brane through which the ovum could be seen in the amnial fluid.

On tracing the internal surface of the cavity formed by the decidua serotina and reflexa, it was found to be generally smooth; but openings of an oblique outline, readily recognisable as the openings of the uterine follicles, were found on the inner surface of the decidua reflexa. The openings were much larger than in the unimpregnated state, but were more like a slit.

Chorion villi were only found attached to the base of the interior of decidua reflexa, having a vascular arrangement, and the chorion and decidua were in close contact, only permitting the running of the villi between them, which did not pass perpendicularly to the decidua from the chorion, but passed radiatingly along between the two membranes and in close contact with both.

There was not the slightest appearance of any dilated vascular element; the villi did not crowd each other, nor come into close contact. There was no dovetailing of the fœtal and maternal vascular system, nor any process from the decidual surfaces which could lead up to any sinus-system.

The villi, it was noticed readily, did not enter the openings of the uterine follicles, nor was there any attempt at such an arrangement, the openings of the follicles being a quarter of an inch in many instances. The whole position was so readily examined under water that no such a plan as necessary on the supposition of an incipient sinus-system could have been overlooked. I need to this hardly add that no blood existed between the chorion and decidua layers.

The villi were covered with a layer of flat cells, irregularly hexagonal, like Van der Kolk has given, but they could not be seen on the chorion surface so markedly, but on tracing down the trunk of a villus from apex to the junction with chorion a gradual change took place, without any mark of a sudden break, so that the layer on the chorion was continuous with that on the extremity of the villus, and apparently was the exo-chorion, which was pushed out during the

sprouting of the villi, and became more developed at the seat of functional activity, namely at the ends of the villi.

This was the "so-called" maternal layer of the villi. I would name it the exo-chorion. I should add it was found also on the lateral branches of villi. The walls of the villi were also, inside this layer, composed of irregular cells.

The funis of the foetus was spirally twisted. The funic vessels passed towards the side of the chorion villi, i.e. not, as usual, to the serotina, which is a fact of much interest, as helping to determine the cause of the situation of the placenta.

I may add that the eye was partially developed. The crystalline lens was developed and opaque, adherent to the cuticle, composed of numerous cells (whose shape was not easily seen), enclosed in a capsule. The pigment was slightly developed around cells, like as may be seen early in the development of the eye in invertebrata. It was difficult from the state of the specimen to make out more. The umbilical vesicle was well marked.

12. Examination of an ovum expelled seven weeks after last menstrual epoch.

seen

It was entirely closed in the decidua, which came away perfect. The ovum was half an inch in diameter. The decidua serotina and reflexa seemed equally dense throughout. Blood-vessels, well injected with their blood, were to be seen ramifying over every portion of the bag of decidua . reflexa, except at the central portion opposite the serotina. On opening the decidua serotina the ovum was within. The chorion villi altogether were less numerous than usually figured in works on the subject; they were spare on the serotinal aspect, but closely in contact on about one fourth of the surface of the ovum, namely, about the base of the decidua reflexa. Their extremities were attached to the inner surface of the decidua; but although the vessels were seen on this surface, there was not the slightest

evidence that any distension of the maternal vessels had surrounded the villi anywhere. The villi were so distinct that the sinuses must have been seen had they been present. It is to be noted that had they been present the maternal elements must have undergone three times the development of the villi, in consequence of the distance between the trunks. No blood was found amongst the villi. I could not trace any fœtal vessels to the villi.

13. Examination of a mature placenta.

It was battledore shape, but nothing in general aspect different from the average. The whole deciduous serotina was very thin. It was very vascular, but no large sinus was visible anywhere. The curling arteries were readily seen running between the layer of the thin serotina, and then on to the inner aspect. Blood-vessels could be seen through the serotina branching right and left for an inch in many instances. Careful investigation showed them to be the lateral branches of the villi, which, impinging on the inner surface of the serotina, after a certain distance bent inwards again towards the chorion some distance. On the trunks of the villi the appearance-a network of capillaries injected with blood-was well marked, such as has been described by Van der Kolk.

A small quantity of blood was found amongst the villi. There were many fissures in the serotina. Water injected in the intervillal space, through the uterine aspect, came indiscriminately through the whole placenta, but flowed out again, not through any curling artery or sinus, but through the fissures in the serotina. The latter fact I have frequently found in other placentæ.

Dr. MADGE said that he had worked a good deal at the subject. He gave a short statement of his views. He felt convinced that the Hunterian doctrine respecting the utero-placental vessels was a mistaken one.

JUNE 5TH, 1872.

JOHN BRAXTON HICKS, M.D., F.R.S., President, in the Chair.

Present-41 Fellows and 11 visitors.

Books were presented from Professor Karl Schroeder, Dott. Cesare Belluzzi, Dr. Francis Hogg, R.H.A., and the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.

The following gentlemen were declared admitted as Fellows of the Society :-Dr. Brockmann, Dr. Charles E. Buckingham, Dr. Charlton Fox, Mr. John E. Kennedy, Dr. Norman S. Kerr, Mr. F. M. Rickard (Cannanore), and Dr. John Wallace.

The following gentlemen were elected Fellows :-Charles J. Bracey, M.B., Birmingham; Geo. B. Denton, M.R.C.S., Liverpool; Henry Mortlock Fernie, M.R.C.S., Macclesfield; Crosby Leonard, M.R.C.S., Bristol; Maro Tuckmann, M.D.; and Charles B. Waller, M.R.C.S.

Dr. Munde exhibited for Professor Simon, of Heidelberg, a scoop for removing superficial portions of malignant disease of the cervix when more complete measures could not be entertained.

Dr. RASCH, induced by Professor Simon's visit and paper on the subject, scraped off the vegetations in a case of uterine cancer. Little blood was lost at the operation, and relief followed for some time. That was all that Professor Simon promised, and it certainly is enough to justify an extensive trial of his handy little instruments.

VOL. XIV.

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