RESORPTION OF CONCEPTUSES. 2QI 



or complete absorption of the last few small remnants of this 

 conceptus probably may be attributed to the fact that the small 

 remnants of degenerate trophoblast and syncytium which re- 

 main, or the influence of the corpus luteum no longer were able 

 to inhibit menstruation. Hence the decidua, together with these 

 few small remnants of the conceptus were expelled in toto and 

 it may be extremely significant that this occurred exactly two 

 menstrual months after the beginning of the last period. Since 

 three other specimens of a series of seventeen composed of villi 

 only were aborted at the time of recurrence of the regular period, 

 the idea that abortion occurs oftener at this than at any other 

 time would seem to receive some confirmation. Moreover, it 

 would seem quite natural that a detached decidua which has 

 subserved its functions would be more likely to be shed at this 

 time and that an unabsorbed conceptus which had been con- 

 verted essentially into a foreign body, should then also be ex- 

 pelled. Since detachment of the decidua also permits regen- 

 eration of the mucosa and isolates the conceptus, it removes the 

 inhibitory effects of the conceptus upon the maternal organism 

 and clears the way for a return to the normal non-pregnant 

 status. 



It, to be sure, is impossible to decide how far the development 

 of this conceptus had progressed before its death, but the marked 

 extent of the absorption shows beyond doubt that the latter 

 would have been completed long before the advent of the next 

 or third menstrual period had the second period also been in- 

 hibited. Under these circumstances the empty decidual cast 

 then would have been expelled alone and well might have directed 

 attention to the possibility of the existence of a tubal rather 

 than a uterine pregnancy. 



A. second case is number 970, donated by Dr. R. W. Hammack, 

 of Manila. This specimen is interesting not only because it 

 also is a case of marked intrauterine absorption, but because it 

 was obtained with the entire uterus, at necropsy. The chorionic 

 vesicle, which measured only 3x5 mm. together with the entire 

 thickness of the decidua and the musculature, is shown in cross 

 section in Fig. 3. The uterine cavity contained some blood and 

 the entire decidua was covered with hemorrhagic nodules the 



