194 THE FALLOPIAN TUBES. 



The internal surface of the large extremities of these tubes 

 is extremely vascular ; and there are some longitudinal fibres 

 of a red color to be seen on it. 



More recent investigations into the structure of the walls of 

 the Fallopian tubes, have shown that they are composed of an 

 inner lining of mucous membrane which is covered with a deli- 

 cate ciliary epithelium, a middle or muscular coat consisting of 

 circular and longitudinal fibres continuous with those of the 

 uterus and an external serous tunic derived from the peritoneum. 

 The great abundance and frequent anastomosis of the veins in 

 the walls of the tubes, forms a sort of erectile spongy body, some- 

 what like the corpus spongiosum. When this spongy substance 

 is distended by a fine size injection, I have found the tube bowed 

 upwards as if in a state of erection, and the Fimbria or Morsus 

 Diaboli, which are likewise rendered turgid, spread out upon the 

 ovary, so that the dilated funnel-shaped cavity of the tube, the 

 ostium abdominctle, was brought in contact with this organ. One 

 or two of the longest of these fimbria? are usually attached to the 

 external margin of the ovary. Sometimes they are all found 

 adherent as a consequence of accidental inflammation. In a 

 young girl dead six or seven weeks after conception, Madame 

 Boivin, found the trumpet-shaped extremity of the left tube curv- 

 ed over the ovary so as to cover it almost entirely, and all the 

 fimbria? strongly adherent to its surface. At the orifice of the 

 tube was a membranous cyst, of the size of a hazle-nut, filled with 

 a yellowish serum, and covered with minute red vessels. This 

 interesting fact is in support of the function attributed to these 

 organs during fecundation : that of grasping the ovary with its 

 fimbriae, and sucking in the ovum when detached, which it trans- 

 mits in ordinary cases to the womb. 



There is reason to believe, that the pathological changes of 



the distal extremity of this tube, are a frequent cause of sterility. 

 It is so commonly found diseased in the class of subjects with 

 which our anatomical rooms are supplied, that it is even diffi- 

 cult to procure a perfectly healthy specimen of the parts. The 

 morbid changes that I have most frequently met with, are an 

 agglutination of the end of the tube to the ovary or broad liga- 



