VAGINA. 361 



pelvic walls, forming a septum across, and dividing the pelvis 

 into two portions, the inferior containing the bladder, vagina, 

 and urethra ; the superior, the rectum. Two peritoneal folds, 

 the superior, or recto-uterine ligament, unite the uterus to the 

 rectum ; and two pass from the uterus to the bladder, the 

 inferior, or vesico-uterine ligament. Two fibrous cords, the 

 round ligaments, arise from the upper angle of the uterus, 

 proceed to the internal abdominal rings through the inguinal 

 €anals, and are lost in front of the symphysis pubis. The 

 arteries are the uterine and utero-ovarian, with corresponding 

 veins. After once bearing young, these vessels are very large. 

 The nerves are from the mesenteric and pelvic plexuses. 



The muscular coat consists of two layers analogous to those of 

 the intestine, longitudinal and transverse. The external layer is 

 thin, and encircles the anterior part of the body, cornua, and Fal- 

 lopian tubes, sending fasciculi between the folds of the broad 

 ligament. The muscular coat is better developed in the gravid 

 uterus. The mucous coat is thin, smooth, and closely adherent 

 to the muscular one, more especially in the body ; it is pale 

 reddish-white, clothed with ciliated epithelium, and furnished 

 with numerous mucous follicles and glands peculiar to the organ 

 — the utricular glands. A network of rugsB exists, termed the 

 arbor vitce uterinus. The uterus has three openings, one, 

 the ostiura uterinum, at the end of each horn, for the Fallopian 

 tube, and one, the ostium internum (os uteri), leading through 

 the cervix, about which the mucous glands are vesicular and pro- 

 minent, and known as the Nabothian Glands (ovula Nabothi). 



VAGINA. 

 The vagina is the cylindroid membranous canal leading from 

 the vulva to the uterus, and also situated between the rectum 

 and the bladder. It consists of two membranes ; an inner 

 mucous and an outer muscular, invested by a reflection of the 

 pelvic fascia. Constricted at its origin, the vagina widens at its 

 inner portion, and surrounds the neck of the uterus. The 

 mucous coat, clothed with numerous papillae, and studded with 

 follicles, presents a number of longitudinal rugoe, which abound 

 at the constricted opening, and which facilitate dilatation during 

 parturition. Blood is supplied by the internal pudic artery ; 

 nerves by the pelvic plexus. 



The vagina is the chief female oroan of coition. 



