596 ORGANS OF GENERATION. 



solids, which constitute the chief mass, are protein bodies and pseudo- 

 mucin. 



The intraligamentary, papillary cysts contain a yellow, yellowish- 

 green, or brownish-green liquid which contains either no pseudomucin 

 or very little. The specific gravity is generally rather high, 1.032-1.036, 

 with 90-100 p. m. solids. The principal constituents are the simple 

 proteins of blood-serum. 



The rare tubo-ovarial cysts contain as a rule a watery, serous fluid 

 containing no pseudomucin. 



The parovarial cysts or the CYSTS of the LIGAMENTA LATA may attain 

 a considerable size. In general, and when quite typical, the contents are 

 watery, mostly very pale-yellow-colored, water-clear or only slightly 

 opalescent liquids. The specific gravity is low, 1.002-1.009, and the 

 solids only amount to 10-20 p. m. Pseudomucin does not occur as a 

 typical constituent; protein is sometimes absent, and when it does occur 

 the quantity is very small. The principal part of the solids consists of 

 salts and extractive bodies. In exceptional cases the fluid may be rich 

 in protein and may show a higher specific gravity. 



In regard to the quantitative composition of the fluid from ovarial 

 cysts we refer the reader to the work of OERUM. 1 



E. LUDWIG and R. v. ZEYNEK have investigated the fat from dermoid cysts. 

 .Besides a little arachidic acid, they found oleic, stearic, palmitic, and myristic 

 acids, cetyl alcohol, and a cholesterin-like substance. In regard to the occurrence 

 of cetyl alcohol see the work of AMESEDER, 2 page 232. 



The colloid from a uterine fibroma analyzed by STOLLMANN 3 contained a 

 pseudomucin soluble in water and a colloid (paramucin) insoluble in water, both 

 of which behaved differently with alcohol as compared with the corresponding 

 substances from ovarial cysts. 



The Ovum. 



The small ova of man and mammals cannot, for evident reasons, be 

 the subject of a searching chemical investigation. Up to the present 

 time the eggs of birds, amphibians, and fishes have been investigated, 

 but above all the hen's egg. We will here occupy ourselves with the con- 

 stituents of this last. 



The Yolk of the Hen's Egg. In the so-called white yolk, which forms 

 the germ with a process reaching to the center of the yolk (latebra), and 

 forming a layer between the yolk and yolk-membrane, there occurs 

 protein, nuclein, lecithin, and potassium (LIEBERMANN 4 ). The occur- 



1 Kemiske Studier over Ovariecystevsedsker, etc., Koebenhavn, 1884. See also 

 Maly's Jahresber., 14, 459. 



2 Ludwig and v. Zeynek, Zeitschr. f. physiol. Chem., 23; Ameseder, ibid., 52. 



3 Amer. Gynecology, 1903. 



4 Pfliiger's Arch., 43. 



