848 THE FEMALE GENITAL TRACT. 



Carl Wedl,* on page 170, says : " The most striking morphological changes 

 are those which occur in connection with miscarriages from the sixth to the 

 ninth month, when the foetus is dead. The most usual alteration consists in 

 an accumulation of a dark-yellowish or grayish-brown molecular substance, 

 which renders the villi, with their clavate extremities, almost opaque, or merely 

 diminishes their proper transparency at this point. This metamorphosis of 

 the villi usually extends over entire groups, and it may be very strongly 

 marked in many parts of the placenta, while in others it is very faintly indi- 

 cated or entirely absent. It is more developed on the convex than on the 

 concave sides of the placenta, and is associated with an absence of blood in 

 the affected portions." On page 171, he says: "The degree to which the 

 atrophy has advanced may be estimated by the extent to which this kind of 



FIG. 380. WAXY DEGENERATION OF THE UMBILICAL CORD. 



T, trabecula,' of the myxoinatous tissue ; B, knob-like projections. Magnified 1200 diam- 

 eters. 



metamorphosis can be traced toward the thicker stem of the villi. The con- 

 nective-tissue elements of the stem are frequently in a state of fatty degener- 

 ation that is to say, brilliant molecules of considerable size are visible in 

 the fiber-cells, from which the nucleus has escaped or a chain of fatty 

 molecules may be seen in the more slender fusiform fibers." 



Carl Hennigt speaks of fatty degeneration of the decidua vera in the 



* " Rudiments of Pathological Histology." London, 1853. 



t " Studien iiber den Ban der menschl. Placenta imd iiber ihr Krkrankeu." Leipzig. 1862 ; 

 Sc midt'sJaJirb., 1873. 



