The early relationship of the oosperm to the endometrium / by James Oliver.

  • Oliver, James, M.D.
Date:
1908
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The early relationship of the oosperm to the endometrium / by James Oliver. 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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    surface of the chorion becomes vascular, the well being of the embryo is maintained by diosmosis through the entire periphery of the germ mass, and in this phenomenon the lining membrane of the whole cavity of the uterus participates. During the first five or six weeks of gestation, therefore, the human embryo is nourished in the same way as a cetacean foetus during the whole period of preg- nancy, and it is difficult to believe that in the former case Nature would furnish either a decidua cap- sularis or a decidua reflexa, and render nugatory thereby practically one half of the villous surface of the chorion. Moreover, in consequence of some breach in the continunity of the rapidly enlarging vessels in the decidua placentalis, haemorrhage from the external genitals is often observed towards the sixth week of pregnancy, and in spite of a pro- longed continuance of free haemorrhage from this quarter the development and growth of the embryo may proceed uninterruptedly and the foetus may be and very frequently is carried to maturity. If, however, a decidua capsularis or a decidua reflexa existed it is very evident that no blood emanating from the actively enlarging maternal vessels could escape externally without bursting the accessory ovigerous chamber, and this would either sweep the embryo away or speedily cause its death. Again, complete placenta prjevia becomes an unthinkable condition if we believe that the germ mass in the uterus is ever harbored in a secondary chamber. Once more, it sometimes happens that the placenta is composed of two lobes, separated by a greater or less amount of nonplacental chorion, and one of these lobes may be implanted on the anterior, whilst the other is implanted on the posterior wall of tha uterus, the nonplacental part uniting them being located at the fundus. Under such circumstances it is inconceivable that a decidua reflexa, and still more a decidua capsularis, could ever have been evolved. 18 Gordon Square.