Ovary

“ For we know, and are assured by unquestionable experience, that several ova are fecundated by one and the same connexion,—not those only that are met with in the uterus and ovary, but those likewise that are in some sort not yet begun, as we shall state by and by, and indeed, as we have already had occasion to assert in our history. ”

“ If an ovum starts from the ovary and is not hindered, it will pass on through the uterus and the vagina into the world, and that is the end of it; but if, when the ovum starts from the ovary to make its way through the tube, the spermatozoa are deposited here at the mouth of the uterus, they will find their way up into the cavity, and if one meets an ovum and enters into it, a new life is begun. The ovum will now fasten itself to the walls of the uterus and grow into the little child. ”

“ Edson went on, “every female human being has an ovary, just as every female flower has, and just as every female bird has; and, also like them, she has seeds or eggs in this ovary. And she has a great many of them. They have been growing within her ever since she was a baby, and when she is about twelve years old they begin to ripen, one at a time, and pass from the ovary into a nest that is all ready for them inside the female body. This nest we call the womb. ”

“ Ovulation, which probably occurs about midway between the menstrual periods, is simply the name which has been given to the principal function of the ovary and may be defined as the development of the ovum, or egg, and its expulsion, when mature, from the ovary. As the entire human 29body has its origin in this tiny ovum, its career and course of development are of momentous importance to us, and at the same time furnish a tale of absorbing interest. The ovaries are packed full of these tiny egg-like cells, which probably lie dormant, as stated before, until the girl reaches puberty. ”

“ You will remember that the ovary is very near the funnel-like end of the tube, so, when the little cell is shot out of the ovary, it finds itself floating around quite close to this wide opening. Some of the ova that are projected into the abdominal cavity are doubtless lost, but others find their way into the near-by mouth of the tube, and if not fertilized by uniting with a male cell, which we shall explain presently, they pass down the tube into the uterus and are finally carried out in the menstrual flow. ”

“ Here then we see the cause of the menses; the ripening of the ovum causes a local excitement, and congestion, in the ovary and womb, which increases till the period when it is thrown off, and then the accumulated fluid is discharged, the excitement subsides, and a new development commences.
"This curious process is termed by some physiologists the monthly ponte, or laying of eggs, and by others the Ovarian labor, or birth! ”

“ The ovary is composed of connective tissue which surrounds the Graafian follicles, blood-vessels, lymphatics, nerves, and unstriped muscular fibers. The posterior portion, or the free portion of the ovary, is covered with the germinal epithelium, or modified peritoneum, which is continuous with the peritoneum of the broad ligament. ”

“ These outward signs are combined with certain internal changes, affecting especially the ovaries and the uterus, that are described under the terms of ovulation and menstruation.
Ovulation.—The ovaries produce ova that are retained in cavities termed ovisacs (Graafian follicles) , which are scattered throughout the ovary. Sometimes an ovisac contains more than one ovum, but usually each ovisac contains but one. When the ovary becomes functionally active, some of the ovisacs in the deeper part of the organ increase in size and develop toward the surface. ”

“ Ovejector: the specialized portion of the uterus before it joins the vagina; there may be a separate one for each uterus, or a common one for both uteri. (2) Seminal receptacle: at the other extremity of the uterus. (3) Oviduct: a narrow tube connecting the ovary with the uterus proper. (For the explanation of the terms convergent and divergent uteri vide footnote p. 432.) Uterus and ovaries, which arise in the first place from a single cell, lie between the body wall and the gut and are surrounded by connective tissue. In some species (for instance, Trichinella) the ovary is single. ”

“ Note size, form, consistence, color, character of cut-surface, number of Graafian follicles, corpus luteum, etc. Ovary at puberty weighs about 10 grm., measures 4-5.2 cm. long, 2-2.7 cm. broad, 1.0-1.1 cm. thick. The adult ovary weighs about 7 grm., and measures 2-4 cm. long, 1.4-1.6 cm. broad, 0.7-0.9 cm. thick. A corpus luteum is 1.0-2.0 cm. in diameter. Ovary is compared to an almond in size and shape. In young individuals the surface is grayish-white and smooth; with age the surface becomes more and more irregular, the organ smaller and its consistence firmer. ”

“ I must repeat dear, because it is so very important for you to remember, that every woman has an ovary which contains many seeds or eggs, just as the female flower has. These eggs, if left unfertilized, will pass from the body and never grow any more. ”

“ Much less uncommon than the absence of either ovary is the persistence of both through the whole or greater part of life in the condition which they present in infancy and early childhood, with scarcely a trace of graafian vesicles in their tissue. This want of development of the ovaries is generally, though not invariably, associated with want of development of the uterus and other sexual organs ”

“ Then they begin to develop and grow and push their way from the inside of the ovary to the surface where they look more or less like blisters. When an ovum reaches the surface of the ovary, a thin membrane which contains it, bursts, and it is suddenly expelled into the abdominal cavity. ”

“ Some authorities hold that the right ovary produces male-determining ova, and the left ovary female-determining, and that the two ovaries discharge an ovum alternately, but an impartial examination of the evidence for this belief shows that it rests on very slender foundations. Experiments on the lower animals have shown that after the complete removal of one ovary the female may produce young of both sexes. ”

“ The view that girls are derived from the right ovary, boys from the left, has long since been disproven, and deserves mention merely because the laity still believe it. Happily, during the last few years, observations and experiments have been made which greatly advance our knowledge of the subject and give promise of an early solution of the problem. ”

“ Hence the ovary lies on the fimbriæ which turn back and spread over the summit of the ovary. The ovaries are generally situated on a level with the inlet of the true pelvis, the left one being in front of the rectum, the right one surrounded by a coil of small intestines. When healthy they keep so high up as to be beyond the reach of the examining finger, and consequently they are not impinged upon during coition. ”

“ Sometimes a long funicle arises from a basal placenta, reaches the summit of the ovary, and there bending over suspends the ovule, as in Armeria (sea-pink) ; at other times the hilum appears to be in the middle, and the ovule becomes horizontal. ”

“ In each ovary are large numbers of cells, ovules, or eggs, one of which, at least, is supposed to pass into the uterine cavity with each menstruation. Anatomists tell us that each human ovary contains as many as 30,000 of these ovules, or eggs. ”

“ When it reaches the womb, if there is no ovum present, it may remain there for a period of days awaiting its arrival, or may find its way into one of the Fallopian tubes which lead out to the ovary, and even go in quest of the object of its search as far as the ovary itself. ”

“ We must first consider the changes in the ovaries, which play an etiologically important part. At the onset of puberty, the follicular masses of the ovary exhibit a more active growth, the follicles increase in size, with their contained ova they approach the surface, and finally, by the bursting of the follicles, the ova are extruded. ”

“ Usually for some strange reason, one, and only one, ovum ripens regularly each month during the years from puberty to the menopause, excepting during pregnancy, when this function is suspended. Occasionally, however, several ova mature at once, a condition which may be one factor in the development of twins. After puberty the ovary contains ova in all stages of development, from the primordial follicle to the Graafian follicle just described. ”

“ Disc surrounding the base of the ovary, cup-shaped or annular, 5-lobed or of 5 separate scales. Ovary superior, 1–10-celled but usually 5-celled; style simple, stigma usually capitate; ovules 1 or many in each cell, anatropous. ”

“ It is the germ vitalizing organ and the most essential part of the generative apparatus. The ovary is not only an organ for the formation of the ova, but is also designed for their separation when they reach maturity. ”

“ In 1664 N. Steno identified the sexual organ of the mammalian female with that of sharks, and first named it the ovary. In 1672 R. De Graaf described the structure of the ovary in birds and mammals, observed the ovum in the oviduct of the rabbit, and repeated Harvey's statement as to the universal occurrence of ova, although he mistook for ova the follicles that now bear his name. ”

“ Not merely the degree of radial asymmetry of the ovary, but the number of its locules which have an odd number of ovules, seems to be of consequence in determining whether an ovary shall complete its development. Ovaries with even numbers—6, 8, 10, 12—of ovules in their locules have a better chance of developing to maturity than do those with one or more locules with an odd number. ”

“ It seems probable, therefore, that the ripening of the ovum in the ovary is independent of the process of menstruation, though the increased blood-supply to the generative organs during menstruation may, to a certain extent, determine the time of ovulation when a sufficiently ripe ovum is present. ”

“ A very small portion of ovarian tissue may be sufficient to continue menstruation.
A good many women who had derived no benefit from the first operation have been subjected to a second operation, a small remaining portion of the ovary being removed or the stump of the Fallopian tube being excised, complete cure resulting. ”

“ The ovaries are two oblong, flattened, and oval bodies of a whitish color, situated in the posterior layer of peritoneum of the broad ligaments. They are connected to the upper angles of the uterus at each side by means of a rounded cord, consisting chiefly of muscular fibers derived from the uterus, the ligament of the ovary. ”

“ THE CYCLE OF MENSTRUATION Essentially, the ovary is a collection of follicles, nests of cells, acting as safe deposit vaults for the ova that are to become candidates for fertilization. At birth, there are some 30,000 to 200,000 of these, of which a good many atrophy during childhood so that there are no more than about 30,000 left at puberty. Of the 30,000, only an élite 400 actually mature between the ages of fifteen and forty-five. ”

“ THE FUNCTIONS OF THE FEMALE GENITAL ORGANS
Functions of the ovary.—The ovary is lined by a layer of genital epithelia (“Keimepithel”) , which undergo certain changes during the entire sexual life of the woman. The epithelia are continually transformed into ova. When a single genital epithelium leaves the ovarian lining to be transformed into an ovum it moves from the periphery toward the centre. It then surrounds itself with follicular epithelia and forms the Graafian follicle. Through its growth the Graafian follicle approaches again the periphery. ”

“ She keeps her consciousness as long as the ovary is compressed, and is able to put the clothes in order, to talk, laugh, and enjoy herself cheerfully with her associates; but, if the compression is relaxed a little, the attack begins again with all its original force, to cease again if the ovary is compressed anew. ”

“ You must take care of your stomach, too, and give it time to rest, for it works very hard and might get tired out. Then what would you do?
You have seen, Violet, that in a great many ways you are like the birds and flowers, but now I am going to tell you something that perhaps you did not know. Girls have ovaries just the same as flowers and birds, and inside each ovary are a great many little ovules that after a while will ripen as the seeds did, only instead of growing into flowers or birds they will grow into babies. ”

“ The uterus, situated behind the ovary, extends throughout the posterior end, not confined to the central field, but overlapping the lateral fields with its transverse coils; at the posterior edge of the body it turns back again and winds forwards to the ovary in transverse loops, then between the testes, and finally, dorsal to the ventral sucker, terminates in the genital pore. The thick-shelled eggs when young are yellowish, when older dark brown. ”

“ The increase of fluid in the follicle of the ovary, and the excessive charge of blood in the vessels on the walls of the follicle, seem to be, without any actual contraction taking place, the physiological causes of the freeing of the ovum from the follicle, so that it may come in contact with the semen. Ovulation can take place without intercourse. But sexual intercourse can also favor ovulation ”

“ In correspondence with the especial function of the female reproductive gland, which is to bring to maturity and to evacuate only after the lapse of a considerable period and at successive intervals, the ova which it has contained from the very outset, we find that primitive follicles continue to exist in the ovary up to the very end of the period of sexual activity, though naturally in diminishing numbers ”