THE MUSCULAR FIBRE AND CONNECTIVE TISSUE OF THE UTERUS. 371 



V. 6 Days Post Partum. 



The muscle cells were examined fresh and after hardening. 



(a) Fresh. The muscle fibres are more granular (though still very finely). The nucleus is 

 not so visible ; individual fibres are less easily distinguished from one another. After being in salt 

 solution (0'75 per cent.) for some time (half an hour), the cells become more transparent, though still 

 showing fine granules, and the nuclei become clearly visible. 



Acetic acid and potash act as before. The connective tissue ground substance is extremely 

 granular. 



(b) Osmic acid shows presence of no fat. 



(c) Hardened in picric or chromic acid. The muscle cells are smaller than in the 3 days' uterus ; 

 the connective tissue also is less in amount, and the whole uterus is considerably diminished. All 

 the muscle cells are in an exactly similar state, no appearance suggesting that some fibres disappear, 

 while others remain. 



No karyokinetic figures seen in the muscles. 



The connective tissue is much smaller in amount, being reduced almost to the amount in a 

 normal non-pregnant uterus, and the fat granules have almost entirely disappeared. 



In the submucous connective tissue large granular cells with large yellow granules in their 

 interior are seen. Some contain whole red blood-corpuscles. 



VI. 10 Days Post Partum. 



(a, Fresh. The muscle cells are very much smaller, the nucleus being surrounded by only a 

 small amount of dim cell substance. 



The individual fibres are dimmer and more refractile than are the fibres of early pregnancy ; they 

 all resemble each other; each fibre presents an appearance exactly like that of its neighbours, i.e., the 

 muscle cells are all undergoing the same change equally and at the same rate. There is no appear- 

 ance of one group degenerating, while another group is developing. 



(b) Osmic acid. No fat granules are seen anywhere. 



(c) Picric acid shows no karyokinesis in the muscle cells. The cells with the yellow granules 

 are particularly numerous, especially in the submucous tissue. 



VII. 14 Days Post Partum. 



The muscle cells seem to be merely diminished in size, while their protoplasm (what remains 

 of it) is less granular. 



VIII. 21, 28, and 36 Days Post Partum. 



Here uteri show much the same appearance as the 14 days' uterus. There is a very slight in- 

 crease in the size of the muscle cell and its nucleus. 



So much for the description of the individual preparations. We take up now the 

 conclusions as regards the muscular and connective tissues, and the blood-vessels. 



Conclusions as regards the Uterus in the Puerperium. 

 1. Muscular Tissue. 



1. Degeneration. — The prime question that presents itself is — Does a degeneration of the 

 muscle cells occur ; if so, what is its nature, in what position does it occur, and in what amount, 

 i.e., does it attack all or some fibres, and at what time in the puerperium does it occur ? 



