The entrance to the Vagina, a small oval opening, easily seen by parting the lips of the private parts, is usually closed in virgins by a thin membrane, or skin, which grows over it. This is called the Hymen; and in ancient times its presence was considered necessary at marriage to establish the virginity of the bride. If in reality such proof was demanded, we think that very many brides must have been pronounced lewd, for there is scarcely one woman in a hundred at the present day who preserves her Hymen intact until she is twenty years old. In some, it is broken at the first menstrual flow—in others, any debilitating disease of the parts destroys it—and many girls who constantly bathe and wash their private parts, unconsciously wash away this membrane. These are cases where it is very thin; but where it has strength to resist such accidents, it may even then be quickly destroyed by any attempt of the female to produce sexual excitement. Some curious facts are related in the medical books of the toughness of the Hymen in certain cases. Dr. Wakley, of London, was applied to by a woman who alleged that though her husband regularly performed his marital duties, yet she herself could not enjoy the nuptial act. On examination, it was found that the Hymen had not been broken, though the woman had been married eight years. The membrane was a tough, calloused substance, and it was deemed necessary to cut it out entirely. This lady became a mother in less than eleven months from the time of the operation. Dr. Bostwick, of New York, had a case where a thick piece of flesh grew over the mouth of the Vagina; and though the woman had the menstrual flow regularly through a small opening, yet her husband could have no sexual pleasure with her. A very painful and dangerous operation relieved this lady, and she is now the mother of a family. As a general rule, a girl loses her Hymen before she is twenty, and it is seldom that she knows when it is destroyed. In some women the mouth of the Vagina is so small that a first connection is painful, tearing the part and causing a flow of blood. When such women become widows, or refrain from sexual intercourse for a long period, the same tearing and flow of blood may again occur on resuming connection.