An experimental inquiry into the effect upon the mother of poisoning the fœtus / by W.S. Savory.

  • Savory, W. S. (William Scovell)
Date:
[between 1800 and 1899?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An experimental inquiry into the effect upon the mother of poisoning the fœtus / by W.S. Savory. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

    6/18 (page 6)
    Again, Dr. Kirkes, referring to , Professor Goodslr'a obser- vations as to the intervention of two distinct layers of cells between the foetal and maternal portions of the placenta, speaks of the one being ' probably designed to separate from the blood of the parent the materials destioed for the blood of the foetus,' while the other ' probably serves for the absorption of the material secreted by the other set of cells, and for its conveyance into the blood-vessels of the foetus,' no idea, seemingly, being entertained of a converse process.* Moreover, the view taken by most physiologists of the destination of that portion of the foetal blood which is transmitted to the placenta,, appears to be exclusively that of renovation or aeration, by coming into relation with the oxygenated blood of the mother, nothing being said as to re-absor])tion into the maternal system. In a note, he a Ids, In his History of Medicine, Dr. Alison expresses himself even more strongly on the subject: ' The experiments of Majendie and others have proved that any substance which may be circulating in the blood of the mother finds ready access to that of the foetus, but that there is little or no transference of fluids in the opposite direction.' Those authors who express a contrary opinion cannot refei to any facts in support of it. As the question at present stands then, the only demon- strative evidence is that yielded by the experiments of * It is, however, only fair to add that, in the later editions of his work, Dr. Kirkes, in a note, expresses the following strong opinion :— Although, in the text, mention is made only of the passage of materials from the blood of the inothcr into that of the foetus, yet there ean be no doubt of the existence of a mutual interchange of materials between the blood of both foetus and parent, the latter supplying the former with nutriment, and, in turn, abstracting from it materials which require to be removed. Tlie most recent expression of Dr. Carpenter's opinion is to this effect. After giving the common account of the function of the placenta, as furnish- ing materials for the nutrition of the embryo, and as a respiratory organ, he adds, And it is j>robable, too, that the iilaceuta is to be regarded as an excreting organ ; serving for the removal, through the niateriial blood, of excreiucntitious matter, whose continued circulation in the blood of the fojtus would be prejudicial to it.