MUCOUS MEMBRANE OF THE CERVIX. 487 



space of O03 to 01 of a millimeter, approximate at this period 

 so closely that only quite narrow folds of the membrane in- 

 tervene between them ; and their length, which ordinarily 

 amounts at most to two millimeters, then rises to as much as 

 seven millimeters ; their diameter in like manner increases from 

 0'05 of a millimeter to 01, and after conception to 0*240 of a 

 millimeter; and even the epithelial cells which cover the 

 mucous membrane and line the glands, and which in the 

 normal state are from 0'015 to 0*04 of a millimeter in height, 

 attain more than double this size in menstruation and preg- 

 nancy. 



The mucous membrane of the cervix, which is separated 

 from that of the body by a sharp line of demarcation, is much 

 denser, firmer, and more transparent than that of the fundus. 

 Its thickness varies from 0'25 to 3'00 millimeters. A special 

 connective-tissue layer is found in the posterior wall between 

 the mucous membrane and the muscular tissue. This layer 

 extends over the os internum as far as to the body of the 

 organ.* 



The internal surface of the cavity of the cervix covered with 

 mucous membrane, shows upon its anterior as well as upon 

 its posterior wall the well-known plicce palmatce, forming 

 branching arborescent ridges, of which the anterior are placed 

 somewhat to the right, and those of the posterior wall some- 

 what to the left.f The substance of these ridges is composed 

 of a dense tissue containing numerous connective-tinsue cor- 

 puscles, a few muscular fibres, and a sparing amount of elastic 

 fibres. 



The so-called " mucous follicles of the cervix " are imbedded 

 in the substance of the ridges, excepting only in the lowermost 

 smooth part of the cervical cavity. 



These sacs are usually spheroidal or flattened laterally, or, 

 when partially filled, pressed together in a folded manner. 

 Their size varies according to the thickness of the mucous 



* Rokitansky, Lehrbiich der patlwlogisclie Anatomie, Band iii. ; and 

 Klob, Pathologische Anatomie der weibliche Sexualorgane, 1864. 



+ Hjalmar Lindgren, Studier ofver lifmodrens byggnad hos menniskan, 

 Canstatt's Jahresbericht, 1867, Band i., p. 25. 



