An experimental inquiry concerning animal impregnation ... / [John Haighton].

  • Haighton, John, 1755-1823
Date:
[1797]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An experimental inquiry concerning animal impregnation ... / [John Haighton]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    deception which the remains of a former impregnation might occasion. EXPERIMENT. A full grown virgin rabbit had one of the tubes divided at a little distance from the extremity of the cornu uteri. The wound soon healed up, and its health was soon restored, but it betrayed no disposition for the male. I attributed it in part to the coldness of the season, for it was in the middle of De¬ cember, 1794; but the effects of its inclemency were much moderated by having a fire in the room during the day. I kept her until the first of May; during this interval the male was frequently offered to her, but she always refused, except once in February: it however was unproductive. From examination after death, it appeared that the divided tube was completely obliterated, but the other was sound: both ovaries were evidently shrunk, proving, in addition to my pre¬ vious observations, that their actions had been languid. The result of this experiment disappointed me much; for no reasoning a priori had led me to entertain the smallest sus¬ picion that a mutilation of one side only could destroy the harmony of the whole uterine system. But my disappointment originated chiefly from the apprehension that this effect would be uniform, that it was the result of a determined law of the part; and if so, it formed an insuperable obstacle to my research. Its importance to my project was too great to be discouraged from a single obstacle; therefore injustice to my undertaking, I was in some measure compelled to push the inquiry to such an extent, as should enable me to say with precision, whether