BENIGN TUMORS 423 



by numerous chemists (Miiller, Panzer, Zangerle, Leathes, Neuberg, and 

 Heyinann 1 ). Panzer considers that this reducing substance is in the 

 form of a sulphuric-acid compound, similar to, but not identical with, 

 chondroitin-sulphuric acid. Hammarsten, however, did not find this 

 substance constantly present. Leathes determined for the carbohydrate 

 group the composition C 12 H 23 N0 10 , named it " paramucosin," and con- 

 siders it a reduced chondrosin (which is the carbohydrate group of 

 chondroitin-sulphuric acid). Neuberg and Heymann established, how- 

 ever, that the reducing body must come from chitosamin (C 6 H 13 NO 5 ), 

 and do not consider paramucosin a constant constituent of ovarian 

 mucoids. The amount of reducing substance varies greatly in the 

 mucoids found in different cysts ; in some the mucoid yields but about 

 3 to 5 per cent., in others as much as 30 or 35 per cent., of reducing 

 substance. 



Pseudomucin dissolves readily in weak alkalies, and differs from true 

 mucin in that it is not precipitated by acetic acid, and from the simple 

 proteids in that its solutions are not coagulated by boiling. With water 

 a slimy, stringy semi-solution is formed, resembling in appearance the 

 material found in ovarian cysts. Leathes distinguishes two forms of 

 ovarian mucoids : One, paramucin, occurs as a firm, jelly-like substance, 

 which is converted by peptic digestion into the easily soluble pseudo- 

 mucin. Ovarian ' ' colloid ' ' probably consists of a thickened pseudo- 

 mucin, often mixed with other proteids. Pfannenstiel 2 considers the 

 "colloid" material as representing a modified pseudomucin, strongly 

 alkaline and relatively insoluble, which he calls "pseudo-mucin /?." 

 He also describes a very soluble mucoid found only in certain ovarian 

 cysts, naming it " pseudo-mucin y." 



The reasons why these variations in the pseudomucins exist 

 is not understood ; they cannot be explained as due to variations 

 in the cell type in the cyst wall, although pseudomucin is prob- 

 ably the result of true secretion. The smallest cavities of 

 ovarian cystadenomas contain nearly pure pseudomucin, which 

 presents a clear, glassy structure ; the larger the cysts become, 

 and the more turbid and thinner the fluid is, the more simple 

 are the proteids it contains. True mucin is never present in 

 ovarian cysts. Pseudomucin occurs only in the glandular 

 proliferating cystomas and the papillary proliferating cyst- 

 adenomas, in the former appearing constantly and abundantly, 

 in the latter not constantly and never abundantly (Pfannenstiel). 

 Paralbumin (Scherer) is a mixture of pseudomucin with variable 

 amounts of simple proteids. Metalbumin (Scherer) is the same 

 body that is called pseudomucin by Hammarsten. Paramucin 

 (Mitjukoff ) 3 is a mucoid differing from mucin and pseudomucin 

 in reducing Fehling's solution directly, without having the 

 carbohydrate group first split off by boiling with an acid. 



1 Hofmeister's Beitr., 1902 (2), 201 (literature). 



2 Loc. cit. 



3 Arch. f. Gynsek., 1895 (49), 278. 



