URINARY BLADDER. 645 



umbilical arteries and ureters. The two lateral ligaments 

 extend from the iliac fossae to the sides of the bladder, and 

 contain the vasa-deferentia of the male, and the round liga- 

 ments of the uterus in the female. 



This portion of the peritoneum, it is important to observe, 

 descends upon the front and the sides of the rectum, to about 

 four inches from the anus, leaving consequently the lower 

 portion of the rectum uncovered by peritoneum. From 

 this point it is reflected forward upon the bladder, at its 

 lower and posterior part, a short distance above the base of 

 the prostate gland, and about the middle of the vesiculae 

 seminales, whence it passes upward upon the back and 

 sides of this organ to its superior fundus, and is then traced 

 onward to the abdominal muscles, as explained elsewhere. 

 It is just below the line of reflection, and on the inferior 

 fundus of the bladder, that the latter organ can be entered 

 from the rectum without injuring the peritoneum. 



The true ligaments are two anterior and two lateral, to 

 which are added the two obliterated umbilical arteries, and 

 the urachuSj making seven in all. 



The two anterior come from the pelvic fascia, which lines 

 the parietes of the pelvis, and is a continuation of the fascia 

 iliaca. They commence at the lower portion of the inner 

 surface of the pubis, on each side of the symphysis, and 

 proceed upward to the front of the bladder, upon which 

 they expand, as well as upon the upper surface of the pros- 

 tate. The two lateral ligaments are also continuations of 

 the pelvic fascia from the levatores ani muscles upon the 

 sides of the bladder and prostate gland. The umbilical 

 ligaments constitute the solid fibrous cords, which in the 

 foetus were the hypogastric arteries, and are found upon 

 each side of the fundus of the bladder going to the umbili- 

 cus. The urachus is attached to the superior extremity of 

 the bladder, and goes as a small fibrous cord to the umbili- 

 cus. In the fcetus it is seen as a tubular canal, though, ac- 

 cording to Cruveilhier, it is always solid in both foetus and 

 adult. 



Upon the external surface of the bladder, six regions 



