4 THE VAGINA. 1135 
: 
projects into the vagina, a deeper recess is formed between the vaginal wall and 
the cervix behind, than in front or laterally. The term anterior fornix is often 
applied to the angle or recess in front of the cervix uteri, and posterior fornix to 
the deeper angle formed behind the cervix. The anterior vaginal wall (paries 
anterior) is shorter than the posterior (paries posterior), the former being about 
three inches in length, the latter about three and a half inches. At its lower end 
the vagina opens into the urogenital cleft, the opening being situated behind 
the orifice of the urethra and the clitoris, and between the labia minora. The 
opening is partly closed in the virgin by a thin crescentic or annular fold called 
Posterior superior 
iliac spine 
Apex of sacrum 
Y 
Great sciatic notch 
Rectwin 
—_—_— Peritoneum 
Ureter 
Ischial spine 
Uterine artery 
_—_ Bladder wall 
_ Ureter 
Levator ani 
Sacro-sciatic 
ligament 
Ischio-rectal fossa 
} | External sphincter 
Recto-vaginal pouch HA Rectum 
Vaginal wall 
Fic. 777.—lHE VAGINA, BASE OF BLADDER, AND RECTO-VAGINAL POUCH OF PERITONEUM, seen 
from behind. 
The coceyx and sacro-sciatic ligaments, together with the muscles attached to them, have been removed. The 
levatores ani have been separated along the median raphe, and drawn outwards. A considerable 
portion of the rectum has been removed, but the position which it occupied is indicated by the dotted 
lines. The peritoneum is indicated by a blue colour. The recto-vaginal pouch is probably not quite so 
deep as usual. 
the hymen, torn fragments of which persist round the opening, as the caruncule 
hymenales, after the fold itself has been ruptured. 
Relations of the Vagina.—The anterior wall of the vagina in its upper part 
lies against the base of the bladder, but is separated from it by loose connective 
tissue. Lower down, the anterior wall in the mesial line is intimately connected 
with the urethra (Fig. 776). Near the middle line the posterior wall, in its upper 
portion, is covered for a distance of about a quarter of an inch by the peritoneum, 
which here forms the anterior boundary of the deepest part of the pouch of 
: 
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