OVARY, The ovaries (fig. 368. b, b) constitute two follicular glands appropriated to the formation of the female generative element. They are perfectly closed, resembling in this respect the ductless glands. Each, however, is furnished with its proper excretory duct, (fig. 368. c, c) between which and the gland a temporary connection is established, at certain intervals, during that period of life over which the re productive faculty extends.
Form.— The ovary is not usually fully de veloped until some time after the establish ment of puberty. It is then of an oval form (fig. 368. h, and fig,. 369.), flattened on its sides, and somewhat resembling the testis in figure, but rarely or never, in a state of health, attaining to the full size of that organ.
The following division may be made of its superficies : viz., into two sides, situated anteriorly and posteriorly with reg,ard to the body ; two extremities, outer and inner; and two borders, superior and inferior.
Of the two sides, that which is directed anteriorly (fig. 370. e) is both shorter and less convex than the posterior, which is generally rounded and gibbous (fr. 370.f). In this respect the ovary resembres the uterus, whose posterior surface is always more rounded than the anterior; by attention to this pecu liarity the right ovary may be readily distin guished from the left after these organs have been detached from the uterus.
Of the two extremities, the outer or distal (fig.369.andfig. 372. a) is usually rounded and bulbous, whilst the inner ( figs. 369. and 372. b) becomes gradually attenuated until its outline is merged in the proper ligament (fig. 368. m) by which the ovary is attached to the uterus. The upper and lower borders also differ from each other. The former (fig. 369. c) is con vex, and forms a segment of a circle, whose diameter is continually diminishing as age advances. The latter is straight or slightly concave, constituting the base of the ovary, or the line by which it is connected to the posterior duplicature of the broad ligament (fi'n. 369. and 370. d).
Iihnensions and Weight. — The ovary of a healthy adult measures from I" to 2" in length, from 6"' to I2'" in depth or perpen dicular diameter, and from 3"' to 6"' in a-idth or transverse diameter.
These dimensions, which vary considerably in different individuals, exhibit a much wider range when the observations are extended to different epochs of life. The organ is then found to undergo far more remarkable changes in bulk and figure than are observable in the corresponding male oroan.
The following table, giving the highest, lowest, and mean dimensions of twelve healthy ovaries, taken indiscriminately from women in various conditions during the period of fer tility, will serve to exenaplify the first of these variations : Another and more accurate method of esti mating the bulk of the ovary consists in weighing. The following are the extreme and mean %eights of five ovaries taken from healthy adults : viz., greatest weight, 135 grs. ; least, 60 grs. ; mean (of five examples), 87 grs. On comparison of these results with Krause's estimate of the Weight of the testis, which gives the mean weight of the male organ, also in five instances, as 3544 grs.*, it appears that the ovary, though furnishing the larger portion of the generative element in the act of repro duction, has an average bulk of less than one quarter of that of the corresponding male gland.
Position and Connections.— The ovary is so intimately connected with the uterus, in whose changes of position, both normal and ab normal, it necessarily takes part, that it can not be said to have any fixed or definite seat. It is most commonly found lying somewhat deeply in the lateral and posterior part of the cavity of the true pelvis, concealed from view by the small intestines, and in part covered by the Fallopian tube of the same side. Rela tively to the uterus, the ovary is placed on either side of that organ, at a distance varying from 4'" to 18"', and behind and a little be low the level of the point of entrance of the Fallopian tubes (fig. 368.).