FETUS COMPRESSUS. 95 



fetuses. The smaller specimens disintegrate completely before the stage of mummi- 

 fication is reached, while in older fetuses the skin, the cartilages, even when still 

 wholly unossified, and the ligaments, as well as the fibrous tissue as a whole, resist 

 disintegration more. The smaller specimens soon become so soft that they liter- 

 ally fall to pieces before they can become dehydrated and mummified. This is 

 illustrated splendidly by Nos. 379 and 717. It is recorded by Mall that the former 

 fell to pieces upon being handled, and of No. 717 it was stated that a slight amount 

 of shaking would cause the entire specimen to disintegrate. 



All the small specimens found in this group undoubtedly could be classed 

 among the other groups of the pathologic or normal divisions, for they have been 

 placed in this group merely because they are macerated more completely than the 

 specimens usually classed in the normal divisions. The exclusion of these would 

 limit this group to fetuses beyond the length of 25 to 30 mm. At this time a stage 

 of development much more resistant to disintegration is reached, and the changes 

 in form regarded as peculiar to this group can then arise. As recorded by Mall, 

 small specimens macerated so thoroughly that they almost fall apart, even when 

 handled in fluid, sometimes have undergone very slight changes in form and could 

 be placed in the other groups. 



It is an old story that the outward appearances of the specimens in this group 

 often are grotesque. This is true particularly of the so-called fetus compressi. 

 These strange appearances are very largely attributable to the distorted extremi- 

 ties, the gaping mouth, and the pointed features. There is no limit to this dis- 

 tortion, as No. 1925, shown in figure 48, illustrates. Sometimes the greatly and 

 abnormally bent extremities become adherent, as in case of the legs of No. 1859, 

 shown in figure 64, and in other instances, as in Nos. 1860 and 627, bleb forma- 

 tion of considerable size occurs and later the skin may slough or become rolled 

 up and fused so as to form marked welts. Sometimes it may hang in shreds from 

 the fingers and toes or from other parts of the body. These strands of sloughed 

 epidermis may then simulate amniotic bands, and when accumulated about the 

 fingers and toes may hide them completely, giving the appearance of a mittened 

 hand. However, epidermal thickenings, local or diffuse in character, are sometimes 

 present, as shown in figure 65. These give one the impression that they result 

 from epithelial proliferation rather than merely from fusion of accidentally apposed 

 cells. Fusion of adjacent surfaces of the digits is also common, and occasionally 

 the upper or lower extremities may be united quite firmly in places through fused 

 areas of epidermis, as is illustrated by No. 1859. 



The contortions of the extremities are due not merely to the relaxation of the 

 joints and consequent abnormal mobility, but result also from a bending of the 

 cartilaginous shafts of the bones, even up to or beyond an angle of 90. The smaller 

 cartilages of the hands and feet may lose their distinct outlines, and under con- 

 ditions of advanced maceration may fuse somewhat with one another. Rarely, 

 areas of coagulation necrosis are also seen at the distal extremities of the terminal 

 phalanges. Degeneration of the precartilage and cartilage opposite the ossified 

 areas may also be complete, thus presenting the appearances of bones with 



