THE ABDOMEN 839 



the upper surfaces of the levator ani and coccygeus, and is in turn 

 covered by the peritoneum. At the outer border of the vesicula 

 seminalis it divides into three laminae — upper, middle, and lower. 

 The upper or vesical lamina ascends upon the lateral aspect of the 

 bladder for a short distance, and ultimately loses itself in the 

 muscular tissue of the vesical wall. This portion at each side forms 

 the lateral true ligament of the bladder. The middle or recto- 

 vesical lamina passes inwards betvveen the base of the bladder and 

 the rectum, and is continuous with the corresponding lamina of 

 the opposite side. As it passes inwards it furnishes a sheath to the 

 vesicula seminalis and adjacent portion of the vas deferens, closely 

 strapping these structures to the base of the bladder. The lower 

 or rectal lamina descends upon the side of the rectum, and passes 

 to its posterior surface, where it is continuous with the rectal 

 lamina of the opposite side. 



2. Opposite the neck of the bladder and prostate gland. In this 

 situation the visceral portion of the fascia also divides into three 

 laminae — upper, middle, and lower. The upper or prostatic lamina 

 passes inwards over the anterior surface of the prostate gland, and 

 is continuous with the prostatic lamina of the opposite side. The 

 middle or recto - prostatic lamina passes inwards between the 

 posterior surface of the prostate gland and the rectum, and is 

 continuous with the corresponding lamina of the opposite side. 

 The lower or rectal lamina is imaltered in its disposition. The 

 upper or prostatic and middle or recto-prostatic laminae furnish a 

 stout sheath to the prostate gland. 



3. Between the pubic bodies and the upper aspect of the neck 

 of the bladder. The portion of the visceral fascia in this region 

 represents the upper lamina in the other regions, and may be 

 called the pubo-prostatico-vesical lamina. It is arranged in the 

 form of two stout cords, which are kno\\Ti as the pubo-prostatic 

 ligaments or the anterior true ligaments of the bladder. Each is 

 attached anteriorly to the posterior aspect of the body of the os 

 pubis, near the lower part of the sjmiphysis, and a little above the 

 attachment of the parietal portion of the pelvic fascia in this region, 

 the anterior fibres of the levator ani taking origin from the portion 

 of bone between the two fasciae. As the cord-like fascial bands 

 pass backwards they are connected by a portion of the visceral 

 fascia which covers the dorsal vein of the penis and lies deeply, 

 thus giving rise to a small pouch, which is capable of admitting the 

 point of a finger. This pouch is filled with fat, which is continuous 

 with the retro-pubic pad of fat. The anterior portion of the visceral 

 fascia lies upon the anterior surface of the prostate gland, and on 

 reaching the neck of the bladder it passes forwards to its inferior 

 surface, where it soon disappears in the muscular tissue of the 

 vesical wall. The pubo-prostatic ligaments are largely composed 

 of plain muscular tissue, which is derived from the longitudinal 

 fibres on the inferior surface of the bladder as they pass to take 

 attachment to the back of the bodies of the pubic bones on either 



