744 



Diseases of the Genital Organs 



that, as previously stated, it is designated "normal". Ne- 

 crosis and maceration of embryos is exceedingly common. 

 I have been able to recognize necrotic embryos not over one- 

 eighth of an inch long, but naturally such are not often rec- 

 ognized. They commonly macerate quickly, so far as I have 

 been able to determine, and are absorbed. This probably 

 accounts in a large measure for the disparity in numbers 



Fig. 219 — Desiccated "Mole" in Swine Uterus. 



I, Desiccated embryonic sac lying in base of uterine cornu (The opened 



vagina and cervix extend to the right, above) ; 2, apparently healthy 



embryo from same cornu ; j, necrotic tip of fetal sac. 



between the corpora lutea present in the ovaries and the 

 embryos in the uterus. Some of the discharged ova presuma- 

 bly failed of fertilization. Following the minimum recog- 

 nizable necrotic embryo, there occurs every possible grada- 

 tion of necrosis, maceration and desiccation. There are 

 great variations in one uterus. Sometimes there is a desic- 

 cated "mole" in which the minute embryo has perished and 

 is no longer visible, while the embryonic sac remains as a 

 desiccated, wrinkled cord or band, as shown in Fig. 219. 



