526 INFECTIOUS ARORTION 



attention to any definite lesions in the uterine mucosa or fetal 

 membraues that differ materially from those normally found 

 in the tissues. Nocard and Bang, however, describe very pro- 

 nounced changes.. Bang's description of the disease is as 

 follows : 



" The external surface of the uterus was normal. The 

 OS uteri was firmly closed and the cervical canal was filled with 

 the normal thick mucus. After disinfection of the serous 

 covering of the uterus by burning, I made a section through 

 the uterine walls ; when the mucous membrane was divided 

 we saw between that aud the foetal envelope an abundant odorless 

 exudate — a dirty yellow, somewhat thin, pultaceous material 

 of a slimy, somewhat lumpy character. At some places where 

 the fluid constituents had run out the exudate was of a semi- 

 solid nature ; its reaction was alkaline. When it was allowed 

 to stand in a glass it separated into two strata, namely, 

 superiorly a reddish yellow cloudy serum, and at the bottom a 

 thick greyish yellow precipitate. 



' ' On cutting through the chorion we saw under that a 

 thin, clear, apparently gelatinous substance, with very fine 

 membranes running through it : closer examination showed 

 that this was the fine connective tissue lying between the 

 chorion and allantois, saturated with oedematous exudates. 

 This was present over the entire extent of the foetal envelopes 

 and formed a layer one and one-half centimeters thick. The 

 allantoic fluid was natural in appearance, thin, yellowish, and 

 containing fine flocculi. Nothing abnormal was observable in 

 connection with the amniotic fluid. The umbilical cord was 

 oedematous. The size of the foetus and degree of develop- 

 ment of the hair on it indicated an age of seven months. It 

 was quite fresh and on section it showed no striking alteration. 

 The pericardium contained a little reddish fluid ; the intestinal 

 mucous membrane was, perhaps, rather redder than ordinary; 

 the spleen was in very slight degree swollen and the blood was 

 fluid. 



" The examination of a cover-glass preparation made from 

 the yellowish exudate and stained with lyOefBer's methylene 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



