CHAPTER XX. 



FEMALE GENERATIVE ORGANS. 



THE internal female generative organs are vagina, uterus, 

 Fallopian tubes, and ovaries. 



The vagina. The vagina is a distensible and curved musculo- 

 membranous canal, extending from the vulva to the uterus. 

 The posterior wall is about three and a half inches long, while 

 the anterior wall is only three inches. The front or anterior 

 wall is united by connective tissue with the posterior walls of 

 the bladder and urethra, the partition or septum between the 

 bladder and vagina being called the vesico-vaginal, and that 

 between the urethra and vagina, the urethro-vaginal, septum. 

 And, if we divide the posterior wall of the vagina into five 

 sections, we find that the middle three-fifths is connected with 

 the rectum, the united walls forming the recto-vaginal septum; 1 

 the lower fifth is separated from the rectum and is joined to the 

 perineum; 2 while the upper fifth extends up behind the neck of 

 the uterus. 



The vagina is made up of three coats, an outer, fibrous; 

 middle, muscular ; and inner, mucous. The muscular coat in- 

 creases during pregnancy, 'and the mucous coat is arranged in 

 transverse folds or rugae, which allow of dilatation of the canal 

 during labour. 



The uterus. The uterus is a thick -walled, hollow, pear- 

 shaped organ, situated in the middle of the pelvic cavity. Its 

 upper end is a little below the level of the superior strait of the 

 pelvis (vide page 43) ; its lower end projects into the vagina. 



1 Perforations of the vesico-vaginal and recto-vaginal partitions constitute 

 vesico-vaginal and recto-vaginal fistulae. 



2 The perineum is a triangular section of tissue, made up of muscles strength- 

 ened with fascia, placed between the rectum and vagina, and forming the floor 

 of the pelvis. 



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