NOTES ON THE WOLFFIAN BODY OF HIGHEE MAMMALS. 



BY 



JOHN BRUCE MacCALLUM, M. D. 

 From the Anatomical Laboratory^ Johns Hopkhcs Universiti/. 



With 17 Text Figures. 



In studying the Wolffian body of human and pigs' embryos, certain 

 facts were arrived at which will be set doAvn in the following order : 



1. Methods of study and material, 



2. Tubular system of Wolffian body in human embryos. 



3. Tubular system of Wolffian body in pigs' embryos with a descrip- 

 tion of a wax reconstruction showing the course of the tubules. 



4. Blood-vessels of Wolffian body of pig's embryo. 



5. Eelation of the tubular systems of the testis and the Wolffian 

 body. 



1. Methods of Study and Material. 



A large number of pigs' embryos were studied, varying in length from 

 8 mm. to 200 mm. Since a fresh supply of these could be obtained at 

 any time, it was not difficult to make a considerable number of in- 

 jections and preparations witli various methods. The human embryos 

 were available through the kindness of Professor Mall, and free use 

 was made of the large collection which he possesses. 



A very instructive method in the study of the tubular system con- 

 sisted in the injection of the organ through the allantois with a colored 

 solution. Various injection masses were made use of, but the most 

 satisfactory proved to be the saturated aqueous solution of Berlin blue, 

 and the ordinary carmine gelatin mass. Gelatin in which cinnabar or 

 lamp-black granules were suspended had the disadvantage of being less 

 transparent. Double injections were also made with carmine gelatin 

 for the tubules and Berlin blue for the blood-vessels. In the Wolffian 

 body there is no difficulty in distinguishing veins from arteries with a 

 general vascular injection. Double injections of the vessels, however, 

 were also made to supplement the general ones. 



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