UTERUS, AND ITS APPENDAGES. 115 



heres to the uterus by a subjacent cellular substance, which al- 

 lows it to be dissected off without difficulty. The same dupli- 



cature of peritoneum which encloses the uterus, is also reflected 



* / 



from each of its lateral margins, by their whole length to the 

 corresponding side of the lesser pelvis, and forms the Lateral 

 or the Broad Ligament, (Ligamenta Lateralia, Lata.) The pe- 

 ritoneum, in passing from the uterus forwards to the bladder, 

 forms, on each side, a duplicature, not very distinct, and de- 

 pending, in a measure, upon the state of the bladder; this con- 

 stitutes the Anterior Ligament. The same membrane, in 

 passing from the back of the uterus to the rectum, and in co- 

 vering the posterior superior end of the vagina, also forms, on 

 each side, a duplicature, denominated the Posterior Ligament ; 

 they are always better seen than the anterior. Muscular fibres 

 are said to be found, occasionally, between the lamina of these 

 several duplicatures, running in the direction of the latter:* 

 they have not been presented to me in such a way as to arrest 

 my attention. 



The broad ligaments, along with the uterus, form a transverse 

 septum, passing from one side of the pelvis to the other; and 

 contain, between their laminae, the arteries and the veins which 

 belong to the uterus and ovaries. 



Besides the duplicatures of peritoneum, the uterus is retained 

 in its position by the Ligamenta Rotunda, one on each side. 

 These round ligaments arise from the sides of the uterus, a lit- 

 tle below the insertion of the Fallopian Tubes, and going between 

 the lamina? of the broad ligament, reach, finally, the internal 

 abdominal ring: they then traverse the abdominal canal and the 

 external ring after the manner precisely of the spermatic chord, 

 and terminate by several fasciculi in the fatty cellular matter of 

 the mons veneris and of the labia majora. The round ligaments 

 are rather smaller in the middle than at either extremity; they 

 consist of a condensed cellular or fibrous structure, and have 

 many blood vessels in them. It has been asserted,f that they 

 contain str6ngly marked muscular fibres; some of which come 

 from the uterus, and others from the broad muscles of the abdo- 

 men. No evidence of this fact has as yet been presented to me, 



* J. F. Meckel, vol. ii. p. 605. f J. F. Meckel, loc. cit. 



