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T-shaped slit, a broadening is brought about here, which, progressing 

 more and more in the mesometral direction, finally produces a space, 

 the cross-section of which presents a shape like that of a cone, 

 truncated mesometrally by the old transverse part of the T, and 

 bordered anti-mesometrally by a circular segment corresponding to 

 the umbilical vesicle. The ovular chambers, formed in this way, 

 have originated as the result of growth and extension of the anti- 

 mesometral uterine wall, as a consequence of which the parts of 

 the horn that connect them, are implanted at the mesometral side 

 of the foetal chambers and at the same time are bent in this direction. 

 The proliferation in the stroma tissue, beginning in the sub-epithelial 

 layer, squeezes the mouths of the glands asunder. Later the epithelium 

 in these latter degenerates, the walls agglutinate, finally only 

 remnants of glands are found in the more normal stroma under the 

 muscularis. 



The processes by which the first formation of dish-shaped layers 

 takes place (the existence of which is always of a relatively short 

 duration, however) are the oedematous imbibition of the tissue and 

 disintegration of cell-elements, accompanying the proliferation of the 

 sub-epithelial multinuclear zone, the final result being a system of 

 cavities, separated by thin cell-partitions and filled with the products 

 of oedema and disintegration of tissue. This layer is externally 

 surrounded by layers which form the transition to the still normal, 

 although proliferating tissue, while at the opening they are more 

 and more separated by products of a later process. 



Very remarkable is the appearance at this time of "giant cells", 

 plasma-lumps of different size, which assume a dark colour and 

 contain many giant nuclei witii a large nucleolus. Continuous layers 

 or more isolated groups are found as individual differences, apparently. 

 They lie mostly superficially, often connected with the trophoblast, 

 not with the vessels. At first sight one would feel inclined to regard 

 them as the foetal "suction roots" of the trophoblast, described for 

 Spermophilus by Rejsek. Since all transitions are found between the 

 mucosa tissue and these elements (in some cases even the transition 

 having been followed up); since, moreover, they are found on the 

 ovule, in course of being dissolved in the surrounding mass; since, 

 on the other hand, in no case an origin from the trophoblast could 

 be made probable, the giant cells are for this and other reasons in 

 my opinion to be considered as a degenerative maternal formation, 

 as a symplasm. They cannot be identified with the "monster cells" 

 of MiNOT, ScHOENFELD and others, described for the rabbit, since these 

 elements are also found in Sciurus, only nuu*h hiter. Finally com- 



25*' 



