Page:Contraception; 1st ed. (IA in.ernet.dli.2015.94163).pdf/234

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CONTRACEPTION

to learn that so eminent a surgeon as Sir Arbuthnot Lane held the view that the prostatic secretion is of positive value, and is absorbed by the woman. Professor Thomson in presenting his opinion gave what professed to be complete references to all subsidiary evidence in its favour, but he omitted mention both of Sir Arbuthnot Lane's and of my priority to him for what is true in his view. I had said "It is extremely likely that the highly stimulating secretion of man's seminal fluid can and does penetrate and affect the woman's whole organism"; also "Women absorb from the seminal fluid of the man some substance, 'hormone,' 'vitamine' or stimulant which affects their internal economy in such a way as to benefit and nourish their whole systems."[1] I consider the vagina is absorptive. Professor A. Thomson's idea that it is the secretory glands of the uterus which do the absorbing, was promptly and effectively answered by Blair Bell[2] who

  1. ↑ The minute quantities likely to be absorbed in such a way are not evidence against their great influence and importance; concerning the general physiology of hormones, &c, see the excellent textbook on physiology by Sir William Bayliss, M.A., D.SC., "Principles of General Physiology," 3rd ed. Pp. xxvi, 862, + 261 illustrations. London, 1920.
  2. ↑ Blair Bell (1922): Letter to British Medical Journal, January 21, 1922.

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