In the preceding lesson you have been shown "just what" each one of the
sex organs of the woman IS. In the present lesson you will be shown
"just what" each of these organs DOES--what its functions and offices
are. The preceding lesson dealt with the ANATOMY of these organs; the
present lesson will deal with the PHYSIOLOGY thereof.
Beginning with the Ovaries, the fundamental and basic sex organs of the
woman, you will have explained to you the wonderful processes performed
by each of these organs in turn.
THE OVARIES. The Ovaries in the woman are akin to the testicles in the
man. Without the Ovaries there would be no ova or eggs, and without the
ova there would be possible no reproductive purposes, and therefore no
office for the sex organs at all, for reproduction is the fundamental
office, function, and purpose of the entire sexual organism.
In our consideration of the office, purposes, and functions of the
Ovaries, however, we must not overlook a certain secondary phase of such
functioning. While it is true that the primary purpose of both the
testicles of the male, and the Ovaries of the female, is that of
providing SEED from which the offspring of the individual may be
produced, it is likewise true that there exists a secondary purpose
which may be called the "individual" purpose as contrasted with the
"racial" and primary one.
This secondary or "individual" purpose of the Ovaries is that of
manufacturing certain secretions which are absorbed by the blood of the
woman, and which play an important part in her physical and mental
well-being and activities. These secretions begin before puberty in the
woman, and continue after her menopause; whereas the manufacture of the
ova begins only at puberty, and ceases with the menopause, keeping pace
with the manifestation of menstruation in its beginning and its ending.
Nature provides these chemical secretions from the Ovaries for the
purpose of giving the woman her characteristic physical form and
contour, her form, her breasts, her long hair, her broad pelvis, her
soft voice, and other secondary sex characteristics; and also of
providing for the normal development of the other sex organs. As a proof
of this statement, science shows us that if a woman's ovaries are
completely removed there is usually a consequent atrophy or "drying up"
of the Uterus and the Vagina, and often even of the Vulva. Moreover, the
presence of this internal secretion manifests in arousing and
maintaining in the woman her normal sexual desire, and her normal
pleasure in the company of her mate; it being noted that if the ovaries
are removed, particularly in early life, the woman is apt to lose all
sexual desire and normal womanly feeling toward the other sex. And,
finally, these secretions make for general physical and mental health
and well-being in the woman, and contribute to her vivacity, energy,
and activity in all directions. As writers on the subject have well
pointed out, this is the reason that capable surgeons usually try to
leave at least a portion of the Ovaries when performing an operation for
the removal of those organs on account of diseased condition.
THE OVUM. The Ovum, or human egg, is a small spherical body, measuring
from one two-hundred-and-fortieth to one one-hundred-and-twentieth of an
inch in diameter. It has a colorless transparent envelope, the latter
enclosing the yolk which consists of granules or globules of various
sizes embedded in a viscid fluid. In the center of the yolk is found a
very small vesicular body consisting of a tenuous transparent membrane,
which is known as "the germinal vesicle;" this, in turn, contains a very
tiny granular structure, opaque, of yellow color, known as "the germinal
spot."
When the time is reached in which the ovum or egg is to be discharged,
the Graafian follicle becomes enlarged by reason of the accumulation of
the fluids in its interior, and exerts such a steady and increasing
pressure from within, outward, that the surrounding tissue yields to it,
and it finally protrudes from the Ovary, from whence it is then expelled
with a gush, owing to the elasticity and reaction of the neighboring
tissues.
Following this rupture there occurs an abundant hemorrhage from the
vesicles of the follicle, the cavity being filled with blood, which then
coagulates and is retained in the Graafian follicle. The formation and
development of the Graafian follicle begins at puberty and continues
until the menopause or "change of life" of the woman. Many follicles are
produced, but many do not produce ova, and so gradually atrophy. The
ripening and discharge of the eggs produce a peculiar condition of
congestion of the entire female sexual organism, including the Fallopian
Tubes, the Uterus, the Vagina, and even of the Vulva, which results in a
condition of Sexual Excitement. Among the lower animals the female will
allow the male to approach her for copulation only at this period, this
being the time when the egg is ready for fertilization.
When the female infant is born, her Ovaries contain the germs of about
100,000 ova. The greater portion of these, however, disappear, until at
the time of her puberty the number of germs of ova contains only about
30,000 ova. This number is far more than the woman will ever need, and
is Nature's provision against diseased portions of the Ovaries,
accidents, etc. Only one ovum ripens and matures each month from puberty
until menopause, so that the woman really requires only about 300 to 350
ova on the average. This liberality on the part of Nature, however, does
not begin to approach her lavishness in the case of seed of the male,
for in his case while only one spermatozoon is required to fertilize an
ovum (and in fact only one is permitted to do so), we find that in each
normal act of ejaculation of semen by the male over 250,000 spermatozoa
are projected.
The ripening and discharge of the egg from the Ovaries, and the
consequent congestion above referred to, accompanied by what is called
Menstruation, occurs regularly each lunar month (28 days). What is
called Ovulation consists of the monthly maturing and expulsion of the
ripe ovum or egg, while Menstruation (as we shall see later on) consists
of the monthly discharge of blood and mucus from the inner surface of
the Uterus; the two processes occur in connection with each other, yet
neither can be considered as the cause of the other.
MENSTRUATION. It may be well to call your attention at this point to the
process known as Menstruation, or "the monthly flow," or "the courses"
of women. Menstruation is the monthly flow of bloody fluid which occurs
in all healthy (non-pregnant) women from puberty to the menopause or
"change of life."
By "PUBERTY" is meant the age at which a woman begins her period of
possible child-bearing experience. In temperate climates the average age
of puberty is about fourteen years, while in tropical countries it is
often a year or so earlier, and in arctic countries a year or so later.
The time, however, depends materially upon the temperament, race,
hygiene, and general environment of the individual girl. At this period
the girl gradually changes into the young woman. Her figure changes, her
bust develops, her hips broaden, and her mental and emotional nature
undergoes a change. Also the menstrual flow begins to manifest at this
time; at first scanty and irregular, but gradually changing into the
characteristic flow each month.
At the period of puberty, the girl undergoes marked emotional changes.
She becomes very "emotional" as a rule, and quite "sensitive." She
becomes filled with strange, unaccountable longings, ideas, and
"notions." She usually manifests a great emotional interest in her girl
friends, and often manifests marked jealousy in connection with these
friendships. The girl is apt to indulge in day-dreaming at this period,
and becomes quite romantic and "flighty." She devours love stories, and
delights in imagining herself as the heroine of similar adventures. The
period from the beginning of puberty to that of the attainment of full
sexual maturity is known as the period of "adolescence," and generally
extends to about the age of eighteen in the case of girls.
By the MENOPAUSE is meant that period of the woman's "change of life,"
the average time of which is about the age of forty-five years, although
this varies greatly in different individuals. As a rule, it is held that
the period of the woman's child-bearing possibility extends over an
average period of thirty years. At the Menopause the woman's
reproductive activity declines and finally ends. The Ovaries diminish in
size, the Graafian follicles cease to form and develop; the Fallopian
Tubes atrophy; and there occur other physical, mental, and emotional
changes in the woman. While the age of forty-five is held to be the
average age at which the Menopause occurs in women, still it is not at
all uncommon to find women who menstruate regularly up to the age of
fifty, or fifty-two, or even fifty-five, while a large number of women
menstruate regularly at the age of forty-eight.
Some women undergo little or no physical or emotional disturbance at the
time of the Menopause. In such cases their periods become more or less
irregular, with extending intervals between periods; the flow becomes
more and more scanty; then several periods are skipped altogether; and
finally the periods cease entirely. Other women, however, experience
more or less physical disturbance during the years of the "change." They
sometimes experience loss of appetite, or a capricious appetite,
headaches, loss of weight, or else a sudden taking on of fatty tissue.
They often become quite irritable and "notiony," and often become
quarrelsome and pugnacious, and in some cases manifest unreasonable
jealousy. But, in the opinion of many of the best authorities, much of
this trouble comes from the mental expectancy of them by the woman,
resulting from the notion that a woman must have these things happen to
her. The power of the mind over the body is now well known, and we have
here another instance of its effect. The remedy is obvious.
Another matter which disturbs the woman at this time, in many cases, is
the common belief that after "the change" she will lose all of her sex
attractiveness, and her sexual feelings, etc. This is a grave error, for
the experience of all observing physicians is that no such results
follow this period of the woman's life. Many women become even more
attractive to the other sex after this time, by reason of acquiring a
certain maturity and "ripeness" which proves very attractive to many
men--often to young men as well as older ones. Moreover, the sexual
desires do not cease with the cessation of the reproductive functions.
On the contrary, it often happens that such emotions and desires are
increased in the woman at, and after, this time of her life. So true is
this that this period has been called "The Dangerous Age" for women,
and the experience of many a woman of forty-five to fifty will
corroborate this statement. The woman at this time should beware of
contracting unwise love affairs and entanglements, and of yielding to
impulses toward men other than her mate. A word to the wise should be
sufficient in this case.
To return to the main subject of Menstruation, it may be said that the
monthly flow, when once established, occurs at intervals of every
twenty-eight days, on the average, although in some individual cases it
occurs as often as every twenty-one days, while in others it occurs as
seldom as once in every six weeks, all without exceeding the bounds of
normal functioning. Menstruation ceases temporarily during pregnancy, in
normal cases, and often also ceases during the period of lactation or
nursing. The menstrual period lasts on an average for four or five days,
the flow increasing for the first half of the period, and decreasing
during the last half. At the beginning of the period there is often
manifested a general congestion of all of the sexual organs of the
woman, and often of the breasts as well. There is also usually found a
sense of physical discomfort, from which more or less irritable feeling
arises. In rare cases there are found severe cramps and pains, and in
some cases the woman finds it necessary to call in medical aid, or to go
to bed, or both. In such cases a cure is often worked by improving the
general health, and by observing common sense hygienic rules.
Menstruation is caused by a hypertrophy of the mucus membrane of inner
surface of the Uterus, which is followed by a shedding of the
hypertrophied membrane. This leaves exposed the underlying vessels,
which bleed. New mucus membrane is formed after the period. The
menstrual flow consists of a thin, bloody fluid, having peculiar odor,
in which is combined blood, thin skin, and mucus membrane, and also
mucus from the Uterus and the Vagina, the blood being light in
consistency and not clotted.
During the menstrual period the ovum, or egg, is discharged, and enters
the Uterus, as we shall see presently.
THE LIFE-HISTORY OF THE OVUM. The physiology of the remaining sexual
organs of the woman may perhaps best be studied by considering the story
of the Life-History of the Ovum, or human egg, for the functions of such
organs are concerned with such life-history of the egg, and really exist
merely to create such a history, or rather, to produce the process which
constitutes the basis of such history.
The ovum, or egg, when discharged from the ovary, is at first surrounded
by a few cells which serve as nourishment, but which soon disappear. It
enters the Fallopian Tube and begins its journey toward the Uterus,
being urged on its way by the constant movement of the lining-cells of
the interior of the tube, in the direction of the Uterus. Certain
changes in structure occur. Its passage to the Uterus may be
interrupted, and the ovum lost and finally cast off. But the ovum that
is successful finally arrives at the Uterus where it awaits impregnation
or fertilization by the spermatozoon of the male.
If copulation occurs within a reasonable time after the arrival of the
ovum, it is impregnated or fertilized. Fecundation results and
conception ensues, the ovum then remaining attached to the walls of the
Uterus, and in time develops into the foetus. If, however, the ovum is
not impregnated, because of absence of copulation or from other causes,
it gradually loses its vitality, and is finally cast off with the
several uterine secretions.
It should be explained here that the "spermatozoon" of the male (the
plural of the term is "spermatozoa") is the male generative "seed." The
sperum, semen, or seminal fluid of the male is filled with hundreds of
thousands of spermatozoa. Each spermatozoon is a minute living, moving
creature, resembling a microscopic tadpole. It has a head, a rod-like
body, and a thin hair-like tail, the latter being kept in constant
motion from side to side, by means of which the tiny creature is enabled
to travel rapidly from one point to another. The human spermatozoon
measures about one six-hundredth of an inch in length. It is composed of
protoplasm, the substance of which all living creatures are composed.
The spermatozoa are believed to be developed from a parent sperm-cell,
by the process of segmentation or subdivision, which process is common
to all cell-life. The numerous spermatozoa dwell in a gelatinous
substance, which, mingling with the other fluidic secretions of the
glands of the male, constitutes the male seminal fluid, sperm, or semen,
which is ejaculated by the male during the process of copulation.
Fecundation (i. e. fertilization, impregnation; the process by which the
male reproductive element is brought in contact with the female ovum or
egg) is brought about by the blending of the male reproductive element
(or spermatozoon) with the female reproductive element (or ovum, or
egg). This blending is of course accomplished by the bringing together
in mutual contact the two reproductive elements just mentioned. The
sexual act which results in this "bringing together" of the two elements
is known as "copulation," or "coition." In copulation or coition the
seminal fluid of the male, containing an enormous number of spermatozoa,
is ejaculated from the male intromittent organ into the receptive canal
or channel of the female (the Vagina), and in this way finally comes
into actual contact with the female ovum or egg which is awaiting it in
the Uterus of the female.
The spermatozoa (in the process of copulation) are deposited in the
Vagina of the female, usually at its upper end, but sometimes in the
lower portion; and in rare and peculiar cases even at or about the
Vaginal Orifice or outer vaginal opening. In either case they travel up
the remaining portion of the Vagina and finally enter the Uterus or
womb. The spermatozoa possess wonderful vitality and power of
locomotion. There are cases recorded in which the spermatozoa deposited
on or about the outer female genitals have managed to travel inward and
upward until they have finally reached the Uterus, where conception has
resulted. Such cases, of course, are rare, but they exist, well
authenticated and accepted by medical science as facts.
It must not be supposed, however, that the impregnation of the ovum
occurs only in the womb proper. Cases are known in which the spermatozoa
have traveled along the Fallopian Tubes and impregnated the ovum there;
and in very rare cases the spermatozoon seems to have penetrated even to
the Ovary itself, and there impregnated the ovum on the surface of the
Ovary. Some excellent authorities, in fact, insist that all normal
impregnation occurs at the end of the Fallopian Tube--the point of its
entrance into the upper part of the womb, rather than in the body of the
womb, or at its mouth, as the older authorities taught. But wherever the
actual contact of spermatozoon and ovum occurs, the blending of the
elements is performed and fertilization, impregnation, or fecundation is
accomplished.
As a result of copulation, then, the spermatozoon (or a number of
spermatozoa) comes in contact with the female ovum or egg. Then one or
more of them, by means of a furious lashing of the tiny tail, manages to
penetrate the outer covering of the ovum, and enters the space between
the outer covering and the real body of the egg. Several spermatozoa may
effect an entrance into this outer space, BUT ONLY ONE IS PERMITTED TO
ENTER THE REAL BODY OF THE EGG. [Twins are produced by the impregnation
of two ova by two spermatozoa, at the same time. The presence of the two
ova at the same time is unusual]. The moment that the real body of the
ovum is penetrated by the successful spermatozoon, a tough covering or
thick membrane forms around the ovum and thus prevents the entrance of
other spermatozoa. The successful spermatozoon then loses its tail, and
the remaining head and body become what is known as "the male
pronucleus."
The authorities are uncertain as to the exact nature of the change which
occurs when the ovum is penetrated by the spermatozoon. The outward
manifestations of the change and transformation arising from the
blending of the male and female elements are of course well known, but
the "life process" eludes the power of the microscope. When Nature forms
the thick membranous coating over the impregnated ovum, she draws the
veil over one of her most important secrets. The first segmentation-nucleus
having been formed by the blending and forging together of the male and
female pronuclei, the process of segmentation begins.
Segmentation proceeds as follows: the impregnated egg splits into
halves, forming two joined cells; then into quarters, forming four
joined cells; then into sixteenths, then into thirty-seconds,
sixty-fourths, and so on, until the ovum consists of a combined mass of
very minute granular-like cells, the whole resembling a mulberry. The
segmentation of the nucleus precedes and then continues with the
segmentation of the yolk. After the egg has been divided into a great
number of these cells, the latter begin a centrifugal action resulting
in the formation of a complete inner lining of closely packed cells,
with a central cavity filled with the yolk liquid.
In the meantime, the Uterus has been prepared for the reception of the
impregnated and transformed ovum. A thick, spongy, juicy, mucus membrane
forms, into which the changing ovum passes and attaches itself; the
mucus membrane soon enveloping it and shutting it off from the rest of
the Uterus. There now appears at one point on the ovum an opaque streak,
which is called "the primitive trace" of the embryo--the first beginning
of the young living creature. The "primitive trace" then grows in length
and breadth. At this point we must leave the history of the ovum, or
human egg, for the present; its further development will be related in
the succeeding lesson, the subject of which is "Gestation."