James Oliver believes that the catamenial flow eliminates from the body substances whose presence in the blood would exert a deleterious influence on the animal economy.

The Prominent Symptoms of the Menopause.—­ Christopher Martin holds that the symptoms of the change of life are produced largely by a condition of instability and increased excitability of certain other cerebrospinal centers directly brought about by failure of the menstrual center, and adds:  “It is probable that the ovaries, like the liver and thyroid gland, modify the blood circulating through them, and add to the blood some peculiar product of their metabolism.  It may be that some of the climacteric symptoms are due to the loss of this substance from the system.”

Arthur Johnstone’s theory of the symptoms of the menopause is that the lining membrane of the uterus atrophies and becomes old cicatricial tissue, and sinks into quiet decay.  The nervous system begins to readjust itself; but no longer having free outlet through the soft, lymphoid tissues of the uterus, the wave pressure meets with resistance and a choppy sea results.  Vertigos, bilious attacks, and so forth are nothing more than reflex waves.  The weakest organ of the individual is the one that generally suffers.  And that the kidneys, which all along have borne the brunt of life, should now show positive signs of disease is natural.

The etiology and pathology of the menopause lie in the sympathetic nervous system.  And it is by the breaking up of the harmony of previous processes that nervous disturbances are produced.

After the cessation of the flow, over 8% of women suffer from “flashes”; this symptom is caused by irritation of the heart and vasomotor centers.  The blood-vessels of the head and neck seem to be most affected, yet the skin of the whole body shares in the disturbance.  Besides the vasomotor and heat center being disturbed, the sweat center is irritated.  The flushes and flashes are followed by various degrees of sweating, which varies from a slight moisture to great drops.

Nervous irritability is a prominent symptom in 8% of women at the time of the menopause.  Most of the pain arises around the stomach; that is, the solar plexus.  Digestive disturbances are very common at this time; they may be in the shape of fermentation, diarrhea, or constipation, accompanied by congestion of the liver.

Tilt holds the very plausible view that the too strong reaction of the sexual organs on the central ganglia of the sympathetic nervous system is their principal cause of disease.  Puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, lactation, or the menopause almost always entail some derangement of this system which is sometimes sufficiently severe to lead to insanity and suicide.  Debility underlies all affections of the sympathetic nervous system, in the same way as nervous irritability underlies all cerebral diseases.  Sometimes there is an overpowering sense of exhaustion pervading the whole system.