788 APPENDIX. 



I 



the same structure as that composing the principal thickness of the walls 

 of Graafian follicles. 



"The membranous processes possessed a similar structure, and were 

 found to be continuous with the stroma of the ovary. That part of the 

 body next the substance of the ovary, had, by its pressure, so condensed 

 the stroma at the place, that the latter looked somewhat like an 

 external capsule sending processes inwards, which met and interwove 

 with those sent outward by the central membranous striae. But that 

 this appearance of external capsule was the result simply of the matting 

 of the stroma of the ovary by pressure, is shown by the circumstance 

 that it was absent at the peripheral part of the clot-like body, there 

 being there, as already said, merely the indmium. 



" As to the microscopical characters of the clot-like matter itself, 

 this was found to consist of granulous corpuscles somewhat like so- 

 called compound inflammation globules closely aggregated, and red 

 blood-corpuscles interspersed amongst them. The latter had lost some 

 of their coloring matter, but the granulous corpuscles were tinged red, 

 as if they had imbibed it. 



" The conclusion which is to be drawn as to the nature of the body 

 from this investigation is, that it is a true corpus luteum in an early 

 stage ; that the central membranous shred is the wall of the Graafian 

 follicle, from which the ovum had escaped ; and that the clot-like mass 

 (which would by and by have acquired the characteristic yellow appear- 

 ance of the corpus luteum, traces of which could indeed in some deep 

 places be detected), together with the membranous processes extending 

 through it from the central shred to the stroma of the ovary, is the 

 stroma surrounding the Graafian follicle infiltrated with bloody-looking 

 matter." 



With regard to the important question of the nature and reason of 

 the differences between true and false corpora lutea, Mr. Wharton Jones 

 observes : 



"If in the human female, Graafian follicles burst periodically, inde- 

 pendently of coitus, why is there no corpus luteum left ? The explana- 

 tion which might be given of this is : 



" By a slow, natural, and regular process, a Graafian follicle maturates, 

 points, bursts, and is evacuated like a small healthy abscess or pimple, 

 and like this the part quickly cicatrizes. A Graafian follicle, at the 

 time of coitus, not happening to be in this fully matured state, its 

 bursting is hastened by the process of congestion, exudation, and extra- 

 vasation above-described ; but when burst, the lymph and blood in an 

 altered state remain for a while in the form of a corpus luteum, which 

 may thus be compared to the hard base of an abscess evacuated prema- 

 turely. Though true corpora lutea, there is reason to believe, are 

 formed only after coitus, impregnation may take place without the for- 



