Various methods have, at different times, been adopted for determining the age of puberty. One sect of ancient Roman lawyers, called _Cassiani_, fixed it by the state of the body, which _Justinian_ and others after him suppose to have been done by a personal examination, at least in the male sex; for as to the female it is pretended that the twelfth year was the only guide; though others allege that the eruption of the menses served instead of it. The _Proculiari_, on the contrary determined the puberty of males by the expiration of the fourteenth year. _Javolenus_ pursued a middle course, and made use of both methods.[280]. The phenomena of puberty depend, in both sexes, upon the developement of the generative organs; for whenever this is prevented, or only imperfectly produced, a corresponding character is impressed upon the individual, as we see so well exemplified in the appearance of eunuchs[281]. In females, however, the uterus does not appear to be the essential organ which impresses the sex with its distinctive peculiarities: _Van Helmont_ has said “_Propter solum uterum mulier est, id quod est_”——but Dr. _Caillot_ has shewn in the second volume of the _Medical Society of Paris_ that a woman may grow up with all the external appearances and attributes of her sex, and yet have no uterus; numerous cases of a similar kind are upon record, to some of which we shall have occasion hereafter to allude: the same facts do not hold good in relation to the _Ovaria_; their developement, like that of the testicles in the male, seems to be absolutely essential to the perfection of the sex. A very interesting case,[282] in illustration of this truth, is afforded by Mr. _C. Pears_; in which account all the characters belonging to the female after puberty were absent; her breasts never enlarged, she never menstruated, no hair appeared on the pubes, and she died at the age of twenty-nine; when upon dissection the _Ovaries_ were found wanting; the _os tincæ_ and uterus had their usual form, but never increased beyond their size in the infant state.