338 CIRCULATING FLUIDS : 



Vogel analysed the menstrual discliarge in a case of pro- 

 lapsed uterus. It was of an intensely red colour, thick, and 

 viscid ; it did not coagulate, but, after standing for some time, 

 a colourless serum separated. The fluid obtained at the com- 

 mencement of the flux yielded 83"9 parts of water and 16-1 of 

 solid materials, and that obtained near the termination yielded 

 83*7 of water and 16-3 of solid materials. The serum contained 

 93-53 parts of water and 6*47 of solids, of which 0-64 were fixed 

 salts. There can be little doubt that there is fibrin in the 

 menstiTial secretion ; its determination is, however, usually ren- 

 dered impossible by the presence of a large amount of mucus, 

 which seems to deprive the blood of its power of coagulating. 



Lochial discharge. Scherer has carefully investigated this 

 subject. The following is a summary of his results. 



During the first day the discharge was of a brownish red 

 colour, \dscid, formed no coagulum, but, when collected in a 

 vessel, threw down a slimy deposit, consisting of normal blood- 

 corpuscles, with which a few partially- dissolved and broken-up 

 corpuscles, together with mucus-corpuscles and epithelium scales 

 were interspersed. The supernatant serum was clear and yel- 

 low, and the microscope revealed in it a large number of fat- 

 vesicles. It was devoid of odour, perfectly neutral, and contained 

 in 1000 parts : 



Water 740 



Solid constituents . . 260 



On the second day there were still blood-corpuscles, but they 

 were fewer and less perfect, most of them being irregular and 

 indentated at the edges ; there were mucus-corpuscles and epi- 

 thelium scales, but in less number than on the preceding day. 

 The fluid still deposited a Adscid sediment, but the serum was 

 more highly coloured than on the previous day. The reaction 

 was neutral ; there was a faint odour. 1000 parts consisted of: 



Water .... 812-2 



Solid constituents . . 187-8 



The residue, on incineration, yielded 9*35 of alkaline ferru- 

 ginous ash. 



On the third day the secretion resembled arterial blood. The 

 blood-corpuscles were, for the most part, perfect, and normal 

 mucus-corpuscles were observed. 



