222 fty Ureters^ [Book IX. 



lions of this bag ultimately terminate in a membra- 

 nous canal, called the ureter, which, defcending be- 

 tween the peritoneum and the great pfoas mufcle'j 

 reaches the urinary bladder, to which it conveys the 

 urine. The ureters of both kidneys enter the blad- 

 der at the pofterior part, near the neck, which is th^ 

 moft fixed point. They run fome diftance between 

 the coats of the bladder, before they open into its 

 cavity, and this ftrufture has the effect of a valve, in 

 preventing the fluid when the bladder is very full, 

 from returning towards the kidney. 



The ureters are about a fpan long, and their canal 

 is much wider in fome parts than in others. They 

 are in general about the fize of a writing pen, and 

 are fomewhat curved in their courfe from the kid- 

 ney to the bladder, fo as to refemble the letter^ 

 They are furnifhed with feveral coats, one of which 

 is mufcular. They are very fenfible, as is proved by 

 the acute pain which perfons who are fubjecl: to the 

 gravel experience while the Hones are palling through 

 them. 



The urinary bladder is a membranous fack of con- 

 fiderable fize. It is placed at the anterior part of 

 the pelvis j when it is empty, it finks below the upper 

 part of the oiTa pubis, but when filled, rifes confi- 

 derably above them. It is larger in women than in 

 men. The upper part of the bladder is called its 

 fundus, which is much wider than where it terminates 

 in its neck. The anterior part of the bladder, which 

 is placed next the ofia pubis, is more flat, that turned 

 backwards more convex. Its general form is a round 

 oblong. 



The bladder in men is connected behind to the 

 redtum, and before it is always attached by cellular 

 fubftance to the ofTa pubis. It is alfo connected to the 



navel 



