868 GENERATION.. 



The Fallopian Tubes. The Fallopian tubes, or oviducts, lead from the ovaries to the 

 uterus. They are shown in Fig. 270. These tubes are from three to four inches long, 

 but their length is not always equal upon the two sides. They lie between the folds of 

 the broad ligament at its upper border. Opening into the uterus upon either side at the 

 cornua, they present a small orifice, about -fa of an inch in diameter. From the cornua, 

 they take a somewhat undulatory course outward, gradually increasing in size, so that 

 they are rather trumpet-shaped. Near the ovary, they turn downward and backward. 

 The extremity next the ovary is marked by from ten to fifteen fimbrise, or fringes, which 

 has given this the name of the fimbriated extremity, or morsus diaboli. All of these 



Fio. 278. Fallopian tube. (Liegeois.) 



fringe-like processes are free, except one ; and this one, which is longer than the others, 

 is attached to the outer angle of the ovary and presents a little gutter, or furrow, ex- 

 tending from the ovary to the opening of the tube. At this extremity, is the abdominal 

 opening of the tube, which is two or three times as large as the uterine opening. Pass- 

 ing from the uterus, the caliber of the tube gradually increases as the tube itself en- 

 larges, and there is an abrupt constriction at the abdominal opening. 



Beneath the peritoneal coat, which is formed by the layers of the broad ligament, is 

 a layer of connective tissue, containing a rich plexus of blood-vessels. This constitutes 

 the proper fibrous coat of the Fallopian tubes. 



The muscular layer is composed mainly of circular fibres of the non-striated variety, 

 with a few longitudinal fibres prolonged over the tube from the external muscular layer 

 of the uterus. This coat is quite thick and sends bands between the layers of the broad 

 ligament to the ovary, which are supposed to act in adapting the fimbriated extremity of 

 the tube to the surface of the ovary. 



The mucous membrane of the tube is thrown into folds, which are longitudinal and 

 transverse near the uterus, and are more complicated at the dilated portion. In this 

 portion, next the ovary, embracing about the outer two-thirds, the folds project far into 

 the caliber of the tube. These are sometimes simple, but more frequently they present 

 secondary folds, often meeting as they project from opposite sides. This arrangement 

 gives an arborescent appearance to the membrane on transverse section of the tube. 

 The mucous membrane is covered by cylindrical ciliated epithelium, the movement of 

 the cilia being from the ovary toward the uterus. At the margins of the fimbriae, the 

 ciliated epithelium is continuous with the epithelium of the peritoneum, presenting the 

 exceptional example of an opening of a mucous-lined tube into the cavity of the perito- 

 neum. The membrane of the tubes has no mucous glands. 



It is not necessary to enter into a minute description of the external organs of the 

 female. Opening by the vulva, externally, and terminating at the neck of the uterus, is 

 a membranous tube, the vagina. This lies between the bladder and the rectum. It has 



