to be still open to the evidence of positive proof, I have thought it desirable to 
publish a report of the two following cases. 
Case 1st. — November the 20th, 1850, a woman aged twenty-six, in a state of great 
mental excitement, attempted self-destruction by cutting her throat. The wound which 
she inflicted was not dangerous ; and after having been attended to by a surgeon for 
a few days, the woman was removed to the London Hospital, where she became a 
patient under Mr. Curling. She lingered until the 14th day of December, when she 
died. On the following day the body was examined, and it was noticed that the 
pelvic viscera were highly congested, that the uterus was considerably enlarged, that 
the vagina contained a sero-sanguineous fluid, and that the hymen was unruptured. 
In consequence of these appearances the parts were removed for further examination. 
On cutting into the uterus, I discovered that it contained a small quantity of sanious 
fluid; I noticed, moreover, that both of the ovaries presented a number of stellate 
fissures or cicatrices on their surfaces ; and that at one part of the left organ, namely, 
at its inferior, inner and posterior border, there was a distinct purple spot of the size 
of a small pea. In the centre of this spot there was a ragged opening" that had, in 
all probability, recently given exit to an unimpregnated germ {vide Plate III. fig. 1). An 
incision was made into the gland, so as to cut through the discoloured portion of it, 
and it was then remarked that the aperture led into a small cavity, the existence of 
which is still evident in the wet preparation. The cavity was situated at the very 
summit of the spot, immediately within the opening on the peritoneal surface; and 
it was surrounded by a large quantity of what appeared to be extravasated blood 
{vide fig. 2). After the preparation had been immersed in spirit of Mune for a few 
days, I was able to perceive that the spot was made up of four distinct parts ; — 1st, 
of an outer vascular layer which surrounded the mass, and extended into it to the 
depth of i^th of an inch ; this layer was gradually thinned as it approached the 
aperture on the surface of the follicle; and it seemed to consist of the stroma of the 
ovary in a highly congested state. 2nd. Of a thin layer of very dark matter, which 
appeared to be the remains of the ovisac. 3rd. Of a mass of coagulated blood 
strengthened by a network of intersecting fibres ; this mass had the bulk of a hemp- 
seed, and it was found to be composed of blood-discs, fibrin, and large granular 
corpuscles ; it was, doubtless, therefore, the remains of the tunica granulosa in- 
* Beweis der von der Begattung unabhiingigen perlodischen Reifung und Losldsung der Eier, p. 4, quoted 
by Drs. Balt and Kirkes in their Sujiplement to the second volume of Muller’s Physiology, p. 45. 
