"7 
walls of the pelvis, constitutes the so-called false ligaments of that organ. From the 
apex of the bladder it is carried on to the anterior abdominal wall by the urachus, 
thus forming the superior or anterior false ligament of the bladder (plea pubo- 
vesicalis). 
In the female (Fig. 707), the peritoneum, on leaving the rectuim, passes to the 
posterior wall of the vagina, the upper portion of which it covers. From this it is 
continued up over the posterior surface and fundus of the uterus, and down on 
its anterior surface as far as the junction of the cervix and body (Fig. 775). Here 
it passes from the uterus to the bladder, which it partly covers, as in the male, and 
is then carried on to the anterior abdominal wall. Between the rectum behind, 
and the uterus and vagina in front, is situated the pouch of Douglas (excavatio 
rectouterina Douglasi, recto-genital pouch), the entrance of which is limited on 
each side by a fold passing from the cervix of the uterus around the sides of the 
1050 THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. ~ 
Second sacral vertebra Ending of pelvie mesocolon 
Sacro-iliae joint Sacral nerves 
“Ry N 
\ 
iN 
Ye. 
Pararectal fossa, v Pararectal fossa 
Ureter (cut) 
Crescentic fold of 
peritoneum (recto- 
genital fold)™ 
Seminal vesicle 
beneath this» 
/ Ureter (cut) 
Internal iliac artery 
Ureter 
External iliac 
vein Fossa 
obturatoria 
(Waldeyer) 
External iliac 
artery 
~Tliacus 
Ye / 
Deep epigastric artery / ; 
Z External iliac artery 
Ureter 
Paravesical fossa ; \ Vas deferens 
Plica vesicalis sey \ Obliterated hypogastric artery 
Rectus Wf \ Bladder 
Pyramidalis Urachus 
Fic, 708.—THE PERITONEUM OF THE PELVIc CAVITY. 
The pelvis was sawn across obliquely (as in Fig. 702) in a thin male subject aged 60. Owing to the absence 
of fat the various pelvic organs were visible through the peritoneum, though not quite so distinctly as 
represented here. The bladder and rectum were both empty and contracted ; the paravesical and para- 
rectal fosse as a result were very well marked. 
pouch towards the rectum; these are the folds of Douglas (plice rectouterine 
Douglasi, recto-genital folds), and they contain in their interior the utero-sacral 
ligaments (musculi recto-uterini), two bands of fibrous tissue with plain muscle 
fibres intermixed, which pass from the cervix of the uterus, backwards on each 
side of the rectum, to blend with the connective tissue on the front of the lower 
part of the sacrum. 
Sunilarly, in front of the uterus, between it and the bladder, is found the much 
smaller utero-vesical pouch (excavatio vesico-uterina). Finally, the peritoneum is 
prolonged as a wide fold from each margin of the uterus to the side wall of the 
pelvis, constituting the broad ligament of the uterus (ligamentum latum uter1), 
within which are contained the Fallopian tube, the ovary, the round ligament, and 
other structures (see p. 1130). 
When the bladder is empty, there is seen at each side, between it and the pelvic wall, a 
considerable peritoneal depression—the paravesical fossa (Fig. 708). This fossa is traversed by a 
peritoneal fold—the plica vesicalis transversa—which is found running transversely outwards 
