^0 THE PHILOSOPHY 



trance into the cavity of the uterus forms a fmall protuber- 

 ance, which has been compared to the mouth of a tench, and 

 from this circumftance it has received the name of os tincae. 

 The uterus is connected to the fides of the pelvis by two 

 broad Hgaments, which fupport it in the vagina in a pendu- 

 lous iituation. From each fide of the bottom of the uterus 

 the tv/o Fallopian tubes arife, pafs through the fubftance of 

 the uterus, and extend along the broad ligaments till they 

 reach the QAgo. of the pelvis ; from whence they are reflect- 

 ed backward, and turning over behind the ligaments, their 

 extremities hang loofe in the pelvis. Thefe extremities, be- 

 caufe they have a ragged appearance, are CTxWed ^mbrwe, or 

 morfus diaboli : Each Fallopian tube is about three inches 

 long. Their cavities are at firfl very fmall, but become gra- 

 dually larger, like a trumpet, as they approach the fimbriae. 

 Near the fimbriae of each tube, about an inch from the uter- 

 us, are fituated the ovaria, or two oval bodies, about half the 

 iize of the male teflicle. They are covered with a produc- 

 tion of the peritoneum, and hang loofe in the pelvis. In 

 their fubflance there are feveral minute veficles filled with 

 lymph. The number of thefe veficles feldom exceeds 

 twelve in each ovarium^ In mature females, thefe veficles 

 become exceedingly turgid ; and a yellow coagulum gradual- 

 ly forms in one of them, which iricreafes till its coat difap- 

 pears. It then changes into a hemifpherical body called cor^ 

 pus luteum^ which is defcribed as being hollow and containing 

 within its cavity very minute eggs, each of which, it is fup- 

 pofed, may be impregnated, and produce a foetus. After 

 impregnation, one of thefe eggs, as we are informed by anat- 

 omifls, is abforbed by and pafTes through the Fallopian tube 

 into the uterus, where it is nourilhed till mature for birth. 



We fliall conclude this fubjedl with a concife account of 

 the inftruments of fenfation. The organs hitherto defcribed 

 convey nothing more than the idea of an automaton, or felf- 



