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UTERUS AND ITS APPENDAGES. 



tion of the papillae, all but the finer kinds may 

 be viewed as consisting of the same elements 

 as the mucous membrane itself, for they appear 

 to be produced by mere notchings or indenta- 

 tions, extending more or less deeply into that 

 membrane ; they are, in fact, little more than 

 repetitions of the plica? and sulci upon a 

 smaller scale, with a slight difference of form. 

 They serve to extend the secreting surface, 

 and possibly to expose a larger aggregate 

 superficies of vascular and nervous tissues. 



One or more long and slender blood-vessels 

 may usually be traced from the muscular coat 

 running into each papilla. These are suf- 

 ficiently conspicuous in thin sections without 

 the aid of injections. By the aid of the latter 

 they may be seen to terminate in vascular 

 loops upon the ends of the papilla?, just as 

 similar vessels maybe observed to form wavy 

 coils upon the crests of the plica? by which 

 the cervix is lined. 



The filiform papillae, both larger and 

 smaller, are more finely-constructed than the 

 rest. They often end in a slightly bulbous 

 extremity. Those upon the outer portion of 

 the cervix are usually single, their length being 

 from two to six times that of their breadth. 

 The free uncovered filiform papillae of the cer- 

 vical canal and margins of the os are relatively 

 much longer. These latter are commonly 

 branched, and in conformation occasionally 

 resemble the early villi of the chorion. Each 

 villus, whether single or ramified, contains 

 usually a single capillary loop, which returns 

 upon itself, and at the base passes on to an- 

 other villus. Covering the capillary loop is 

 a delicate basement membrane, uniting toge- 

 ther the clear granule-holding nucleated cells, 

 which constitute the epithelial covering as 

 well as the substance of the villi, and of 

 which a description has been already given. 



No nerves have been traced into the papillae, 

 though Kihan* is of opinion that they are spe- 

 cially tactile or sensitive structures, and from 

 various circumstances to be hereafter con- 

 sidered, it will appear probable that they are 

 connected with the special nervous attributes 

 of the cervix. I am disposed, however, to 

 regard the sensibilities of the cervix, such 

 as they are, as resident chiefly in the filiform 

 papillae. 



The mucous crypts or follicles of the cer- 

 vix are, for the most part, simple depressions 

 in the mucous membrane, although in cer- 

 tain situations they penetrate more deeply, 

 and approach in form the ramified and tortu- 

 ous canals of the uterine body. Scarcely any 

 portion of the cervical canal is free from these 

 follicles, which serve to increase the extent 

 of mucous surface, and apparently to furnish 

 the special secretions of this part. They not 

 only fill all the interspaces between the pri- 

 mary and secondary folds, but they are dotted 

 over the ridges and prominences of the cervi- 



* See a valuable paper by Franz M. Kilian, en- 

 titled, Die Structur des Uterus bei Thieren, in Henle 

 and Pfeufer's Zeitschrift, IX. Bd. 



cal lining membrane in countless numbers, 1 

 extending from the internal to near the ex- 

 ternal os uteri. They commonly cease at a 

 short distance from the margins of the latter, 

 where a smooth space is often observable in 

 one or both cervical walls. But they may be 

 sometimes perceived at the very border of the 

 lower orifice, and when in such a case one or 

 both lips are slightly everted, as for example 

 in certain hypertrophies of the cervical lining 

 membrane, this follicular portion becomes 

 protruded, while its florid colour, limited 

 by an abrupt margin of the unaltered and 

 paler squamous epithelium here suddenly 

 commencing, an appearance is produced 

 which may also easily be confounded with an 

 ulcer. 



The mucous crypts seldom extend beyond 

 the border of the os, except in the cases just 

 quoted, when, in fact, the relative situation 

 only of the parts is changed. A few, how- 

 ever, may be sometimes seen scattered at tole- 

 rably regular intervals over the vaginal por- 

 tion of the cervix. They sometimes also 

 occur here, as well as within the cervix, and 

 even in the uterine cavity, in the form of closed 

 vesicles containing an opaline fluid, and per- 

 haps may be regarded as in some instances 

 pathological new formations. 



The cervical mucous crypts are lined by 

 epithelium and basement membrane. They 

 contain a small quantity of mucus, together 

 with granule cells. Those upon and near the 

 margins of the os uteri may be sometimes 

 observed to contain short papilla? within their 

 margin. 



Blood Vessels of the Uterus. 



The Arteries are derived from two sources, 

 viz. from the internal iliac and the ovarian 

 or spermatics. 



The vessels supplied from the former 

 source are termed the uterine arteries. These 

 are two in number, one for each side. They 

 arise from the anterior division of the internal 

 iliacs, and proceeding downwards and in- 

 wards pass between the folds of the broad 

 ligament to the neck of the uterus. Here 

 they take an upward course along the lateral 

 border of the organ, describing several flexuo- 

 sities, and giving off, in succession, branches to 

 the upper part of the vagina, the neck, body, 

 and fundus of the uterus ; the latter inoscu- 

 lating with the branches derived from the 

 spermatics. Free inosculations also take place 

 in the substance and upon the surface of the 

 uterus between the branches of the two sides, 

 so that the entire uterus may be injectetl from 

 either set of vessels. 



The branches derived from the spermatic 

 or ovarian arteries also enter between the 

 folds of the broad ligament, and inosculate 

 with the superior divisions of the uterine 

 vessels near the fundus of the organ. 



When, after a successful injection, thin slices 

 are cut from the substance of the uterus and 

 dried, and afterwards placed in Canada balsam, 

 the whole appears to be a mass of vessels ; the 

 arrangement of which, however, may be easily 



