On some malformations of the organs of generation / by William Turner.

  • Turner, Wm. (William), Sir, 1832-1916.
Date:
1865
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On some malformations of the organs of generation / by William Turner. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    into the cavity of its right horn was an elongated polypus, con- nected to the uterine wall by a very short stalk proceeding from its upper part. When examined microscopically with a power of 200 diameters, this polypus was seen to be composed partly of connec- tive tissue, and partly of tubular glands, the latter resembling in form and anatomical characters those glands which constitute so important an element in the uterine mucous membrane.1 The Fallopian tubes attached to the outer end of their respective cornua curved upwards, outwards, and then inwards; their fimbriated ends being in close contact with, and united by adhesions to the ovaries. The ovaries were deeply and frequently scarred. The meso-arium was much thickened by adhesions, more especially on the right side, so that the condition of the organ of Rosenmuller could not very satisfactorily be made out; traces of it on the left side were, however, noticed. The orifice of each tuba amidst the fimbriae was dilated, and the tubes were widely pervious for about two-thirds of their extent; but at their uterine ends they seemed to be quite closed, for I was unable to pass either a probe or fine bristle from them into the uterine cavity. Embedded in the substance of the left side of the cervix was a small fibrous tumour, and similar tumours about the size of peas were situated in the anterior and posterior walls of the right cornu. Projecting from the same horn was a calcified fibrous tumour about the size of a hazel nut, which was firmly connected to the rectum by strong adhesions. In Case 4, the outer end of the right Fallopian tube was so closely united to the ovary by adhesions that the fimbriae were no longer recognisable. On the left side, a cyst about the size of an ordinary playing marble was developed at the outer end of the ovary, and to its wall the fimbriated end of the tuba was so firmly connected that its mouth was occluded. The thickened condition of the peritoneum around the ovaries, and the adhesions between them and the meso- coecum, and sigmoid meso-colon obscured the form and external characters of those bodies, but they were apparently atrophied. The bladder had a remarkable pyriform shape ; its apex, formed by a portion of the unobliterated urachus, reached for nearly 3 inches above the os pubis. The pelvis was smaller than is usual in woman, the diameters of the inlet being as follows: Conjugate, 4 inches j transverse, 4^ inches ; oblique, 4f inches. I have not been able to obtain any information respecting the history of the three women in whom the above specimens of mal- formed uteri were found, so that I cannot state if they were ever pregnant. From the absence of cicatrices in the lips of the os, and the sharpness of the folds of the mucous membrane of the cervix in Case 3, it is probable that she had never given birth to children. 1 For an excellent description of the gland structures met with in some forms of uterine polypi, I may refer to an essav by Rokitansky: Ueber, Uterus-drusen-neubildung in uterus und ovarial sarcomeu: Zeitsch. aer Gesellschaft der Aerzte zu Wien, 10th September 1860.