THE MUCOUS MEMBRANE ELEVATION. 37 



middle one ends blindly near the ovum and as its cavity expands, 

 gradually disappears. 



The Figs. 14 (Plate VIII) and 23 (Plate XIII) show espe- 

 cially the arches formed by the left and right glands. In Fig. 

 22 (Plate XII) we see only a trace of the end of the middle 

 gland, whereas in Fig. 24 (Plate XIV) the section 165, which 

 lies further away from the ovum proper, again shows the end 

 of the middle gland, which is dilated and filled with blood, 

 (dr.) 



From this can be seen that the glands are considerably dilated 

 and hypertrophied. The "Eianlage" acts as a foreign body and 

 presses the glands toward the wall. The "Eianlage" furthermore, 

 together with the free extravasated red blood, destroys and dis- 

 solves glands and thus helps to form the intercommunicating 

 blood spaces of which we will presently speak. None of the sec- 

 tions furnished any proof for the assumption that the glands open 

 directly into the ovular chamber, or that the ovum entered the 

 mucosa through the mouth of a dilated gland. No signs were 

 found of any well preserved glandular epithelium or even rests 

 of such lining this cavity. This is furthermore made improbable 

 since, as we have seen before, the glands in their entirety, includ- 

 ing the walls and epithelium in the immediate vicinity of the . 

 ovum, are dissolved as the result of its growth. 



The mucous membrane elevation and all the adjoining tissue 

 down to the muscularis, is very vascular. The structure and 

 course of the blood vessels during the first weeks of pregnancy 

 have been carefully described in a number of excellent works 

 and we refer to them for further information. Here only those 

 facts shall be emphasized which seem most important in connec- 

 tion with the very earliest stage of pregnancy. Since they are 

 dealt with only in the work of Peters, a confirmation or further 

 elaboration of his contribution would seem very desirable. 



In the deeper portions of the mucosa, especially in the thicker 

 layer of the decidual trabeculae, one still meets with little arteries 

 twisted like cork screws. As a rule they are found cut either 

 transversely or lengthwise, the latter often accompanying the 

 glands for a long distance. On cross section the capillaries show 

 around their endothelial lining a second and sometimes a third 

 delicate ring of endothelium. The closer the ovum is approached, 

 the greater becomes the number of capillaries and the greater is 

 their distention and the extravasation of red blood cells into the 

 surrounding tissue. .If the delicate wavy walls of these distended 

 capillaries are carefully examined, it will be seen that at certain 

 places there are defective areas or even tears, through which the 



