THE OVARIES. 767 



At the hilum of the ovary, as will be seen farther on, the structure of the 

 peritoneum undergoes a marked change. 



The Ovaries. The ovaries, attached to the broad ligament and project- 

 ing from its posterior surface, lie nearly horizontally in the pelvic cavity, on 



FIG. 275. Uterus, Fallopian tubes and ovaries ; posterior view (Sappey). 



1, ovaries ; 2, 2, Fallopian tubes ; 3, 3, fimbriated extremity of the left Fallopian tube, seen from its con- 

 cavity ; 4, opening of the left tube ; 5, fimbriated extremity of the right tube, posterior view ; 6, 6, 

 fimbriae which attach the extremity of each tube to the ovary ; 7, 7, ligaments of the ovary ; 8, 8, 

 9, 9, broad ligaments ; 10, uterus ; 11, cervix uteri ; 12, os uteri ; 13, 13, 14, vagina. 



either side of the uterus. They are of a whitish color, and their form is 

 ovoid and flattened, with the anterior border, sometimes called the base, 

 attached to the broad ligament. By closely examining their mode of connec- 

 tion with the broad ligament, it is seen that at the margin of the attached 

 surface of the ovary, the posterior layer of the ligament ceases, and that the 

 fibrous stroma of the medullary portion of the ovary is continuous with the 

 fibrous tissue lying between the two layers. 



Each ovary is about an inch and a half (38*1 mm.) in length, half an 

 inch (12-7 mm.) in thickness, and three-quarters of an inch (19-1 mm.) in 

 width at its broadest portion. The outer extremity is somewhat rounded 

 and is attached to one of the fimbriae of the Fallopian tube. The inner ex- 

 tremity is more pointed, and is attached to the side of the uterus by means 

 of the ligament of the ovary. This ligament is shown in Fig. 275 (7, 7). 

 It is a rounded cord, composed of non-striated muscular fibres spread out 

 upon the attached extremity of the ovary and the posterior surface of the 

 uterus, and is covered by peritoneum. The weight of each ovary is sixty to 

 one hundred grains (3'9 to 6-5 grammes), and these organs are largest in the 

 adult virgin. Its attached border is called the hilum ; and at this portion 

 the vessels and nerves penetrate. The surface is marked by rounded, trans- 

 lucent elevations, produced by distended Graafian follicles, with little cica- 

 trices indicating the situation of ruptured follicles. There may also be 

 seen, between the distended follicles, corpora lutea in various stages of 

 atrophy. 



