VAGINA. U9 



A thin layer of spongy, erectile tissue, intermixed with much elastic tissue, 

 lies immediately beneath the mucous coat. 



The mucous coat is pale, continuous, externally, with the vulva, and internally 

 with that of the bladder. It is thrown into longitudinal folds, one of which, 

 placed along the floor of the canal, resembles the veru montanum in the male 

 urethra. It is lined by laminated epithelium, which becomes spheroidal at the 

 bladder. Its external orifice is surrounded by a few mucous follicles. 



The urethra, from not being surrounded by dense resisting structures, as in the 

 male, admits of considerable dilatation, which enables the surgeon to remove with 

 considerable facility, calculi, or other foreign bodies, from the cavity of the 

 bladder. 



EECTUM. 



The Kectum is more capacious, and less curved in the female, than in the male. 



The first portion extends from the left sacro-iliac symphysis to the middle of 

 the sacrum. Its connections are similar to those in the male. 



The second portion extends to the tip of the coccyx. It is covered in front by 

 the peritoneum, but only for a short distance, at its upper part, and is in relation 

 with the posterior wall of the vagina. 



The third portion curves backwards, from the vagina to the anus, leaving a 

 space which corresponds on the surface of the body to the perineum. Its ex- 

 tremity is surrounded by the Sphincter muscles, and its sides are supported by 

 the Levatores ani. 



THE YAGINA. 



The Yagina is a membranous canal, extending from the vulva to the uterus. 

 It is situated in the cavity of the pelvis, behind the bladder, and in front of 

 the rectum. Its direction is curved forwards and downwards, following at first 

 the line of the axis of the cavity of the pelvis, and afterwards that of the outlet. 

 It is cylindrical in shape, flattened from before backwards, and its walls are 

 ordinarily in contact with each other. Its length is about four inches along its 

 anterior wall, and between five or six along its posterior wall. It is constricted 

 at its commencement, and becomes dilated near the uterine extremity ; it surrounds 

 the vaginal portion of the cervix uteri, a short distance from the os, and its at- 

 tachment extends higher up on the posterior than on the anterior wall. 



Relations. Its anterior surface is concave, and in relation with the base of the 

 bladder, and with the urethra. Its posterior surface is convex,, and connected to 

 the anterior wall of the rectum, for the lower three-fourths of its extent, the 

 upper fourth being separated from that tube by the recto-uterine fold of peri- 

 toneum, which forms a cul-de-sac between the vagina and rectum. Its sides give 

 attachment superiorly to the broad ligaments, and inferiorly to the Levatores ani 

 muscles and recto-vesical fascia. 



Structure. The vagina consists of an external or muscular coat, a layer of 

 erectile tissue, and an internal mucous lining. 



The muscular coat consists of longitudinal fibres, which surround the vagina, 

 and are continuous with the superficial muscular fibres of the uterus. The 

 strongest fasciculi are those attached to the recto-vesical fascia on each side. 



The erectile tissue is inclosed between two layers of fibrous membrane : it is 

 more abundant at the lower than at the upper part of the vagina. 



The mucous membrane is continuous, above, with that lining the uterus, and 

 below, with the integument covering the labia majora. Its inner surface presents, 

 along the anterior and posterior walls, a longitudinal ridge or raphe, called the 

 column of the vagina, and numerous transverse ridges or rugae extend outwards 

 from the raphe on each side. These rugaB are most distinct near the orifice of 

 the vagina, especially in females before parturition. They indicate its adaptation 

 for dilatation, and are calculated to facilitate its enlargement during parturition. 

 The mucous membrane is covered with conical and filiform papillas, and provided 



