THE FEMALE GENITAL TRACT. 829 



that part of the medullary portion which is nearest the cortex, 

 and the latter receives capillaries almost exclusively. The arter- 

 ies have a markedly spiral course and a broad muscle-coat, while 

 the veins have very thin walls, and in the region around the 

 hilus produce a rich plexus, approaching the cavernous structure. 

 Lymph-vessels are also numerous, and, according to His, produce 

 a closed reticulum, in the stroma as well as in the connective- 

 tissue capsule of the follicles. Valves are found in the lymph- 

 atics outside the ovary, and also in the lymphatics of the broad 

 ligament. 



As remains of embryonal formations are considered : 



(1) The epooplioron (Rosenmiiller), which lies in the lateral portion of the 

 broad ligament, above the ovary, reaching to the hilus. It is composed of 

 blind tubules, with a lining of columnar, ciliated epithelia. They are rem- 

 nants of the sexual portion of Wolff's body. 



(2) The parooplioron (Waldeyer). This is located in the medial portion 

 of the broad ligament, often extending to the lateral border of the uterus. 

 It is likewise composed of tubules lined by columnar, ciliated epithelia, and 

 is considered as the remains of the primordial kidney (Wolff's body). 



(2) The oviducts or Fallopian tubes are composed of connect- 

 ive tissue, the innermost layer being the mucosa, the outermost 

 the serosa, and between these are layers of smooth muscle-fibers. 

 The mucosa has abrupt, longitudinal folds, which, toward the 

 ampulla, are connected by oblique and transverse ridges, supplied 

 with numerous smaller ledges. The portion nearest the epi- 

 thelium is in young persons myxomatous, in older persons loose 

 fibrous connective tissue, having longitudinal bundles of smooth 

 muscles, more fully developed toward the uterine than toward 

 the fimbriated extremity of the tubes. The submucous layer 

 above the muscles is always fibrous connective tissue. The 

 covering epithelia are ciliated columnar, extending over the 

 fimbriae, but, in human beings, not connected with the epithelia 

 of the ovary. Of the muscle-layers the circular shows the most 

 advanced development; the longitudinal, outside the circular, 

 is composed of only a few scanty bundles. The subserous con- 

 nective tissue is well developed, and bounded by the delicate 

 but dense fibrous tissue of the peritoneum. The mucosa, close 

 above the epithelium, has a rich reticulum of capillary blood- 

 vessels. 



(3) The uterus is composed mainly of smooth muscle-fibers, 

 which toward the cavity are covered by the mucosa; at the 

 periphery, in a great extent, by the peritoneum. The mucosa is 



