554 GENCHO FUJIMURA 



brought about, the relation in this case being in exact coincidence 

 with the growth of the pregnant decidual cells. These facts 

 taken into consideration, I am convinced that the two kinds 

 of decidual cells (menstrual and pregnant) described above 

 have the same origin, and yet the cells being influenced by the 

 physiological conditions sometimes develop into the men- 

 strual decidual cells, and sometimes, being advanced further, 

 run over to the pregnant decidual cells. 



And, on taking a glance at the epithelial changes of the uter- 

 ine gland, we find that, as in the ordinary glandular cells, plas- 

 tosomes, lipoid granules, and a large number of vacuoles, which 

 last may be deemed a modified product of lipoid granules, 

 are contained therein. The vacuoles grow in size gradually 

 and are finally fused and present a honeycomb structure, 

 especially on the surface of the cell, and then after losing the 

 cilia, the cells assume the appearance of goblet cells which have 

 their secreted matter accumulated chiefly on the surface. 

 Along with such changes, it will be noted, on the other hand, that 

 plastosomes and lipoid granules gradually diminish and dis- 

 appear, and it appears that part of those cells which show changes 

 in a high degree die and perish. In short, these structural 

 changes cannot but clearly indicate the fact that these cells per- 

 form functions which are similar to the ordinary glandular cells. 

 And, on comparing these changes with those experienced in the 

 glandular cells during pregnancy, we find that the backward- 

 ness in the degree of the appearance of lipoid granules and 

 vacuoles occurring in these cells makes one feel as though a 

 decided difference would exist between the two, however true 

 it may be that no radically great difference exists between them. 



With regard to the periodic changes of the uterine mucous 

 membrane, there have been many researches, such as the 

 investigations of Hitschman, Adler, and Schroder ('07). 

 Though a universall}^ well-known fact, and yet confined chiefly 

 to the shape of the glandular tubules and the epithelium, very 

 few observers have so far paid attention to the functional 

 significance of the so-called menstrual decidual cells which are 

 produced by the evolution of the interstitial cells, with the ex- 



