834 ORGANS OF REPRODUCTION. 



properly enter into a work on physiology, except under the view that all 

 biological problems are, when pushed far enough, physiological problems. 

 We shall limit ourselves to a brief survey of the more important physio- 

 logical phenomena attendant on the impregnation of the ovum and on the 

 nutrition and birth of the embryo. 



776. [ The female organs of generation are anatomically divided into the 

 internal and external organs. The latter comprise the labia majora and 

 minora, the clitoris, the hymen, the meatus urinarius, the vulvo-vaginal 

 glands, and the mucous and sebaceous glands which are distributed in 

 the mucous membrane covering the parts. The external organs play a 

 very subsidiary part in the function of reproduction, and they will be passed 

 by with this brief notice. 



The internal organs comprise the vagina, uterus, Fallopian tubes, and 

 ovaries. 



The vagina is a musculo-membranous canal, about four to six inches 

 long, directed obliquely upward and backward, and extending from the 

 hymen to the cervix uteri, where it is attached at a point a short distance 



FIG. 209. 



Diagrammatic View of the Uterus and its Appendages, as seen from Behind. (From Quain.) 

 Half natural size. The uterus and upper part of the vagina have been laid open by removing 

 the posterior wall ; the Fallopian tube, round ligament, and ovarian ligament have been cut 

 short, and the broad ligament removed on the left side : u, the upper part of the uterus ; c, the 

 cervix opposite the os internum ; the triangular shape of the uterine cavity is shown, and the 

 dilatation of the cervical cavity with the rugse, termed arbor vitse ; v, upper part of the vagina ; 

 od, Fallopian tube or oviduct ; the narrow communication of its cavity with that of the cornu of 

 the uterus on each side is seen ; I, round ligament ; lo, ligament of the ovary ; o, ovary ; i, wide 

 outer part of the right Fallopian tube ; ft, its fimbriated extremity ; po, parovarium ; h, one of the 

 hydatids frequently found connected with the broad ligament. 



above the os uteri. Its walls consist of an external coat of longitudinal 

 muscular fibres, a middle erectile coat, and an internal mucous coat. The 

 mucous membrane is continuous below with that covering the external geni- 

 tals, and above with the mucous membrane lining the uterus. The anterior 

 and posterior surfaces are marked by longitudinal folds or raphe, from 

 which a number of transverse folds are given off. This membrane is pro- 

 vided with mucous glands, and is thickly covered with sensitive papillae. 



The uterus is a flattened, pyriform, muscular organ (Fig. 209). Ana- 

 tomically it is divided into the fundus, neck, and cervix. The neck indicates 

 the point of division between the lower constricted portion, which is the 

 cervix, and the upper expanded portion, the fundus. The cervix, which 

 extends from the neck to the end of the organ, projects into the vagina, at 

 which point it is marked by a transverse fissure, called the os uteri. 



