990 GENERATIVE APPARATUS. 



longitudinal — external fibres, and are continuous with those of the uterus ; they 

 are mixed with embryonic nucleated connective tissue.) The mucous membrane 

 is arranged in longitudinal folds in the tube, but in the pavilion these folds are 

 radiating ; it is covered by a ciUated cylindrical epithelium (the vibrations of the 

 cilia being towards the uterus). (It has very few glands and no villi.) At the 

 margin, or fimbriae, of the pavilion it suddenly ceases, and is continued by 

 the peritoneum (a serous cyst is frequently found in this situation ; at the other 

 extremity the mucous membrane is continuous with that of the uterus). 



Functions. — The excretory duct of the ovary, the Fallopian tube seizes the 

 ovum expelled from the Graafian vesicle, and carries it to the uterus. It is there- 

 fore necessary that, at the moment of rupture of the vesicle, the fimbriae should 

 be applied to the ovary, in order to receive the germ and bring it to the abdominal 

 orifice of the tube. The application of the pavilion to the ovary is brought about, 

 either by the contraction of the muscular fibres it contains, or through the dis- 

 tension of the bulb of the ovary. Sometimes this mechanism is insufficient, and 

 the ovum falls into the abdominal cavity, becomes fixed there, and is developed 

 if it has been previously fecundated ; this occurrence constitutes the most 

 remarkable variety of extra-uterine gestation. 



The oviduct also conveys the seminal fluid of the male to the ovum. 



3. The Uterus (Figs. 535, 536). 



The uterus is a membranous sac to which the ovum is carried, and in which 

 it is developed. 



Situation. — It is situated in the abdominal cavity, in the sublumbar region, 

 at the entrance to the pelvic cavity, where its posterior extremity is placed. 



Form and relations. — In its posterior moiety, the uterus is a single cylindrical 

 reservoir, slightly flattened above and below ; this is the body of the uterus. Its 

 anterior moiety is bifid, and gives rise to two cornua, which curve upwards. 



The bod// is related, by its upper face, to the rectum, which lies on it after 

 passing between the two cornua ; it receives, on the sides of this face, the attach- 

 ment of the broad ligaments ; its lateral and inferior faces are related to the 

 intestinal convolutions. (Inferiorhj, it is in relation with the bladder.) Its 

 anterior extremity (or fundus) is continuous, without inten'uption, with each of 

 the cornua ; thQ posterior extremity is separated from the vagina by a constriction, 

 named the neck {cervix) of the uterus. 



The cornua, lying among the different portions of intestine which occupy the 

 same region, offer : a free and convex inferior curvature ; a superior curvature, to 

 which the suspensory ligaments are attached ; a posterior extremity, or base, fixed 

 to the body of the organ ; and an anterior extremity or summit — a rounded blind 

 pouch looking upwards, and showing the entrance of the Fallopian tube, 



3Ieans of attachment. — Floating in the abdominal cavity, like the intestines, 

 the uterus is also, like them, attached by bands which suspend it to the sub- 

 lumbar region, and which for this reason have been named the suspensory or 

 broad ligaments of the uterus. 



These bands are two in number, are irregularly triangular in shape, and are 

 more developed before than behind. Close to each other posteriorly, and 

 separating in front like the branches of the letter V, they leave the sublumbar 

 surface and descend towards the uterus, to be attached by their inferior border 

 to the sides of the upper face of the body and the small curvature of the cornua. 

 Their anterior body is free ; they sustain the Fallopian tubes and ovaries, th» 



