344 ARTHUR WILLIAM MEYER 
Although the elimination of the erythroblast as the source 
of the Hofbauer cell was thus very easy, some difficulty was 
encountered, strangely enough, with regard to polymorphonu- 
clear leucocytes. This largely is due to the fact that the nu- 
cleus of the latter often ceases to be polymorphous as the cell 
degenerates. Instances of this kind are quite common, espe- 
cially in the membranes of hemorrhagic or infected abortuses. 
They are, however, also met with in the decidua. Since the 
polymorphous character of the nuclei of these leucocytes usually 
can be recognized without difficulty in degenerated accumula- 
tions of pus, I was at first predisposed against regarding a circu- 
lar nucleus as possibly polymorphous in origin, but careful 
scrutiny of numerous specimens in which these misleading de- 
generation forms occurred soon left no doubt as to the facts. 
As stated above, Hofbauer cells were found in the cavity of 
the chorionic vesicle in abortuses which contained blood or had 
become infected. In these specimens the degenerated poly- 
morphonuclear leucocytes usually lie in groups, or more com- 
monly in rows along the inner borders of the chorionic mem- 
brane, or in long narrow clefts or folds of the same. Some also 
were scattered about among the degenerating erythrocytes, 
but an examination of the contained blood usually surprises 
one by the entire absence not only of well-preserved poly- 
morphonuclear leucocytes, but of all leucocytes whatsoever. 
This, to be sure, is in marked contrast to what is found in the 
case of ordinary hemorrhages and is a fact full of significance 
for the question under discussion. Most of the degenerated 
polymorphonuclear leucocytes, many of which contain un- 
doubted evidence of phagocytosis, possess a relatively small, 
circular, vesicular nucleus which often is eccentric in position. 
Others are filled with a granular cytoplasm, or even with very dis- 
crete golden granules, while still others are filled with dark, 
black pigment granules corresponding in size to the golden ones. 
Here and there the field of degenerating erythrocytes may also 
be studded with masses of pigment which clearly declare their 
origin by the presence of all manner of transition forms, between 
the well-preserved, easily recognizable polymorphonuclear leu- 
