642 ORGANS OF GENERATION. 



reaction, but quickly becomes acid. Its specific gravity is 1.033-1.040. It con- 

 tains as form-elements fat-globules, small granules, and epithelium-cells. There 

 have been found 81.2-120.9 p. m. solids, 61.2-105.6 p. m. protein, about 10 p. m. 

 fat, and 3.7-8.2 p. m. ash in the uterine milk. 



The fluid occurring in the so-called GRAPE-MOLE (MOLA racemosa) has a low 

 specific gravity, 1.009-1.012, and contains 19.4-26.3 p. m. solids with 9-10 p. m. 

 proteia bodies and 6-7 p. m. ash. 



The amniotic fluid in women is thin, whitish, or pale yellow; some- 

 times it is somewhat yellowish-brown and cloudy. White flakes separate. 

 The form-elements are mucus-corpuscles, epithelium-cells, fat-drops, and 

 lanugo hair. The odor is stale, the reaction neutral or faintly alkaline. 

 The specific gravity is 1.002-1.028. 



The amniotic fluid contains the constituents of ordinary transudates. 

 The amount of solids at birth is scarcely 20 p. m. In the earlier stages of 

 pregnancy the fluid contains more solids, especially proteins. Among 

 the protein bodies, WEYL found one substance similar to vitellin, and with 

 great probability also seralbumin, besides small quantities of mucin. 

 Enzymes of various kinds (pepsin, diastase, thrombin, lipase) occur, 

 according to BONDI. Sugar is regularly found in the amniotic fluid of 

 cows, but not in human beings. In the ox, pig, and goat GURBER and 

 GRUNBAUM also found fructose. The human amniotic fluid also contains 

 some urea, uric acid, allantoin and creatinine (AMBERG and ROWNTREE). 

 The quantity of these may be increased in hydramnion (PROCHOWNICK, 

 HARNACK), which depends on an increased secretion by the kidneys and 

 skin of the foetus. Lactates are doubtful constituents of the amniotic 

 fluid. The quantity of urea in the amniotic fluid, is, according to PRO- 

 CHOWNICK, 0.16 p. m. In the fluid in hydramnion PROCHOWNICK and 

 HARNACK found, respectively, 0.34 and 0.48 p. m. urea. The principal 

 mass of the solids consists of salts. The quantity of chlorides (NaCl) is 

 5.7-6.6 p. m. The molecular concentration of the amniotic fluid is some- 

 what lower than that of the blood, which is no doubt due to a dilution 

 by the fcetal urine (ZANGEMEISTER and MEISSL *). 



l, Arch. f. (Anat. u.) Physiol., 1876; Bondi, Centralbl. f. GynakoL, 1903; 

 Prochownick, Arch. f. Gynak., .11, also Maly's Jahresber., 7, 155; Harnack, Berlin. 

 klin. Wochenschr., 1888, No. 41; Zangemeister and Meissl, Munch, med. Wochenschr. 

 1903; Giirber and Grtinbaum, ibid., 1904; Amberg and Rowntree, cited from Bioch. 

 Centralbl., 10, 237. 



