496 A. A. W. nUHRECHT. 



preferable to postpone the detailed description of the further 

 stages to the next paragraph. 



In this one I will only indicate in a few sentences the general 

 outlines of the further changes that affect the maternal uterine 

 tissues down to the period of parturition. 



The lateral cushion-shaped thickenings disappear with com- 

 parative rapidity, a new epithelial coating being rapidly formed 

 behind them, out of the confluence of what are in the beginning 

 (fig. 83) defects or fissures in the deeper regions of these 

 thickenings. The first appearance of this process of de- 

 hiscence in the deeper layers of the lateral portion is given in 

 outline in fig. 7, and figs. 8 — 12 furnish us with different 

 aspects of its further progress. It thus comes about that a 

 superficial portion of the maternal tissue against which the 

 area vasculosa is applied becomes more and more loosely 

 attached to the deeper lying portions, that strands of cells 

 (figs. 49 and 50, s.) connect them in some, but open spaces 

 separate them in more places, and that finally also the last 

 strands of tissue disappearing (cf. left half of fig. 12) a tongue- 

 shaped projection of tissue remains, which is only connected 

 with the rest of the uterine tissue superiorly, i. e. along the 

 margin of the placental region. From this moment onwards 

 the disappearance is even more rapid, and in fig. 13 these 

 tongue-shaped projections are no more present; the portion of 

 the trophoblast adhering to them (omphaloidean trophoblast) 

 has become modified in a way which will be discussed in the 

 next paragraph, and at the same time the placentary region has 

 considerably increased. The important process of the forma- 

 tion of a new epithelial layer in the deeper portions, simulta- 

 neously with the process here referred to, can be better 

 gathered from those figures in which not only the outline, but 

 also the histological detail is given, viz. figs. 84 and 88, The 

 latter figure shows at the same time that this new epithelium 

 is thus disposed (with numerous folds) that it can allow of an 

 extraordinary amount of stretching, as will be necessary in the 

 subsequent stages of further advanced pregnancy. 



From the moment the stage has been reached which is re- 



