VISCERA IN THE MALE. 503 



On the prostate the sheath is thinner than on the rectum, and is con- 

 tinued forwards to the apex of that body, where it blends with the trian- 

 gular ligament of the urethra : it is separated from the capsule of the 

 prostate by a plexus of veins, and by some small arteries. 



In the female the fascia has much the same arrangement as in the male ; 

 but the vagina perforates the membrane, and receives a tube from it, like 

 the prostate. 



The true ligaments of the bladder are two on each side, anterior and 

 lateral, and are parts of the recto-vesical fascia. 



The anterior reaches from the posterior part of the pubes to the upper 

 surface of the prostate, and the neck of the bladder ; it is a narrow white 

 band, and incloses some muscular fibres of the bladder. Between the 

 ligaments of opposite sides, the recto-vesical fascia dips down to reach the 

 triangular ligament of the perinaeum, and closes the pelvis between the 

 levatores ani. 



The lateral ligament is a piece of the same fascia, which is fixed to the 

 upper border of the prostate gland, to the side of the bladder close above 

 the vesicula seminalis, and to the back of the bladder between the vesi- 

 culae ; from this part of the fascia an offset is continued downwards over 

 the vesicula seminalis, so as to join a like piece from the other side, and 

 form a sheath for those bodies. 



There are other ligaments of the bladder (false ligaments), which are 

 derived from the peritoneum investing it, and will be described in the fol- 

 lowing Section. 



Ligament of the rectum. On each side of the rectum is a strong wide 

 piece of the recto-vesical fascia, which is connected externally to the ischial 

 part of the hip bone, and supports that viscus like the bladder. 



SECTION II. 



CONNECTIONS OF THE VISCERA IN THE MALE. 



Directions. If the student dissects a female pelvis, he will find the 

 description of it at page 509. 



Contents and position (fig. 174). The viscera in the cavity of the male 

 pelvis are, the lower end of the large intestine (rectum) ; the bladder with 

 its excretory tube the urethra; together with some generative organs. 

 These have the following relative situation : 



The rectum (&) is behind all, and takes a curved course, with the con- 

 vexity backwards, along the front of the sacrum and coccyx. The bladder 

 (a) is placed in the concavity of the rectum, its neck being surrounded 

 by the prostate gland (6) ; and the urethra (d) curves forwards from it 

 above the intestine. Beneath the bladder between it and the rectum 

 are the little seminal sacs (#) with the vasa deferential*. Some of these 

 organs are partly surrounded by the peritoneum. 



Dissection. All the recto-vesical fascia, except the anterior true liga- 

 ment of the bladder, may be taken from the prostate and rectum. The 

 obliterated (hypogastric) cord from the internal iliac artery should be fol- 

 lowed forwards along the bladder from the back of the pelvis ; and the 

 branches of the same artery to the bladder should be cleaned. When the 



