THE SPEED OF HUMAN SPERMATOZOA AND THE EFFECT ON IT OF VARIOUS DILUENTS, WITH SOME PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS ON CLINICAL MATERIAL

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Abstract
A method is described for measuring the speed of human spermatozoa. Dilution with seminal plasma, buffered glucose solution and normal saline cause a fall in the average velocity of spermatozoa. During incubation the speed falls more rapidly in seminal plasma than in artificial diluents. The speed of the spermatozoa is sensitive to changes in pH of the suspending fluid which produce no measurable drop in motility. Seminal plasma from other semen samples may have a stimulating or depressing effect on speed when added to semen, but in most cases produces no change. Semen judged as satisfactory on other counts has a higher average speed, and a greater number of relatively fast spermatozoa, than semen of poorer quality. The speed of spermatozoa in cervical mucus, and in semen, indicates that it would be possible for them to enter the Fallopian tubes by their own activity within half an hour of insemination.
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