12 IIIMAX MAGMA RftTICULfi IX NORMAL AM) I'ATHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT. 



no magma. \\'ithin there is a clear, worm-like body, which is bent upon itself, 

 with another body arising from the middle of the bend. Apparently this is a flexed 

 embryo with the umbihcal vesicle attached to it. The body is of uniform diameter, 

 measuring less than a millimeter. We are probably dealing here with a normal 

 emliryo. In ojiening this specimen great care was taken not to touch the embryo, so 

 as to avoid injuring it. The embryo was taken out and cut into serial sections. 

 It contains 14 somites and is without limb-buds. The sections give the impression 

 that the embryo is pathological. There are no data in the history of the case which 

 bear uiwn this point; therefore, for the present we may view it as a normal specimen 

 without magma — or, if the embryo is taken into consideration, as a i)athological 

 siiecimen with dissolution of the magma. Usually in i)athological specimens the 

 magma is greatly increased in quantity. 



No. 164 is a somewhat older specimen. It came to us from an autoi)sy, with the 

 entire uterus, and the sections of it indicate that the embryo is undoubtcdh' normal. 

 The only record of the magma which we now have is given by several photographs 

 which were taken at the time we received the specimen. These show a few strands 

 of reticular magma, without any granular magma, radiating from the embryo. 

 The photographs were taken while the specimen was in formalin. 



The next si)ecimen, No. 463, is somewhat more achanced in development 

 and contains a flexed embryo, 3.9 mm. in length. The ovum is covered completely 

 on one side, and partly on the other, with villi 1.75 to 2.75 mm. long. On the partly 

 covered side the villi leave relatively bare one area, centrally situated, measuring 

 8 by 4.5 mm. Over it the villi occur only here and there, about 2 mm. apart, and 

 are branched and apparently normal. On opening the ovum the reticular magma is 

 found to fill the exoccelom. By carefully exploring with fine tweezers, an apparently 

 normal embryo is seen with a yolk-sac measuring 3.5 by 4 mm. The embryo has 

 anterior limb-buds and at least three gill-slits which are visible externally. No 

 note was taken at the time regarding the condition of the magma, but sections of the 

 entire chorion show that there is a very decided reticular magma between the 

 embryo and the chorionic wall. There is no granular magma. The magma is 

 composed mostly of fibrils, of much the same aj^pearance as those of mesenchyme. 

 Between the network of magma fibrils are denser strands accompanied by cells. 

 In the fresh state undoubtedly the denser strands would appear as fibrils, while the 

 rest would be transparent and jellj'-like. The specimen came from a woman who 

 was perfectly healthy and hacl gi\-cn birth to 2 children dvu'ing the last 4 years. 

 This was her first miscarriage, and there was no indication of uterine disease. 



Specimen No. 486, of the same degree of development as the one described 

 above, is in a perfect state of preservation, but there is no historj' which would 

 indicate whether or not the specimen is normal. However, the chorion is covered 

 with villi about 3 mm. long, with a bare spot on one side about 4 mm. in diameter. 

 The sections of the embryo do not show any attached fil^rils of magma, but the 

 chorionic w^all, after hardening in alcohol, shows a decided layer of magma attached 

 to it. 



No. 470 is an interesting specimen, as it was found floating in a mass of blood- 

 clots, which were sent to the laboratory in formalin. The ovum is covered with 



