144 



STUDIES ON PATHOLOGIC OVA. 



vacuolated. Otherwise the ovum is undergoing fibrous 

 degeneration. There are also numerous buds of syncytium. 

 The exoccclom is filled with a very dense mass of magma, 

 but a large part of the amnion is so closely blended with 

 the chorion that it can not be separated from it. Along 

 this line, as well as in the exocoelom, there are numerous 

 Hofbauer cells. Although the embryo is cylindrical in 

 shape, macerated, injured, and dissociated, the organs can 

 still be outlined. The liver is well infiltrated with round 

 cells; the heart has apparently broken away, but the larger 

 blood-vessels are filled with blood. The front of the head 

 is very small and entirely filled with the dissociated brain, 

 which protrudes anteriorly. 



(6) Very early hydatiform degeneration. Decidua ab- 

 sent. 



No. 704. 



(1) Winfred Wilson, Memphis, Texas. 



(2) A 20X12X12 mm.; B 6mm. 



(3) Patient aged 26 years; married 1904. Four preg- 

 nancies: Birth at term 1906, another in 1910; abortion 

 1912, and the present one, June 8, 1913. Last menstrual 

 period April 25 to 30. No infection, but bad retroversion 

 of uterus. Does not belong to a large family. 



(4) The specimen, which measures 20X12X12 mm., 

 consists of a clean chorion, covered mostly with villi which 

 divide about twice. On one side there are no villi, but 

 instead a smooth membrane. The specimen is filled with 

 reticular magma, in the center of which is a cavity about 

 3 mm. in diameter. On clearing away the magma it was 

 found that this cavity contained an embryo which, when 

 straightened out, measured about 6 mm. in length and 



1 mm. in diameter. It has a knob-like head 1 mm. in 

 diameter, which in form resembles very much a chick of 

 the same age. No amnion was found. 



(5) The chorion is somewhat fibrous, with a scanty 

 trophoblast, and contains numerous blood-vessels filled 

 with blood. The embryo is embedded in a granular sub- 

 stance and an extensive infiltration of round cells which 

 are largely disintegrated. There is no amnion. The cen- 

 tral nervous system can still be outlined, and a few periph- 

 eral nerves recognized. No other organs can be seen. 



(6) Early hydatiform degeneration. Decidua absent. 



No. 710. 



(1) Howard Fletcher, Fairfax, Virginia. 



(2) A 95X55X55 mm.; B 13mm. 



(3) Fatient aged 31 years; married 6 years. Mother of 

 three children, this being her first abortion. Last period 

 October 27 to 30; abortion following June 15. 



(4) The chorion measures 95X55X55 mm., has a 

 rough surface, with irregular and atrophic villi and some 

 decidua. Within is a cavity of uniform caliber of about 



2 mm., which extends throughout the specimen. To one 

 side of the cavity was a large mass 40 X30 mm., which was 

 found to be a subchorial hematoma. Opposite this mass, 

 towards the point of the specimen, was an atiophic, bean- 

 shaped embryo 13 mm. long and 5 mm. in diameter, with 

 an edematous umbilical cord. 



(5) The chorionic wall and amnion are very fibrous and 

 thickened, and are encircled by a mass of fibrin, blood, and 

 coagulum, in which are embedded necrotic fibrous villi and 

 small masses of dust. The epithelium of the chorionic 

 membrane is somewhat abundant, but vacuolated and 

 necrotic. The embryo is almost completely dissociated, 

 but the organs can still be made out. The ribs are very 

 evident. There are remnants of the extremities and a 

 large cavity within the short umbilical cord. A few periph- 

 eral nerves are present, but the central nervous system 

 was disintegrated completely, forming, in fact, an irregular 

 amorphous mass in which there is seen the pigment of 

 the eyea. 



No. 785. 



(1) C. S. Minot, Boston, Massachusetts. 



(2) A 15X12X10 mm.; B 2 mm. 



(3) Patient aged 27 years; married in 1911. One pre- 

 vious pregnancy, a birth at term. Last menstrual period 

 August 5 to 10, 1913, and abortion October 8 following. 

 Had been menstruating since September 20; occasional 

 show. Badly lacerated cervix. No venereal diseases. 

 Family fertile. 



(4) When received the chorion had been opened. It 

 is entirely covered with irregular villi, well matted together, 

 and many of them are club-shaped. Within there is a 

 great deal of reticular magma, in the center of which is an 

 embryo 2 mm. long, with a knob-like head. 



(5) The villi are fairly fibrous, and between them are 

 considerable trophoblast, blood, and a slimy substance 

 rich in leucocytes. Some of the villi contain remnants of 

 blood-vessels and a few have undergone mucoid degenera- 

 tion. Within the chorionic wall is the amnion, which is 

 thrown into many folds. The embryo is well disorganized. 

 The brain-tube has two marked protuberances from the 

 head end, probably the remnants of the eye-vesicles. At 

 the junction of the head with the body the solid nervous 

 system communicates freely with the exterior of the body. 

 Otherwise, no structures can be recognized in the head or 

 in the upper part of the body; but as the lower part is 

 approached a free communication betweer* the amnion 

 and the yolk-sac takes place through the dorsal midline. 

 That is, there is a spina bifida, or probably an open blasto- 

 pore. The lower part of the body is closely attached to 

 the yolk-sac, there being no true umbilical cord. The tis- 

 sues throughout the body are dissociated, and only at its 

 lower end is there any indication of blood-vessels. 



(6) Probably very early hydatiform degeneration. De- 

 cidua absent. 



No. 839. 



(1) W. S. Miller, Madison, Wisconsin. 



(2) A 50X30X30 mm.; B 5 mm. long. 



(4) The specimen consists of a beautiful white egg- 

 shaped ovum, 50X30X30 mm., about one-half of which 

 is covered with slender, thread-like villi, as much as 9 mm. 

 in length. The other half of the surface is bare and trans- 

 parent. Through the clear chorionic membrane and in 

 the middle of the bare area a small white embryonic rudi- 

 ment could be seen. On one side of this bare area the 

 ovum was opened and found to be free of magma. The 

 embryonic rudiment, measuring 5 mm., lay within a large 

 amniotic cavity. Stretching from the embryo to the 

 chorion, opposite the well-developed villi, was a white 

 cord about 17 mm. long (magma?). 



(5) Sections through the embryo include also the cho- 

 rionic wall, which is found to be somewhat fibrous and 

 covered with atrophic villi which have undergone mucoid 

 degeneration. Most of the trophoblast is degenerate. 

 The entire cavity of the chorion is lined by the amnion, 

 which contains a very thick-walled cavity. Within, and 

 closely attached to it, lies a nodular embryo. The tissues 

 are markedly dissociated. The central nervous system, 

 although nearly obliterated, can be followed throughout 

 the body. At one point there is a remnant of the ca-lom, 

 and the region of the heart can still be outlined. 



(6) Some hydatiform degeneration. Decidua absent. 



No. 842. 



(1) G. C. Ney, Baltimore, Maryland. 



(2) A 76X34X27 mm.; B 5mm. 



(4) The knotty, fleshy abortion mass measures 

 76X34X27 mm. Cros's-section near one end discloses 

 what is apparently a collapsed chorionic cavity, measuring 

 about 10 mm. across. The next slab shows a dimension 

 of almost 20 mm. for the cavity. A remnant of the mass 

 was then opened cautiously by a longitudinal incision, and 

 disclosed a large flattened oval space, 50X20 mm., lined 

 by a smooth membrane and containing at one pole a com- 

 pact, deep-red clot, 25X15X15 mm. At one point 

 there is a small cylindrical protuberance about 5 mm. in 

 length and 2 mm. in diameter the embryonic rudiment. 



