548 VESSELS AND NERVES OF THE UTERUS. 



and appears to be composed of whitish fibres inextricably interlaced and 

 mingled with blood-vessels. In the impregnated uterus the fibres are of 

 large size, and distinct, and are disposed in two layers, superficial and 

 deep. The superficial layer consists of fibres which pursue a vertical 

 direction, some being longitudinal, and others oblique. The longitudinal 

 fibres are found principally on the middle line, forming a thin plane upon 

 the anterior and posterior face of the organ and upon its fundus. Th 

 oblique fibres occupy chiefly the sides and the fundus. At the angles of 

 the uterus the fibres of the superficial layer are continued outwards upon 

 the Fallopian tubes, and into the round ligaments and ligaments of the 

 ovaries. The deep layer consists of two Fiollow cones of circular fibres 

 having their apex at the openings of the Fallopian tubes, and intermin- 



fling with each other by their bases on the body of the organ. These 

 bres are continuous with the deep muscular layer of the Fallopian tubes, 

 and indicate the primitive formation of the uterus by the blending of these 

 two canals. Around the cervix uteri the muscular fibres assume a circular 

 form interlacing with and crossing each other at acute angles. The 

 mucous membrane is provided with a columnar ciliated epithelium, which 

 extends from the middle of the cervix uteri to the extremities of the Fallo- 

 pian tubes. 



Vessels and Nerves. The Arteries of the uterus are the uterine from 

 the internal iliac, and the spermatic from the aorta. The Veins are large 

 and remarkable ; in the impregnated uterus they are called sinuses, and 

 consist of canals channeled through the substance of the organ, being 

 merely lined by the internal membrane of the veins. They terminate on 

 each side of the uterus in the uterine plexuses. The lymphatics terminate 

 in the lumbar glands. 



The Nerves of the uterus are derived from the hypogastric and sper- 

 matic plexuses, and from the sacral plexus. They have been made the 

 subject of special investigation by Dr. Robert Lee, who has successfully 

 repaired the omission made by Dr. William Hunter, in this part of the 

 anatomy of the organ. In his numerous dissections of the uterus, both in 

 the unimpregnated and gravid state, Dr. Lee has made the discovery of 

 several large nervous ganglia and plexuses. The principal of these, situ- 

 ated on each side of the cervix uteri, immediately behind the ureter, he 

 terms the hypogastric ganglion; it receives the greater number of the 

 nerves from the hypogastric and sacral plexus, and distributes branches to 

 the uterus, vagina, bladder, and rectum. Of the branches to the uterus, 

 a large fasciculus proceeds upwards by the side of the organ towards its 

 angle, where they communicate with branches of the spermatic plexus, 

 and form another large ganglion, which he designates the spermatic gan- 

 glion, and which supplies the fundus uteri. Besides these, Dr. Lee de- 

 scribes vesical and vaginal ganglia, and anterior and posterior subperitoneal 

 ganglia and plexuses, which communicate with the preceding, and consti- 

 tute an extensive nervous network over the entire uterus. Dr. Lee con- 

 cJudes his observations by remarking: "These dissections prove that the 

 human uterus possesses a great system of nerves, which enlarges with the 

 coats, blood-vessels, and absorbents, during pregnancy, and which returns 

 after parturition to its original condition before conception takes place. It 

 is chiefly by the influence of these nerves that the uterus performs the 

 varied functions of menstruation, conception, and parturition, and it is 

 solely by their means that the whole fabric of the nervous system sympa- 



