A treatise on the science and practice of midwifery . being unaffected. By the growth of these elements the villusbecomes distended and many of the cells liquefy, the intercellular fluidthus produced widely separating the connective tissue, so as to form anetwork in the interior of the Thus are formed the peculiargrape-like bodies which characterize the disease. When once the degen-eration has commenced, the diseased tissue has a remarkable power ofincrease, so that it sometimes forms a mass as large as a childs head andseveral pounds in weight. The nutrition of the altered chorion is
A treatise on the science and practice of midwifery . being unaffected. By the growth of these elements the villusbecomes distended and many of the cells liquefy, the intercellular fluidthus produced widely separating the connective tissue, so as to form anetwork in the interior of the Thus are formed the peculiargrape-like bodies which characterize the disease. When once the degen-eration has commenced, the diseased tissue has a remarkable power ofincrease, so that it sometimes forms a mass as large as a childs head andseveral pounds in weight. The nutrition of the altered chorion is maintained by its connectionswith the decidua, which is also generally diseased and the adhesion of the mass to the uterine walls is very firm,and may interfere with its expulsion, while in a few rare cases it hasbeen found that the villi have forced their way into the substance of theuterus, chiefly through the uterine sinuses, and thus caused atrophy and 1 Braxton Hicks, Guys Hospital Report*, vol. ii., 3d Series, p. Hydatidiform Degeneration of theChorion. PATHOLOGY OF THE DECIDUA AND OVUM. 231 thinning of its muscular structure. Cases of this kind are related byVolkniann, Waldeyer,1 and Barnes, and it is obvious that the intimateadhesion thus effected must seriously add to the gravity of the prognosis. Taking this view of the etiology of this disease, it is obvious that itis essentially connected with pregnancy, and that there is no valid groundfor maintaining, as has sometimes been done, that it may occur inde-pendently of conception. It is just possible, however, that true entozoamay form in the substance of the uterus, which, being expelled per vagi-nam, might be taken for the results of cystic disease, and thus give riseto groundless suspicions as to the patients chastity. Hewitt has relatedone case in which true hydatids, originally formed in the liver, hadextended to the peritoneum, and were about to burst through the vaginaat the time o
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectobstetrics, bookyear1
