244 MANUAL OF HISTOLOGY. 



minate in blind ends; frequently they have a spiral course, 

 corkscrew-like ; bat generally their direction is vertical to the 

 plane of the membrane ; they open into the cavity of the 

 uterus. The existence of a membrana propria in these glan- 

 dulce utriculares is denied by some, or if present it is only 

 toward the orifice of the gland. In the pregnant organ, how- 

 ever, an extremely delicate, structureless membrane, in which 

 oval nuclei are found, is thought to represent such a structure. 

 The cells lining these glands are prismatic in shape, their broad 

 ends directed outward ; the slender extremities projecting into 

 the lumen of the gland are provided with cilia. 



The mucous membrane lining the canal of the cervix is 

 denser and thicker than that of the body. It possesses a con- 

 nective-tissue investment which lies between it and the muscu- 

 lar layer, and it also differs from the lining of the body in the 

 presence of folds, which constitute the plicae palmatse. The 

 epithelium covering this portion of the uterus is made up of 

 cylindrical ciliated 'cells, in the upper two-thirds of the canal, 

 but as the external os uteri is approached it gradually as- 

 sumes the laminated pavement variety. Minute papillae, pro- 

 vided with a capillary loop, are found in the lower half of the 

 canal. The folds of membrane consist of a firm fibrous tissue, 

 a few smooth muscular elements, and a scanty amount of elas- 

 tic fibres. Here are also located the mucous follicles of the 

 cervix, or, as some histologists consider them, depressions only 

 of the mucous membrane ; they are lined with a cubical epi- 

 thelium, and possess a structureless membrana propria, which 

 is intimately connected to the connective tissue. From an 

 occlusion of the orifices of these follicles there are developed 

 small retention cysts containing mucoid fluid, usually round or 

 oval, and measuring 0.3 to 0.5 mm. in length ; they are known 

 as the ovula Ncibotlii. The fluid secreted by the mucous mem- 

 brane of the uterus differs from that of the vaginal mucous 

 membrane in having an alkaline reaction. 



The mucous membrane covering the intra-vaginal portion 

 of the uterus is a continuation of the vaginal mucous mem- 

 brane, consisting of a similar structure, and composed of a 

 connective-tissue framework with papillae projecting into its 

 covering of laminated pavement-epithelium. At times this por- 

 tion is found to contain the ovula Nabothi. 



The uterus is a very vascular organ ; a capillary network is 



