602 



UTERUS AND ITS APPENDAGES. 



surfaces may here be traced along the mar- 

 gin where the tube wall terminates. Here 

 the peritoneal or outer covering of the tube 

 may be observed to cease suddenly in the 

 form of a distinct boundary line, as in the 

 example represented in jig. 407. But oc- 

 casionally the peritoneal coat is prolonged 

 upon the base of the principal leaflets which 

 crest the end of the canal, and in that case 

 a closer examination is necessary in order to 

 discover the line of union between the mu- 

 cous and the serous surfaces. 



The fimbricE, lacinicE (AOKI'S), or morsus dia- 

 boli. The structure and composition of these 

 appendages differ in no respect from those of 

 the plicae or folds of which they are merely 

 continuations. These fimbriae present many 

 varieties of form, but are generally either pe- 

 tiolate, lanceolate, or simply filiform. Their 



margins are in some cases coarsely crenate, 

 like those of the tubal plicae, while in other 

 instances they are so finely indented, as to 

 require the use of a lens for their examina- 

 tion. The greater number of these fimbriae 

 are attached to the sides or margins of the 

 infundibulum by their narrower extremity 

 only, like leaves thickly clustered on the 

 branches of a tree, while the more obtuse ex- 

 tremity of each leaflet is left free, apparently 

 with the object of increasing the extent of 

 surface of the tube-mouth, which may be 

 applied to the superficies of the ovary. But 

 very commonly one or two fimbriae are ob- 

 served to be firmly attached by both ends, 

 while the body extends horizontally in the 

 form of a flattened band among the rest of 

 the fringes, as at fig. 408. d. The backs of 

 these are always covered by a continuation 



Fig. 408. 





Abdominal end of right Fallopian tube, from an adult. (After Richard.) 



a, fimbriae irregularly formed ; c c, bristle passed through an accessory pavilion ; d, horizontal band 

 across the mouth of the tube formed by one of the fimbriae having both ends fixed ; g h, pedun- 

 cle ending in fringed processes, probably the terminal portion of the Wolftian duct. (See fig. 401. 

 /, and explanation.) i, body of Fallopian tube; k, ovary. The tubo-ovarian ligament and fringes are 

 well developed in this specimen. 



of the serous membrane. It is difficult to 

 imagine a use for them unless they are placed 

 there as a safeguard to diminish the risk of 

 a retrograde movement and escape of the 

 ovum after it has entered the tube along one 

 cf the furrows formed between the plicae. 



The length of the fimbriae ranges from '" 

 to f". The principal leaflets, being con- 

 tinuations of the 4 6 main plicae of the tube, 

 exceed the rest in size, and these, spreading 

 like rays, form the more salient points of 

 the fringes, while the intermediate spaces are 

 filled up by the smaller appendages. 



Intermixed with the latter are often seen 

 minute pedunculated cysts, and especially 

 little white hard grains, the size of millet 

 seeds, first noticed by De Graaf. Similar 

 grains are often observed upon the mesentery 

 of the tube, or attached to the outer surface of 

 the tube itself (fig. 404.). 



The Tubo-ovarian ligament and fringes. 

 This so-called ligament (fig. 408.) consists of 

 one of the fimbriae, which is almost con- 

 stantly prolonged upon the outer margin or 

 base of the triangular mesentery of the tube. 

 Extending in the form of a slight furrow 

 or channel (fig. 404. d and fig. 405. <?), be- 

 tween the outer extremity of the ovary and the 

 inner or lower border of the tube, it is mar- 

 gined on either side by a row of leaflets, pos- 

 sessing shapes as variable as those which 

 characterise the rest of the lesser fringes. 

 These leaflets, as well as the furrow between 

 them, are backed by a continuation of the 

 peritoneal fold or mesentery, which, after 

 enclosing the tube, here terminates abruptly 

 on a level with its mouth, and thus is pro- 

 duced the appearance of a ligament, whose 

 use is simply to preserve the tuba! orifice in 

 contiguity to the ovary ; but there is no 



