§9^ A MANUAL OF ANATOMV 



the passage it contains mucous glands. Along the middle line of 

 the anterior and posterior walls it presents a ridge, these ridges 

 being called the columns of the vagina, or columnce rugarum. 

 Passing off from them at right angles there are, in the virgin, 

 numerous transverse rugae, these appearances being well marked 

 in the lower part of the passage, and absent in the upper part. 



Blood-supply. — The vagina is supplied with blood by the vaginal 

 arteries, the vaginal branches of the uterine arteries, and branches 

 of the internal pudic arteries. 



Nerves. — These are derived from the vaginal sympathetic plexus 

 of each side, which is an offshoot from the pelvic plexus. 



Lymphatics. — The lymphatic vessels are disposed in two sets — 

 superior and inferior. The superior lymphatics come from about 

 the upper two-thirds of the vagina, and they pass to (i) the middle 

 chain of the external iliac glands, and (2) the internal iliac glands, on 

 either side. The inferior lymphatics come from about the lower 

 third, and they pass to (i) the inner group of the common iliac 

 glands, and (2) the pubic groups of the inguinal glands. 



The superior and inferior vaginal lymphatics communicate freely 

 with one another; the superior lymphatics communicate with those 

 of the cervix uteri; and the inferior set communicate with those of 

 the labia majora. 



Development of the Fallopian Tubes, Uterus, and Vagina. 



The Fallopian tubes, uterus, and vagina are developed from the Miillerian 

 ducts. 



As the mesonephros, or Wolfifian body, approaches its full development, 

 a longitudinal tube makes its appearance on the outer side of the Wolffian 



Fig. 376A. — Development of Fallopian Tubes, Uterus, and Vagina. 



duct. This tube is called the Miillerian duct, and it is developed from an 

 invagination of the peritoneum, which covers the anterior end of the genital 

 ridge. The duct extends caudalwards, lying within the uro-genital fold along 

 with the Wolffian duct, upon the outer side of which it is placed. Posteriorly, 

 where the two uro-genital folds fuse to form the genital cord, the Miillerian 

 duct of either side crosses over the corresponding Wolffian duct, and then lies 

 on its inner side. The two Miillerian ducts and the two Wolffian ducts are 

 contained within the genital cord, and the Miillerian ducts are now in close 

 contact at the median line. 



In this part of their course the Miillerian ducts unite, and form a single 

 mesial canal, which, together with the Wolffian ducts, opens into the ventral 

 compartment of the cloaca — that is to say, the urogenital sinus or canal. 

 The single mesial canal, formed by the fusion of the Miillerian ducts with the 

 genital cord, gives rise to the uterus and the vagina. In the male it forms 



