846 THE FEMALE GENITAL TRACT. 



mens, the homogeneous fields and clusters, even in the highest degree of the 

 degeneration, remained perfectly unchanged. Those decidual elements which 

 had before shown coarse, shining granules, after treatment with oil of cloves, 

 lost in a great measure their granular appearance ; clearing up to such an 

 extent that the reticular structure of the bioplasson became again visible 

 with the highest powers of the microscope. A few of the granules in these 

 specimens, however, showed a lower refracting power than fat. Such 

 granules were also found in the connective tissue, joined to the neighbor- 

 ing net of living matter by means of fine threads. Specimens stained with 

 carmine, taken from the alcohol and placed in spirit of turpentine, showed 

 the same results as after treatment with oil of cloves. 



After having thoroughly washed the specimens in distilled water to 

 remove the chromic acid stain, a half per cent, solution of chloride of gold 

 was applied for one hour, and they were then removed. After a few days 

 the normal basis-substance exhibited a slight purple color. The homogene- 

 ous fields and clusters took on a dark-blue tint, which became deeper after 

 exposure to the sunlight. The coarse granules in the decidual elements did 

 not change their color. 



On application of tincture iodine, the homogeneous fields became tinged 

 with a brown color. The addition of sulphuric acid produced no effect upon 

 this coloration. 



Fuclisine, in a concentrated solution, gave a darker hue to the homogene- 

 ous fields than it did to the normal basis-substance. Dark crimson globules 

 were scattered through the decidual elements, which gave a beautifully 

 spotted appearance to the specimen. t 



Violet methyl aniline, in strong solution, stained the normal tissue a dark 

 blue color, at the same time giving to the homogeneous fields a reddish hue, 

 which varied in intensity according to the degree of morbid change being 

 darker where the degeneration was most strongly marked. This red color 

 was most noticeable with low powers of the microscope. 



Osmic acid, in a one per cent, solution, stained the whole specimen brown. 

 'The homogeneous fields and strings, in many places, did not differ in their 

 color from the adjacent tissues, while in other parts they had assumed a 

 darker hue. The shining granules scattered in the decidual elements, through 

 this re-agent became very dark brown almost black. 



Picrate of indigo gave to the specimens a uniform light green color ; the 

 homogeneous fields and strings were stained a deep grass-green. 



From the above observations and experiments it follows that, in all 

 the placentae here described, a peculiar change had taken place in the 

 basis-substance of the placental tissue, which change bears a close resem- 

 blance, in all essential characteristics, to waxy degeneration as it occurs 

 in other organs. In a few placentae only was there a fatty change in the 

 decidual elements, and this change certainly was of much less extent than 

 the waxy degeneration. 



Waxy degeneration is obviously a morbid chemical change of the myxo- 

 matous basis-substance. The nature of this change is almost unknown, 

 although its analysis has been attempted by very good chemists. The asser- 

 tion that it is de-alkalized fibrine is merely hypothesis. The net-work of living 

 matter is preserved to a certain extent, except in cases where the waxy degen- 

 eration is in its most advanced stage. In these cases the reticulum of living 

 matter appears completely lost. 



