346 MINOT. (Vou. Il. 
The connective tissue is but little altered from the condition 
at seven days ; it has the same adenoid character; the cells are 
elongated in directions more or less parallel to one another, and 
the appearance of the protoplasmic reticulum therefore varies 
according as the section passes at right angles or parallel with 
the long axes of the cells; in the former case the meshes are 
smaller, in the latter larger and longer. The perivascular cells 
have grown ; Masquelin and Swaen trace their origin to a meta- 
morphosis of the connective tissue cells, in doing which I en- 
tirely agree with them; these authors likewise describe fibrillze 
in the connective tissue, but in my preparation I can find none, 
nor from what we know of the structure of the mammalian 
uterus is it probable that any are present; in regard to this 
point I think that Masquelin and Swaen’s account needs recti- 
fication. 
The placental blood-vessels have increased in size, and, I 
think, in number; their epithelium, particularly in the larger 
vessels, is decidedly thickened. 
The uterine epithelium has entered upon its complex degen- 
erative metamorphosis — most of the changes have been seen 
and correctly described by Masquelin and Swaen for the pla- 
cental area. They conclude that the changes lead to a new 
formation of blood corpuscles out of the substance of the epi- 
thelium. My own observations oblige me to regard the changes 
as phases of a hyaline degeneration with hyperplasia of the 
degenerating elements, and having nothing to do, therefore, 
with blood formation. In all parts of the uterine dilatations the 
epithelium is considerably thickened (Plate XXVI., Fig. 1). The 
thickening is due to the enlargement and fusion of the epithelial 
cells, and this enlargement of the cells is due to the prolifera- 
tion of the nuclei and to the growth of the protoplasm, which 
begins later and continues longer (as later stages show) than 
the multiplication of the nuclei. That the nuclei multiply 
within each cell can be distinctly seen in my specimens of this 
age; the same fact has been observed by Masquelin and Swaen. 
The growth of the protoplasm is more properly described as an 
enlargement, due to degenerative metamorphosis. As to the 
nature of this metamorphosis I am unable to speak with much 
precision. The substance presents a very granular appearance, | 
and possesses a slightly greater affinity for coloring-matters 
