396 Maximilian Herzog. 



nective tissue. The interglandular connective is composed of distinctly 

 fusiform cells with elongated deeply-staining nuclei. In some places 

 the gland spaces project considerably into the muscularis. Towards 

 the latter there are occasionally found between the glands groups of 

 small round lymphoid cells of the type of the cells seen in the intersti- 

 tial tissue of the non-pregnant uterine mucosa. In the spongiosa at 

 some distance from the ovum there are no very markedly enlarged 

 veins or capillaries seen. But they appear towards the zone where the 

 spongiosa goes over into the compacta. In the latter we see the 

 more or less straight or decidedly tortuous ducts of the glands lead- 

 ing to the surface. Here also the epithelial lining projects in ridges 

 and bands. Between the gland ducts solid septa are present. In the 

 direct neighborhood of the ovum these septa contain enormously en- 

 larged blood spaces (capillaries or veins) ; at some distance they 

 show the tortuous cork-screw arteries, characteristic for the decidua 

 compacta. The edema existing in the decidua is demonstrated in 

 the spongiosa even at a distance from the ovum by a coagulated 

 granular material found in the gland spaces. In the compacta 

 the edema can be recognized in the solid septa. The cells here are 

 distinctly pushed apart, they are embedded in a granular coagulated 

 material. In the compacta are found cells which exhibit already 

 quite well the characters of decidual cells. They possess a large 

 oval nucleus, with distinct nuclear membrane, scanty chromatin 

 and one or two nucleoli. They have a large protoplasmic body, 

 oval, fusiform or irregularly polygonal in outlines, finely granular 

 and well eosin-staining. Among these larger cells, small mononu- 

 clears of the type of lymphocytes or young connective tissue cells are 

 quite numerous. 



The epithelium lining the glands is best preserved in the deeper 

 layers of the more distant compacta. It is high columnar with nuclei 

 near the basement membrane. The cilia in favorable locations are 

 still preserved. The profound degenerative processes seen in the 

 glandular and surface epithelium towards the ovum have several 

 times been referred to. 'No karyokinetic figures were seen anywhere 

 in the glandular epithelium. However, a few cells with two small 

 densely stained round nuclei were found. I am, of course, well 



