520 DISSECTION OF THE PELVIS. 



hypogastric plexus (p. 444). Each is situate by the side of the bladder 

 and rectum in the male, and by the side of the uterus and vagina in the 

 female, and is united with offsets of the third and fourth sacral nerves. 

 Numerous ganglia are found in the plexus, especially at the points of union 

 of the spinal and sympathetic nerves. 



Offsets. From each plexus offsets are furnished along the branches of 

 the internal iliac artery to the viscera of the pelvis, and the genital organs ; 

 these form secondary plexuses, and have the same name as the vessels on 

 which they are placed. 



The inferior hcemorrhoidal plexus is an offset from the back of the 

 plexus to the rectum, and joins the sympathetic on the superior htcmor- 

 rhoidal artery. 



The vesical plexus contains large offsets, with many white iibred or 

 spinal nerves, and passes forwards to the side and lower part of the bladder. 

 It gives one plexus to the vesicula seminalis, and another to the vas 

 deferens. 



The prostatic plexus leaves the lower part of the pelvic plexus, and is 

 distributed to the substance of the prostate. At the front of the prostate 

 an offset (cavernous) is continued onwards to the dorsum of the penis, to 

 supply the cavernous structure. On the penis the cavernous nerves join 

 the pudic nerve. 



In the female there are the following additional plexuses for the supply 

 of the viscera peculiar to that sex: 



Ovarian plexus. The chief nerves to the ovary are derived from the 

 renal and aortic plexuses, and accompany the artery of that body ; but the 

 uterine nerves supply some filaments to it. 



Vaginal plexus. The nerves of the vagina are large, and are not plexi- 

 form, but consist in greater part of spinal nerve fibres ; they end in the 

 lower part of the tube. 



The uterine, nerves are furnished to the uterus without direct admixture 

 with the spinal nerves : they ascend along the side of the uterus, and are, 

 for the most part, long slender filaments without ganglia or communica- 

 tions. The Fallopian tube receives its branches from the uterine nerves. 



Some few nerves surrounding the arteries of the uterus are plexiform 

 and ganglionic. 



The lymphatic glands of the pelvis form one chain in front of the 

 sacrum, and another along the internal iliac artery: their efferent ducts 

 join the lumbar glands. Into these glands the deep lymphatics of the 

 penis, those of the genital organs in the female, and the lymphatics of the 

 viscera and wall of the pelvis are collected. 



SECTION V. 



ANATOMY OF THE VISCERA OF THE MALE PELVIS. 



Directions. The bladder and the parts at its base, viz., the vesiculas 

 seminales, and the prostate gland, are to be taken first for examination. 



Dissection. To study the form and structure of the viscera, it will be 

 necessary to remove them from the pelvis. For this purpose the student 

 should carry the scalpel around the pelvic outlet, close to the osseous 



