MUSCLES AND FASCIA OF THE PERINEUM. 105 



gament;* as it serves to distinguish it from another called Pubic, 

 which is above the pubes, and described in the account of the 

 recti abdominis muscles. The breadth of this having been 

 stated at half an inch, it is obvious that the hole in the triamgu- 

 lar ligament is half an inch below its lower edge. 



Pelvic Fascia, 



The Pelvic Fascia (Aponcurosis Pehica) connects the bladder 

 to the sides of the pelvis. " This fascia descends from the ileo- 

 pectineal line to about midway in the depth of the pelvis; here 

 it is reflected from the surface of the muscle, (the Levator Mm,) 

 an-d applies itself to the prostate gland and bladder on the body 

 of which it is ultimately lost. At the angle of its reflection, this 

 fascia appears particularly strong and white, but becomes more 

 weak and thin as it lines the muscle and covers the bladder. In 

 tracing this membrane it will be seen that from the pubes just 

 below the symphysis, a pointed production of it, constituting its 

 anterior margin, is fixed into the side of the neck of the bladder. 

 This pointed production on each side is called, by most anato- 

 mists, the anterior ligaments of the bladder. Between them, 

 just beneath the symphysis of the pubes, a pouch large enough 

 to receive the end of the finger, is formed by the union of the 

 fasciae of the two sides: this pouch connects the middle anterior 

 part of the neck of the bladder to the lower margin of the sym- 

 physis pubis."f 



This fascia adheres closely to the periosteum of the pubes, 

 between the upper margin of the thyroid foramen and the crista 

 of the pubes; about the middle third of the linea innominata it 

 is obviously a continuous membrane with the iliac fascia which 

 covers the iliacus internus muscle; but behind this, again, it 

 arises from the remaining third of the linea innominata. 



The portion of this fascia which Mr, Colles speaks of as par- 

 ticularly strong and white, forms a bow, the concavity of which 

 looks upwards, one end of the bow being fastened to the pubes 

 above the foramen thyroideum, and the other end to the ischium 

 above its spine, The perineal surface of this bow is an impor- 

 tant point of the origin of the levator ani. Above the bow this 



* See Symphysis Pubis. -j- Colics' Surgical Anatomy. 



