THE MICROSCOPE. 



one had more or less of potato starch mixed with it. Only two 

 having corn meal. Potato starch grains are so very characteristic 

 that it would^'be impossible for any one to mistake them under the 

 microscope for the starch grains of ipecac. In fig. 3 is given an 

 illustration of the starch grains of potato. Large, oval, or irregular- 

 ly ovate grains. Each one possessing a nucleus or spot around 

 which is seen numerous rings. Frequently these are as large as ^i-g- 

 of an inch in length. A very simple way for obtaining some of these 

 starch grains for study is to cut into a potato, and the fine white 

 powder adhering to the knife will be the starch, or if a thin slice of 

 the potato be shaved off and placed in a little water in a watch 

 crystal the fine white sediment found at the bottom will be the 

 starch. Fig. 4 illustrates some powdered ipecac adulterated with 

 potato starch. 



MEMBRANOUS DYSMENORRH(EA OR FALSE MOLE. 



BY MRS. B. A. OWENS, M. D., POR ILAND, OREGON. 



IT is not my intention in this short article to discuss the function 

 of that old and familiar but vexed subject menstruation, upon 

 which thousands of pages have been written and many beautiful as 

 well as many homely theories have been created. That phenome- 

 non which is so vital to the beauty, health and life of woman, 

 like many of the phenomena of the human system, is still somewhat 

 shrouded in a veil of mystery. 



I shall attempt to deal with one variety of menstruation, that 

 form known as " Membranous Dysmenorrhoea or False Mole." This, 

 in my estimation, is least of all understood and most of all misrepre- 

 sented. I cannot doubt that owing to the wrong teachings, and the 

 ignorance of the profession, in this particular, the chastity of many 

 has been suspected. 



For the weight of authority to-day is to the belief that the 

 " Decidua Membrana " is exfoliated or cast off during each men- 

 strual epoch, either by the process of desquamation or fatty degene- 

 ration ; also that this membrane before passing from the uterus is 

 rapidly disintegrated and is cast off in minute shreds or completely 

 dissolved. 



