CHANGES IN NON-PREGNANT UTERUS 



77 



tion the cells of the stroma lay over each other rather thickly, but 

 now become pressed apart, particularly in the outer third of the 

 mucosa. The protoplasm of these cells becomes compressed, and 

 the projections by which they are bound together are either greatly 

 lengthened or completely separated." The capillaries of the mucous 

 membrane become congested (Fig. 8), and a serous or sanguineo- 

 serous exudate infiltrates into the stroma. The enlargement of the 

 vessels continues, but does not become very pronounced until shortly 

 before the stage of destruction which may be said to mark the 

 beginning of menstruation proper. " 



Fig. 8. — Section through mucosa of human uterus, showing pre-menstrual 

 congestion. (From Sellheim.) 



Lipes also describes an increase in the size of the glands of the 

 mucous membrane, which he supposes to be due to the collection of 

 the secretion of the gland-cells. This mucus-like product of the 

 gland-cells is said to give them a distinctly granular appearance. 

 " The gland-cells become uniformly swollen and take stains more 

 evenly, and their nuclei are more widely separated as a result of 

 the increase in the volume of the protoplasm, and are uniformly 

 more round in comparison with the oval nuclei, which are seen in 

 the regeneration period." Westphalen^ has pointed out that the 

 nuclei, which are situated near the base of the cell as a rule, 



1 Westphalen, "Zur Physiologie des Menstruation," Arch. f. Gyndlc, vol. 

 lii., 1896. 



