350 DR FOULIS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE OVA, ETC. 
contact ; but in other instances it is in considerable quantity, and the nuclei are 
proportionally distant from each other. 
When such a layer of epithelium is seen in profile (fig. 3, 7 9, h), «t= 
consists of nuclei as before described, placed close to each other. Around each 
is a quantity of clear protoplasm, which abuts against that of its neighbour. The 
nuclei are arranged in a single layer, and as we approach the ovary they become 
placed closer and closer together, and more columnar in form, and the proto- 
plasm investment of each becomes gradually less and less in quantity till we 
reach the actual surface of the ovary at the lower border, where we find the 
nuclei crowding together and continued on to the surface of the ovary in the form 
of the germ epithelium. As the nuclei pass on to the surface of the ovary they 
are no longer arranged in a single layer, but crowd one on the top of the other, 
and it is then not possible to say where peritoneal epithelium ends and germ 
epithelium begins. 
All round the ovary the germ epithelium consists of a thick layer of cor- 
puscles. Each corpuscle is a nucleus surrounded with a thin film of protoplasm. 
On the upper and lower surfaces of the stalk, as seen in section, the 
peritoneal epithelium is continuous with the germ epithelium at the lower 
borders of the ovary in the manner described. The germ epithelium consists 
of corpuscles (fig. 4, 4, 4, h), arranged in the form of a thick layer passing 
round the ovary from one lateral border to the other, and gradually thinning 
off as it passes into and becomes continuous with the peritoncal epithelium. 
The corpuscles of the germ epithelium vary considerably in size and shape; 
some are round, others oval or columnar, some are twice as large as their 
neighbours. The greater number are spherical, and within the larger ones a 
distinct spot or nucleolus is seen. Many of the corpuscles may be seen under- 
going division into two or more parts. By this process of fission the corpuscles 
are ever producing new elements, which in their turn produce similar ones. 
The largest germ epithelial corpuscles measure about ,)5th of an inch in 
diameter. In several instances among the germ epithelial corpuscles on the 
surface of the ovary, I have observed some individuals fiattened from above 
downwards, and the protoplasm round the nucleus drawn out at both ends in 
such a manner as to present the appearance of a fusiform corpuscle, or peritoneal 
epithelial cell seen in profile (fig. 4, 2.) 
Below the germ epithelium the cortical zone of the ovary consists for the 
most part of corpuscles which resemble very closely the germ epithelial 
corpuscles. A careful examination of this part of the ovary shows that from 
the deeper or fibro-vascular zone delicate bundles of young connective tissue 
with blood-vessels (fig. 4, 7,7, 7) pass upwards among the corpuscles in a 
radiating manner towards the germ epithelium ; offshoots proceed in various 
directions from these bundles, and give rise to the formation of irregular-sized — 














