THE SEXUAL ORGANS. 257 



from which arise the wide, thin-walled veins, unfurnished with 

 valves, which follow the course of the arteries towards the 

 exterior. The lymphatics, probably commencing in the mucous 

 membrane, are remarkably numerous, form coarser or finer 

 networks under the peritoneal investment and proceed, in 

 numerous, considerable trunks, accompanying the blood-vessels, 

 in part to the pelvic glands, in part, with the vasa spermatica, 

 to the lumbar plexus. The nerves of the uterus, containing 

 numerous fine, and some thick nerve-fibres coming from the 

 hypogastric and pudendal plexuses, and united in a plexiform 

 manner, reach the uterus through the broad ligaments, and 

 ramify, following principally the course of the vessels in the 

 muscular substance, from the fundus to the cervix, in which 

 latter situation they are the most abundant. They are white 

 and, in the uterus, are not furnished with any ganglia; their 

 condition in the mucous membrane, and their terminations 

 elsewhere, are unknown. 



Of the ligaments of the uterus, the ligg. lata, anteriora, and 

 posteriora, are duplicatures of the peritoneum, which contain, 

 together with the vessels and nerves passing to and from the 

 uterus, a considerable number of smooth muscular fibres con- 

 tinued into them from the uterus. The same tissue also 

 arising from the uterus, occurs more sparingly in the ligg, 

 ovarii, and in very considerable number in the ligg. rotunda, 

 in the form of longitudinal bundles surrounded by connective 

 tissue, with which at the internal abdominal ring a good many 

 transversely striated muscular fibres, often extending nearly to 

 the uterus, are associated. 



§207. 



Changes in the uterus at the menstrual period and in preg- 

 nancy. — At the menstrual period, the whole uterus enlarges, 

 and its texture expands, which is perhaps to be attributed, 

 chiefly, to the distension of the vessels, and the considerable 

 infiltration of the entire organ with blood-plasma; at all 

 events, beyond a greater facility in the demonstration of its 

 elements, I have been unable to perceive any further alteration 

 in the muscular coat. The mucous membrane, on the other 

 hand, in many cases really increases, being thickened to 1 — 2'" ' , 

 or even 3'", or, in its projecting folds, even to 5 — 6'"; it becomes 



n. 17 



