624 ORGANS OF GENERATION. 



(page 631) and being soluble with difficulty in alcohol and readily soluble 

 in petroleum ether. 



The cysts often occurring in the ovaries are of special pathological 

 interest, and these may have essentially different contents, depending 

 upon their variety and origin. 



The serous cysts (HYDROPS FOLLICULORUM GRAAFII), which are 

 formed by a dilation of the Graafian follicles, contain a serous liquid 

 which has a specific gravity of 1.005-1.022. A specific gravity of 1.020 

 is less frequent. Generally the specific gravity is lower, 1.005-1.014, 

 with 10-40 p. m. solids. As far as is known, the contents of these cysts 

 do not essentially differ from other serous liquids. 



The proliferous cysts (MYXOID CYSTS, COLLOID CYSTS), which are 

 developed from PFLUGER'S epithelium-tubes, may have a content of a 

 decidedly variable composition. 



We sometimes find in small cysts a semi-solid, transparent, or some- 

 what cloudy or opalescent mass which appears like solidified glue or 

 quivering jelly, and which has been called colloid because of its physical 

 properties. In other cases the cysts contain a thick, tough mass which 

 can be drawn out into long threads, and as this mass in the different 

 cysts is more or less diluted with serous liquids their contents may have 

 a variable consistency. In still other cases the small cysts may also 

 contain a thin, watery fluid. The color of the contents is also variable. 

 Sometimes they are bluish-white, opalescent, and again they are yellow, 

 yellowish-brown, or yellowish with a shade of green. They are often 

 colored more or less chocolate-brown or red-brown, due to the decom- 

 posed blood-coloring matters. The reaction is alkaline or nearly neutral. 

 The specific gravity, which may vary considerably, is generally 1.015- 

 1.030, but may occasionally be 1.005-1.010 or 1.050-1.055. The amount 

 of solids is very variable. In rare cases it amounts to only 10-20 p. m.; 

 ordinarily it varies from 50-70-100 p. m. In a few instances 150-200 

 p. m. solids have been found. 



As form-elements one finds red and white blood-corpuscles, granular 

 cells, partly fat-degenerated epithelium and partly large so-called GLTJGE'S 

 corpuscles, fine granular masses, epithelium-cells, cholesterin crystals, and 

 colloid corpuscles large, circular, highly refractive formations. 



Though the contents of the proliferous cyst may have a variable 

 composition, still it may be characterized in typical cases by its slimy 

 or ropy consistency; by its grayish-yellow, chocolate-brown, sometimes 

 whitish-gray color; and by its relatively high specific gravity, 1.015- 

 1.025. Such a liquid does not ordinarily show a spontaneous fibrin 

 coagulation. 



We consider colloid, metalbumin, and paralbumin as characteristic 

 constituents of these cysts. 



