xni] 



FEMALE GENERATIVE ORGANS 



175 



source of nutriment to the foetus in pregnancy and in some 

 animals has been designated uterine milk ; in pseudo-pregnancy 

 a fluid is similarl}^ secreted and as if intended for a foetus. 

 Decidua cells (that is to sa}-, modified stroma cells the develop- 

 ment of which is correlated with the development of the foetal 

 membranes and the nourishment of the unborn young) are not 

 found normally except in the presence of an embryo. Apart 

 however from this difference the changes undergone by the 

 uterus of the bitch during pseudo-pregnancy are in a general 



Fig. 87. Section through portion of uterine mucous membrane 

 of dog during early recuperation showing diti'erent kinds 

 of leucocytes (l.) (from Marshall). .s<r. stroma cell. 



way similar to those which take place in true pregnancy, but are 

 less pronounced. The growth changes of pseudo-pregnancy are 

 succeeded after about four or five weeks by degenerative changes 

 when the glands become shrunken and blood is extravasated into 

 the tissue, but without leading to external bleeding. A some- 

 what similar condition occurs in the last stage of 2)regnanc3'. 



The ovarian changes also are identical under the two con- 

 ditions, at any rate, in the earlier stages. At ovulation the egg 

 along Avith some of the follicular epithelial cells and most of the 



