548 EXTERNAL ORGANS. 



at each side by means of a rounded cord, consisting chiefly of mus- 

 cular fibres derived from the uterus, the ligament of the ovary. 



In structure the ovary is composed of a cellulo-fibrous parenchyma 

 or stroma, traversed by blood-vessels, and enclosed in a. capsule 

 consisting of three layers; a vascular layer, which is situated most 

 internally and sends processes inwards towards the interior of the 

 organ; a middle or fibrous layer of considerable density and an 

 external investment of peritoneum. In the cells of the stroma of the 

 ovary the small vesicles or ovisacs of the future ova, the Graafian 

 vesicles, as they have been termed, are developed. They are usu- 

 ally about fifteen fully formed Graafian vesicles in each ovary ; but 

 Dr. Martin Barry has shown that countless numbers of microscopic 

 ovisacs exist in the parenchyma of the organ, and that very few 

 out of these are perfected so as to produce ova. 



After conception a yellow spot, the corpus luteum, is found in one 

 or both ovaries. The corpus luteum is a globular mass of yellow, 

 spongy tissue, traversed by white cellular bands, and containing in 

 its centre a small cavity, more or less obliterated, which was origi- 

 nally occupied by the ovum. The interior of the cavity is lined by 

 a puckered membrane, the remains of the ovisac. In recent corpora 

 lutea the opening by which the ovum escaped from the ovisac 

 through the capsule of the ovary is distinctly visible ; when closed, 

 a small cicatrix may be seen upon the surface of the ovary in the 

 situation of the opening. A similar appearance to the preceding, 

 but of smaller size, and without a central cavity, is sometimes met 

 with in the ovaries of the virgin, this is & false corpus luteum. 



Vessels and Nerves. The Arteries of the ovaries are the sper- 

 matic. Its nerves are derived from the spermatic plexus. 



The Round ligaments are two muscular and fibrous cords situated 

 between the layers of the broad ligaments, and extending from the 

 upper aagles of the uterus, and' along the spermatic canals to the 

 labia majora, in which they are lost. They are accompanied by a 

 small artery, by several filaments of the spermatic plexus of nerves, 

 and by a plexus of veins. The latter occasionally become varicose, 

 and form a small tumour at the external abdominal ring which has 

 been mistaken for inguinal hernia. The round ligaments serve to 

 retain the uterus in its proper position in the pelvis, and during utero- 

 gestation to draw the anterior surface of the organ against the 

 abdominal parietes. 



EXTERNAL ORGANS OF GENERATION. 



The female organs of generation are divided into the internal and 

 external ; the internal are contained within the pelvis, and have been 

 already described, they are the vagina, uterus, ovaries, and Fallo- 

 pian tubes. The external organs are the mons Veneris, labia ma- 

 jora, labia minora, clitoris, meatus urinarius, and the opening of the 

 vagina. 



The Mons Veneris is the eminence of integument, situated upon 



