3. Amorphous or homogeneous connective tis sue.— A considerable portion of connective tissue exists in certain parts of the uterus in the unformed state, constituting a transparent matrix in which the fibre-cells and nuclei are embedded, and by which they are so inti mately united together, as to render their isolation, even with the aid of nitric acid, a work of great difficulty. The fibre-cells and nuclei which form the innermost laminw of the muscular coat, as well as the laminx themselves, appear to have scarcely any other connecting medium but this, especially in young subjects, while in the middle and outer most laminx a large portion of fibrillated tissue is added, and the amorphous substance uniting the individual fibres into bundles is proportionally less in quantity.
4. Fibrillated connective tissue (white fibrous tissue). This, as just stated, is found chiefly among the middle and outer niuscular serving here the purpose of a connecting me dium between the several layers, and sup porting the blood-vessels ramifying between them. The presence of this form of fibrous tissue is most readily exhibited by taking a thin perpendicular section from the outer muscular layer, and slightly drawing the la minw asunder, after submitting the preparation to the action of acetic acid. The layers and bundles of muscular fibre, as shown in fig. 437., are then seen to be surrounded by, and im bedded in, a quantity' of white fibrous tissue which conceals the fibre-cells, and renders the distinguishing of them difficult.
The fibres of this tissue have clear and sharp edges, appear to be of indefinite length, are independent of each other, and are clearly not mere foldings in an amorphous substance. Among them, however, and especially at the points where the laminm are separated, are seen numerous thin flat transparent bundles, marked by cteep longitudinal wavy lines, tcr+ which the above explanation of the cause of the appearance of wavy lines in this tissue which many physiologists have adopted might be more safely applied. Occasionally these wavy bundles exhibit an appearance of sharp curling lines, such as would indicate the inter mixture of a small quantity of elastic tissue.
5. Elastic fibrous tissue.—The elastic form of fibrous tissue is also present in the uterus, as just stated, though not in great quantity'. Besides the occasional presence of strongly curled fibres there may be seen in many places developed single fibres matted together, of the finer kind, commonly known as nucleus fibres; and also more abundantly the peculiar fusi form formative cells from which these arise.
I have frequently had the opportunity of tra cing these peculiar dark-bordered cells in pro cess of transfortnation into the finer elastic fibres, and so far of confirming those views which ascribe to this form of fibre a cell origin.
These several tissues together with the uterine vessels and nerves, the former being in great quantity, make up the middle coat of the organ. And it is to the arrangement of these in latninm and bundles which are sepa rated from each other, and perforated as it were in all directions by numerous vascular channels, that the mottled appearance of the unimpregnated uterus, as seen in sections, is due.
The foregoing constituents of the middle uterine coat exist in different proportions in the body and neck of the organ respectively. In the body, notwithstanding the considerable amount of fibrous tissue by which the several component elements are connected together, the muscular fibre, either in its elementary or more developed condition, constitutes the largest portion, while in the cervix the fibrous element predominates, anti the muscular fibre is proportionally less abundant.
Course of the muscular fibres.— Regarding the precise plan of arrangement of the consta tueot tissues of the middle uterine coat, and especially of its muscular element, in the unimpre:mated state, numerous microscopic examinations have satisfied me that it is not possible to do more than to intlicate these in a very general manner. Mme. Boivin at tempted to describe the special course of the muscular fibres in the unimpregnated organ; but she appears to have abandoned the at tempt a ter giving an account or what is seen upon the surface of the organ when the peri toneum has been stripped off after prolonged maceration. More recently the course of these fibres has been described by Kolliker, Gerlach, and others, in the deeper seated, as well as in the superficial layers.
In investigating this part of the subject it appears to me that a sufficient distinction has not been made between the course of the in dividual fibres, and the arrangement of the laminte or bundles into which they; are col lected, for these are by no means necessarily the same.